Where to climb in August

August being the height of summer in the Northern Hemisphere means some places are just too damn hot, but if you’re high enough in the mountains that’s not usually a problem. Plus the holiday feel back in the valleys can make up for the busyness of tourist season.

There’s plenty of adventures to be had at this time of year. These are some suggestions, but as always, you’ll need to check up to date information regarding access and logistics, particularly for those areas subject to geo-political tensions. Here’s a little inspiration for the month of August. And if not this year, why not next?

North America

August is a great time in the high northern latitudes where you can enjoy 24 hours of daylight and less extreme temperatures than at other times of the year. Greenland still has an abundance of unclimbed and not-too-technical alpine peaks, which aren’t as inaccessible as you might think.

Baffin Island has acres of incredible and as-yet unclimbed rock walls, with approaches possible by sailing boat, kayak or plane. It’s certainly at the more adventurous end of the spectrum, and it’s best to be prepared for any and all types of weather; last year being particularly warm and wet for example.

Although much closer to civilisation in terms of miles, there’s nothing very accessible about Canada’s extensive Coast Mountains. But if you’re after a remote, wild, and secluded alpine experience and are prepared to put the effort in to get there (think days of bush-whacking!), then it can be a very rewarding place to explore. If that’s a bit too much commitment, then mountaineering season in the Rockies is in full swing, with long daylight hours and generally good weather, although glacier travel can start to get a little trickier later in the summer.

The same is true further south into the USA, while August is generally a good month for mountains in the North Cascades (e.g. Mount Rainier), but with more crevasses opening up, certain routes will become impassable.

South America

Despite being in the Southern hemisphere and therefore technically winter, there are loads of mountainous areas in the Andes which are still climbable in August.

In Bolivia, you have the Cordillera Apolobamba, Lipez, and Real (including Illimani) all of which are stunning alpine ranges which are relatively easy to access. Just factor in feeling terrible in La Paz for a few days after landing at the world’s highest international airport at 4062m!

For more technical climbs, Peru has loads to offer including the Cordillera Huayhuash, although August is tending toward the later part of the season, particularly for southern Peru.

The volcanoes of the Cordillera Occidental chain that spans Peru, Bolivia, and Chile have a long climbing season that spans May to October. Some of them are still active, which adds another dimension to the usual mountain hazards you might encounter. August is also one of the key months for climbing Ecuador’s volcanoes (including Cotopaxi), which can be a great introduction to higher altitudes with moderate technical difficulty.

Europe & the Middle East

August is often the prime month for attempting many of the 4000m peaks in the Alps, such as those in the Monte Rosa massif, the lesser-known peaks of the Bernese Oberland or the classics like Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. This is also the best time to attempt some of the classic North Faces of the Alps, such as the Eiger. Bear in mind, the condition of routes and their approaches are heavily influenced by the amount of snowfall, which has become more erratic in recent years. Glacial loss due to climate change is altering the approaches to many areas, with more fixed gear and ladders being installed in some places to maintain access, while others require different approaches altogether.

View of the Weissmies (4017m) from the Lagginhorn in the Swiss Alps.

Continuing the theme of 4000m peaks (other altitudes are available!), the High Atlas including Toubkal in Morocco and Mount Ararat in Turkey are often climbed in August.

Asia

If you’re after bigger, more adventurous challenges, then central Asia has a lot to offer in August. If you want to test yourself at over 7000m (e.g. Khan Tengri in Kazakhstan), the Tien Shan range which borders China and the ‘Stans is worth considering. Similarly, the Pamir range in Tajikistan, with Muztagh Ata offering a fairly non-technical introduction to higher altitudes. Of course, there are many more peaks with varying degrees of technical difficulty – the benefit being you’re in the heart of the highest mountain ranges in the world, so whichever way you look there will be something to inspire you!

Many of the tallest and most technically challenging mountains in the world are found in the Karakorum range in the Pakistan/China border regions. The likes of K2, Broad Peak and Gasherbrum I & II (all over 8000m) are multi-month undertakings, and by August teams are established at high camps on the mountains, completing their acclimatisation rotations and watching for the weather window, if they haven’t already attempted the summit.

Australasia

Carstenz Pyramid is arguably the most technical of the Seven Summits, and because of its location near the Equator the weather is tropical and wet, so there is no real ‘good season’ to climb it, but August is high season for tourism in Indonesia. Over in Malaysia, there are plenty of other interesting rocky peaks including Mount Kinabalu on the island of Borneo.

Africa

For something a little more off the tourist track, Uganda’s Rwenzori mountains are in season at this time of year, with Mount Stanley at 5109m an often-overlooked glaciated peak. There are also some fantastic alpine rock routes on Mount Kenya’s north face that can be climbed in August.

 

So there you have it, there’s plenty of mountain adventures to be had around the world in August.