Island Peak climbing was always on my list. At 6189 meters, this peak felt like the perfect next step after completing a few treks in the Khumbu region. The keyword Island Peak climbing was all over blogs and social media, and most people seemed to do it with guides. I thought I could do it solo. I was wrong.

Before the climb, I trained for months. I studied routes online, watched videos, and even got some basic climbing gear. It all felt exciting. I told myself I could save money and feel more accomplished by going alone. But once I left the comfort of Lukla and headed up toward Chhukung, I realized this mountain is not a casual walk.

The first difficulty came during the acclimatization days. Without a guide, I had no one to check on how I was adjusting to the altitude. I ignored a headache thinking it was normal. By the time I reached base camp, I was already weaker than I should have been. A guide would have noticed. Alone, I kept pushing.

At high camp, everything felt heavier. I had to cook my own meals in freezing temperatures and try to sleep while snow tapped on the tent all night. My crampons didn’t fit perfectly and the rope system I brought was not as reliable as I had thought. There was no one to check my knots or fix my harness. Small mistakes at that altitude become dangerous quickly.

The next challenge was the glacier section. This is where things got serious. There were crevasses hidden under thin snow. I knew the path only from online maps, but on the mountain, things looked different. I hesitated. Should I step forward or retreat I had no one to ask. That feeling of standing alone on ice, unsure of the next move, was terrifying.

The fixed rope section near the headwall was worse. It looked vertical from below. My hands were freezing and I struggled to connect to the safety line correctly. I saw other climbers moving confidently with their guides leading and checking every detail. I felt the difference. Every step I took, I thought of what could go wrong if I slipped or made a poor judgment.

Reaching the summit was not the joy I thought it would be. I was too tired to enjoy the view. My body was shaking and I was already thinking about the long way back down. Descending alone is harder than climbing up. My legs were weak, the sun was melting the snow, and I knew one mistake could be the end.

That night back at base camp, I finally accepted it. Island Peak climbing without a guide is not just harder. It is unsafe.

A guide would have helped with acclimatization. A guide would have checked my gear. A guide would have shown me the safer line through the glacier and fixed rope. Most importantly, a guide would have made sure I came back down alive.

Some people might say doing it alone builds character. Maybe it does. But I think character also means knowing when to ask for help. There is no shame in hiring someone who knows the mountain better than you.

Climbing Island Peak is not just about the summit. It is about moving smartly through thin air, ice walls, and unpredictable weather. Without a guide, the risk is real.

So if you are reading this thinking of doing it solo, I would tell you what I wish someone had told me earlier. The mountain does not care about your plans. You might have trained, read blogs, and bought good boots. But when you are up there alone, all of that can fall apart fast.

Next time I go back to Island Peak or any mountain above 6000 meters, I will go with someone who knows the trail better than I do. It is not about pride. It is about making sure you live to climb again.

Island Peak climbing is beautiful, no doubt. But without a guide, it can quickly turn into something else. Choose wisely.