The types of landscapes and the possibility of conquering eight-thousand-meter mountains attract climbers from all over the world. Myths and legends envelop this piece of land, marked by the brightest spot (in terms of altitude) on the physical map of Eurasia. At the same time, the Himalayan upland system is the youngest on the planet.

Supreme mountain range The Himalayas are located in South Asia, it stretches from west to east, its length is over 2400 km, its width is in the range of 180-350 km, and its area is about 650 km 2.

Relatively geographical objects ridge bordered by:

• north – Tibetan Plateau;
• south – Indo-Gangetic lowland;
• east – the valley of the Brahmaputra River;
• west - Indus Gorge.

Territory Himalayan mountains shared several Asian countries, information is given in table 1.

Table 1.

No.	State	Capital	Location on the Himalayan range
1.	Islamic Republic of Pakistan	Islamabad	West Side
2.	Republic of India	New Delhi	Western and central parts
3.	Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China	Lhasa PRC – Beijing	Northwestern part
4.	Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal	Kathmandu	central part
5.	Kingdom of Bhutan	Thimphu	East End
6.	People's Republic of Bangladesh	Dhaka	Eastern foothills

Origin of the Himalayas and geology

The Himalayan mountains are marked on the map of geologists as the youngest on Earth.

The age of mountains is determined by their relief: the sharpness, amplitude of heights, and steepness of the slopes confirm their youth - the Himalayas belong to this type. The formation of the system began about 38 million years ago. And in our time, tectonic movements do not stop, they have simply become less intense.

There is a historical-geological theory according to which 200 million years ago globe there was one single continent. Due to changes within the earth, it split into several continents.

Over time, they changed and collided with each other. This is how the Hindustan and Asian lithospheric plates collided, from which the edges of both continents were deformed with the formation of high mountain ranges.

During its formation, the massif was divided into 3 conventional stages, starting from the south:

1. The southern stage of the Pre-Himalayas - Siwalik Mountains. Its height does not exceed 1 km, width 10-50 km. The mountain structure contains several ridges and the Potvar Plateau.
2. Lesser Himalayas. The width of the vast highland is 80-100 km, the height is on average 3.5-4 km, there are peaks, the highest is 6.5 km. Between the border ridge of Dauladar and the main Himalayan range lie the picturesque valleys of Kashmir and Kathmandu.
3. Great Himalayas. The string of ridges is divided into separate structures. The width reaches 90 km, the average height of the peaks is 5.5-6 km, it has 10 mountain ranges with peaks over 8 km.

Development and interesting facts

The development of mountains is associated with the desire to conquer the highest peaks on earth.

In total, there are 14 massifs on Earth with peaks higher than 8 km, the bulk of which are located in the Himalayas.

There are 10 mountain structures whose peak heights exceed this limit. Each of them has been conquered by climbers more than once. But the climber’s most desired goal is to conquer the highest peak on the planet – Chomolungma.

Some facts about conquering the peaks:

• The first summit of Annapurna was conquered in 1950 by the Frenchmen M. Herzog and L. Lachenal. This was the first world conquest of an eight-thousander peak.
• The first ascent of Chomolungma in 1953 was made by New Zealander E. Hillary with Sherpa T. Norgay. Sherpas are the people of Nepal, the best guides in the mountains.
• Japanese Junko Tabei was the first woman to conquer Chomolungma in 1976. The first European in 1978 was Polish woman V. Rutkevich.
• The oldest person to conquer Chomolungma is 76-year-old Nepalese M.B. Shirchan in 2008. The youngest is 13-year-old Californian D. Romero in 2010.
• A group of 11 Russians first conquered Chomolungma in 1982. The first Russian woman, E. Ivanova, conquered the height in 1990.
• The highest peak was conquered 3,700 times, and 570 climbers died during the ascents.

Peaks

Separate mountain structures can have several peaks over 8 km. Short description presented in table 2.

Table 2.

No.	Array name	Height, m	Year of conquest	A country	Short description
1.	Chomolungma (Everest)	8848	1953	Nepal, Tibetan Autonomous Republic	Has 2 peaks above 8 km. Part of Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal)
2.	Kanchenjunga	8586	1955	Nepal, India	An array of 5 peaks, 4 of them are higher than 8 km. Part of a mountain in Kanchenjunga National Park
3.	Lhotse	8516	1956	Nepal, Tibetan Autonomous Republic	An array of 3 peaks, all above 8 km
4.	Makalu	8463	1955	Nepal, Tibetan Autonomous Republic	Consists of 2 peaks, both above 8 km
5.	Cho Oyu	8201	1954	Nepal, Tibetan Autonomous Republic	Included in the Chomolungma massif. Part of Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal)
6.	Dhaulagiri	8167	1960	Nepal	An array of 11 peaks, 10 of them are above 7 km
7.	Manaslu	8156	1956	Nepal	An array of 3 peaks, one higher than 7 km, the other – 6 km
8.	Nanga Parbat	8126	1953	Pakistan	Consists of 4 peaks, 2 – from 7 km, 1 – from 6 km
9.	Annapurna	8091	1950	Nepal	The ridge is 55 km long, with 13 peaks above 7 km, and 16 - 6 km
10.	Shishabangma	8027	1964	Tibetan Autonomous Republic	It is part of the Langtang ridge, has 3 peaks, the height of two is above 8 km

Weather

The Himalayan mountains on the map are indicative and are the barrier that separates the southern Indian lowlands from the northern Tibetan plateau.

On the slopes on the northern side the climate is continental cold with rare precipitation per year barely reaching 100 mm. Monsoon winds blow in the south, bringing heavy rainfall. During the summer period, precipitation up to 4 m falls in the eastern part, and less in the west - more than 1 m.

At the tops of the system the temperature in winter is down to -40°C, and in summer no higher than -25°C. Due to constant winds weather can change dramatically. Hurricane winds often blow, sometimes reaching speeds of up to 150 km/h.

On the southern slope the weather has 4 seasons:

• April-June – cool spring with lush growth of herbs and flowers.
• July-August is the summer rainy season with fogs, the flora develops especially rapidly.
• September-October – warm autumn, comfortable warm days begin.
• November-March – frosty winter with snowfalls and clear days.

Himalayan water system

The water system of the Himalayas is connected with the glacial and snow caps of mountain peaks. The snow boundary of the south begins from the east at an altitude of 4.5 and from the west – 5.1-5.3 km.

On the northern side the border is higher - up to 1 km. Glaciers have formed on all high-mountain peaks; in the west they have a valley character (the tongue of the glacier is located in a valley), in the east they are dendritic (valley, formed from several tongues).

Glaciers give rise to numerous rivers and deep rivers that pass through the next 2 stages of the Himalayas and flow down to the lowlands. Information about the most famous rivers is given in Table 3.

Table 3.

River name	Length, km	Source	Estuary	Which countries does it flow through?
Indus	3180	Tibetan plateau	Arabian Sea	PRC (TAR), India, Pakistan
Sutlej	1536	Tibetan plateau	Indus River	PRC (TAR), India, Pakistan
Brahmaputra	2896	Confluence of the Jangtsi and Chema-Yundung rivers	Strait of Bengal	China (TAR), India, Bangladesh
Ganges	2700	Confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers	Strait of Bengal	India, Bangladesh

Reservoirs for lakes are pits that appeared during the movement of ice masses. Another condition for the creation of lakes is the damming of mud masses during the movement of ice avalanches on rivers. The famous lakes of the system are usually sacred and are symbols of religious worship. Table 4 provides a summary of some of the lakes.

