Himalayan Peaks of Nepal

8000 meters and above

In 1950, a France expedition summited the first mountain over 8000 m at the highest. It was Annapurna I, and although countless attempts had been made on Mt. Everest the higher than the highest mountain in the world, on the expedition had succeeded until then. These mountains are known as the eight-thousands and all fourteen of them lie in Asia. Out of the fourteen, Nepal has a big share of eight. They are Mt. Everest (8848m), Kanchenjunga (8586m) , Lhotse (8516m), makalu (8463m), Cha Oyu (8201m), Dhaulagiri 98167m), Manaslu (8163m) and Annapurna (8091m). These lofty Peaks are part of the Himalaya ( The Above of the snows, Him= snow, alayadwelling place,) and from the Natural boundary wall between Ne [a; and Tibet/China in the north and between India and Nepal in the east, the highest peak outside Asia is the Aconcagua (6959m) of the Andes in Peru, South America and the highest mountain in Europe, Mt, Elbrus is significantly smaller, rising no higher than 5643m.

It is believed the Himalaya was formed around 50 million years ago that, in geological time is considered recent, which is why this gigantic chain of mountain is called the younger in the world. These mountains  are still rising. It is known that the region occupied by the Himalayan range today, was once a shallow Tethys sea. Countless fossils of mollusks are found even today proving the point, Gigantic forces move the Indo- Australian Plates against the Eurasian Continental Plates causing the land to fold upwards creating a massive chain of mountain over million of years. The Himalayan stretches 2400 km across east to west.

Four of the other eight-thousands are in Pakistan while lying in China. Eight-thousands  are the ultimate challenge for any mountaineer, they have fascinated the avid climber who is always on the lookout for fresh challenges. A towering figure among all the climbers is the Tyrolean champion mountaineer, Rainhold Mesener. He took mountain climbing to new highs when along with Peter Habelar he climbed oxygen. This feat had previously been disappeared from the limelight, Massener went on to accomplish a also climb of Everest and then astounded the world by climbing all eight- thousanders. Inspired by the great man, the other followed in his footsteps and  there are mountaineers still in the quest of achieving this great feat.

The zone above 8000m is called the Death zone as many have perished in the thin cold air that taxes the body to its limits. Doubts were raised before the conquest of Everest weather man could survive at such dizzying high. But the Britist had been attempting to climb the world’s highest  peak from the early 1920s via Tibet. Many perished in the attempt. Nepal had firmly shut its doors to outsiders, hence all expedition took the longer and the more demanding route via Tibet, but none were successful. However, in the early 1950s Nepal opened its doors to the outside world and there was a mad rush to climb from the south. A few expedition was permitted each year and it was only in May 1953s, that Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the top of Mt. Everest becoming the first humans to do so. The French who conquered the first eight-thousander seemed to have set the ball rolling for the rest of the world to try and be the first to climb a virgin eight-thousander. The mountaineers were surprisingly successful during the 1950s and this decade subsequently become known as the Golden Decade of Climbing. All but two of the fourteen eight-thousands were climbed during the 1950s.

(1) Mt. Everest (8848m, Sagarmatha in Nepali:  The highest mountain in the world

Ever since the highest peak in the world was identified by an employee of the Geological Survey of India in 1852, the mountain has fascinated and drawn climbers from around the world. Known simply as peak XV when the historic discovery was made, it was eventually named ‘Everest. By the then surveyor General, Andrew Waugh in honor of his predecessor, George Everest.

The Tibetan and Sharp as (who lived close to the mountain) knew it as Chhomolungma and the Nepalese Government later gave it  the name ‘Sagarmatha’  The early climber like the famous duo, George Mallory and Andrew Lrvine attempted to climb from the Tibetan side which on the north side of Everest.

The first British Everest Reconnaissance Expedition to the mountain was led by Lt, Colonel Charles Howard-Bury and George Mallory was part of the team. The northern and eastern reaches of the mountain were explored ans on 24^th September 1921s, Guy Bullock along with Mallory became the first climbers to reach a height  of 7000m on Everest, They had claimed to the north col of the mountain establishing the northern route. Nepal being completely cut off from the rest of the world ( except for a few invited guests), no attempts could be made from the south. In Tibet, the Dalai Lama of the time had given permission to the foreigners to climb even though he wondered why wanted to do such a senseless thing. To Asians it made no sense at all; risking one’s life to reach the top of a mountain that is covered in snow under bitterly cold condition.

