| North Col | |
|---|---|
Mount Everest. The North Col is the lowest point of the snowy ridge in the middle. |
|
| Elevation | 7,020 m (23,031 ft) |
| Traversed by | George Mallory, Edward Oliver Wheeler and Guy Bullock (1921) |
| Location | |
| Location | Tibet |
| Range | Mahalangur Himal |
The North Col (Chinese: 北坳; pinyin: Běi Ào; Tibetan: Chang La) refers to a sharp-edged pass or col carved by glaciers connecting Mount Everest and Changtse in Tibet.[1] It forms the head of the East Rongbuk Glacier.
When climbers attempt to climb Everest via the North ridge (Tibet), the first camp on the mountain itself (traditional Camp IV, modern Camp I) is established on the North Col. From this point at approximately 6,100 metres above sea level, climbers ascend the North Col to reach a series of progressively higher camps along the North Face of Everest. Climbers make their final push to the summit from Camp VI at 8,230 metres altitude.[1]
The North Col was first climbed by George Mallory, Edward Oliver Wheeler and Guy Bullock on September 23, 1921. This was the first time a Westerner had set foot on Mount Everest itself. The North Col was discovered by Mallory while searching for possible routes to the summit of Mount Everest during the first British reconnaissance of the Everest region in 1921. All subsequent expeditions in the 1920s and 1930s attempted to reach the summit of Everest by using the North Col.[2]