Table 4.

Lake name	Country locations	Altitude above sea level, m
Ansu	Northern Pakistan, Kaghan Valley	5027
Pangong Tso	North India, southwest Tibetan Autonomous Republic	4334
Manasarovar	Tibetan AR, southwestern region	4557
Gosaikund	Nepal, north central, Rusawa district	4380
Mebartso	Bhutan, central region, on the Tang River of Bumthang region	3000

Flora and fauna

On the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, an altitudinal zonation of climatic conditions, flora and fauna is formed. The tiers of the eastern and western zones are different; information is presented in Table 5.

Table 5.

No.	Belt height, km	Description of the belt	Representatives of the flora	Representatives of fauna
Eastern zone
1.	Up to 0.8-0.9	Terai - swampy jungle	Khair, sissu, bamboo, orchids, vines, rattan palm	Rhinoceroses, deer, fallow deer, crocodiles
2.	Up to 1-1.2	Tropical evergreen forests	Lianas, epiphytes, sal tree, shorea
3.	Up to 2	Tropical, subtropical forests	Oaks, maples, magnolias, chestnuts, Nepalese alder
4.	Up to 2.5	Evergreen and deciduous forests	Oaks, long-leaf pines, epiphytes	Wild boars, serow, Himalayan tara, red panda, pheasants, Danfe pheasants, deer, bears
5.	Up to 3.2	Evergreen forests with some deciduous trees	Himalayan spruce, Naples cherry, Simon's polyflorum, maples, hemlocks, rhododendrons
6.	Up to 4	Evergreen forests	Himalayan fir, useful birch, rhodendrons, junipers
7.	Up to 4.2		Rhodendrons, junipers, honeysuckle	Himalayan marmots, snow leopards, snowcocks, pikas, snow partridges, redstarts, musk deer, wild yaks, llamas
8.	Up to 5.2		Alpine herbals, flower beds, lichens, moss
Western zone
1.	Up to 1.5	Rainforests	Chestnuts and oaks, vines, longleaf pine	Gaurs, buffalos, tigers, leopards, deer
2.	Until 3	Subtropical evergreen forests	Cedars, Himalayan cedars, spruce, oak, fir, cedar, neem, banyan tree	Wild boars, serow, bears, red panda, pheasants, gorals
3.	Up to 4.3	Subalpine, alpine stripes	Rarely birches, pines, rhodendrons, mostly shrubs, sedge thickets, mosses, lichens	Marmots, deer, yaks, llamas, leopards, snow partridge, redstarts, woodpeckers, mountain pheasants

An inhabitant of the northern slopes of the Himalayan mountains is the snow leopard.

The northern slopes are distinguished by a harsh climate, where even in summer the temperature rarely reaches above zero at noon; at night it drops into the sub-zero zone. Therefore, vegetation and fauna are very scarce.

Parks and valleys

Himalayan mountains (on the map you can see the presence of numerous national parks, nature reserves) have protective zones that are created to protect the unique wildlife.

They can be used for scientific geographical and biological research purposes. Some parks have become part of the UNESCO list. It is better to visit them in spring or autumn; the rest of the time there is heavy rainfall.

The most famous parks and valleys:

• India. "Valley of Flowers" located at an altitude of 4 km, in the north-west of the country. A picturesque alpine meadow with flora unique to this area. Accommodation is prohibited here, you can only move on foot. It is adjacent to the high-mountain Nanda Devi Park (the highest peak is 7816 m). There are 2 more parks in India with UNESCO heritage status: “Great Himalayas” and “Kanchenjunga”.

• Nepal. "Kathmandu Valley" located in the north-central part of the country. There are many historical and cultural international monuments on it. This is a sacred land with several pilgrimage centers on it. There are 7 sites in the valley that are on the UNESCO list. Another park, Sagarmatha, was created to protect the Chomolungma peak.

• Butane. "Royal Park Manas" located in the south of the country, combined with the “biological corridors” of several nature reserves and national parks. The height of the park reaches the ice fields. Therefore, all climatic zones of the Himalayas with many different species of plants, animals, birds, and insects participate in it. There are 2 more reserves under UNESCO protection: Bumdeling and Sakten.

In Pakistan, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and Bangladesh there are also many national parks that do not have UNESCO heritage status.

Buddhist temples

Buddhism - ancient world religion. Since ancient times, Buddhist temples and monasteries have been built, the oldest temple complexes time was not kind. Mostly medieval churches have survived. Numerous adherents of esotericism, Buddhism and Hinduism come to these holy places.

Temples:

• Pakistan. Takht-i-Bahi– the complex was built in the 1st century. BC. near the city of Mardan in the north of the country. It was built in 4 stages, up to several centuries passed between stages, the last extension was undertaken in the 6th-7th centuries. AD It was destroyed during the Hun invasion. It is on the UNESCO heritage list.
• India. Tabo Gompa Monastery in northern India it is located at an altitude of 3.2 km. Founded in 996 AD Rinchen Japo. The monastery has 8 temples and 24 stupas (a cult monolithic structure with a hemispherical outline).

• Tibetan AR. The most ancient monastery in Tibet - Toling located in the western part, built in 996. There are several halls on the territory, a group of 108 pagodas along the Sainchuan River. Excellent frescoes, a statue of Sakyamuni, and paintings of King Atisha have been preserved in the halls.
• Nepal. Swayambhunath Stupa located in the suburbs of Kathmandu, erected in 460, in the 13th century. became the largest center of Buddhism. Throughout its history, it was destroyed, restored, refurbished, and in 2015 it was partially collapsed due to an earthquake. The stupa is located on a mountain; to climb it you need to overcome 365 steps; there are several monasteries around it.

• Butane. Tamshing Lakhang- a temple complex near the city of Jakar in the Bumthang Valley. The complex has a main temple and monastic dormitories. Festivals are held here once a year in honor of Pema Lingla, the founder of the monastery; he erected it in 1501. The culture of temple dances has been preserved, reflecting the era of the founder of the monastery. UNESCO heritage.

Resorts of the Himalayas

The Himalayan hills are a natural heritage of all the countries in which they are located. The highest peaks of planet Earth are concentrated here, so this mountain system is a Mecca for climbers and hunters extreme tourism.

Most popular places:

• In the Indian Himalayas the most popular resort considered Gulmarg, located on the slopes of the Pir Panjal mountains in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The resort offers winter activities from December to March: luge, skiing, snowboards, freeride (skating outside the designated area). The ski area is 4-2 km above sea level. In the summer they enjoy mountain biking and golf. Nearby there are 40 hotels with different accommodation conditions.

• Tibetan AR, the city of Purang in the Ngari region. It is an ancient center of trade and a stopover for pilgrims on their way to sacred mountain Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. The city is open to tourists only in the summer from July to October; in winter the roads are blocked by snow. Tourists can admire local attractions. You can stay in a hotel, but there are not many of them.
• Ride in Nepal ski equipment Tourists recently discovered it at the resort of Mount Annapurna using heli-skiing (landing at the base by helicopter). Skiing is carried out from different heights from 3.4 to 5.5 km, descending to heights of 3.2-3.5 km. Accommodation or overnight stays are organized in nearby villages where guesthouses (private households) are located.

