The main peak, Nubtse I, was first climbed on May 16, 1961 by Dennis Davis and Sherpa Tashi and the following day by Chris Bonington, Les Brown, James Swallow and Pemba Sherpa, members of a British expedition led by Joe Walmsley. This route they took is called the Scott route for the Nuptse mountain. After this it was climbed just twice between 1961 and 1996.