At one time, revered 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 very far from the fast cars we drive today. Mountaineering legends have paved the way, now a new generation faces the challenge of climbing more difficult routes or finding other peaks.
Mianzimu (6054 m), Tibet, sacred mountain, there were no ascents. Photo by Janne Corax.
One of those who are interested in this is Simone Moreau, by the way, he is. A few 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. Moro could not reach the top - so this mountain still challenges climbers, as well as a number of other peaks that have not yet been set foot by a person.
But what are these mountains, according to what criteria to choose them? Climber, explorer and ExplorersWeb contributor Janne Corax has compiled a list of the six highest untouched peaks, and added other points of interest to the list.
happy to be first
Janne Corax for ExplorersWebUnconquered peaks are always very attractive. To reach the highest point, where no one has ever been, is a special pleasure for a climber. In 1950, Herzog and Lachenal climbed Annapurna - the first eight-thousander that people climbed - 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 high-altitude climbers have turned their minds to slightly lower targets.
Namche Barwa, 7782 m, a difficult mountain to climb with extreme terrain and always bad weather conditions, repelled climbing attempts until a Japanese team managed to reach the summit in 1992. The climbers were also interested in the second peaks of the eight-thousanders, and they surrendered one after another - the last was Lhotse Middle, 8414 m, which was climbed in 2001 by a strong Russian team.
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 peaks that have not yet been climbed are the most promising?
To answer it, we 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's really a problem to distinguish between the big gendarme on the ridge and the real peak.
For example, many believe that the largest difference in height between the peak of Lhotse Middle and lowest point the jumper that connects it to the higher peak is actually a very small amount.
Unfortunately, there is no absolute standard, and some use a relative difference of 7% as a measure, while others use 400m. If we take into account the 500m limit as a compromise, then the list we need will look like this.
Six highest virgin peaks
Gangkar Punsum, 7570 m - the peak, located in Bhutan, is listed at number 40 in the list of the highest mountain peaks, and, without a doubt, this is "number 1" in our list. An educated person will guess that the mountain will remain under this number for the time being. In the mid-80s, they tried to climb it, but all the expeditions returned without salty slurping. In 1994, Bhutan partially closed the peaks for climbing. And in 2003, the government decided to ban all types of climbing altogether. The reason for such actions lies in the field 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 been of interest to climbers (at least there were no expeditions to it). The third highest peak of the massif was climbed twice. It is difficult to obtain a climbing permit in this area, but it is possible. A human foot stepped 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, its lower southern peak fell back in 1935. A notable ascent was made by Conrad Cook, who climbed to the summit solo at the age of 18. It was a record for his age.
A Serb 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 waiting for its first climbers.
Impressive SE wall Karjiang - whose avalanche-prone slopes and complex faces reflect all the attempts of climbers. Photo courtesy of the Dutch Karjiang 2001 expedition.
Karjiang, 7221 m - also located in Tibet. A couple of times they tried to climb it, but no one has yet managed to set foot on its hard-to-reach peak. Extreme avalanche danger and high technical complexity have so far made climbing attempts fruitless.
"Number 6" on our list - Tongshanjiabu, 7207 m. It rises on the Tibetan / Bhutanese border. Koreans who climbed nearby Shimokangri (7204m) mentioned this peak in their expedition report and published a photo in the Japanese Alpine News - so far this is the only information available about this mountain.
Statements and rumors
I must say that the six peaks listed above will give odds to the others in the debate, if it comes to steepness and the first criterion - untouched by climbers. However, rumors and statements are always present on the climbing scene. Wherever you go, locals or climbers will point you up the mountain and say, “Look here! No one has climbed it yet!