• In Bhutan, tourism is excursion and pilgrimage in nature.. Hiking expeditions to religious complexes, or long mountain hikes of up to 1 month are carried out. In temples you can heal your body and soul using unconventional methods; the peace and tranquility that reigns in the country also helps to achieve harmony. You can stay not only in the capital, but also in the city of Paro in hotels from 2-5 stars.

Historical and cultural attractions

Himalayan attractions in all countries are mainly associated with the religious ways of the countries. The religion of the celestial countries has imposed certain rules, and they are closely related to the mountain peaks. On the territory of the countries there are many holy places, there are fortifications and cultural buildings worthy of tourist exploration.

Just look at a map with historical values ​​and see that in this area of ​​the Earth there is a lot interesting places:

• In Pakistan, one of the ancient monuments is Altit Fort in the Hunza Valley. The fortress is built on a rock overlooking the valley. Ancient tower The shikari of the fort is 1100 years old. The fortress has small rooms with exquisitely carved wooden portals.

• In India, this is the summer residence of the Viceroy of England in the city of Shimla, Himchal Pradesh state, northeast of the country. The residence was built in 1888 with British chic, with local influences. The museum has many exhibits.

• In the Tibetan Autonomous Republic of China they can offer a tour to the city of Burang. Above the city on the mountain ridge, the Simbiling monastery and the large Tegla Kar fort were built - currently the fort remains in ruins, the monastery has been restored. Below them is a 9-story destroyed monastery of the Bon religion - Tsegu Gompa. The route to Burang passes through sacred lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash.

• In Nepal, it is worth staying in Kathmandu, himself ancient city, which has preserved many ancient buildings, there are palace complexes, museums and religious temples. Durbar Square has about 50 historical and cultural monuments of the country, the Hanuman Dhoka complex is especially interesting.

• Butane. Among the country's attractions stands out National Library, created in 1967 to preserve the historical heritage of the people. It is located in a beautiful octagonal building. In addition to books, ancient letters and historical documentation are kept there. There are other historical buildings around.

Tourists visiting the Himalayas

Tourists visit the Himalaya mountain system for different purposes:

• mountaineering;
• skiing;
• pilgrimage;
• physical and spiritual healing.

Tourists flock here in the thousands, and the flow is growing every year. The most suitable period is May-July and September-October. Summer and winter are rainy and snowy seasons. The Himalayas are located on the territories of 5 countries, so how to get here, get a visa, what fees will be charged for the trip, you need to find out in advance from your operator, or find information on the Internet.

The scale of the Himalayan peak system attracts not only tourists, but also scientists. Due to long political isolation mountainous countries and the inaccessibility of their territories, this area of ​​the Earth has not yet been sufficiently studied by biologists, geographers, geologists, and historians.

Although the study is gaining momentum, there are still many blank spots on all thematic maps of elevations.

Article format: Svetlana Ovsyanikova

Video on the topic: mysteries of the Himalayan mountains

The Himalayas are the most mysterious place on the ground:

The Himalayas are a mountain system considered to be the highest in the world.

“Only mountains can be better than mountains.” Ever since school, everyone knows that the highest mountains in the world, as well as the most picturesque and mysterious, are the Himalayas.

The mythical Shambhala, the mysterious and formidable snowman - this is only a small part of the myths and legends, hidden from us by the eternal white ice of the mountain peaks.

Geographical location and characteristics

The vast area of ​​Central Asia is home to the highest mountain system on the planet - the Himalayas, which translated from Sanskrit means “abode of snow.” They are located on the territory of the following states:

• Chinese People's Republic(Tibet region);
• Nepal;
• India;
• Pakistan;
• Bangladesh (small part of it).

The mountain range, stretching almost 2,400 km in length, was formed approximately 50-70 million years ago as a result of the movement and collision of the Eurasian and Indo-American tectonic plates. But, despite being so ancient in earthly years, by geological standards these mountains are still young. The process of growth of the Himalayas continues to this day, for example, the highest point on the planet - Mount Chomolungma (Everest) is growing by about 6 cm per year.

Sharp as peaks Mountain peaks The Himalayas rise on the Indo-Gangetic valley and consist of three steps:

The Great Himalayas are the highest part of the mountain range, rising 4 km or more above sea level. By the way, in the Himalayas there are 10 of the 14 “eight-thousanders” - mountain peaks whose height exceeds 8 km, as well as the highest point in the world - Mount Qomolungma, as the locals call it Everest, after the name of the surveyor George Everest, who in the mid-19th century determined the exact height of the peak. It was as much as 8848 m.

A little lower, at an altitude of 2-4 km above sea level, there are fertile valleys, for example, Kathmandu and Kashmir, alternating with mountain ranges. These are the so-called Lesser Himalayas. Pre-Himalayas, second name - Siwalik. These are the youngest and lowest elevations in the mountain system, their height does not exceed 2 km.

The area of ​​the ice sheet, located mainly on the slopes of high mountains, is 33 thousand square kilometers. The largest glacier is Gangotri (26 km long), it gives rise to the Ganges, the sacred river of the Hindus. There are also many picturesque alpine lakes in the Himalayas, for example, Lake Tilicho is located at an altitude of 4919 meters!

Himalayas on the map

Rivers

The largest rivers on the planet such as the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra originate from the Himalayas and carry their stormy waters.

Climate

Monsoons carrying warm air from Indian Ocean, supply the southern slopes of the mountains with life-giving moisture most of the year. The same cannot be said about the northern slopes of the Himalayas. The warm southern air is unable to overcome the mountain heights, so there is an arid continental climate.

The air temperature in the mountains reaches -40 degrees Celsius in winter, and wind speeds sometimes reach as much as 150 km/h. The Himalayas rank third on the planet for the amount of snow and ice after the Arctic and Antarctic.

Flora and fauna of the Himalayas

Diversity flora The Himalayas are directly proportional to altitude. At the southern foot of the mountains there are real jungles, which here are called “terai”, a little higher they are replaced by tropical forests, then mixed, coniferous, and finally alpine meadows.

meadows in the Himalayas photo

On the drier and more deserted northern slopes, semi-deserts, steppes and mixed forests replace each other. Very valuable tree species grow in the Himalayas, for example, dhak, sal tree. The boundaries of the ice sheet are approximately 6 km on the north side and 4.5 km on the south. Above 4 km, tundra-type vegetation is already found - mosses, dwarf shrubs, rhododendrons.

In Nepal there is national park"Sigarmatha" which is the object cultural heritage UNESCO. Here is the highest peak in the world, everyone famous mountain Everest, and two eight-thousander peaks, as well as endemic species (rare and endangered species of animals and plants) such as the snow leopard (irbis), Tibetan fox, Himalayan black bear and others.

Himalayan sheep photo

On the southern side, rhinoceroses, tigers, and leopards live and feel very comfortable. The north is home to bears, antelopes, yaks, wild horses and mountain goats.

Population

It is worth saying a little about the population of this mountainous region, because it is quite diverse. Already 8000 BC these mountains were inhabited by tribes. Ancient Aryans lived in the south, Persian and Turkic peoples lived in the west, and Tibetan tribes lived in the east. They lived in isolated valleys, where they created their own state formations and closed ethnic groups.

