Machapuchare
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| Machapuchare | |
|---|---|
 Machapuchare, April 2001 |
|
| Elevation | 6,993 metres (22,943 feet) |
| Location | North Central Nepal |
| Range | Annapurna Himal |
| Coordinates | |
| First ascent | None |
| Easiest route | glacier/snow/ice climb |
| Translation | Fish's Tail (Nepali) |
Machapuchare or Machhaphuchhare is a mountain in the Annapurna Himal of north central Nepal. It is revered as particularly sacred by the local population, and hence is off limits to climbing.
[edit] Location
Machapuchare is at the end of a long spur ridge, coming south out of the main backbone of the Annapurna Himal, that forms the eastern boundary of the Annapurna Sanctuary. (The Sanctuary is a favorite trekking destination, and the site of the base camps for the South Face of Annapurna and for numerous smaller objectives.) The peak is about 25km north of Pokhara, the main town of the region.
[edit] Notable Features
Due to its southern position in the range, and the particularly low terrain that lies south of the Annapurna Himal, Machapuchare commands tremendous vertical relief in a short horizontal distance. This, combined with its steep, pointed profile, make it a particularly striking peak, despite a lower elevation than some of its neighbors. Its double summit resembles the tail of a fish, hence the name "Fish's Tail." It is also nicknamed the "Matterhorn of Nepal".
[edit] Climbing History
Machapuchare has never been climbed to its summit. The first, and only known, attempt was in 1957 by a British team led by Jimmy Roberts. They climbed to within 50m of the summit via the North Ridge, but did not complete the ascent; they had promised not to set foot on the actual summit. Since then, the mountain has been declared sacred, and it is now forbidden to climbers.
[edit] Sources
- Andy Fanshawe and Stephen Venables, Himalaya Alpine Style. Hodder and Stoughton, 1995.
- Koichiro Ohmori, Over The Himalaya, Cloudcap Press/The Mountaineers, 1994.
