Know Your Himals | Mountain Quiz

The mountain is Langtang Lirung (7727m) which is located only 30km directly north of Kathmandu Valley. And although there are a series of high ridges in between, this mountain rises so high that it is visible from Kathmandu.

Langtang towers over the valley that bears its name and is a stupendously beautiful peak, with a glistening snowfield on its eastern and southern face that feeds into the Lirung Glacier below. The mountain forms a part of a range that has at its northernmost Shishapangma, (8,029m) which is located in Tibet. Langtang II is a smaller peak to Lirung's west, but from Syabru and Dhunche this secondary peak actually looks higher and like the main peak.

One can get into Langtang along the Trisuli and its tributary, the Langtang Khola after two days from Dhunche. But there is also a high trail from Gosainkunda and a pass called Ganja La from Helambu. Another pass, called Tilman La connects Langtang Valley to the Jugal Himal Valley to the east.

Tilman was the British explorer who, with P Llyod explored the region north of Kathmandu in 1949. Despite its accessibility and challenge, Langtang wasn't climbed till as late as 1978 when a Japanese-Sherpa expedition put two climbers on the summit through the East Ridge. Since then, there have been 20 attempts on the summit, only nine of them successful.expedition. Makalu is one of the more difficult eight-thousanders to climb with knife-like ridges and steep avalanche-prone faces and has never been climbed in winter. The final section near the summit needs rock climbing at high altitude.

Winner of March Quiz:
Tenzin Norbu from Thamel, Kathmandu

May HIMAL QUIZ

What is this mountain? Send your answer to
wave[at]himalmedia.com, with your name and contacts. The winner of the quiz will receive a shopping voucher worth Rs 1,000 from Singpore Enterprises, Kichhapokhari.