In the 19th century, the Himalayas were a possession of the British Empire, and in 1947, they became a zone of military conflict due to the division of India and Pakistan. The population is still engaged in subsistence farming. Cereals are grown on the damp southern slopes, and transhumance is practiced in drier and less fertile areas.

Development and interesting facts

Among all the eight-thousanders, Chomolungma has always been of particular interest. Local tribes did not climb its peaks for a long time, considering the mountain sacred. Everest was first conquered in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa (Sherpas are a people living in Eastern Nepal) Tenzing Norgay.

The first Soviet expedition took place in 1982. Since 1953, Everest has been conquered more than 3,700 times, however, there are other, sadder statistics - about 570 people died during the ascent. Besides Everest, the Annapurna mountain range is considered the most dangerous “eight-thousander”; the mortality rate among climbers for the entire time since the first ascent is as much as 41%! True, according to statistics for 1990-2008, the most dangerous peak Kanchenjunga (8586 meters above sea level) began to be considered, the mortality rate over these years was 22%.

flora of the Himalayas photo

The Himalayas are becoming more and more “inhabited” areas of the planet every year. The flow of tourists increases from season to season, which entails the development of infrastructure and the entire tourism system as a whole. Not long ago, the authorities of China and Nepal agreed on the development transport communication between their countries through the construction of a railway tunnel. It is expected to pass under the highest peak on the planet - Everest! Preparatory work on this project is already underway.

In 2011, a dinner party was held in the Himalayas at an altitude of 6805 meters! Seven climbers climbed to a record height, taking with them a table, chairs, equipment and food. Lunch still took place, despite the cold and strong wind. Initially, the climbing group wanted to have lunch at an altitude of 7045 meters, but hurricane winds did not allow this.

general information

The Himalaya mountain system at the junction of Central and South Asia is over 2,900 km long and about 350 km wide. The area is about 650 thousand km². Average height the ridges are about 6 km, the maximum 8848 m is Mount Chomolungma (Everest). There are 10 eight-thousanders here - peaks over 8000 m above sea level. In the northwest of the western chain of the Himalayas there is another highest mountain system - the Karakoram.

The population is mainly engaged in agriculture, although the climate allows for the cultivation of only a few types of cereals, potatoes and some other vegetables. The fields are located on sloping terraces.

Name

The name of the mountains comes from ancient Indian Sanskrit. "Himalaya" means "Abode of Snow" or "Kingdom of Snows".

Geography

The entire Himalayan mountain range consists of three distinctive steps:

• The first - the Pre-Himalayas (locally called the Shivalik Range) - is the lowest of all, the mountain peaks of which do not rise more than 2000 meters.
• The second stage - the Dhaoladhar, Pir Panjal and several other smaller ranges - is called the Lesser Himalayas. The name is quite arbitrary, since the peaks already rise to respectable heights - up to 4 kilometers.
• Behind them are several fertile valleys (Kashmir, Kathmandu and others), serving as a transition to the most high points planets - the Greater Himalayas. The two great South Asian rivers - the Brahmaputra from the east and the Indus from the west - seem to embrace this majestic mountain range, originating on its slopes. In addition, the Himalayas give life to the sacred Indian river - the Ganges.

Records of the Himalayas

The Himalayas are a place of pilgrimage for the strongest climbers in the world, for whom conquering their peaks is a cherished goal in life. Chomolungma did not conquer immediately - since the beginning of the last century, many attempts have been made to climb to the “roof of the world.” The first to achieve this goal was the New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary in 1953, accompanied by a local guide, Sherpa Norgay Tenzing. The first successful Soviet expedition took place in 1982. In total, Everest has been conquered about 3,700 times.

Unfortunately, the Himalayas also set sad records - 572 climbers died trying to conquer their eight-kilometer heights. But the number of brave athletes does not decrease, because “taking” all 14 “eight-thousanders” and receiving the “Crown of the Earth” is the cherished dream of each of them. The total number of “crowned” winners to date is 30 people, including 3 women.

Minerals

The Himalayas are rich in mineral resources. In the axial crystalline zone there are deposits of copper ore, placer gold, arsenic and chromium ores. The foothills and intermountain basins contain oil, flammable gases, brown coal, potassium and rock salts.

Climatic conditions

The Himalayas are the largest climate division in Asia. To the north of them, continental air of temperate latitudes predominates, to the south - tropical air masses. The summer equatorial monsoon penetrates all the way to the southern slope of the Himalayas. The winds reach such strength there that they make it difficult to climb the highest peaks, so Chomolungma can only be climbed in the spring, during the short period of calm before the onset of the summer monsoon. On the northern slope, winds from the northern or western directions blow throughout the year, coming from the continent, which is supercooled in winter or very warm in summer, but is always dry. From northwest to southeast, the Himalayas extend approximately between 35 and 28° N, and the summer monsoon almost does not penetrate into the northwestern sector of the mountain system. All this creates large climatic differences within the Himalayas.

The most precipitation falls in the eastern part of the southern slope (from 2000 to 3000 mm). In the west, their annual amounts do not exceed 1000 mm. Less than 1000 mm falls in the zone of internal tectonic basins and in internal river valleys. On the northern slope, especially in the valleys, the amount of precipitation decreases sharply. In some places, annual amounts are less than 100 mm. Above 1800 m, winter precipitation falls in the form of snow, and above 4500 m snow occurs throughout the year.

On southern slopes up to an altitude of 2000 m average temperature January is 6...7 °C, July 18...19 °C; up to an altitude of 3000 m, the average temperature of the winter months does not fall below 0 ° C, and only above 4500 m the average July temperature becomes negative. The snow line in the eastern part of the Himalayas passes at an altitude of 4500 m, in the western, less humidified part - 5100-5300 m. On the northern slopes, the height of the nival belt is 700-1000 m higher than on the southern ones.

Natural waters

High altitude and heavy precipitation contribute to the formation powerful glaciers and a dense river network. Glaciers and snow cover all the high peaks of the Himalayas, but the ends of the glacial tongues have a significant absolute height. Most of the Himalayan glaciers belong to the valley type and reach no more than 5 km in length. But the further east you go and the more precipitation there is, the longer and lower the glaciers go down the slopes. The most powerful glaciation is on Chomolungma and Kanchenjunga, and the largest glaciers of the Himalayas are formed. These are dendritic type glaciers with several feeding areas and one main trunk. The Zemu glacier on Kanchenjunga reaches 25 km in length and ends at an altitude of about 4000 m. The Rongbuk glacier, 19 km long, slides down from Qomolungma and ends at an altitude of 5000 m. The Gangotri glacier in the Kumaon Himalayas reaches 26 km; one of the sources of the Ganges originates from it.

Especially many rivers flow from the southern slope of the mountains. They begin in the glaciers of the Greater Himalayas and, crossing the Lesser Himalayas and the foothills, reach the plain. Some large rivers They originate from the northern slope and, heading towards the Indo-Gangetic Plain, cut through the Himalayas with deep through valleys. These are the Indus, its tributary the Sutlej and the Brahmaputra (Tsangpo).

