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Gangkhar Puensum

Coordinates: 28°02′54″N 90°27′15″E / 28.04833°N 90.45417°E / 28.04833; 90.45417
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Gangkhar Puensum
Summit of Gangkhar Puensum
Highest point
Elevation7,571 m (24,839 ft)[1]
Ranked 40th
Prominence2,995 m (9,826 ft)[1]
Ranked 92nd
ListingCountry high point
Ultra
Coordinates28°02′54″N 90°27′15″E / 28.04833°N 90.45417°E / 28.04833; 90.45417[1]
Naming
Native nameགངས་དཀར་སྤུན་གསུམ་ (Dzongkha)
Geography
Gangkhar Puensum is located in Bhutan
Gangkhar Puensum
Gangkhar Puensum
Location of Gangkhar Puensum on a map of Bhutan, at the border with Tibet
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
45km
30miles
none
Bhutan
Nepal
Pakistan
China
Ngadi Chuli South
45
Ngadi Chuli South
Liankang Kangri (Gangkhar Puensum North, Liangkang Kangri)
Liankang Kangri (Gangkhar Puensum North, Liangkang Kangri)
Kula Kangri
Kula Kangri
Annapurna IV
Annapurna IV
Himalchuli West
Himalchuli West
Annapurna III
Annapurna III
Gangkhar Puensum (Gangkar Punsum)
Gangkhar Puensum (Gangkar Punsum)
Kangbachen Southwest
Kangbachen Southwest
Silver Crag
Silver Crag
Annapurna Fang
Annapurna Fang
Dhaulagiri IV
Dhaulagiri IV
Molamenqing (Phola Gangchen)
Molamenqing (Phola Gangchen)
Hillary Peak (Ngojumba Kang III)
Hillary Peak (Ngojumba Kang III)
Gurla Mandhata (Naimona'nyi, Namu Nan)
Gurla Mandhata (Naimona'nyi, Namu Nan)
Kumbhakarna Mountain (Mount Kumbhakarna, Jannu)
Kumbhakarna Mountain (Mount Kumbhakarna, Jannu)
Dhaulagiri III
Dhaulagiri III
Ngojumba Kang II
Ngojumba Kang II
Dhaulagiri II
Dhaulagiri II
Kamet
Kamet
Zemu Kang (Zemu Gap Peak)
Zemu Kang (Zemu Gap Peak)
Chomo Lonzo (Chomolonzo, Chomolönzo, Chomo Lönzo, Jomolönzo, Lhamalangcho)
Chomo Lonzo (Chomolonzo, Chomolönzo, Chomo Lönzo, Jomolönzo, Lhamalangcho)
Nanda Devi
Nanda Devi
Nuptse (Nubtse)
Nuptse (Nubtse)
Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29, Dakura, Dakum, Dunapurna)
Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29, Dakura, Dakum, Dunapurna)
Himalchuli (Himal Chuli)
Himalchuli (Himal Chuli)
Kangbachen
Kangbachen
Tenzing Peak (Ngojumba Kang, Ngozumpa Kang, Ngojumba Ri)
Tenzing Peak (Ngojumba Kang, Ngozumpa Kang, Ngojumba Ri)
Annapurna II
Annapurna II
Gyachung Kang
Gyachung Kang
Annapurna I East (Annapurna East Peak)
Annapurna I East (Annapurna East Peak)
Manaslu East
Manaslu East
Shishapangma (Shishasbangma, Xixiabangma)
Shishapangma (Shishasbangma, Xixiabangma)
Annapurna
Annapurna
Nanga Parbat (Diamer)
Nanga Parbat (Diamer)
Manaslu (Kutang)
Manaslu (Kutang)
Dhaulagiri
9
Dhaulagiri
Cho Oyu
8
Cho Oyu
Kangchenjunga Central
7
Kangchenjunga Central
Kangchenjunga South
6
Kangchenjunga South
Makalu
5
Makalu
Yalung Kang (Kanchenjunga West)
4
Yalung Kang (Kanchenjunga West)
Lhotse
3
Lhotse
Kangchenjunga (Kanchenjunga, Kanchanjanghā, Khangchendzonga)
2
Kangchenjunga (Kanchenjunga, Kanchanjanghā, Khangchendzonga)
Mount Everest
1
Mount Everest
The major peaks (not mountains) above 7,500 m (24,600 ft) height in Himalayas, rank identified in Himalayas alone (not the world).[2] The map may help give context to Gangkhar Puensum with more detail and zoomimg on click through.