Mt. Everest lies in the Khumbu region of Nepal on the Northern Border with Tibet and also falls within the Sagarmatha national park. After many attempts had been made on the mountain, it was Tenzing and Admund Hillary who finally proved to the world  that it could be climbed. At 9:30 AM on a sunny morning of 29^th May 1953, the New Zelander and Sherpa Sirder stood triumphantly atop the highest mountain in the world. While Tenzing stood on the summit with a collection of flags, Hillary took his picture, which graced the front pages of Newspapers around the world. It was a great moment in history not only for the two climbers but for mankind in general. Before the epic climb there had been much spectaclution as doubts were raised if man could survive at such great altitudes. The previous year, Tenzing had almost reached the top with Swiss climber Raymond Lambert, but it was the British Expedition led by John Hunt that got the eventual honors. Way back in 1924, Mallory and live-in had disappeared after they were last seen 240m below the summit. Although the Mallory’s well preserved body was found high on the mountain in 1999. Nobody is really sure if the duo made it to the summit or died on the way up.

Since 1953, many records have been broken and many Sherpas has climbed more than ten times each. The record holder Apa Sherpa has climbed the peak an astounding eighteen times. Many today climbs to set a new record such as the speed record. Others have climbed to become the youngest or older. A blind nab made it to the top and so did an amputee. With modern gear and Sherpas to guide them, climbing has become so much simpler than in the early day when nobody knew which way to go or even if it was possible to summit. The most common way up to the summit is the southeast ridge route.

(2) Kanchenjunga ( 8586m) the third highest mountain in the world

There was a time when Mt. Kenchanjunga was considered the highest mountain in the world. This was before starting the discovery made by the chief Computer ( today they are replaced by machines) who pointed out that peak XV was in fact higher than Peak IX, Kenchanjunga, later it became apparent that peak IX was actually only the third highest mountain after Everest and K2 (Karakoram, Pakistan). It lies 128 km east of Everest the western face lies i9n Nepal while the other side lies in the state of Sikkim, India. Kanchenjunga or Kangchenzonga in Sikkimese means “ five treasures of the great Snows” as the mountain has five prominent peaks. They are Kanchenjunga main ( 8586mm), along Khang (8505m), kanchenjubga west 8420m), and the Twin peaks ( both 8476m). Unlike most the other Himalayan peaks, this mountain lies north to south and the Kanchenjunga glacier drains into the Tamur River which is a tributary of the Koshi.

Climbing Kanchenjunga had been contemplated by many as far back as in 1882, yet no attempt was made until 1905. The first to go up the Yalung glacier was Alaister Crowley but he lost four men in the mountain; a Lieutentant {ache and three porters. For fifteen years, no  one dared another attempt, in 1929, an American climber named Francis farmer the behind his porters and clime duo the south face but was never seen again. Then Pail Baure led a Bavarian Expedition up the n\mountauin later in the same year and reached the altitude of 7700m following as an unsuccessful attempt by Gunther Dyhernfurth in 1930, Bauer made a second attempt in 1931, Hans Hartman and DR. Kark Wien reached 7990m before they were forced to turn back

With the outbreak of the Second World war, there was no climbing in the Himalayas. The next attempt was made by Gilmout\r Lewis and George Frey in 1951 looking for an easier route to the top. He failed and returned two years later with John Kempe  but met with no success. He returned once again in 1954 with a new team of climbers but luck was not on his side.

Fifty years after the first attempt, in 1955, a British Expedition took off led by Charles Evans, who had been a member of the successful expedition on Everest two years earlier. Two Britons, George Nabd and Joe Brown finally made it to the summit of the difficult mountain. Given the fact that the Sickness considered the mountain very scared, the smelters refrained from stepping right up to the top. They stopped five vertical feet below the summit I 25^th May. Finally, Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world had been this peak was a phobia Sherpa on 14^th May 1980.

(3) Lhotse ( 8516m): The fourth highest Mountain in the world

Mt. Lhotse is connected to Everest via the south col and is the fourth highest mountain in the world, the main summit is 8516m while Lhotse Middle ( East) is 8414m and Lhotse Shar Is 8383m. Very often climbers making an attempt on Everest, go up the Lhotse so acclimatize. In fact of Lhotse and then cuts across to the more famous mountains.