On another level, famous mountaineers sometimes claim the goal of their expedition is "the highest peak yet unclimbed." The last time I heard about this was when in 2004 Moro & Ogwyn, an Italian-American duo, went to Batura II. The 7,762-meter-high giant in Pakistan's 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 difference of 100 m in height between its "top" and the main mountain, then this statement, of course, contains some truth, however: there are other high points on the ridges, and some of which are higher than Batura II...*
Untouched celebrities
Pilgrims tend to Mt. Kailash every year. They go 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 below those we have 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 China's Yunnan province is also considered sacred to local residents. Some of the peaks of the ridge were attempted to be climbed 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 had climbed, he referred to the data of the expert Wolfgang Hichel and invited those interested in this issue to contact him personally by e-mail [email protected]
Translation by Elena Dmitrenko
Gangkhar Puensum is the most high mountain in Bhutan with a height of 7,570 meters, as well as the 40th highest peak in the world. Many will be very surprised, but Gangkhar Puensum is still unconquered when most of the peaks in the Himalayas were conquered decades ago.
The summit of Gangkhar Puensum lies on the border of Bhutan and Tibet, although the exact boundary is disputed. Chinese cards placed the peak right on the border, while other sources placed it entirely in Bhutan. When the mountain was first mapped in 1922, maps of the area were woefully inaccurate. Even more recently, maps of the area have shown the summit at various locations and marked with various heights. One of the first teams that decided to conquer the summit could not find the mountain at all. 
Bhutan opened itself to mountaineering only in 1983, as the mountains were considered the abode of sacred spirits. When the country finally opened its doors to climbers, a series of expeditions were organized. Between 1985 and 1986 four summit attempts were made, which ended in failure. The decision to engage in mountaineering did not last long. In 1994, the government banned climbing mountains above 6,000 meters, and since 2004, mountaineering has been completely banned in the country, out of respect for local signs. 
In 1998, a Japanese expedition obtained permission from the Chinese Mountaineering Association to climb Gangkhar Puensum north of Bhutan, on the Tibetan side. But the long-standing border dispute with Bhutan did not allow it to happen. Instead, the expedition went to the 7,535-meter neighboring peak Gangkhar-Puensum North, which had not previously been conquered. The climbers came to the conclusion that the expedition to the main peak would be successful if it was allowed to be organized. 
Bhutan itself has also not explored the peak, and the country has no interest in conquering it anytime soon. With the difficulty of obtaining permits from the government, as well as the lack of rescue support, the mountain is likely to remain unclimbed for the foreseeable future.
The world-famous Himalayan peak Machapuchare (6997 m) has been closed for climbing since 1957 by the decision of the Nepalese government. This fabulous beautiful mountain must remain forever unconquered. Its double top resembles a caudal fish fin, hence the name: Machapuchare in Nepalese means "Fish Tail". The first ascent attempt was abandoned, 45 m short of the summit. It was extremely difficult and the only ascent of this mountain.
General information:
Mountain name: Machapuchare - 6997 m
Location: Karakoram Central Nepal, Annapurna Group
The history of the attempt to climb the peak of Machapuchare. British expedition 1957.
Expedition leader: I.O.M. Roberta
Pioneers: D. Cox, Wilfrid Noyce
On April 18, 1957, climbers with 50 porters left the town of Pokhara, which now has a small airfield. On a four-day march they passed through Gandrung to Chomrong, the last village on their way, then trudged through the bamboo thickets up the Modi Gorge. On April 24, a base camp was established 20 m from the river at an altitude of 4000 m on the right (western) side of Modi Khola. The approach to the northern ridge of Machapuchare is closed from below by giant rock walls, only in one place they are cut by a snow couloir. Having passed this couloir, the climbers set up camp 1 on April 27 at an altitude of 4900 m.
To the chagrin of the Nepalese liaison officer, the British climbing team was now divided into two groups: Roberts and Vaile wanted to reconnoiter the peak of 7256 m, the peak west of Modi Khola. The name Ganesh, which seems to be accepted for this peak, is not very apt, since it can be easily confused with the Ganesh region of the Himal, located north-north-west of Kathmandu. It would be more reasonable to call this peak Modi or Moditse. The previously accepted height of 23607 feet = 7195 m for this peak, after clarification by Roberts and Vaile, apparently should be corrected to 23807 feet = 7256 m. climbers "flirt" with these two beautiful peaks. During the first reconnaissance of the summit of Moditse, due to deep snow, only a height of 5940 m was reached. An unpleasant incident occurred in another group that remained in Machapuchar. Charley fell ill with polio and was transported with great difficulty to a hospital in Pokhara. Despite this, work at the summit continued. Cook and Noyce from Camp 2 reached the North Col, but found that the entire length of the North Col was almost impossible to pass. Therefore, it was necessary to go to the ridge to the south, closer to the top. For this, first of all, it was necessary to establish camp 3, at an altitude of about 6100 m on an ice ledge, about 2/3 of the height of the wall. Overcoming this ice-snow wall, cut with gutters, required a lot of work on cutting down steps, and for insurance it was necessary to hang a railing for 270 m. This Noyce managed to break through the cornice on the ridge.
