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Everest
(Qomolangma), the main peak of the Himalayas, is the
highest peak in the earth. At an altitude of 8848 meters,
it is located at 86.9oE and 27.9oN. right on the east
section of the Sino-Nepal border, with the north slope
in Tingri County of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the
people's Republic of China, and the south slope in the
Kingdom of Nepal. In Tibetan Language, Qomolangma means
"Goddess the Third" in the Map of China compiled and
illustrated in 1717, the 56th year of the rule of Emperor
Kang Xi in Qing Dynasty, Qomolangma was called Zhumulangma'alin
(transliteration).
Everest,
shaped like a gigantic Pyramid and full of power and
grandeur, towers into the sky while the land features
are extremely precipitous and the enviroment usually
complicated. The snow line of the north slope is 5800
- 6200 meters and that of the south 5500 - 6100 meters.
Three great cliffs, which are generally named the North
Cliff, the East Cliff and the Southwest Cliff, are embraced
by the Northeast Ridge, the Southeast Ridge and the
West Ridge. Between the ridges and cliffs scatter 548
continental glaciers, totaling an area of l457.07 square
kilometers, with an area of alpine glaciers exceeding
100,1000 square kilometers. The greatest flannel glacier,
26 kilometers long, has an average thickness of 120
meters with the thickest over 300 meters. The glaciers
vary in types, the greatest being of upward 7260 meters
in height. The constant supply of the glaciers is mainly
offered by the meta-morphism of cumu-snow of the two
great precipitation belts in the monsoon belt of the
Indian Ocean. In the glaciers, there are various kinds
of surpassingly beautiful and rare forests of seracs
(ice towers), cliffs of dozens of meters in height and
open and hidden crevasses with lots of pitfalls here
and there as well as the perilous area of ice and snow
avalanches.
Not
only is Everest towering and grand, but very powerful.
Twenty kilometers around it, groups of peaks stand in
great numbers and the mountain ranges rise one higher
than another. At least over 40 peaks are at an altitude
of more than 7000 meters, among which the fairly famous
are Lhoze (the fourth highest peak in the world at an
altitude of 8516 meters) which is 3 kilometers on the
south side, Zuoqong of 7589 meters, Makaru in the southeast
(the fifth highest peak in the world at an altitude
of 8463 meters), Zhangzi (3 kilometers in the north)
at 7543 meters above sea level, Luzi on the west side
(7855 meters) and Pumo Rize of 7145 meters above sea
level. In the periphery of the gigantic peaks, some
of the first class in the world stand far apart facing
each other southeast (the third highest peak in the
world at an altitude of 8585 meters, which serves as
the boundary between Nepal and Sikkim); Gezhongkang
(at an altitude of 7998 meters) in the east, Qowowugag
of 8201 meters and Xixabangma at 8027 at meters, all
coming to unfold a spectacularly surging scene of tide
waves of peak groups and tempestous summits.
Due
to the capricious climate in the Everest area and the
peaks around it, it is hard to foretell what the weather
will be like in a single day, not even to mention the
changeable climatic conditions in the four seasons of
a year. Generally, the rainy season of a year lasts
from early June to mid-September when the violent southeast
monsoon brings about a harsh climate with frequent rainfall,
mists veiling the air and unexpected snow of wanton
persecution. Dominated by the strong north westerly
cold cur rent from mid-November to mid-February of the
next year, the temperature may be as low as - 60oC,
the average being about - 40oC to - 50oC. Because of
the greatest wind speed of 90 meters per second, the
Himalayas are always viewed as "a forbidden zone" for
alpinists in the windy and rainy seasons. Mountain climbing
is most advisable from early March to the end of May
in spring and from early September to the end of October
in autumn when nice weather may be available and the
windy season is making way for the rainy season.
The
route line to the Himalayas from the Chinese side: It
takes some two-day drive of a total of 67o kilometers
along the Sino-Nepal Highway from Lhasa - Gyantse -
Xegar. Then drive on for 110 kilometers along the simply-built
highway down to the north foot of Qomolangma and further
to Rongpu Temple at one end of Rongpu Glacier of 5145
meters above sea level.
Early
since the beginning of the 19th century, alpinists and
scientists all over the world had been looking forward
to exploring Everest, but it was not until 1953 that
Edmund Hilary and Dan, two English men, succeeded in
the first attempt to ascent the summit for the first
time in human history. By the end of 1998, there were
1054 people in the world that had enjoyed the world
renown of reaching the summit of the world. With their
own effort, they discovered and started 11 route lines.
l.
The route line on the Southeast Ridge was discovered
by a Swiss Mountaineering Team, but they failed in reaching
the summit. In the next year, an English Mountaineering
Team made it.
2.
The route line on the Northeast Ridge was started by
the Chinese Team in 1960 and they succeeded in getting
to the summit.
3.
The route line from the West Ridge to the North Cliff
was opened up by an American Team in 1963 and they achieved
success in the ascent of the summit.
4.
The route line on the southwest slope was started by
the English Boning Team in 1975 and they made the successful
attempt of surmounting the summit.
5.
The route line on the West Ridge was found out by the
former Yugoslav Team and they succeed in getting to
the summit.
6.
The straight route line on the north slope was started
by a Japanese Team in 1980, and they ascented the summit.
7.
The route line on the Pillar Ridge of the south slope
was opened up by the Polish Team in 1980, and they achieved
success in conquering the summit.
8.
The route line from the Northeast Ridge to the north
slope was started in 1980 by Meisinaer alone, an Italian,
who climbed to the summit.
9.
The route line from the southwest slope to the West
Ridge was opened up by the former Soviet Mountaineering
Team in l982 and they reached the summit through this
line.
10.
The route line from the east slope to the South Ridge
was started by the San Fransisco Bay Team of the USA.
They surmounted the summit.
11.
The route line on the west slope was opened up in 1988
by the US - New Zealand International Team who got to
the summit.
In
the same year, the combined Mountaineering Team of China-Japan-Nepal
undertook heroically to stride spontaneously across
Everest along the south and the north slopes and joined
forces at the summit. Man is still trying hard to achieve
magnificent wonders in surmounting Everest. |
