Lobuje, and Mount Everest from Kala Pattar

Lobuje, and Mount Everest from Kala Pattar

Near Everest basecamp, tucked in a little meadow at the side of the Khumbu glacier, is the little village of Lobuje. Lobuje has been called "the armpit of Nepal", but nothing could be further from the truth. Although the elevation of 4950 m makes many people miserable, spectacular mountain views abound, and although the biffy wasn't pretty I certainly saw a lot worse elsewhere in Nepal.

Everest basecamp is just a short distance away from Lobuje, but most people skip basecamp in favour of an ascent of Kala Pattar, as did I. Altough the basecamp site may be convenient for climbers, you can't see the summit from there. Also, in the fall of 2000 there were no expeditions on the mountain.

Morning light on Pumo Ri.

Pumo Ri is a striking pyramidal peak towering over the west side of the Khumbu valley. The dark shape in the foreground is Kala Pattar, a scree pile ascended by tourists that offers tremendous views of Mount Everest and its neighbors.

Mount Everest, from Kala Pattar. This is the famous view of Mount Everest that everone comes to see. The glacier-clad mountain on the right is Nuptse. The rock tower in the background is mount Everest (8848 m), and the pyramidal shaped mountain in front of it is its west ridge. As the Khumbu glacier wraps around Nuptse it forms the infamous Khumbu icefall, a treacherous area which climbers bound for Everest must negotiate.

Mount Everest, summit block.

Climbers ascend the mountain via the right skyline ridge. Everest buffs who have read Krakauer's "into thin air" will recognize the south col (center right), the south summit (pimple just right of the true summit where the angle lays back), and the Hillary Step (little notch halfway between the south summit and true summit).

On top of Kala Pattar.

Nara and I on top of Kala Pattar (5600 m). In the background is Pumo Ri. The place where we are standing is a little precarious. The next picture below shows the tremendous drop-off that is less than a metre behind us.

Pumo Ri and Kala Pattar.

Pumo Ri forms a dramatic backdrop to Kala Pattar. The rubble slope leading up to the top of Kala Pattar comes to an abrupt end (see previous picture), halting keen scramblers who want an even bigger view. If you look closely, you can see people heading to and from the top. Nuptse. The view from the top of Kala Pattar is spectacular, but it is a busy place. After a while we wandered down toward Pumori basecamp and found some more peaceful surroundings. The light on Nuptse kept improving as the day went on. The many tiers of glaciers and icefalls that cling to Nuptse's west face makes for the most stunning mountain vista I've ever seen. Gokyo Lake, from the slopes of Gokyo Ri. The hike up Gokyo Ri offers great views of Gokyo and its surroundings. The peak in the background is Cholatse. Everest from Gokyo Ri. The view from Gokyo Ri reveals the north ridge (skyline to the left of Everest's summit). This is the route climbers follow when ascending from the Tibetan side of the mountain. Early attempts to climb mount Everest by Norton and Mallory in the 1920's and by Tilman, Shipton and Smythe in the late 1930's were on this route. Around 1950, Nepal opened up to foreigners and the Chinese shut down access to Tibet, and this route was largely abandoned by westerners. In recent years this route has become popular again because of the large expedition fees that the Nepali government has been charging. Nara on Knobby View. Partway up Knobby View I "bonked", my energy reserves suddenly hit zero. I managed to drag my butt up to a large cairn decorated with prayer flags, but there was one more "knob" to go, perhaps 10-20 m higher (behind Nara). It looked steep and loose, and with my enthousiasm gone I decided to skip it. Judging by the size of the cairn we were at most people probably do the same. The views were awesome. Behind Nara and the last knob is Cho Oyu (8201 m). Everest and the Kangchung peaks from Knobby View. Knobby view (about 5500 m) is probably one of the most strategic viewpoints in the whole Everest area that is accessible to non-climbers. In the foreground the Guybanare glacier joins the main Ngozumpa glacier, leaving a sharp lateral moraine at its margin. The two Kangchung peaks soar above the Guybanare. In the distance Everest and its neighbors are visible. Clopseup of Everest, from knobby view. From this aspect part of the Lhotse face is visible, which is hidden from view at many other viewpoints in the Khumbu area. The rocky protrusion in the centre of the face is the Geneva Spur. Climbers ascending from the Nepal side typically climb the Lhotse face to the right of the Geneva Spur, and then cut across it to reach the South Col. The peak to the right of Lhotse is Makalu (8462 m) More views from Knobby View. A view to the northeast toward the Nup La (centre left), a 5958 m pass into Tibet. The peak in the centre of the picture is unnamed on my map (7020 m). Cho Oyu by moonlight. This is an eight minute exposure of Cho Oyu, the shores of Gokyo lake and the lower slopes of Gokyo Ri, bathed in moonlight. The stars in the sky cause streaks because of the rotation of the earth; only Polaris appears stationary. Renja La. This picture clearly shows how the glacier and moraines dam up Gokyo lake. Everest, Lhotse and Makalu form the skyline. This picture is taken from the slopes leading up to the Renja La, a 5435 m pass to the Bhote Kosi valley and

