Are there any other unconquered mountain peaks anywhere? Gangkhar-Puensum. The highest unconquered peak in the world Unconquered Mountain

On July 31, 1954, only 52 years after the first ascent attempt, one of the most difficult mountain peaks to climb, K2, finally fell before the climbers. Against this background, we recall other stunning peaks, for various reasons still unconquered.

The most beautiful mountain peak, thanks to its steep slopes, stands out clearly against the background of the rest of the massif called Annapurna, once almost surrendered to the mercy of the courage of climbers. The 1957 expedition, led by Jimmy Roberts, stopped just fifty meters from the summit. Conquer one of the most beautiful mountains The Himalayas were thwarted by a promise made to the Nepalese government. The point is that in Hindu beliefs, it is at the top of Machapuchare that one of the supreme deities of the religion, Shiva, lives. Despite the fact that Roberts' team kept its promise, Nepal's top officials immediately closed Machapuchare to any visits.

The Tibetan six-thousander is considered sacred mountain among representatives of four major religions at once - Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and adherents of a faith called Bon. Despite the fact that Kailash is under the jurisdiction of the Chinese government, which occupied Tibet, it is the sacred status of the peak that has not yet allowed it to be conquered. 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 abandoned the climb, and the Spanish expedition of 2000, which bought a pass for a significant sum, was stopped by thousands of pilgrims who blocked the route and protests from the UN.

The highest unconquered peak in the world, rising more than seven and a half thousand meters above sea level. Located on the disputed territory between Bhutan and China, it could have been conquered by the Japanese expedition in 1998 if official Beijing had nevertheless issued permission to climb. The Japanese eventually climbed to nearby Liancang Kangri. Gangkhar Puensum could have fallen earlier, when mountaineering was already allowed in Bhutan, but a ban on visiting peaks above six thousand meters had not yet been introduced (again for religious reasons). However, the expeditions of 1985 and 1986 ended unsuccessfully.

The peak, which reaches 7,207 meters into the sky, is also located on the constantly disputed Tibetan-Bhutanese border. Not a single attempt was made to climb Tongshanjiabu, even before the law “everything above six thousand is prohibited.” After him, of course, and even more so. At the same time, the Korean expedition took neighboring Shimokangri, which was lucky to find itself completely on the Chinese side.

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 obtain climbing permits from China. Karjiang is now considered one of the most difficult and unruly peaks in the world - high technical complexity and an extremely high risk of avalanches, coupled with constantly unfavorable weather conditions More than one expedition was stopped along the way.

Being in politically disputed territory (Pakistan's Kashmir) poses no particular problems for climbers seeking to storm this unruly peak. But the mountain itself, which is by no means the highest (6979 meters above level) of the Baltoro Muztagh ridge, gives expeditions much more problems than K2, which is the highest high peak this mountain formation. Quite a few experienced climbers have tripped 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 of the world. Apart from its geographical inaccessibility, which, for example, did not prevent climbers from climbing Erebus, any additional difficulties in climbing to the top are unknown.

Unconquered peaks captivate us...
We strive there, making our legs bleed...

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

Machapuchare

The most beautiful mountain peak, thanks to its steep slopes, stands out clearly against the background of the rest of the massif called Annapurna, once almost surrendered to the mercy of the courage of climbers. The 1957 expedition, led 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 made to the government of Nepal. The point is that in Hindu beliefs, it is on the top of Machapuchare that one of the supreme deities of the religion, Shiva, lives. Despite the fact that Roberts' team kept its promise, Nepal's top officials immediately closed Machapuchare to any visits.

Kailash


The Tibetan six-thousander is considered a sacred mountain by representatives of four major religions - Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and adherents of a faith called Bon. Despite the fact that Kailash is under the jurisdiction of the Chinese government, which occupied Tibet, it is the sacred status of the peak that has not yet allowed it to be conquered. 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 abandoned the climb, and the Spanish expedition of 2000, which bought a pass for a significant sum, was stopped by thousands of pilgrims who blocked the route and protests from the UN.

Gangkhar Puensum


The highest unconquered peak in the world, rising more than seven and a half thousand meters above sea level. Located on the disputed territory between Bhutan and China, it could have been conquered by the Japanese expedition in 1998 if official Beijing had nevertheless issued permission to climb. The Japanese eventually climbed to nearby Liancang Kangri. Gangkhar Puensum could have fallen earlier, when mountaineering was already allowed in Bhutan, but a ban on visiting peaks above six thousand meters had not yet been introduced (again for religious reasons). However, the expeditions of 1985 and 1986 ended unsuccessfully.

