Mount Kailash: the mysterious and unconquered peak of Tibet. Mount Kailash: the mysterious and unconquered peak of Tibet Machapuchare - the forbidden peak, the sacred abode of Shiva

At one time, revered mountain climbers said that they had closed the book of discoveries in mountaineering - there was nothing else to do, they said. But the first car was very far from the fast cars we drive today. Mountaineering legends have paved the way, now a new generation faces a difficult task: to climb more difficult routes, or find other peaks.

Mianzimu (6054 m), Tibet, sacred mountain, no ascents. Photo by Janne Corax.

One of those who are interested in this is Simone Moro, by the way, he is. Several years ago, Simone, after a series of surveys, tried to climb Batura II, a peak that was said to be the highest peaks not yet conquered. Moreau was unable to reach the top - so this mountain still challenges climbers, as well as a number of other peaks that have not yet been stepped by a human foot.

But what kind of mountains are these, what criteria should be used to choose them? Climber, explorer and ExplorersWeb contributor Janne Corax has compiled a list of the six highest unspoiled peaks, and added other points of interest.

Happiness to be the first

Unconquered peaks are always very attractive. Reaching the highest point that no one has ever been to is a special pleasure for a climber. In 1950, Erzog and Lachenal ascended Annapurna - the first eight-thousander, which people climbed - thereby opening a "hunt" for 13 other giants. The last to fall was Shisha Pangma under the feet of the Chinese team, 14 years later.

Now the high-altitude climbers have turned their thoughts towards slightly lower goals.

Namche Barwa, 7782 m, a challenging mountain with extreme topography and ever-bad weather conditions, reflected attempts until the Japanese team reached the summit in 1992. The climbers were also interested in the second peaks of the eight-thousanders, and they surrendered one after the other - the last was Lhotse Sredny, 8414 m, which a strong Russian team climbed in 2001.

Meili ridge, view from the Tibetan temple. Mianzimu is on the left, Meili Feng is the highest peak on the right. Photo by Janne Corax.

What's next?

Now the question is, which peaks are the most promising among the so far not covered?

To answer it, you must first define the selection criteria. Two of them are obvious: the mountain must be very high and unconquered. The third criterion is precisely the problem and generates a lot of debate:

Real mountains / gendarmes on the ridge

Sometimes it is really a problem to distinguish between the big gendarme on the ridge and the real summit.

For example, many believe that the greatest difference in height between the peak of Lhotse Middle and the lowest point of the ridge that connects it to the higher peak is actually a very small amount.

Unfortunately, there is no absolute standard, and some use the relative difference of 7% as a measure, while others use 400 m. If we take into account the 500-meter limit as a compromise, then the list we need will look like this.

Six highest virgin peaks

Gangkar Punsum, 7570 m - the peak, located in Bhutan, in the list of the highest mountain peaks appears at number 40, and, without a doubt, it is "number 1" in our list. An educated person will guess that the mountain will remain under this number for the time being. In the mid-80s, they tried to climb it, but all the expeditions returned not salty. In 1994, in Bhutan, the summits were partially closed for climbing. And in 2003, the government decided to ban all types of lasagna altogether. The reason for this is in the area of ​​understanding local beliefs and traditions.

"Number 2" on our list - Saser kangri ii east, 7518 m. The mountain is located in Indian Kashmir and has never before been of interest to climbers (at least there were no expeditions to it). The third highest peak of the array was ascended twice. It is difficult to get a permit for climbing in this area, but it is possible. A man's foot set foot on the main peak, 7672 m high in 1973.

Kabru north, 7394 m - the highest point of the Kabru massif, which in fact is a subgroup of the Kanchenjunga massif - has not yet been conquered. Surprisingly, its lower southern peak fell back in 1935. A notable ascent was made by Konrad Cook, who climbed to the top solo at the age of 18. This was a record for his age.
A Serb team tried to climb Kabru North in 2004, but avalanches forced them to retreat.

Labuche Kang is a little-known mountain group in Tibet. The main peak was conquered in 1987 by a Japanese team. Eastern - Labuche kang iii- about 7250 m high and still waiting for its first climbers.