Mount Everest

Mount Everest – also called Qomolangma Peak (Tibetan: ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ), Mount Sagarmāthā (Nepali: सगरमाथा), Chajamlangma (Limbu), Zhumulangma Peak (Chinese: 珠穆朗玛峰 Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng) or Mount Chomolangma – is the highest mountain on Earth above sea level, and the highest point on the Earth's continental crust, as measured by the height above sea level of its summit, 8,848 metres (29,029 ft). The mountain, which is part of the Himalaya range in Asia, is located on the border between Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal, and Tibet, China.

In 1856, the Great Trigonometric Survey of India established the first published height of Everest, then known as Peak XV, at 29,002 ft (8,840 m). In 1865, Everest was given its official English name by the Royal Geographical Society upon recommendation of Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India at the time. Chomolangma had been in common use by Tibetans for centuries, but Waugh was unable to propose an established local name because Nepal and Tibet were closed to foreigners.

The highest mountain in the world attracts well-experienced mountaineers as well as novice climbers who are willing to pay substantial sums to professional mountain guides to complete a successful climb. The mountain, while not posing substantial technical climbing difficulty on the standard route (other eight-thousanders such as K2 or Nanga Parbat are much more difficult), still has many inherent dangers such as altitude sickness, weather and wind. By the end of the 2008 climbing season, there had been 4,102 ascents to the summit by about 2,700 individuals. Climbers are a significant source of tourist revenue for Nepal, whose government also requires all prospective climbers to obtain an expensive permit, costing up to US $ 25,000 per person. By the end of 2009 Everest had claimed 216 lives, including eight who perished during a 1996 storm high on the mountain. Conditions are so difficult in the death zone that most corpses have been left where they fell. Some of them are visible from standard climbing routes.

Mount Everest, Nepal, from Kala Patthar, by apurdam(andrew)