The Himalayan rivers are fed by rain, glaciers and snow, so the main maximum flow occurs in the summer. In the eastern part, the role of monsoon rains in nutrition is great, in the west - snow and ice of the high mountain zone. The narrow gorges or canyon-like valleys of the Himalayas are replete with waterfalls and rapids. From May, when the most rapid melting of snow begins, until October, when the summer monsoon ends, rivers rush down from the mountains in rapid streams, carrying away masses of debris that they deposit when leaving the Himalayan foothills. Monsoon rains often cause severe floods on mountain rivers, during which bridges are washed away, roads are destroyed and landslides occur.

There are many lakes in the Himalayas, but among them there are none that can be compared in size and beauty with the Alpine ones. Some lakes, for example in the Kashmir Basin, occupy only part of those tectonic depressions that were previously filled entirely. The Pir Panjal range is known for numerous glacial lakes formed in ancient cirques or in river valleys as a result of their damming by moraine.

Vegetation

On the abundantly moistened southern slope of the Himalayas, altitudinal zones from tropical forests to high-mountain tundras are exceptionally pronounced. At the same time, the southern slope is characterized by significant differences in the vegetation cover of the humid and hot eastern part and the drier and colder western part. Along the foot of the mountains from their eastern extremity to the course of the Jamna River stretches a peculiar swampy strip with black silty soils, called the Terai. The Terai are characterized by jungles - dense thickets of trees and shrubs, almost impenetrable in places due to vines and consisting of soap trees, mimosa, bananas, low-growing palm trees, and bamboos. Among the terai there are cleared and drained areas that are used for the cultivation of various tropical crops.

Above the terai, on the damp slopes of the mountains and along river valleys up to an altitude of 1000-1200 m, evergreen tropical forests grow of tall palms, laurels, tree ferns and gigantic bamboos, with many vines (including the rattan palm) and epiphytes. Drier areas are dominated by thinner forests of salwood, which loses its leaves during the dry season, with rich undergrowth and grass cover.

At altitudes above 1000 m, subtropical species of evergreen and deciduous trees begin to mix with the heat-loving forms of the tropical forest: pines, evergreen oaks, magnolias, maples, chestnuts. At an altitude of 2000 m, subtropical forests give way to temperate forests of deciduous and coniferous trees, among which only occasionally are representatives of subtropical flora, for example, magnificently flowering magnolias found. The upper border of the forest is dominated by conifers, including silver fir, larch, and juniper. The undergrowth is formed by dense thickets of tree-like rhododendrons. There are many mosses and lichens covering the soil and tree trunks. The subalpine belt replacing forests consists of tall grass meadows and thickets of shrubs, the vegetation of which gradually becomes lower and sparse as it moves to the alpine belt.

The high-altitude meadow vegetation of the Himalayas is unusually rich in species, including primroses, anemones, poppies and other brightly flowering perennial herbs. The upper limit of the alpine belt in the east reaches an altitude of about 5000 m, but individual plants are found much higher. When climbing Chomolungma, plants were discovered at an altitude of 6218 m.

In the western part of the southern slope of the Himalayas, due to lower humidity, there is no such richness and diversity of vegetation; the flora is much poorer than in the east. There is a complete absence of the Terai strip, the lower parts of the mountain slopes are covered with sparse xerophytic forests and bushes, higher up there are some subtropical Mediterranean species like evergreen holm oak and golden olive, and even higher up coniferous forests of pine trees and magnificent Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara) predominate. The shrub undergrowth in these forests is poorer than in the east, but the meadow alpine vegetation is more diverse.

The landscapes of the northern ranges of the Himalayas, facing Tibet, are approaching the desert mountain landscapes of Central Asia. The change in vegetation with height is less pronounced than on the southern slopes. From the bottoms of large river valleys up to the snow-covered peaks, sparse thickets of dry grasses and xerophytic shrubs spread. Woody vegetation is found only in some river valleys in the form of thickets of low-growing poplars.

Animal world

The landscape differences of the Himalayas are also reflected in the composition of the wild fauna. The diverse and rich fauna of the southern slopes has a distinct tropical character. Many large mammals, reptiles, and insects are common in the forests of the lower slopes and in the terai. Elephants, rhinoceroses, buffalos, wild boars, and antelopes are still found there. The jungle is literally teeming with various monkeys. Particularly characteristic are macaques and thin-bodied animals. Of the predators, the most dangerous to the population are tigers and leopards - spotted and black (black panthers). Among the birds, peacocks, pheasants, parrots, and wild chickens stand out for their beauty and brightness of plumage.

In the upper mountain belt and on the northern slopes, the fauna is close in composition to that of Tibet. The black Himalayan bear, wild goats and sheep, and yaks live there. Especially a lot of rodents.

Population and environmental issues

Most of the population is concentrated in the middle zone of the southern slope and in intramountain tectonic basins. There is a lot of cultivated land there. Rice is sown on the irrigated flat bottoms of the basins; tea bushes, citrus fruits, and grapevines are grown on the terraced slopes. Alpine pastures are used for grazing sheep, yaks and other livestock.

Due to the high altitude of the passes in the Himalayas, communication between the countries of the northern and southern slopes is significantly complicated. Some passes are crossed by dirt roads or caravan trails; there are very few highways in the Himalayas. The passes are accessible only in summer. In winter they are covered with snow and completely impassable.

The inaccessibility of the territory has played a favorable role in preserving the unique mountain landscapes of the Himalayas. Despite the significant agricultural development of low mountains and basins, intensive grazing of livestock on mountain slopes and the ever-increasing influx of climbers from different countries world, the Himalayas remain a refuge for valuable plant and animal species. The real “treasures” are those included in the List of World Cultural and natural heritage National parks India and Nepal - Nan-dadevi, Sagarmatha and Chitwan.

Attractions

• Kathmandu: Budanilkantha, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath temple complexes, National Museum Nepal;
• Lhasa: Potala Palace, Barkor Square, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery;
• Thimphu: Bhutan Textile Museum, Thimphu Chorten, Tashicho Dzong;
• Temple complexes of the Himalayas (including Sri Kedarnath Mandir, Yamunotri);
• Buddhist stupas (memorial or reliquary structures);
• Sagarmatha National Park (Everest);
• National parks Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers.

Spiritual and health tourism

Spiritual principles and the cult of a healthy body are so closely intertwined in various directions of Indian philosophical schools that it is impossible to draw any visible division between them. Every year, thousands of tourists come to the Indian Himalayas precisely to get acquainted with the Vedic sciences, the ancient postulates of the teachings of Yoga, and to improve the health of their body according to the Ayurvedic canons of Panchakarma.

The pilgrims' program necessarily includes visiting caves for deep meditation, waterfalls, ancient temples, and bathing in the Ganges, a river sacred to Hindus. Those suffering can have conversations with spiritual mentors, receive from them parting words and recommendations for spiritual and physical cleansing. However, this topic is so broad and versatile that it requires a separate detailed presentation.

The natural grandeur and highly spiritual atmosphere of the Himalayas captivate the human imagination. Anyone who has at least once come into contact with the splendor of these places will always be obsessed with the dream of returning here at least once more.