The impressive southeast face of Karjiang - whose avalanche slopes and challenging edges reflect all climbers' efforts. Photo courtesy of Dutch Karjiang 2001 expedition.

Karjiang, 7221 m - also located in Tibet. A couple of times they tried to climb it, but no one has yet managed to step on its hard-to-reach summit. Extreme avalanche danger and high technical complexity have made attempts to climb fruitless so far.

"Number 6" on our list - Tongshanjiabu, 7207 m. Rises on the Tibetan / Bhutan border. Koreans who climbed neighboring Shimokangri (7204 m) mentioned this peak in the expedition report and published a photo in Japanese Alpine News - so far this is the only information available about this mountain.

Statements and misinterpretations

I should note that the six above-mentioned peaks will give odds to the rest of the dispute when it comes to steepness and the first criterion - untouched by climbers. However, there are always rumors and statements on the mountaineering scene. Wherever you go, locals or climbers will show you up the mountain and say, “Look here! Nobody has climbed it yet! "

On another level, renowned climbers sometimes declare their expedition as "the highest unconquered peaks." The last time I heard of such a thing, in 2004, Moro & Ogwyn - the Italian-American deuce went to Batura II. The 7,762-meter giant in Pakistani Karakorum was, in their words (and "scientific sources"), the highest of the peaks that a man did not climb. If you count the gendarme on the ridge with a difference of 100 m in height between its "peak" and the main mountain, then this statement, of course, contains some truth, however: there are other high points on the ridge, some of which are higher than Batura II ... *

Untouched celebrities

Pilgrims aspire to Mt. Kailash every year. They go around the mountain with prayers, but never step on its slopes. Climbing is strictly prohibited. Photo by Project Himalaya.

The most famous of the unconquered peaks are lower than those we have named. Kailash in Western Tibet, a mountain sacred to Hindus, Buddhists and followers of the Bön religion. No one has ever climbed to its top, and permits are not issued, since this place is a shrine.

Whole Meili ridge known as Kawa Korpo, in the far northeast of Yunnan province in China, is also considered sacred to the locals. They tried to climb some of the ridge peaks at the time when climbing permits were issued. At the moment, these mountains are closed for climbers.

Mianzimu in the Meili ridge is considered one of the most beautiful peaks in the world, as well as Kailash.

* In one of the interviews, when Simone was asked why he called Batura II the highest of the peaks that a person did not climb, he referred to the data of the expert Wolfgang Hichel and invited those interested in this issue to contact him personally by e-mail [email protected]

Translation by Elena Dmitrenko

Be warned: the article is full of beauty and aesthetics, from which the next eight unconquered peaks becomes even more desirable. Especially if you are extreme, love heights, and have been looking for thrills for a long time.

Gangkhar Puensum

• Height: 7,570 meters
• Location: border between China and Bhutan
• Why not subdued: stupid laws

Gangkhar Puensum is located on the disputed border between China and Bhutan. It is not precisely disputed that Gangkhar Puensum is the highest of the still unconquered peaks. In the 1980s, four ascent attempts were made, after which a law was passed in Bhutan prohibiting mountaineering at an altitude of over 6 km.

Source: wikipedia.org

North Face of Masherbrum 4

• Height: 7.821 m
• Location: Pakistan
• Why Not Conquered: Extreme Difficulty

Masherbrum was conquered back in 1960 along a fairly simple route. But there is a wall that no one has ever climbed. The reason is the same - the route is “unrealistically extreme”.

Source: supercoolpics.co

Mount Siple

• Height: 3,110 m
• Location: Siple Island, Antarctica
• Why not conquered: harsh climate

This peak is located in Antarctica, and the main difficulty in conquering it is not the route, but the low temperature and remoteness from the civilized world. There are suspicions that Mount Siple is actually an extinct volcano covered by a glacier.

Source: wikipedia.org

Machapuchare

• Height: 6.998 m
• Location: north central Nepal;
• Why not subdued: religion and law

The most beautiful mountain peak, thanks to its steep slopes, clearly stands out against the background of the rest of the massif called Annapurna, once almost surrendered to the courage of climbers. The 1957 expedition, organized by Jimmy Roberts, stopped just fifty meters from the summit. They were prevented from conquering one of the most beautiful mountains of the Himalayas by a promise given to the government of Nepal.