Tongshanjiabu

The peak, which reaches 7,207 meters into the sky, is also located on the constantly disputed Tibetan-Bhutanese border. Not a single attempt was made to climb Tongshanjiabu, even before the law “everything above six thousand is prohibited.” After him, of course, and 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 obtain climbing permits from China. Karjiang is now considered one of the most difficult and rebellious peaks in the world - high technical complexity and an extremely high danger of avalanches, coupled with constantly unfavorable weather conditions, have stopped more than one expedition along the way.

Gasherbrum 6


Being in politically disputed territory (Pakistan's Kashmir) poses no particular problems for climbers seeking to storm this unruly peak. But the mountain itself, which is by no means the highest (6979 meters above level) of the Baltoro Muztagh ridge, gives expeditions much more problems than K2, which is the highest peak of this mountain formation. Quite a few experienced climbers have tripped 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 of the world. Apart from its geographical inaccessibility, which, for example, did not prevent climbers from climbing Erebus, any additional difficulties in climbing to the top are unknown.

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 feel good and it seems as if everything around beautiful place on earth, they are no longer afraid of anything, the surrounding place begins to frighten others and seem to push them away, many are speechless. Someone says that if you ask a question that worries you not far from this mountain, you will be able to solve it easily and in a non-standard way.

Mythical Frontier

For representatives of Buddhism and Hinduism for several centuries in Tibet there is sacred mountain- Kailash. At night, when the peak is shrouded in clouds, you can notice how a light white light pours down from the highest point. Some tourists describe luminous figures on the slopes of the mountain, similar to the swastika symbol. Sometimes at dusk, strange luminous balls are noticed above the mountain, which vaguely resemble ball lightning. But these balls draw strange signs in the air.

Recently, in addition to pilgrims, dozens of expeditions have been flocking to the mountain, people dreaming of conquering the snowy peak. However, something special happens to each of them: a mythical line arises 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 covered with blisters.

Amazing and geographical position Mount Kailash: it is remote from North Pole at 6666 km, from the South Pole to the foot of the mountain the distance is twice as large, but to Stonehenge is also 6666 km.

However, physically the mountain rarely resists climbers; avalanches and rockfalls are rare here. Nevertheless, all tourists of their own free will refuse to climb up literally after 300-400 meters. Only the most outcast people can be near the sacred mountain.

The Legend of the "Stone Mirrors"

Even in planes flying over Kailash, equipment stops working, compass needles spin in different directions. On a mountain diagram, the so-called stone mirrors, which change the course of time, concentrating energy differently than on earth.

However, there is a sacred road along the mountain that can be reached. There is a legend that tells about two travelers who turned off the sacred road while climbing Mount Kailash; after returning to their village, in just a few months, the young people aged 60 years and died. Doctors then could not find any visible reason for this withering.

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

Near the foot of the mountain is the “Heavenly Cemetery”, where the corpses of Tibetans are carried out so that their bodies are eaten by vultures. Such a funeral is considered favorable for the soul of the deceased.

We warn you: the article is full of beauty and aesthetics, which makes the next eight unconquered peaks even more desirable. Especially if you are an extreme sports enthusiast, love heights, and have been looking for thrills for a long time.

Gangkhar Puensum

• Height: 7,570 meters
• Location: China-Bhutan border
• Why not conquered: stupid laws

Gangkhar Puensum lies on the disputed border between China and Bhutan. It is certainly not disputed that Gangkhar Puensum is the highest peak yet unclimbed. Four attempts were made in the 1980s, after which Bhutan passed a law prohibiting mountaineering at altitudes above 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 still 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 distance from the civilized world. It is suspected 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 it was not conquered: religion and law

The most beautiful mountain peak, thanks to its steep slopes, stands out clearly against the background of the rest of the massif called Annapurna, once almost surrendered to the mercy of the courage of climbers. The 1957 expedition, led 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 point is that in Hindu beliefs, it is at the top of Machapuchare that one of the supreme deities of the religion, Shiva, lives. Despite the fact that Roberts' team kept its promise, Nepal's top officials immediately closed Machapuchare to any visits.

Source: green-travel.biz

Kailash

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

The Tibetan six-thousander is considered a sacred mountain by representatives of four major religions - Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and adherents of a faith called Bon. Despite the fact that Kailash is under the jurisdiction of the Chinese government, which occupied Tibet, it is the sacred status of the peak that has not yet allowed it to be conquered.

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 abandoned the climb, and the Spanish expedition of 2000, which bought a pass for a significant sum, was stopped by thousands of pilgrims who blocked the route and protests from the UN.

Source: wikipedia.org

Tongshanjiabu

• Height: 7,207 m
• Location: Central Himalayas, 12 km northwest of Kangphu Kang
• Why not conquered: laws

The peak, which reaches 7,207 meters into the sky, is also located on the constantly disputed Tibetan-Bhutanese border. Not a single attempt was made to climb Tongshanjiabu, even before the law “everything above six thousand is prohibited.” After him, of course, and even more so. At the same time, the Korean expedition took neighboring Shimokangri, which was lucky to find itself completely on the Chinese side.