• About five or six centuries ago, a people called the Sherpas moved to the Himalayas. They know how to provide themselves with everything necessary for life in the highlands, but, in addition, they are practically a monopoly in the profession of guides. Because they are truly the best; the most knowledgeable and the most resilient.
• Among the conquerors of Everest there are also “originals”. On May 25, 2008, the oldest climber in the history of climbing, a native of Nepal, Min Bahadur Shirchan, who was 76 years old at that time, overcame the path to the summit. There have been cases when very young travelers took part in expeditions. The latest record was broken by Jordan Romero from California, who climbed in May 2010 at the age of thirteen (before him, fifteen-year-old Tembu Tsheri Sherpa was considered the youngest guest of Chomolungma).
• The development of tourism does not benefit the nature of the Himalayas: even here there is no escape from the garbage left by people. Moreover, in the future there may be severe pollution of the rivers that originate here. The main problem is that these rivers provide millions of people with drinking water.
• Shambhala is a mythical country in Tibet, about which many ancient texts tell. Buddha's followers believe in its existence unconditionally. It captivates the minds of not only lovers of all kinds of secret knowledge, but also serious scientists and philosophers. In particular, the most prominent Russian ethnologist L.N. had no doubt about the reality of Shambhala. Gumilev. However, there is still no irrefutable evidence of its existence. Or they are irretrievably lost. For the sake of objectivity, it should be said: many believe that Shambhala is not located in the Himalayas at all. But in the very interest of people in the legends about her lies proof that we all really need the belief that somewhere there is a key to the evolution of humanity, which is owned by bright and wise forces. Even if this key is not a guide on how to become happy, but just an idea. Not yet open...

The Himalayas in art, literature and cinema

• Kim is a novel written by Joseph Kipling. It tells the story of a boy who admires British imperialism while surviving the Great Game.
• Shangri-La is a fictional country located in the Himalayas, described in the novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton.
• Tintin in Tibet is one of the albums of the Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé. Journalist Tintin investigates a plane crash in the Himalayas.
• The film "Vertical Limit" describes the events taking place on Mount Chogori.
• Several levels in Tomb Raider II and one level in Tomb Raider: Legend are located in the Himalayas.
• The film "Black Narcissus" tells the story of an order of nuns who founded a monastery in the Himalayas.
• The Kingdom of the Golden Dragons is a novel by Isabel Allenda. Most of the events take place in the Forbidden Kingdom, a fictional state in the Himalayas.
• Drachenreiter is a book by German writer Cornelia Funke about Brownie and a dragon traveling to the "Edge of Heaven" - a place in the Himalayas where dragons live.
• Expedition Everest is a themed roller coaster at Walt Disney World Resort.
• Seven Years in Tibet is a film based on the autobiographical book of the same name by Heinrich Harrer, which describes the story of the adventures of an Austrian mountaineer in Tibet during the Second World War.
• G.I. Joe: The Movie is an animated film that tells the story of the Cobra-La civilization, which survived the Ice Age in the Himalayas.
• Far Cry 4 is a first-person shooter story that tells about the fictional region of the Himalayas, dominated by a self-proclaimed king.

The Himalayas are replete with a huge number of rocky, almost vertical slopes that are very difficult to climb; you have to use all sorts of technical devices in the form of driven hooks, ropes, special ladders and other climbing equipment. Often rocky ledges alternate with deep cracks, and so much snow settles on the mountain slopes that over time it is compressed and turns into glaciers that close these cracks, which makes walking through these places deadly. It is not uncommon for snow and ice to descend, which, rushing down, turn into huge avalanches, demolishing everything in their path and capable of crushing climbers in seconds.

The air temperature in the Himalayas, when rising in altitude, decreases by about 6 degrees for every 1000 meters. So if at the foot of the mountain in summer the temperature is +25, then at an altitude of 5000 meters it will be about -5.

At altitude, the movements of air masses are usually intensified, often turning into hurricane winds, which makes movement very difficult, and sometimes makes it impossible, especially on the narrow ridges of mountain ranges.

Starting at an altitude of 5,000 meters, the atmosphere contains approximately half the oxygen at sea level to which the human body is accustomed. Lack of oxygen has a detrimental effect on the human body, sharply reduces its physical capabilities and leads to the development of so-called mountain sickness - shortness of breath, dizziness, chills and interruptions in heart function. Therefore, at this altitude, the human body usually needs time to acclimatize.

At an altitude of 6000 meters, the atmosphere is so thin and oxygen-poor that complete acclimatization is no longer possible. No matter what kind of physical activity a person experiences, he begins to slowly suffocate. Climbing to an altitude of 7000 meters is already mortally dangerous for many; at such a height the consciousness begins to become confused and even thinking becomes difficult. The height of 8000 meters is called the “death zone”. Here, even the strongest climbers can survive for only a few days at best. Therefore, all high-altitude ascents are carried out using oxygen breathing apparatus.

But representatives of the Nepalese Sherpa tribe, who permanently live in the Himalayas, feel quite comfortable at altitude and therefore, as soon as the Europeans began to “master” the mountain peaks of the Himalayas, the men of this tribe began to work as guides and porters on expeditions, receiving payment for this. Over time, this became their main profession. By the way, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, together with Edmund Hillary, were the first to climb the top of the Himalayas - Everest, the highest mountain in the world.

But these sometimes deadly dangers did not stop mountaineering enthusiasts. It took more than one decade for all these peaks to be conquered. Here is a brief chorology of climbing the highest mountains on our planet.

1950, June 3 - Annapurna

French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal climbed Annapurna Peak, which is 8091 meters high. Anapurna is considered the seventh highest mountain in the world. Located in Nepal, in the Himalayas east of the Gandaki River, which flows through the deepest gorge in the world. The gorge separates Annapurna and another eight-thousander, Dhaulagiri.

Climbing Anapurna is considered one of the most difficult climbs in the world. Moreover, this is the only conquest of an eight-thousander that was accomplished the first time, and moreover, without oxygen apparatus. However, their feat was successful at a high price. Since they were wearing only leather boots, Herzog froze all his toes and, due to the onset of gangrene, the expedition doctor was forced to amputate them. Over the entire period, only 191 people successfully climbed Annapurna, which is less than any other eight-thousanders. Climbing Annapurna is considered the most dangerous, with a mortality rate of 32 percent, like no other eight-thousander.

1953, May 29 - Everest "Qomolungma"

Members of the English expedition, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Norgay Tenzing were the first to conquer Everest, a peak 8848 m high. In Tibetan, this mountain is called Qomolungma, which means “Goddess Mother of Snow.” Her Nepalese name is “Sagarmatha”, that is, “Mother of the Universe”. This is the highest mountain in the world. on the border of Nepal and China.

Everest is a triangular pyramid with three sides and ridges that extend to the northeast, southeast and northwest. The southeastern ridge is gentler and is the most widely used climbing route. It was this route to the top through the Khumbu glacier, the valley of silence, from the foot of Lhotse through the South Col that Hillary and Tenzing blazed for their first ascent. The British first attempted to climb Everest back in 1921. They then could not go from the south side, due to the ban of the Nepalese authorities, and tried to climb from the north, from Tibet. To do this, they had to go around the entire Chomolungma mountain range, traveling more than 400 kilometers to get to the top from China. But the time to go around was lost and the onset of the monsoons did not make it possible to climb. After them, a second attempt along the same route was made in 1924 by British climbers George Leigh Mallory and Andrew Irwin, which was also unsuccessful, ending in the death of both at an altitude of 8500 meters.