The bottom line is that in the beliefs of the Hindus, it is at the top of Machapuchare that one of the supreme deities of the religion, Shiva, dwells. Despite the fact that Roberts' team kept their promise, the top officials of Nepal immediately closed Machapuchara to any visits.

Source: green-travel.biz

Kailash

• Height: 6.638 m
• Location: South of the Tibetan Plateau in the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China
• Why not subdued: “sacred” status

The Tibetan six-thousander is considered a sacred mountain among representatives of four major religions at once - Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and adherents of the faith called Bon. Despite the fact that Kailash is under the jurisdiction of the government of China, which occupied Tibet, it is the sacred status of the peak that has not allowed to conquer it until now.

All known attempts to climb the mountain have failed for one reason or another. For example, the famous climber Reinhold Messner, who received permission from the Chinese authorities to conquer Kailash, subsequently refused to climb, and the Spanish expedition in 2000, which bought a pass for an impressive amount, was stopped by thousands of pilgrims who blocked the route and by protests from the UN.

Source: wikipedia.org

Tongshanjiabu

• Height: 7.207 m
• Location: Central Himalayas, 12 kilometers northwest of Kangphu Kang
• Why not subdued: laws

The peak, which rises to the sky at 7207 meters, is also located on the constantly contested Tibetan-Bhutanese border. On Tongshanjiab, not a single attempt was made to ascend even to the law "everything that is higher than six thousand is not allowed." After him, of course, even more so. At the same time, the Korean expedition took neighboring Shimokangri, which was lucky to find itself completely on the Chinese side.

Nothing attracts a person like the forbidden. Any taboo has always, in all ages, acted on daring minds in the same way - as an elementary challenge. How do you think the very existence of "unconquered peaks" affects a professional climber? Answer: Awakens aspiration. Tourists and amateurs have a different reaction: curiosity arises, why has no human foot stepped on them yet? In this article, we will tell you about this mountain in detail and in an interesting way, and you can personally look at it in the Annapurna region.

Machapuchare - the forbidden peak, the sacred abode of Shiva

Mount Machapuchare (or Machapuchre - there are certain "difficulties" of Nepali spelling) freely spreads in the heart of central Nepal, near the city of Pokhara (distance - about 25 km to the North). The mountain belongs to the southern part of the massif of the Annapurna group and almost reaches the class of seven-thousanders, because its 6 thousand 998 meters is already difficult to attribute to a real six-thousander, but, as they say, a fact is a fact.

What is Machapuchare so famous for?

• Incredibly beautiful appearance. Anyone who has seen the mountain at least in the pictures, not to mention the contemplation with their own eyes, will agree with this. Its double summit has such a pronounced and steep peak that it seems to pierce the defenseless sky. When you find yourself on the west side of Machapuchare, you will be able to understand why it is called "Fish Tail" (literal translation). A little imagination - and you will vividly see the shape of the tail of a huge fish, with fins on paired tops. From time to time, the crystal white, shining haze of a snow shawl envelops the mountain, further focusing the beholder's attention on the greatness, confident power and even mythical strength of the mountain.

• The mountain is still considered unconquered. Not only is it really unusually difficult to climb, but in 1957 the government of Nepal made an unambiguous decision - to close Mount Machapuchare for mountaineering in view of its religious value for the local population, which considers the mountain to be the sacred home of Shiva himself, and the snow haze on it the top - the aura of his divine essence. By the way, we saw such an aura during the trek to Annapurna Base Camp in October 2014. A very bewitching and extraordinary sight! See for yourself in the photo.

To make an unauthorized attempt to climb the mountain means not only to give a damn about the religious feelings of the Nepalese, but also to violate a clear administrative norm of the law, which entails tough responsibility. (For the curious, it should be noted that the death penalty still does not threaten - it was abolished in 1990, but section XIX of the Nepalese criminal code is devoted to religious crimes, for which you are unlikely to simply be severely reprimanded).

• Machapuchare has a twin brother Matterhorn (Alps), so many people want to compare them live. The mechanism is simple: I saw one mountain -> I was amazed -> I found out that there is another one very similar in appearance -> I decided to check it personally. See for yourself: is there a similarity or not?