Mount Everest, Nepal, with prayer flags, by sheilaz413

Mount Everest, Nepal, with Nuptese, by travellertheworld

Mount Everest, Nepal, by celia chang

ABOUT NEPAL

संघीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल Sanghiya Loktāntrik Ganatantra Nepāl Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Flag Emblem
Motto: जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी(Devanāgarī) "Mother and Motherland are Greater than Heaven"
Anthem: "Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka"
Capital (and largest city)		Kathmandu (Nepali: काठमांडौ) 27°42′N 85°19′E / 27.7°N 85.317°E / 27.7; 85.317
Official language(s)		Nepali[1]
Recognised regional languages		Maithili, Nepal Bhasa, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Gurung, Tamang, Magar, Awadhi, Sherpa, Kiranti, Limbu and other 100 different indigenous languages.
Demonym		Nepali
Government		Republic
-	President	Ram Baran Yadav
-	Vice President	Parmanand Jha
-	Prime Minister	Madhav Kumar Nepal
Unification
-	Kingdom declared	December 21, 1768
-	State declared	January 15, 2007
-	Republic declared	May 28, 2008
Area
-	Total	147,181 km2 (93rd) 56,827 sq mi
-	Water (%)	2.8
Population
-	2009 estimate	29,331,000[2] (40th)
-	2007 census	28,875,140
-	Density	199.3/km2 (56th) 518.1/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2009 estimate
-	Total	$33.643 billion[3]
-	Per capita	$1,205[3]
GDP (nominal)		2009 estimate
-	Total	$12.615 billion[3]
-	Per capita	$452[3]
Gini (2003–04)		47.2 (high)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.553[4] (medium) (144th)
Currency		Rupee (NPR)
Time zone		NPT (UTC+5:45)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+5:45)
Drives on the		left
Internet TLD		.np
Calling code		977

WORLDD HIGEST MOUNTAIN

Notable peaks of the Himalayan system (includes outlying ranges)

Peak Name	Other names and meaning	Elevation (m)	Elevation (ft)	First Western ascent	Notes
Everest	Sagarmatha (Nepali), "Head of the World", Chomolangma (Tibetan), "Goddess mother of the snows"	8,848	29,035.44	1953	Highest mountain on Earth, on the border between Nepal and Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.
K2	Chogo Gangri	8,611	28,251	1954	2nd highest mountain on Earth. Located on the border between the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, People's Republic of China and the Northern Areas of Pakistan.
Kangchenjunga	Kangchen Dzö-nga, "Five Treasures of the Great Snow"	8,586	28,169	1955	3rd highest mountain on Earth. Located on the border between Nepal and Sikkim, India.
Lhotse	"South Peak"	8,516	27,940	1956	4th highest mountain on Earth. Situated between Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, and Nepal, in the shadow of Mount Everest.
Makalu	"The Great Black"	8,462	27,765	1955	5th highest mountain on Earth. Situated on the border between, Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China and Nepal.
Cho Oyu	Qowowuyag, "Turquoise Goddess"	8,201	26,905	1954	6th highest mountain on Earth. Situated on the border between Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, and Nepal
Dhaulagiri	"White Mountain"	8,167	26,764	1960	7th highest mountain on Earth. Situated in Nepal.
Manaslu	Kutang, "Mountain of the Spirit"	8,156	26,758	1956	8th highest mountain on Earth. Located in the Gurkha Himal, Nepal.
Nanga Parbat	Diamir, "Naked Mountain"	8,126	26,660	1953	9th highest mountain on Earth. Located in the Northern Areas of Pakistan.
Annapurna	"Goddess of the Harvests"	8,091	26,545	1950	10th highest mountain on Earth. Situated in Nepal.
Gasherbrum I	"Beautiful Mountain"	8,080	26,509	1958	11th highest mountain on Earth. Located in the Karakoram of Pakistan
Broad Peak	Faichan Kangri	8,047	26,401	1957	12th highest mountain on Earth. Located in the Karakoram of Pakistan.
Gasherbrum II	-	8,035	26,362	1956	13th highest mountain on Earth. Located in the Karakoram of Pakistan.
Shishapangma	Xixiabangma, "Crest Above The Grassy Plains"	8,013	26,289	1964	14th highest mountain on Earth. Located in Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.
Gyachung Kang	unknown	7,952	26,089	1964	15th highest mountain on Earth. Located on the border between Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, and Nepal, it is the highest mountain under 8,000 meters.
Gasherbrum IV	-	7,925	26,001	1958	17th highest mountain on Earth. Located in the Karakoram of Pakistan.
Masherbrum	unknown	7,821	25,660	1960	22nd highest mountain on Earth. Located in the Karakoram of Pakistan.
Nanda Devi	"Bliss-giving Goddess"	7,817	25,645	1936	23rd highest mountain on Earth. Located in Uttarakhand, India. It is the highest peak entirely within India.
Rakaposhi	"Shining Wall"	7,788	25,551	1958	A massive peak that towers above local terrain. Located in the Pakistani Karakoram.
Gangkhar Puensum	Gankar Punzum, "Three Mountain Siblings"	7,570	24,836	Unclimbed	World's highest unclimbed peak remains off limits to mountaineers. Located in the Kingdom of Bhutan.
Ama Dablam	"Mother And Her Necklace"	6,848	22,467	1961	Considered by some[who?] to be one of the most beautiful peaks in the Himalayas. Located in the Khumbu, Nepal.

