Shishapangma
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| Shishapangma | |
|---|---|
 Shishapangma (left) from mountain flight, Nepal |
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| Elevation | 8,013 metres (26,289 ft) Ranked 14th |
| Location | Tibet, China |
| Range | Jugal/Langtang Himal, Himalaya |
| Prominence | 2,897 m (9,505 ft) |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
| First ascent | May 2, 1964 by Xǔ Jìng et al. (Chinese) |
| Easiest route | snow/ice climb |
Shishapangma (officially: Xixiabangma) is the fourteenth highest mountain in the world and the lowest of the eight-thousanders. It was the last 8,000 metre peak to be climbed, due to its location entirely within China and the restrictions on outside visitation to the region imposed by the Chinese during the 1950s and later.
The Tibetan name shi sha sbang ma means "crest above the grassy plains". The Chinese name Xīxiàbāngmǎ Fēng 希夏幫馬峰 is a phonetic rendition of the Tibetan name. (In Sanskrit, the mountain is called Gosainthan, which means "place of the saint"). Another interpretation, based on the spelling Shisha-Pangma, is that the name means, literally, "Sherpa Woman."[citation needed]
Shishapangma is located in south-central Tibet, a few kilometres from the border with Nepal. It is the only eight-thousander entirely within Chinese territory. It is the highest peak in the Jugal Himal, which is contiguous with, and often considered a part of, the Langtang Himal. The combined Jugal/Langtang Himal straddles the Tibet/Nepal border. Since it is on the dry north side of the Himalayan crest, and further away from the lower terrain of Nepal, it has somewhat less dramatic vertical relief than most other major Himalayan peaks.
Shishapangma was first climbed on May 2, 1964 by a Chinese expedition led by Xǔ Jìng 许竞. In addition to Xǔ Jìng, the summit team consisted of Zhāng Jùnyán 张俊岩, Wáng Fùzhōu 王富洲, Wū Zōngyuè 邬宗岳, Chén Sān 陈三, Soinam Dorjê (Suǒnán Duōjí 索南多吉), Chéng Tiānliàng 程天亮, Migmar Zhaxi (Mǐmǎ Zháxī 米马扎西), Dorjê (Duōjí 多吉) and Yún Dēng 云登.
On 14 January 2005, Piotr Morawski and Simone Moro made the first ascent in calendar winter.
Approximately 22 people have died climbing Shishapangma, including noted American alpinist Alex Lowe and veteran Portuguese climber Bruno Carvalho. Nevertheless, Shishapangma is one of the easiest eight-thousanders to climb. The standard route ascends from the north side, and boasts relatively easy access, with vehicle travel possible to base camp at 5,000 metres (16,400 feet). More technically demanding are the routes on the steeper Southwest Face, which involve 2,200 metres (7,218 feet) of ascent on a 50 degree slope. These are ideal for a (difficult) alpine style ascent. In 2004, Jean-Christophe Lafaille roused some controversy when he climbed a route on this face, solo, in mid-December, and claimed a winter ascent. Since this was not technically calendar winter, he later changed his claim to an ascent "in winter conditions."[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Alpinist Magazine Lafaille article
- Andy Fanshawe and Stephen Venables, Himalaya Alpine-Style, Hodder and Stoughton, 1995.
[edit] External links
- Shishapangma on Summitpost
- Shishapangma on Peakware
- Shishapangma expedition report with photos
- Southwest Face
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