• Additional attention to Machapuchara is attracted by the nearby Annapurna base camp, the first, the so-called Annapurna Sanctuary. This mountain valley of amazing beauty is the most famous place for mountain tourism, a source of inspiration, the conqueror of human hearts and souls.

Is it true that no man's foot has set foot on the top of Machapuchare?

The fact that the mountain is closed for climbing does not mean that no one has ever tried to climb this amazing peak. Officials loudly assert that there has been only one unfinished attempt by a British expedition to climb the mountain in history. Remarkably, this was done in the same year when the official ban on climbing was adopted, in the same 1957. However, there are rumors among climbers that a well-known lone adventurer from New Zealand named Bill Denz in the 1980s conquered this mountain at his own peril and risk. Rumor has it that he managed to climb several more mountain peaks prohibited by law for climbing. Being a secretive man, he took the secret about the reality of his ascent to Machapuchara with him to another world when he fell under an avalanche in 1983 during his next adventure. In fairness, it must be said that there are still some legal little-known inhabitants of the Machapuchare mountain slopes, who can safely walk along the slopes of the mountain. These are Tibetan eared hedgehogs living here and nowhere else, and it is already a great success to see them.

An attempt to climb Machapuchara in 1957 in detail

To talk about Machapuchara and not to tell about the British expedition of 1957 is a crime. Therefore, it is worth briefly describing their achievement, which is described in detail and artistically in the book "Climbing the Fish" s Tail "(1958) by one of the real participants in that ascent - Wilfrid Noyce.

The most difficult and most dangerous route chosen by the expedition was the most optimal and most acceptable of all the alternatives. The beginning of the attempt to climb is dated 04/18/1957 from Pokhara and 06/02/1957 climbers surrendered, as they lost the exact coordinates of the desired peak, it was snowing heavily, and the transition to a steep slope after a crack in a snow-ice slope (bergschrund) was almost insurmountable, and standing behind it, the sheer wall was completely made of ice. The whim of nature drove the climbers from the summit, because their further ascent was more than a sure threat to life.

A real sensation in the mountaineering environment was the publication in many newspapers in 1957 of texts that Machapuchare had been conquered. However, this is not true, as the British climbers were unable to overcome the last 50 meters to the peak. They could not overcome, and did not stop proactively, so as not to hurt the religious feelings of the residents. You can imagine how upset it was for the climbers who were one step away from the achievement, but it would have been counted for them if they climbed to the top without reaching it to a conditional height (for example, the "officially completed" ascent of Kanchenjunga in 1955 was stopped 1.5 meters from the summit as a sign of reverence and respect for the local religion).

This is how it ended, but believers find a sacred meaning in this. Say, unwanted guests in Shiva's house should be so happy that they returned alive! Doesn't someone understand that this is a lesson for everyone who wants to follow! Who does not know the truth that lessons should be correctly understood and adequately responded to? As a result, henceforth - not a single living soul will climb the mountain!

We do not suggest you climb to the top of Machapuchare, but you can see it from all sides and take pictures from different angles in our programs:

Schedule of the nearest tracks in Nepal, join us!

Unconquered peaks captivate us ...
We are striving there, knocking down blood on our legs ...

WHEN CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, CONTINUE CLIMBING FURTHER
(Tibetan lamas)

Machapuchare

The most beautiful mountain peak, thanks to its steep slopes, clearly stands out against the background of the rest of the massif called Annapurna, once almost surrendered to the courage of climbers. The 1957 expedition, organized by Jimmy Roberts, stopped just fifty meters from the summit. They were prevented from conquering one of the most beautiful mountains of the Himalayas by a promise given to the government of Nepal. The bottom line is that in the beliefs of the Hindus, it is at the top of Machapuchare that one of the supreme deities of the religion, Shiva, dwells. Despite the fact that Roberts' team kept their promise, the top officials of Nepal immediately closed Machapuchara to any visits.