Despite its reputation dangerous mountain The commercialization of climbing Everest has made it a very popular tourist attraction over the past few decades. According to the latest data, 5,656 successful ascents of Everest have been made, while 223 people have died. The mortality rate was about 4 percent.

1953, July 3 - Nanga Parbat

The peak is located in the north of Pakistan in the western part of the Himalayas. This is the ninth highest eight-thousander, 8126 meters. This peak has such steep slopes that even snow cannot stand on its top. In Urdu, Nangaparbat means "Bare Mountain". The first to climb the peak was the Austrian climber Hermann Buhl, a member of the German-Austrian Himalayan expedition. I made the ascent alone, without an oxygen apparatus. The ascent time to the top was 17 hours, and the descent time was 41 hours. This was the first successful ascent in 20 years of attempts; 31 climbers had already died there before.

According to the latest data, a total of 335 successful ascents have been made to Nanga Parbat. 68 climbers died. The mortality rate is about 20 percent, making it the third most dangerous eight-thousander.

1954, July 31 - Chogori, "K2", "Dapsang"

The first to summit K2, the second highest peak in the world, were Italian climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. Although attempts to conquer K2 began back in 1902.

Chogori Peak or Dapsang Peak is 8611 meters high, located on the Baltoro Muztagh ridge in the Karakoram mountain range, on the border of Pakistan and China. This mountain received the unusual name K2 in the 19th century, when a British expedition measured the heights of the peaks of the Himalayas and Karakoram. Each newly measured peak was given a serial number. K2 was the second mountain they stumbled upon and since then this name has been attached to it for a long time. Locals call this Lamba Pahar, which means " High mountain" Despite the fact that K2 is lower than Everest, it turned out to be more difficult to climb. Over the entire period, there have been only 306 successful ascents on K2. 81 people died while attempting to climb. The mortality rate is about 29 percent. K2 is often called the killer mountain

1954, October 19 - Cho Oyu

The first to climb the peak were members of the Austrian expedition: Herbert Tichy, Joseph Joechler and Sherpa Pazang Dawa Lama. The peak of Cho Oyu is located in the Himalayas, on the border of China and Nepal, in the Mahalangur Himal mountain range of the Qomolangma mountain range, approximately 20 km west of Mount Everest.

Cho Oyu means "Goddess of Turquoise" in Tibetan. It has a height of 8201 meters, it is the sixth highest eight-thousander. A few kilometers west of Cho Oyu is the Nangpa La pass with an altitude of 5716 m. This pass is the passage from Nepal to Tibet, paved by the Sherpas as the only trade route. Because of this pass, many climbers consider Cho Oyu to be the easiest eight-thousander. This is partly true, because all ascents are made from Tibet. But on the Nepal side, the southern wall is so difficult that only a few managed to conquer it.

In total, 3,138 people climbed Cho Oyu safely, more than any other peak except Everest. Mortality is 1%, less than any other. It is considered the safest eight-thousander.

1955, May 15 - Makalu

For the first time, the Frenchmen Jean Cousy and Lionel Terre climbed to the top of Makalu. The ascent to Makalu became the only one in the entire history of conquest of eight-thousanders, when all nine members of the expedition reached the summit, including the senior group of Sherpa guides. This happened not because Makalu is such an easy mountain, but because the weather was extremely good and nothing prevented the climbers from achieving this triumph.

At 8,485 meters, Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world, is located just 20 kilometers southeast of Everest. In Tibetan, Makalu means "Big Black". This unusual name was given to this mountain because its slopes are very steep and the snow simply does not hold on them, so it remains bare most of the year.

Defeating Makalu turned out to be quite difficult. In 1954, an American team led by Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Everest, tried to do this, but they failed. And only the French, after a lot of preparatory work and well-coordinated team work, were able to accomplish this. In total, 361 people successfully climbed Makalu over the entire period, while 31 people died while attempting to climb. The mortality rate for climbing Makalu is about 9 percent.

1955, May 25 - Kanchenjunga

British climbers George Band and Joe Brown were the first to successfully climb Kanchenjunga. Before the ascent, local residents warned the climbers that the Sikkimese god lives on the top of this mountain and should not be disturbed. They refused to accompany the expedition and the British went to the ascent on their own. But either due to superstition, or for some other reason, having climbed to the top, they did not reach the very top a few feet, considering that the peak had been conquered.

Kanchenjunga is located on the border of Nepal and India, approximately 120 kilometers south of Everest. The name "Kanchenjunga" translated from Tibetan means "Treasury of the Five Great Snows". Until 1852, Kanchenjunga was considered the most high mountain in the world. But after Everest and other eight-thousanders were measured, it turned out that it is the third highest peak in the world, its height is 8586 meters.

Another legend existing in Nepal says that Kanchenjunga is a woman mountain. And women are not allowed to attend on pain of death. Of course, climbers are not superstitious people, but nevertheless, only one female climber, an Englishwoman, Ginette Harrison, has ever climbed to its peak. All would be well, but a year and a half later, Ginette Harrison died while climbing Dhaulagiri. Over the entire period, 283 climbers successfully climbed Kanchenjunga. Of those who tried to rise, 40 people died. The lethality of the climb is about 15 percent.

1956, May 9 - Manaslu

The mountain is 8163 meters high, the eighth highest eight-thousander. There have been several attempts to climb this peak. For the first time in 1952, when, in addition to the British, the Swiss and French teams took the lead in conquering Everest, the Japanese decided to first conquer the Manaslu peak, located in Nepal about 35 kilometers east of Annapurna. They scouted out all the approaches and mapped out the route. The following year, 1953, we began the ascent. But the blizzard broke all their plans and they were forced to retreat.

When they returned in 1954, the local Nepalese took up arms against them, citing the fact that the Japanese had desecrated the gods and aroused their anger, because after the departure of the previous expedition, misfortune befell their village: there was an epidemic, a crop failure, a temple collapsed and three priests died. Armed with sticks and stones, they drove the Japanese away from the mountain. To settle matters with local residents, in 1955, a special delegation arrived from Japan. And only the following 1956, having paid 7,000 rupees for damages and 4,000 rupees for the construction of a new temple and having organized a big holiday for the village population, the Japanese received permission to climb. Thanks to beautiful weather, Japanese climber Toshio Imanishi and Sirdar Sherpa Gyaltsen Norbu climbed the peak on May 9. Manaslu remains one of the most dangerous eight-thousanders. In total there were 661 successful ascents of Manaslu, sixty-five climbers died during the ascent. The lethality of ascents is about 10 percent.

1956, May 18 - Lhotse

Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss, members of a Swiss team, became the first people to climb the 8,516-metre Lhotse peak, the fourth highest peak in the world.

Lhotse Peak is located on the border of Nepal and China, a few kilometers south of Everest. These two peaks are connected by a vertical ridge, the so-called South Col, whose entire height is above 8000 meters. Typically, ascents are carried out along the western, gentler slope. But in 1990, the Soviet Union team climbed the southern side, previously considered completely inaccessible, since it is a 3,300-meter almost vertical wall. A total of 461 successful ascents have been made on Lhotse. Over the entire period, 13 climbers died there, the mortality rate is about 3 percent.