Origins and growth

Main article: Geology of the Himalaya

The 6,000 km plus journey of the India landmass (Indian Plate) before its collision with Asia (Eurasian Plate) about 40 to 50 million years ago

The Himalayas are among the youngest mountain ranges on the planet, and consist mostly of uplifted sedimentary and metamorphic rock. According to the modern theory of plate tectonics, their formation is a result of a continental collision or orogeny along the convergent boundary between the Indo-Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. This is referred to as a fold mountain.

The collision began in the Upper Cretaceous period about 70 million years ago, when the north-moving Indo-Australian Plate, moving at about 15 cm per year, collided with the Eurasian Plate. About 50 million years ago, this fast moving Indo-Australian plate had completely closed the Tethys Ocean, the existence of which has been determined by sedimentary rocks settled on the ocean floor, and the volcanoes that fringed its edges. Since these sediments were light, they crumpled into mountain ranges rather than sinking to the floor. The Indo-Australian plate continues to be driven horizontally below the Tibetan plateau, which forces the plateau to move upwards. The Arakan Yoma highlands in Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal were also formed as a result of this collision.

The Indo-Australian plate is still moving at 67 mm per year, and over the next 10 million years it will travel about 1,500 km into Asia. About 20 mm per year of the India-Asia convergence is absorbed by thrusting along the Himalaya southern front. This leads to the Himalayas rising by about 5 mm per year, making them geologically active. The movement of the Indian plate into the Asian plate also makes this region seismically active, leading to earthquakes from time to time.

Himalayas

The Himalaya Range (Sanskrit: literally, "abode of snow", Hindi/Sanskrit: हिमालय, IPA: /hɪˈmɑːləj(ə)/), or the Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. By extension, it is also the name of a massive mountain system that includes the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, and other, lesser, ranges that extend out from the Pamir Knot.

Together, the Himalayan mountain system is the planet's highest, and home to the world's highest peaks, the Eight-thousanders, which include Mount Everest and K2. To comprehend the enormous scale of this mountain range, consider that Aconcagua, in the Andes, at 6,962 metres (22,841 ft) is the highest peak outside Asia, whereas the Himalayan system includes over 100 mountains exceeding 7,200 m (23,622 ft).[1]

Some of the world's major rivers, Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Red River (Asia), Xunjiang, Chao Phraya, Irrawaddy River, Amu Darya, Syr Darya, Tarim River and Yellow River, rise in the Himalayas, and their combined drainage basin is home to some 3 billion people (almost half of Earth's population) in countries which includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, People's Republic of China, India, Nepal, Burma, Cambodia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Pakistan.

The Himalayas have profoundly shaped the cultures of South Asia; many Himalayan peaks are sacred in both Hinduism and Buddhism. The main Himalaya range runs, west to east, from the Indus river valley to the Brahmaputra river valley, forming an arc 2,400 km (1,491 mi) long, which varies in width from 400 km (249 mi) in the western Kashmir-Xinjiang region to 150 km (93 mi) in the eastern Tibet-Arunachal Pradesh region. The range consists of three coextensive sub-ranges, with the northern-most, and highest, known as the Great or Inner Himalayas.