An early attempt on Lhotse was made by the 1955 International Himalayan Expedition. It was led by Norman Dyhrenfurth ans also include two Austrians, Erwin Schneider ans Ernst Senn as well as two Swiss Climbers, Bruni Spiring ans Arthur Spohel. It was also the first expedition in the Everest area to include Americans: Fred Beckey, George Bell, ans Richard McGowan.

They climbed up the Western Cwm ans the northwest face of Lhotse reaching an altitude of 8100m. They were beaten back by unexpectedly strong wind ans cold temperatures.

Working under cartographer Schneider’s direction, they completed the first map of the Everest area., They also made4 several short of films on Local cultural topic besides trying to summit Lhotse, the expedition also made a number of first ascents of smaller peak in the Khmbu region.

On this mountain, it was the Swiss who were victorious—because in the 1950s there was much competition between nations to summit a virgin peak before the others, on 18^th May 1956, a Swiss team of Ernst Reiss ans Fritz luchsinger from the Swiss Mount Everest/ Lhotse Expedition reached the summit becoming the first climbers to do so. Lhotse Shar was summited on 12^th May by Zapp Maier and Rolf Walter of Austria. It was some time before Lhotse Middle was climbing the highest unclimbed, named point on earth. It was only in 23^rd  May 2001, that member of a Russian Expedition made it to the top of this peak. The victorious team members were Eugenia Vinogradsky, Sergei Timorfeev. Alexei Bolotov and Petr Kuzysztof Wielicki on 31^st December 1988 and the first Nepali to climb it was Urkien Tshering Sherpa on 8^th May 1977.

(4) Makalu (8463m): The fifth highest mountain in the world

Mt. Makalu is 20 Km east of Everest in the Khumbu region and is the fifth highest mountain in the world. The mountain lies in the Makalu Barun national Park ans in Known for its perfect pyramid shape with four sharp ridges. North of the mountain lies Tibet and it has two notable subsidiary Peaks. Khangchungtse, or Makalu II 7678m lies north-northwest of the main summit, the other is Chomo Lonzo which lies just north of the main peak.

The first attempt  on Makaku was made by an American team led by William Siri in the spring of 1954, They attempted the southwest ridge but were turned back at 7100m by a constant barrage of storms. In the fall of 1954, a French reconnaissance expedition made the first ascent of the subsidiary summit Khangchungtse on 22^nd October. They were Jean Franco, Gyaltsen Norbu and Pa Norbu.

Makalu was first climbed on 15^th May 1955 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy, members of a Franc expedition led by Jean Franco. The very next day, Franco, G. Magnum and Gyaltsen Norbu also submitted followed by Bouvier, s. Cope Leroux and A. Vialatte on the north face and northeast ridge via the saddle between Makalu ans Kangchungtse which subsequently became the standard route.

The first accent of the southwest ridge was made by Y. Ozaki and A. Tanaka from a Japanese expedition on 23^rd May 1970. An American team had tried before them and failed. The very technical west Pillar route was climbed in May 1971 by Franch-men B. Mellet and Y. Seigneur. Makalu is one of the harder eight-thousander and considered one of the most difficult mountains in the world to climb. The mountain has challenging steep itches ans knife while the final ascent of the summit pyramid involves technical rock climbing. In 2996,a Franch Mountaineer named Jean-Christophe Lafailee disappeared on Makalu while trying to make the first winter ascent. This mountain is the only Nepalese 8000m Peak which has yet to be climbed in true winter conditions. The first Nepali to climb Makalu was Anf Chepal Sherpa on the 1th May 1978. Note: Most of the Sherpas who climbed with the expeditions in the 1950s were considered as Indian nationals as they had been living in India.

(5) Cho Oyu ( 8201m): The sixth highest mountain in the world

Unlike other attempts, the successful expedition to Cho Oyu had its origins in very simple circumstances. Austrian climber, Herbert Tichky along with Sherpas Adjiba and Pasang were gathered around a campfire on a mountain and enjoying fried liver, when Pasang suddenly asked. “Next year, Cho Oyu?”  Tichky could only nod and repeat, “Cho Oyu”. Thus it was decided that the mountain would be attempted in 1954. In the previous years. Everest, Nanga Parbat and Annapurna among the other eight-thousands had been climbed.

Cho Oyu lies 20 Km west of Everest, at the border between Tibet and Nepal. In Tibetan, Cho Oyu means “ Turquoise Goddess”.