The sharp ice ridge leading to the rocky ridge looked so intimidating that the climbers decided to make an attempt to bypass it along the eastern slope. They drove a wooden stake on the ridge, which could be used to organize a descent on both sides. The two British climbers then rappelled 60m down a steep chute towards Seti Khola. This was followed by a 400-meter traverse in southbound- a risky segment of the path, as it passed along a steep eastern slope, covered with a thick layer of unreliable snow. Finally, they reached a safe place - a sloping firn field, where they decided to set up camp 4 (6200 m). The return to Camp 3 was just as difficult as the subsequent re-passage of this dangerous section, along with three heavily loaded Sherpas - Ang Nyima, Tashi and the young Ang Tsering. But everything went well, and on May 17 Camp 4 was established.
However, the hope to get out now without any special difficulties to the upper terrace under the summit take-off to Machapuchara, to the chagrin of the climbers, did not come true. At first glance, there was no way beyond the eastern ridge, a well-marked rocky bastion. Here, towards Seti-Khol, a sheer wall broke off; but nevertheless, a detour was found: to the right along a sharp, literally like a knife, rib in the direction of the main ridge, then with the help of a rope ladder down 7.5 m, then a 90-meter descent along the rope to a shelf as if glued to the wall and from there - through two huge bergschrunds - access to the terrace of the upper glacier. There, Cox and Noyce established Camp 5 on 1 June.
The next day was to be decisive. At 4:15 am the climbers left the camp. It was a nice sunny morning, but here on the north side they had to literally knead up to their knees in snow until they got to the bergschrund. A steep wall rose above the bergschrund, the ribs of which went to the summit ridge, looked like an ancient colonnade - to such an extent it was furrowed with gutters. And all this consisted of pure ice! Each step, each hold had to be cut down with great difficulty, and therefore the climbers moved forward very slowly. It wasn't far to the top, maybe no more than 40-50 m (150 feet), but which of these towers on the ridge is the highest, along which of the ribs should you go to the top? It's hard to tell from below. And the weather deteriorates, and the surrounding highest peaks - Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I and Manaslu - disappear into the clouds, the snow falls more and more. So you have to turn back. The climbers were very happy, “when, having descended, they found the tent of camp 5 half covered with snow. On June 3, they continued their descent to the base camp. The descent was quite risky, but went well.
For a new assault, you can choose a rocky southwestern ridge, along which, apparently, a direct exit to the southern peak is possible, which is only a few meters lower than the northern one. And this route is certainly also very difficult, but probably less dangerous than the long northern ridge. Many newspapers have published reports that Machapuchare was conquered by the British expedition in 1957. But this is not true. According to a strictly truthful, more modest than exaggerated report, the Noyce-Cox pair returned about 40-50m short of the summit. Of course, this is not much, and when climbing Kanchenjunga in 1955, the human foot also did not set foot on the top. But there they had to reckon with the religious feelings of the local population - the climbers stopped 1.5 m under the top, although it was possible to climb up without difficulty. But when climbing Machapuchara, it was not a voluntary refusal. The furrowed ice wall leading to the summit ridge was extremely difficult and required long hard work from the climbers. The location of the peak was not exactly known, and besides, the weather had changed. All this forced the climbers to retreat. It was, of course, one of the most difficult and dangerous climbing events in the Himalayas, but still it was not the first ascent of Machapuchar.
Photo gallery of Machapuchare:
Near Mount Kailash, travelers experience completely new sensations that they did not know before. One becomes good and it seems as if the most beautiful place on earth, they are no longer afraid of anything, the surrounding place begins to frighten others and seem to push them away from themselves, many are left speechless. Someone says that if you ask a question that concerns you near this mountain, then you can solve it easily and non-standard.
