On a clear day the Ganesh Himal, with the icy fangs of pabil (7101m/ 23300ft), Lobsang Karpo (7150m/ 23458ft),GI (7406m/ 24298ft) and GV (6950m/ 22802ft) can be seen forming an imposing backdrop to the north- west of Kathmandu. Paldor, which can just be picked out from the mass of shapely summits, was first climbed by Bill Tilman, Peter Lloyd, Tenzing Sherpa and Da Namgyal during the monsoon of 1949 by the North-East Ridge, although it must be said that it is difficult to fit Tilman’s description to the actual route.

Paldor lies at the south-east end of the Ganesh Himal marking the junction of the Tiru and Khurpu Dandas at the head of the Mailung Khola, a tributary of the Trisuli Gandaki.

The name Ganesh is taken from the elephant-headed Hindu god of good luck, probably the most popular deity in the Kathmandu valley. As the son of Shiva and his consort Annapurna, or Parvati, his head was severed by his father who then promised to replace it with the first head that came to hand; the first happened to be an elephant’s. Images of Ganesh, sitting astride a shrew, can be seen all over the valley. Since he can cast aside obstacles, his help is invoked whenever a difficult task is to be undertaken.