Ama Dablam means "mother's necklace"; the long ridges on each side like the arms of a mother (ama) protecting her child, and the hanging glacier thought of as the dablam, the traditional double-pendant containing pictures of the gods, worn by Sherpa women.

[3] For several days, Ama Dablam dominates the eastern sky for anyone trekking to Mount Everest Base Camp.

They were well-acclimatised to altitude, having wintered over at 5,800 metres (19,029 ft) near the base of the peak as part of the 1960–61 Silver Hut expedition, led by Sir Edmund Hillary.

In May 1959, George Fraser and Mike Harris, two of Britain's finest climbers, were last seen at 6,400 metres (21,000 ft) on the mountain's north ridge, but never returned to tell whether they had reached the summit.

[20] On the night of 13/14 November 2006, a large serac collapse occurred from the hanging glacier, which swept away several tents at Camp III, killing six climbers (three European, three Nepalese).