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

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

One of those who is interested in this is Simone Moro, by the way. Several years ago, Simone, after a series of explorations, attempted to climb Batura II, a peak that was said to be the highest peak yet to be conquered. Moreau was unable to reach the top - so this mountain still poses a challenge to climbers, as well as a number of other peaks that have not yet been climbed by man.

But what kind of mountains are these, and by what criteria should you choose them? Mountaineer, explorer and ExplorersWeb contributor Janne Corax compiled a list of the six highest untouched peaks, and added other interesting objects to it.

Happiness to be first

Janne Corax for ExplorersWeb

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, Herzog and Lachenal climbed Annapurna, the first eight-thousander climbed by humans, thereby opening the hunt for 13 other giants. Shisha Pangma was the last to fall under the feet of the Chinese team, 14 years later.

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

Namche Barwa, 7782m, a difficult mountain with extreme terrain and persistently bad weather conditions, repelled attempts until a Japanese team succeeded in reaching the summit in 1992. The climbers were also interested in the second peaks of eight-thousanders, and they gave up one after another - the last was Lhotse Middle, 8414 m, which was climbed by a strong Russian team 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 of the still unclimbed peaks are the most promising?

To answer this, you must first determine the selection criteria. Two of them are obvious: the mountain must be very high and unconquered. The third criterion is precisely the problem and causes 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 peak.

For example, many believe that the greatest difference in height is between the peak of Lhotse Middle and the lowest point of the bridge that connects it to more high peak– is actually a very small value.

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

Six highest virgin peaks

Gangkar Punsum, 7570 m - the peak is located in Bhutan, in the list of the highest mountain peaks it appears at number 40, and, without a doubt, this is “number 1” on our list. An educated person will guess that the mountain will remain under this number for now. In the mid-80s they tried to climb it, but all the expeditions returned empty-handed. In 1994, peaks in Bhutan were partially closed to climbing. And in 2003, the government decided to ban all types of climbing altogether. The reason for such actions lies 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 previously been of interest to climbers (at least there have been no expeditions to it). We climbed the third highest peak of the massif twice. It is difficult to obtain a permit to climb in this area, but it is possible. A person set foot on the main peak, 7672 m high, in 1973.

Kabru North, 7394 m - the highest point of the Kabru massif, which is essentially a subgroup of the Kanchenjunga massif - has not yet been conquered. Surprisingly, hers is lower southern peak fell back in 1935. A notable ascent was made by Conrad Cook, who reached the summit solo at 18 years old. This was a record for his age.
A Serbian team tried to climb Kabru North in 2004, but avalanches forced them to retreat.

Labuche Kang is a little-known group of peaks in Tibet. The main peak was conquered in 1987 by a Japanese team. Eastern – Labuche Kang III– approximately 7250 m high and still awaiting its first climbers.

The impressive SE face of Karjiang - whose avalanche-prone slopes and complex faces repel all attempts of climbers. Photo from the archive of the Dutch Karjiang 2001 expedition.

Karjiang, 7221 m – also located in Tibet. They tried to climb it a couple of times, but no one had yet managed to set foot on its inaccessible peak. Extreme avalanche danger and high technical difficulty have so far made climbing attempts fruitless.

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

Statements and rumors

I should note that the six peaks listed above will give a head start to the rest in the debate when it comes to steepness and the first criterion - untouched by climbers. However, there are always rumors and statements on the mountain climbing stage. Wherever you go, locals or climbers will point you to the mountain and say, “Look here! No one has climbed it yet!”

On another level, famous mountaineers sometimes declare the goal of their expedition to be “the highest peaks yet unclimbed.” The last time I heard of something like this was when Moro & Ogwyn, an Italian-American duo, went on Batura II in 2004. The 7,762-meter-high giant in the Pakistani Karakoram was, according to them (and “scientific sources”), the highest peak not climbed by man. If you count a gendarme on a ridge with a 100m difference in height between its "top" and the main mountain, then this statement certainly contains some truth, however: there are others high points on ridges, some of which are higher than Batura II...*

Untouched Celebrities

Pilgrims rush to Mt. Kailash every year. They walk around the mountain with prayers, but never set foot on its slopes. Climbing is strictly prohibited. Photo by Project Himalaya.

The most famous of the unclimbed peaks are lower than those we named. Kailash V 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 local residents. They tried to climb some of the peaks of the ridge at a time when climbing permits were issued. On this moment these mountains are closed to climbers.

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

* In one of the interviews, when Simone was asked why he called Batura II the highest of the peaks that no man has climbed, he referred to the data of the Wolfgang Hichel expert and invited those interested in this issue to contact him personally by e-mail [email protected]

Translation by Elena Dmitrenko