Kailash


The Tibetan six-thousander is considered a sacred mountain among representatives of four major religions at once - Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and adherents of the faith called Bon. Despite the fact that Kailash is under the jurisdiction of the government of China, which occupied Tibet, it is the sacred status of the peak that has not allowed to conquer it until now. All known attempts to climb the mountain have failed for one reason or another. For example, the famous climber Reinhold Messner, who received permission from the Chinese authorities to conquer Kailash, subsequently refused to climb, and the Spanish expedition in 2000, which bought a pass for an impressive amount, was stopped by thousands of pilgrims who blocked the route and by protests from the UN.

Gangkhar Puensum


The highest unsubdued peak in the world, rising above sea level by more than seven and a half thousand meters. Located in the disputed territory between Bhutan and China, it could have submitted to the Japanese expedition in 1998, if the official Beijing would have issued permission to climb. Ultimately, the Japanese ascended to neighboring Liankang Kangri. Gangkhar Puensum could have fallen earlier, when mountaineering was already allowed in Bhutan, but a ban on visiting peaks above six thousand meters has not yet been introduced (again for religious reasons). However, the 1985 and 1986 expeditions ended in failure.

Tongshanjiabu

The peak, which rises to the sky at 7207 meters, is also located on the constantly contested Tibetan-Bhutanese border. On Tongshanjiab, not a single attempt was made to ascend even to the law "everything that is higher than six thousand is not allowed." After him, of course, even more so. At the same time, the Korean expedition took neighboring Shimokangri, which was lucky to find itself completely on the Chinese side.

Karjiang


This mountain, whose peak is at an altitude of 7221 meters, has not yet succumbed to human persistence, not only because of certain difficulties with which Western expeditions receive permission from China to climb. Karjiang is now considered one of the most difficult and recalcitrant peaks in the world - the high technical complexity and extremely high danger of avalanches, coupled with constantly unfavorable weather conditions, stopped more than one expedition along the way.

Gasherbrum 6


Being in a territory torn apart by political disputes (Pakistani Kashmir) especially does not create problems for climbers seeking to take this recalcitrant peak by storm. But the mountain itself, which is by no means the highest (6979 meters above the level), of the Baltoro Muztag ridge gives expeditions much more problems than K2, which is the highest peak of this mountain formation. Many experienced climbers stumbled over Gasherbrum 6.

Despite its modest height, barely exceeding three thousand meters above sea level, the Antarctic Siple volcano remains on the list of unconquered peaks in the world. Apart from its geographical inaccessibility, which, for example, did not prevent climbers from climbing Erebus, it is not known about any additional difficulties of climbing to the top.

Unconquered peaks are always very attractive. Reaching the highest point that no one has ever been to is a special pleasure for a climber. Go for it !!!

Near Mount Kailash, travelers experience completely new sensations that they did not know before. Some people feel good and it seems as if the most beautiful place on earth is around, they are no longer afraid of anything, the surrounding place begins to scare others and seem to push away from themselves, many are speechless. Someone says that if you ask a question that worries you not far from this mountain, then you can solve it easily and outside the box.

Mythic frontier

Recently, in addition to pilgrims, dozens of expeditions have flocked to the mountain, people dreaming of conquering the snowy peak. However, something special happens to each of them: a mythical boundary rises up in front of someone, which he cannot cross, no matter how much he wants to. For others, as soon as they touch the mountain, their palms become blistered.

The geographical position of Mount Kailash is also surprising: it is 6666 km away from the North Pole, the distance from the South Pole to the foot of the mountain is twice as large, but Stonehenge is also 6666 km away.

However, physically, the mountain is rarely opposed to climbers, avalanches and rockfalls are rare here. Nevertheless, all tourists willingly refuse to go upstairs literally after 300-400 meters. Only the most rejected people can be close to the sacred mountain.

The Legend of the "Stone Mirrors"

However, there is a sacred road up the mountain that can be reached. There is a legend about two travelers who turned off the sacred road when they climbed Mount Kailash, after returning to their village in just a few months young people aged 60 years and died. Doctors then could not find any apparent reason for such a wilting.

Recently, thanks to the experiments carried out, it was revealed that in 12 hours at Mount Kailash, nails and hair in people grow as much as they would grow under normal conditions for two to three weeks.

Near the foot of the mountain is the "Cemetery", where the bodies of Tibetans are taken out to be eaten by vultures. Such a funeral is considered auspicious for the soul of the deceased.