The first attempt on this mountain was made by an expedition supported by the joint Himalayan committee of Great Britain as preparation for an attempt on mount Everest the following year. With Eric Shipton as team leader, the expedition also includes Edmund Hillary. George Lowe, Charles Evans and Tom Bourdilon,

But technical difficulties at an ice cliff above 6650m forced them to give up the climb. It was estimated that it would take two weeks to get everyone across and it would also mean entering Tibetan territory which it is believed Shipton was unwilling to do.

It was Dyhrenfurth ans Shipton who first came up with measurements that put Cou Oyu sixth on the list of the highest mountain in the world.

The Austrain Expedition led by Herbert Tichy arrived in Birjung in1954 via India and flew into Kathmandu by means of an Indian airliner of the time. Once they were packed and ready, they moved to Bhaktapur from where the long trek to the mountain would begin. Tenzing and Hillary had also begun their trek to Everest from this old city. As every expedition has its peculiarities, this one was no exception. There were only three foreign climbers and eleven Sherpas and the team.

Cho Oyu was finally climbed on 19^th October 1954 via the northwest ridge by Tichy. Joseph Jochler and Pasang Dawa lama, were as Shipton and the team had been stopped by an ice cliff high on the mountain, the Austrians were able to tackle the problem in an hour and head up towards the summit. Pasang’s casuall remark had led to a successful expedition. This was the fifth eight- thousander  to have been climbed. Cho Oyu is considered the easiest to climb among the most popular. The first Nepali national to climb the peak was an Ang Phuri Sherpa on 29^th April 1987.

(6) Dhaulagiri (8167m): The seventh highest mountain in the world

Latitude: 28

The Dhaulagiri Massif lies northwest of Pokhara and climbing this mountain was at first considered impossible. It looked formidable and the French expedition that came to Nepal in 1950 and successfully climbed Annapurna I, didn’t even give this peak a second thought. Captain William Webb who came in 1809 was the first European to set eyes on Mt. Dhaulagiri. When he calibrated the highest of the mountain, he amazed. Up until then, the Andes in South America was considered the highest chain of mountains in the world. The news of this new discovery left the rest of the world incredulous. For many years since the revolution, Dhaulagiri was thought to be the highest mountain in the world.

“The white mountain” as it was known to foreigners, was one of the peaks that could not be conquered during the Golden Decade. Although numerous attempts were made throughout the 1950s none were successful. A string of expeditions arrived in Nepal: the Argentineans tried their luck in 1954. A Swiss-German team gave it a shot in 1955, and were followed by the Argentine as making a bid in 1956 once, again but with no better luck. In 1958, the Swiss were back and returned yet again without reaching the summit. Then it was the turn of the Austrians who could go no further than 7802m.

In 1960, another Swiss expedition arrived in Nepal led by Max Eiselin and the team include Kurt Diemberger and Norman Dyhrenfurth who went on to earn a name for themselves. They brought along a Pilatus Porter named ‘Yeti’ which was piloted by Ernst Saxer for making drops in the French Pass up in the mountain. The expedition met with countless problems ans was compounded by the crash of the Yeti. The Pilot and repairman luckily escaped unhurt and walked all the way back to Pokhara from the mountain, but the expedition preserved and 13^th May 1960 proved to be a lucky day for the mountaineers as it was a bright sunny day with practically no wind blowing. Six members of the expedition reached the summit to become the first claimed Dhaulagiri, and they were Kurt Diemberger Nawang Dorje Sherpa, Ernst Forrer, Albin Schelbert, Peter Diener and Nima Dorje Sherpa. Ten days later, Jssugo Weber and Michel Vaucher followed in their footsteps ans made it to the top, Nawang Dorje became the first Nepali to climb the peak.

The numbers were amazing on this climb. 13 members set off so climb the mountain, summitted on the 13^th and it happened to be the 13 eight- thousander to be climbed. No bad luck there.

(7) Manaslu (8163m): The eight highest mountains in the world

Mt. Manaslu lies on the border between Gorkha and Manang Districts in northern Nepal and 64 km east of Annapurna. The Manaslu region encompasses the sub-tropical foothills of the Himalaya to the arid Trans-Himalaya high pastures bordering Tibet.  Manaslu is derived from the Sanskrit word Manasa and translates as “Mountain of the Spirit”.

