Virgin Peaks: The undesigned mountains of the world
Virgin Peaks: The undesigned mountains of the world
The undesigned mountains of the world are the last major challenges of mountaineering. We look at the most coveted of these undefeated peaks
In January 2021, Nirmal Purja and his team of Nepalese mountaineers succeeded in the first winter ascent of the K2, the second highest mountain in the world. The K2 was the last 8,000 that was waiting for a winter ascent after the Nanga Parbat, Pakistan's "Killer Mountain", was climbed in 2016.
Some say that this feat was the last major challenge in mountaineering, but this overlooks the undisclosed mountains of the world: summit, which still have to be climbed in every season. Below we look at the most sought -after these undefeated peaks.
alt = “Nirmal Purja wrote one of the best mountaineering books”> Nimdai Purja nirmal Purja for the first time in winter
where are the undesigned mountains?
Nobody knows how many undisclosed mountains in the world are, but their number goes into the hundreds, most likely to the thousands. In fact, there are probably more undisturbed peaks in the world than already conquered.
Countless mountains in the highest mountains in the world, the Himalaya, are still undetected. Likewise, the Andes, the longest mountain range in the world, which extends over 7,000 km (4,300 miles) along the South American continent, houses a lot of undefeated peaks over 5,000 m (16,404 feet).
The remote peaks of Myanmar, Bhutan, Tibet, Inner Russia and the former Soviet countries were cut off from the outside world for decades.
Then there is the Antarctic. On the southern continent, which had been hidden from humanity for thousands of years, there are still mountain ranges that are hidden under ice and are slowly emerging. When you finally appear, you will reveal many other undesigned mountains to the world.
why undetected?
hundreds of mountains still have to be conquered. This can be due to sheer seclusion, political obstacles or simple ignorance. After all, you can't climb anything that you don't know.
whether mountains have already been climbed or not is difficult to determine. There is no final database for the climbing history of all mountains in the world. Many records have never been digitized or translated into English and there are many first pauses that are unconfirmed or controversial.
John Biggar from Andes.org.uk says:
A real problem with the Andes is that it can be very difficult without a central source of information to prove that a summit has not been climbed. Based on the information I have and geography, I have to do the best assumptions. Another problem is the Incas: I climbed and believed the Alto Toroni in Chile in 2013 that it was undetected, only to discover a 10 x 10 m Inca platform at the 5,997 m high summit!
Whatever may be the reason, the undisclosed mountains of the world remain a tempting challenge for mountaineers. We look at some of the most coveted undisclosed mountains and ask why they have proven to be so difficult to climb.
1. Gangkhar Puensum
Height: 7,570 m (24.836 ft) Location: Bhutan/China
Bhutan's highest mountain, Gangkhar Puensum, is perhaps only the 40th highest mountain in the world, but it is very likely the highest undisturbed mountain in the world.
his name means "white peak of the three spiritual brothers" and it lies on the controversial border between Bhutan and China. In 1994 Bhutan banned climbing mountains over 6,000 m (19,685 ft) out of respect for local spiritual beliefs. Mountain climbing has been completely prohibited since 2003 and as such, Gangkhar Puensum remains undetected.
2. Muchu chhisch
Height: 7.452 m (24,591 ft) Location: Pakistan
In summer 2014 there was hope that Muchu Chhish, the second highest undisturbed mountain in the world, would finally be conquered. Unfortunately, the British expedition was forced to retreat to 6,000 m (19,685 feet) and Muchu Chhish remains undetected.
Muchu Chhish is located in the western Karakorum in Pakistan and is so difficult to access that there is only another known attempt: a failed Spanish expedition in 1999.
3. Kabru
Height: 7.412 m (24,318 ft) Location: India/Nepal
The enigmatic mountain Kabru (sometimes also referred to as Kabru IV) is a ridge that extends south from the Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. It is also the southernmost mountain in the world over 7,000 m (23,000 ft).
Kabrus topography is confusing. Since it is officially classified as a comb, the mountain houses numerous peaks that have all ambiguous names.