Mythic Frontier
For representatives of Buddhism and Hinduism for several centuries in Tibet there is a sacred mountain - Kailash. At night, when the top is shrouded in clouds, you can see how a light white light pours from the very high point down. Some tourists describe luminous figures on the slopes of the mountain, similar to the swastika symbol. Sometimes at dusk over the mountain they notice strange luminous balls that vaguely resemble fireballs. But these balloons draw bizarre signs in the air.Recently, in addition to pilgrims, dozens of expeditions, people who dream of conquering the snowy peak, flock to the mountain. However, something special happens to each of them: a mythical frontier grows in front of someone, which he cannot cross, no matter how much he wants to. Others have blisters on their palms as soon as they touch the mountain.
Amazing and geographical position Mount Kailash: it is 6666 km from the North Pole, twice the distance from the South Pole to the foot of the mountain, but to Stonehenge is also 6666 km.
However, physically the mountain rarely resists climbers, avalanches and rockfalls are rare here. Nevertheless, all tourists voluntarily refuse to go up literally after 300-400 meters. Be close to sacred mountain only the most outcast people can do it.
Legend of the "Stone Mirrors"
Even in airplanes flying over Kailash, the equipment stops working, the compass needles spin in different directions. On the diagram of the mountain, so-called stone mirrors are often drawn on each side, which change the course of time, concentrating energy differently than on the ground.However, there is a sacred mountain road that can be reached. There is a legend that tells about two travelers who turned off the sacred road when they were climbing Mount Kailash, after returning to their village in just a few months, young people aged 60 years and died. Doctors then could not find any visible reason for such 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 taken out to be eaten by vultures. Such funerals are considered auspicious for the soul of the deceased.
Nothing attracts a person like the forbidden. Any taboo has always, in all ages, acted on impudent minds in the same way - as an elementary challenge. How do you think, how does the very existence of "unconquered peaks" affect a professional climber? Answer: awakens desire. Tourists and amateurs have a different reaction: curiosity arises, why hasn’t a human foot set foot on them yet? In this article, we will tell you in detail and interestingly about this mountain, and you can personally look at it in the Annapurna region.
Machapuchare - the forbidden peak, the sacred abode of Shiva
Mount Machapuchare (or Machapuchre - there are certain "difficulties" of Nepalese spelling) is freely spread in the very heart of central Nepal, near the city of Pokhara (distance - about 25 km to the North). The mountain belongs to the southern part mountain range Annapurna group and barely falls short of the seven-thousander class, because its 6,998 meters is already difficult to attribute to a real six-thousander, but, as they say, a fact is a fact.
Why is Machapuchare so famous?
- Incredible beauty look. Anyone who has seen the mountain at least in the pictures, not to mention contemplation with their own eyes, will agree with this. Its double peak has such a pronounced and steep peak that it seems to pierce the defenseless sky. When you are on the west side of Machapuchare, you can understand why it is called the "Fish Tail" (literal translation). A little play of imagination - and you will clearly see the figure of the tail of a huge fish, with fins on paired tops. From time to time, a crystal white, shining haze of a snowy shawl envelops the mountain, focusing the beholder's attention even more strongly on the greatness, confident power and even the mythical power of the mountain.
- The mountain is still considered unconquered. Not only is it really unusually difficult to climb, but also in 1957, the government of Nepal made an unambiguous decision - to close Mount Machapuchare for mountaineering in view of its religious value for the local population, which considers the mountain to be the sacred dwelling of Shiva himself, and the snow haze on its peak - the aura of his divine essence. By the way, we saw such an aura during the track for base camp Annapurna in October 2014. A very mesmerizing and unusual sight! See for yourself in the photo.
To make an unauthorized attempt to climb the mountain means not only to give a damn about the religious feelings of the Nepalese, but also to violate a clear administrative norm of the law, which entails severe responsibility. (For the curious, it should be noted that the death penalty does not threaten - it was abolished in 1990, but section XIX of the Nepalese criminal code is devoted to religious crimes, for which it is unlikely that you will simply be severely reprimanded).