1956 July 8 - Gasherbrum II

The peak is 8034 meters high, the thirteenth highest mountain in the world. For the first time, Austrian climbers Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch and Hans Willenpart climbed Gasherbrum II. They climbed to the summit along the south side along the southwest ridge. Before ascending to the peak itself, rising to a height of 7,500 meters, they set up a temporary camp for the night, and then launched an assault early in the morning. This was a completely new, untested approach to rock climbing, which was subsequently used by climbers from many countries.

Gasherbrum II is the second of four Gasherbrum peaks in the Karakoram on the Pakistan-China border, approximately 10 kilometers southeast of K2. The Baltoro Muztagh ridge, which includes Gasherbrum II, is known for the longest glacier of the Karakoram, more than 62 kilometers long. This was the reason that many climbers descended almost from the very top of Gasherbrum II on skis, snowboards and even with a parachute. Gasherbrum II is considered one of the safest and easiest eight-thousanders. 930 climbers successfully climbed Gasherbrum II and only 21 people died. unsuccessful attempts climbing. The mortality rate of ascents is about 2 percent.

1957, June 9 - Broad Peak

The mountain is 8051 meters high, the twelfth highest eight-thousander. The Germans first tried to climb Broad Peak in 1954, but due to low temperatures and stormy winds, their efforts were unsuccessful. The first to climb the peak were Austrian climbers Fritz Wintersteller, Markus Schmuck and Kurt Dimberger. The ascent was carried out along the southwestern side. The expedition did not use the services of porters and all the property was lifted by the participants themselves, which was quite difficult.

Broad Peak or "Jangiyang" is located on the border between China and Pakistan, a few kilometers southeast of K2. This area is still little studied and geographers hope that over time it can gain sufficient popularity. Over the entire period, there have been 404 successful ascents of Broad Peak. They were unsuccessful for 21 climbers who died while attempting to climb. The lethality of ascents is about 5 percent.

1958, July 5 - Gasherbrum I "Hidden Peak"

Mountain 8080 meters high. The top refers mountain range Gasherbrum - Karakorum. Attempts to climb Hidden Peak began a long time ago. In 1934, members of an international expedition were only able to rise to a height of 6300 meters. In 1936, French climbers reached the 6,900-meter mark. And only two years later, Americans Andrew Kaufman and Pete Schoening climb to the top of Hidden Peak.

Gasherbrum I or Hidden Peak, the eleventh highest eight-thousander in the world, one of the seven peaks of the Gasherbrum massif is located in Kashmir in the Pakistan-controlled Northern Region on the border with China. Gasherbrum is translated from the local language as “Polished Wall”, and it fully corresponds to this name. Due to its steep, almost polished, rocky slopes, climbing it was rejected by many. A total of 334 people successfully summited the peak, while 29 climbers died while attempting the summit. Climbing mortality rate is about 9 percent.

1960, May 13 - Dhaulagiri I

“White Mountain” is 8167 meters high, the seventh highest of the eight-thousanders. The first to reach the summit were members of the European team: Dimberger, Shelbert, Diener, Forer and Sherpas Nyima and Nawang. For the first time, an airplane was used to transport expedition members and equipment. On " White Mountain“The French, participants in the 1950 expedition, drew attention back in 1950. But then it seemed inaccessible to them and they switched to Annapurna.

Dhaulagiri I is located in Nepal, 13 kilometers from Annapurna, and the Argentines tried to climb to its peak back in 1954. But due to a strong snowstorm, we didn’t reach the top by only 170 meters. Although Dhaulagiri is only the sixth highest by Himalayan standards, it is quite a tough nut to crack. So in 1969, while attempting to climb, the Americans left seven of their comrades on the southeastern ridge. In total, 448 people successfully climbed to the top of Dhaulagiri I, but 69 climbers died in unsuccessful attempts. The lethality of ascents is about 16 percent.

1964, May 2 - Shishabangma

The peak with a height of 8027 meters. Eight Chinese climbers were the first to conquer Shishabangma: Xiu Jing, Zhang Zhongyan, Wang Fuzhou, Zhen San, Zheng Tianliang, Wu Zongyue, Sodnam Dozhi, Migmar Trashi, Dozhi, Yonten. For a long time, climbing this peak was prohibited by the Chinese authorities. And only after the Chinese themselves climbed to its peak, did it become possible for foreign climbers to participate in the climbs.

The Shishabangma mountain range, in Chinese “Geosenzhanfeng”, in Indian “Gosaintan”, is located in China in the Tibet Autonomous Region, a few kilometers from the Nepalese border. It consists of three peaks, two of which are higher than 8 kilometers. Shishabangma Main 8027 meters and Shishabangma Central 8008 meters. The ascent to the main peak is included in the “All 14 Eight-Thousanders of the World” program. In total there were 302 successful ascents of Shishabangu. Twenty-five people died trying to reach the summit. The mortality rate of ascents is about 8 percent.

As can be seen from the chronology of ascents to the highest peaks of the Himalayas, it took more than 40 years to conquer them. Moreover, according to the analysis of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the most dangerous of all are: Annapurna, K2, and Nanga Parbat. On the ascents of these three peaks, the Himalayas took the life of every fourth person who encroached on their inaccessibility.

And yet, despite all these mortal dangers, there are people who have conquered all eight-thousanders. The first of them was Reinhold Messner, an Italian climber, a German by nationality from South Tyrol. And although already during the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in 1970, his brother Gunther died, and he himself lost seven toes; During the second ascent of Manaslu in 1972, his teammate died, this did not stop him. From 1970 to 1986, he climbed all 14 of Zamli's highest peaks one after another. Moreover, he climbed Everest twice, in 1978, together with Peter Habeler, along the classic route through the South Col, and in 1980 alone along northern route, and during the monsoon season. Both ascents did not use oxygen apparatus.

In total, there are now 32 people in the world who have conquered all 14 eight-thousanders, and these are probably not the last people who are waiting for the Himalayas.

Himalayas- this is the highest mountain system of our planet, which stretches in Central and South Asia and is located on the territory of countries such as China, India, Bhutan, Pakistan and Nepal. This mountain range has 109 peaks, their average height reaches more than 7 thousand meters above sea level. However, one of them surpasses them all. So, we will talk about the highest peak of the Himalaya mountain system.

What is it, the highest peak of the Himalayas?

The highest peak of the Himalayas is Mount Qomolungma, or Everest. It rises in the northern part of the Mahalangur Himal range, the highest mountain range of our planet, which can be reached only after arriving in. Its height reaches 8848 m.

Chomolungma is the name of the mountain in Tibetan, which means “Divine Mother of the Earth”. In Nepali, the peak sounds like Sagarmatha, which translates to “Mother of the Gods.” Everest was named after George Everest, a British explorer who led a geodetic survey in the surrounding areas.

The shape of the highest peak of the Himalayas, Chomolungma, is a triangular pyramid, in which the southern slope is steeper. As a result, that part of the mountain is practically not covered with snow.

Conquering the highest peak of the Himalayas

The impenetrable Chomolungma has long attracted the attention of climbers on Earth. However, unfortunately, due to unfavorable conditions, the mortality rate here is still high - there were more than 200 official reports of death on the mountain. At the same time, almost 3,000 people successfully climbed and descended from Everest. The first ascent to the summit took place in 1953 by Nepalese Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary using oxygen devices.