Legend:
1:Mount Everest2:Kangchenjunga3:Lhotse4:Yalung Kang, Kanchenjunga West5:Makalu6:Kangchenjunga South7:Kangchenjunga Central8:Cho Oyu9:Dhaulagiri10:Manaslu (Kutang)11:Nanga Parbat (Diamer) 12:Annapurna13:Shishapangma (Shishasbangma, Xixiabangma)14:Manaslu East15:Annapurna East Peak16: Gyachung Kang17:Annapurna II 18:Tenzing Peak (Ngojumba Kang, Ngozumpa Kang, Ngojumba Ri)19:Kangbachen20:Himalchuli (Himal Chuli)21:Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29, Dakura, Dakum, Dunapurna)22:Nuptse (Nubtse)23:Nanda Devi24:Chomo Lonzo (Chomolonzo, Chomolönzo, Chomo Lönzo, Jomolönzo, Lhamalangcho)25:Namcha Barwa (Namchabarwa)26:Zemu Kang (Zemu Gap Peak)27:Kamet28:Dhaulagiri II29:Ngojumba Kang II30:Dhaulagiri III31:Kumbhakarna Mountain (Mount Kumbhakarna, Jannu)32:Gurla Mandhata (Naimona'nyi, Namu Nan) 33:Hillary Peak (Ngojumba Kang III)34:Molamenqing (Phola Gangchen)35:Dhaulagiri IV36:Annapurna Fang37:Silver Crag38:Kangbachen Southwest39:Gangkhar Puensum (Gangkar Punsum)40:Annapurna III41:Himalchuli West42:Annapurna IV43:Kula Kangri44:Liankang Kangri (Gangkhar Puensum North, Liangkang Kangri)45:Ngadi Chuli South

 
Location of Gangkhar Puensum on a map of Bhutan, at the border with Tibet
LocationBhutanChina border
Parent rangeHimalaya
Climbing
First ascentUnclimbed

Gangkhar Puensum (Dzongkha: གངས་དཀར་སྤུན་གསུམ་, romanizedKangkar Punsum, alternatively, Gangkar Punsum or Gankar Punzum) is the highest mountain in Bhutan and the highest unclimbed mountain in the world, with an elevation of 7,570 metres (24,836 ft) and a prominence of 2,995 metres (9,826 ft).[1] In Dzongkha language, its name means "White Peak of the Three Spiritual Brothers".[3]

Gangkhar Puensum lies on the border between Bhutan and Tibet.[4] After Bhutan was opened for mountaineering in 1983, there were four expeditions that resulted in failed summit attempts in 1985 and 1986.[5]

In 1994 Bhutan banned the climbing of peaks over 6,000 metres[6] and since 2003, all mountaineering has been banned in Bhutan.[7]

History

[edit]
The mountain seen from Gophu La pass

The elevation of Gangkhar Puensum was first measured in 1922 but, until recent years, maps of the region were not at all accurate and the mountain was shown in different locations and with markedly different heights. Indeed, because of inadequate mapping, the first team to attempt the summit was unable to find the mountain at all.[5]

The book of the 1986 British expedition gives the mountain's height as 7,550 metres (24,770 ft) and states that Gangkhar Puensum is completely inside Bhutan, whereas the nearby Kula Kangri is completely inside Tibet. Kula Kangri, 7,554 metres, is a separate mountain 30 km (20 mi) to the northeast which was first climbed in 1986.[5] It is variously mapped and described as being in Tibet or Bhutan.

Since 1994, climbing of mountains in Bhutan above 6,000 m (20,000 ft) has been prohibited out of respect for local spiritual beliefs.[8] Since 2003, mountaineering has been forbidden completely.[7]

In 1998, a Japanese expedition secured permission from the Chinese Mountaineering Association to climb the mountain, but permission was withdrawn because of a political issue with Bhutan. This resulted in their permit to climb Gangkhar Puensum itself being revoked.[6] Instead, in 1999, the team set off from Tibet and successfully climbed Liankang Kangri (also known as Gangkhar Puensum North), a 7,534 metres (24,718 ft) subsidiary peak (not an independent mountain), separated from the main peak by a 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) long ridge to the north-northwest.[9][10]

Unlike many maps, the expedition's report shows this summit as being in Tibet and the China–Bhutan border is shown crossing the summit of Gangkhar Puensum, described as "the highest peak in Bhutan", at 7,570 metres.[11]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "High Asia II: Himalaya of Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and adjoining region of Tibet". Peaklist.org. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Peak Bagger:Himalaya, Central Nepal Himalaya, Khumbu, Ghurka Himal, Annapurna Himal, Xishapangma Area, Sikkim-Eastern Nepal Himalaya, Western Nepal Himalaya, Assam Himalaya, Punjab Himalaya, Bhutan Himalaya, Garwhal Himalaya, Ganesh Himal". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  3. ^ Berry, S.K. (1988). "Kingdom Of The Thunder Dragon". Himalayan Journal. 44. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  4. ^ Cooper, Robert; Yong, Jui Lin; Duling, Kaitlyn (2020). Bhutan. Cavendish Square Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 9781502655769.
  5. ^ a b c Berry, Steven K. (1988). The Thunder Dragon Kingdom : A Mountaineering Expedition To Bhutan. Wiltshire: Crowood Press. ISBN 0-938567-07-1.
  6. ^ a b "The mountains we have never climbed". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  7. ^ a b Mason, Colin (2014). "Nepal and Bhutan". A Short History of Asia. Macmillan International Higher Education. ISBN 9781137340634.
  8. ^ Verschuuren, Bas (2016). "Nye within protected areas of Bhutan". Asian Sacred Natural Sites: Philosophy and practice in protected areas and conservation. Routledge.
  9. ^ "Liangkang Kangri, China/Bhutan". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  10. ^ "Climbs and Expeditions". American Alpine Journal. 42 (74): 391. 2000. ISBN 9781933056470.
  11. ^ Itami, Tsuguyasu (October 2001). "Gankarpunzum & First Ascent Of Liankang Kangri Mountain In Dispute On China-Bhutan Border" (PDF). Japanese Alpine News. 1. Retrieved 18 September 2014.

Further reading

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