Out of the fourteen eight-thousanders, twelve were conquered by an expedition from the west while only two were accounted for by Asians. Shisha Pangma (eight-thousander) which lies in China was first climbed by the Chinese while Manaslu was first summited by a Japanese Expidedition.

The famous Manaslu trekking route goes around the Manaslu massif over the pass down to Annapurna. The trekking trail follows the classic salt-trade route along the Budhi Gandaki river.

The first Japanese Manaslu Reconnaissance Expeditrion ventured up the mountain in 1952 when the mountain was still a virgin peak. Following this, the first climbing expedition in 1953, went up the river Budhi Gandaki’s course to reach the mountain. They were able to climb up to 7750m before turning back. The expedition that came after them in 1954 was not so fortunate. Inhabitance of Samu village which lay on their route denied them access to the mountain believing they would bring them misfortune. The mountain they said was sacred to them. As a result, the climber was forced to turn to Jones Himal instead.

After the Nepalese government managed to pacify the villagers of Samu village, an advance party for the next expedition was able to make their way up towards the mountain. The third Japanese Manaslu Expedition led by Veteran climber, sixty-two year old by Yuku Maki arrived in Kathmandu in 1956. The team comprised Katsuro Ohara, Toshio Imanishi, Dr. Hirokichi Tatsunama, Sonosuke Chitani, Kichiro Kato, Junijiro Muraki, Kiroyoshi Yoda accompanied by Gyasten Norbu as Sherpa sardar.

The expedition had unique equipments, one of which was on oxygen generator which was set up in a separate tent from the climbers, from their oxygen was pumped to all the other climbers in their respective tents. But this required the dedication of the expedition doctor, who had to remain awake all night changing oxygen candles every one and a half hour.

On  9^th May 1956, Lmanishi and Gyltsen reached the summit of Manaslu becoming the first to do so. They could see Gunesh Himal. Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Machhapuchhre poking through the clouds. Following them, Kato and Higeta also climbed to the top two days later. The Japanese team was the first Asian expedition to make a first ascent  of an eight-thousander. The first Nepali national to climb the peak was an Urkien Tshering Sherpa on 22and April 1973.

(8) Annapurna I (8091m): the tenth highest mountain in the world

The Annapurna range is a series of peaks stretching 55 km to the highest point, Mt. Annapurna I, being the tenth highest summit in the world. It lies east of a great gorge cut through the Himalaya by the Kali Gandaki River separates it from the other large massif,  the Dhaulagiri. Dhaulagiri I is 34 km west of Annapurna I. In Sanskrit Annapurna literally means “ full of grains” but is normally taken to mean “goddess of harvest”. The Hindu Goddess of fertility is also known as Annapurna. The entire massif lies within the Annapurna conservation Area Project (ACAP). Mt. Annapurna I is the main peak of this chain of mountains which includes three other peaks that share its name. They are Annapurna II ( 7937m), Annapurna III ( 7555m) and Annapurna South (7219m). Unlike other giants, the Annapurna I barely stand out, most of it is hidden by other peaks in front of it.

The conquest of Annapurna I was remarkable in many ways. For a start, the French climbers spent weeks just crying to locate the mountain as it was still unexplored. It was the first eight-thousand to be climbed, and even more remarkable was the fact that they did it on their first attempt. This was highly unusual as on most mountains of this size, many exploratory teams went up to study the possible routes up to the summit. Only after several expeditions had tried and failed would one eventually succeeds.

When Annapurna I was climbed, Nepal was still under Rana and the country was strictly closed to outsiders. The climb made Maurice Herzog, the expedition leader very famous, this being the first eight-thousander to be climbed. No expeditions had taken to the mountains from Nepal before this team and so Sherpas had to be hired from Darjeeling from where many expeditions were launched via Tibet. Even before the ream arrived in Nepal, they had given themselves two options: Climb Dhaulagiri or Annapurna, finding the former too difficult to climb, they turned their attention to the latter,

As we have seen over the years of climbing history, the best time to climb in the Himalaya is May. However, by the time Herzog and his team were leading up to the summit it was the beginning of June. Having received news that the monsoon was to be from 5^th June, they were racing against time and made the summit just two days before the weather changed for the worse. Herzog and Louis Lachenal reached the top on 3^rd June via the north face. The two summiteers paid a heavy price for the climb, losing their toes and some fingers to frostbite, Herzog would not climb any major peak following this historic climb. The first Nepali climber to summit this peak was Sonam Wolang Sherpa on 13the October 1977.