- mountaineering calendar: When the largest mountains in the world should be climbed
- Eight thousands: The 14 highest peak in the world
The highest of them is 7,412 m (24,318 ft) high and is considered to be undisputed. However, there is an argument that this summit stands out sufficiently to be classified as the highest point of a separate mountain - which creates even more confusion.
If you read the Wikipedia page, you would believe that an Indian expedition has climbed the highest peak of the mountain in 1994. However, the Himalayan Journal report about the expedition does not mentions that the true summit has been reached.
In the summary of the magazine, all of them were climbed, but the true summit of 7,412 m is not listed.
| Date (1994) | summit | members |
| 10. May | Kabru Nord (7,338 m) | 12 |
| 12. May | Kabru Süd (7,317 m) | 13 |
| 12. May | Kabru III (7,395 m) | 3 |
| 13. May | Kabru Süd (7,317 m) | 14 |
| 13. May | Kabru III (7,395 m) | 4 |
| 13. May | Kabru Nord (7,338 m) | 4 |
regardless of his name or position (or near) the Kabru ridge, there are no records that a 7,412 m (24,318 feet) was reached on Kabru.
4. Labuche Kang III
Height: 7,250 m (23,786 ft) Location: Tibet, China
This Tibetan mountain, which is celebrated as the "highest not forbidden undisclosed summit of the earth", may not have been undetected for a long time. The American climber Luke Smithwick will lead a team of mountaineers in spring 2018 to the summit of Labuche Kang III. Until then, the eastern summit of Labuche Kang, known as Labuche Kang III, remains undetected.
The name "The highest non -forbidden undisputed summit of the earth" is a little ambiguous. While Gangkhar Puensum is actually prohibited in Bhutan, Muchu Chhish and Kabru are still accessible. But that is the problem with mountaineering records in general: inaccuracies are in abundance.
5. Karjiang i
Height: 7.221 m (23,691 ft) Location: Tibet, China
The last serious attempt at Karjiang I, the highest summit of the Karjiang Group, was made by a Dutch expedition in 2001. The group climbed the nearby Karjiang III (6,820 m/22,375 ft) before bad weather the team for relegation and finally forced mountain to depart.
In 2010, American climbers Joe Puryear and David Gottlieb, Karjiang I tried to climb. However, they did not receive the necessary approval and instead made an attempt to try Labuche Kang III. Unfortunately, this was wrong and Puryear died on the mountain. Since then, no more attempts have been made.
6. Berg Kailash
Height: 6,638 m (21,778 ft) Location: Tibet, China
The imposing mountain Kailash is considered sacred in four religions: Bön, Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. The Chinese authorities gave permission for a Spanish attempt in 2001, but encountered local and international disapproval. Against this background, the Chinese decided to ban all attempts to climb the mountain.
The great Reinhold Messner received permission to climb the mountain in the 1980s, but rejected the invitation.
When he was asked about the planned Spanish expedition in 2001, he replied:
When we conquer this mountain, we conquer something into the souls of the people. I would suggest [The Spanish] go and climb a little harder. Kailas is not that high and not so hard.
7. Sauyr zhotasy
Height: 3,840 m (12,600 feet) Location: China/Kazakhstan
This may not be as exhilarating as above, but this mountain on the Chinese-Kasachische border is considered the highest distinctive underscent summit.
The collection of a mountain represents the height of a mountain by the vertical distance between it and the lowest contour line that surrounds it but does not contain any higher summit. It can be a confusing method, but it essentially measures the height of an independent summit.
No recorded climbs have come to light, which means that Sauyr Zhotasy is considered the most prominent undisturbed mountain in the world. It is the 68th topographically prominent summit on earth.
8. Assemble Sull
Height: 3,110 m (10,200 feet) Location: Antarctic
Another undesigned mountain with a high topographical importance is the remote Mount Siple, which is located on Sulle Island off the coast of Marie Byrd Land in the Antarctic
This part of the world is so remote that only one card sketch has recorded the topography of Mount Siple. Since the mountain is so little known, further research would have to be carried out before a serious attempt to summit could be made.
MOUNT SIPLE is the 78th most topographically outstanding summit and probably has the second highest survey of the unduly mountains of the world.