- Machapuchare has a twin brother Matterhorn (Alps), so many people want to compare them live. The mechanism is simple: I saw one mountain -> I was amazed -> I found out that there is another very similar mountain in the world -> I decided to check it myself. See for yourself: is there a resemblance or not?
- Additional attention to Machapuchara is attracted by the nearby base camp of Annapurna the first, the so-called Annapurna Sanctuary. This mountain valley of amazing beauty is famous place mountain tourism, a source of inspiration, a conqueror of human hearts and souls.
Has a human foot really set foot on the top of Machapuchare?
The fact that the mountain is closed for climbing does not mean that no one has ever tried to climb this amazing peak. Official sources loudly claim that there has been only one unfinished attempt by a British expedition to climb the mountain in all of history. Remarkably, this was done in the same year when the official ban on climbing was adopted, in the same 1957. However, there are rumors among climbers that a well-known lone adventurer from New Zealand named Bill Denz in the 1980s conquered this mountain at his own peril and risk. Rumor has it that he managed to climb several more mountain peaks prohibited by law for climbing. Being a secretive person, he took the secret of the reality of his ascent to Machapuchara with him to another world when he fell under an avalanche in 1983 during his next adventure. In fairness, it must be said that there are some legal little-known inhabitants of the mountain slopes of Machapuchare, who can safely walk along the slopes of the mountain. These are Tibetan eared hedgehogs living here and nowhere else, and it is already a great success to see them.
Attempt to climb Machapuchara in 1957 in detail
To talk about Machapuchara and not tell about the British expedition of 1957 is a crime. Therefore, it is worth briefly talking about their achievement, which is described in detail and artistically in the book Climbing the Fish "s Tail" (1958) by one of the real participants in that ascent - Wilfrid Noyce.
The most difficult and dangerous route chosen by the expedition was the most optimal and most acceptable of all alternatives. The beginning of the climbing attempt is dated 04/18/1957 from Pokhara and 06/02/1957 the climbers gave up, as they lost the exact coordinates of the desired peak, heavy snow began to fall, and the transition to a steep slope after a crack in the snow-ice slope (bergschrund) was almost insurmountable, and standing behind it, the sheer wall was entirely made of ice. The whim of nature drove the climbers from the summit, because their further ascent was more than a sure threat to life.
A real sensation in the mountaineering environment was the publication in many newspapers in 1957 of texts that Machapuchare was conquered. However, this is not true, because the British climbers could not overcome the last 50 meters to the peak. It was they who failed to overcome, and did not stop on their own initiative, so as not to hurt the religious feelings of the inhabitants. You can imagine how insulting it was for the climbers who were one step away from accomplishment, but it would have been credited to them if they had climbed to the top without reaching it by conditional height(For example, the "official" ascent of Kangchenjunga in 1955 was stopped 1.5 meters from the summit as a sign of respect and respect for the local religion).
This is how it all ended, but believers find sacred meaning in this. Say, unwanted guests in the house of Shiva should be so glad that they returned alive! Doesn't anyone understand that this is a lesson for all the next comers! Who does not know the truth that the lessons must be properly understood and responded to appropriately? As a result, henceforth - not a single living soul will climb the mountain!
We do not offer you to climb to the top of Machapuchare, but you can look at it from all sides and take pictures from various angles in our programs:
Schedule of upcoming tracks in Nepal, join us!
| Start | Finish | Route | Price | days |
| 09.03.2020 | 20.03.2020 | Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp - Trekking to Annapurna | 750 $ | 12 days |
| 10.03.2020 | 27.03.2020 | 880 $ | 18 days | |
| 22.03.2020 | 05.04.2020 | Trekking to Everest Base Camp | 770 $ | 15 days |
| 07.04.2020 | 24.04.2020 | 880 $ | 18 days | |
| 09.04.2020 | 31.05.2020 | Climbing Everest 2020 | 21500 $ | 53 days |
| 09.04.2020 | 31.05.2020 | Climbing Lhotse 2020 | 16500 $ | 53 days |
| 11.04.2020 | 25.04.2020 |
