Rakaposhi

Rakaposhi
A view of Rakaposhi before Autumn c. 2017
Highest point
Elevation	7,788 m (25,551 ft) [1] Ranked 27th
Prominence	2,818 m (9,245 ft) [2] [3] Ranked 122nd
Listing	Ultra Mountains of Pakistan
Coordinates	36°08′33″N74°29′21″E / 36.14250°N 74.48917°E / 36.14250; 74.48917 [2]
Naming
Native name	راکاپوشی / رَکی پُوشِہ (Urdu)
Geography
Rakaposhi Location in Nagar valley, Bagrote valley Gilgit-Baltistan Show map of Pakistan Rakaposhi Rakaposhi (Gilgit Baltistan) Show map of Gilgit Baltistan
30km 19miles Pakistan India 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1     The major peaks in Karakoram are rank identified by height. Legend 1：K2 2：Gasherbrum I, K5 3：Broad Peak 4：Gasherbrum II, K4 5：Gasherbrum III, K3a 6：Gasherbrum IV, K3 7：Distaghil Sar 8：Kunyang Chhish 9：Masherbrum, K1 10：Batura Sar, Batura I 11：Rakaposhi 12：Batura II 13：Kanjut Sar 14：Saltoro Kangri, K10 15：Batura III 16： Saser Kangri I, K22 17：Chogolisa 18：Shispare 19：Trivor Sar 20：Skyang Kangri 21：Mamostong Kangri, K35 22：Saser Kangri II 23：Saser Kangri III 24：Pumari Chhish 25：Passu Sar 26：Yukshin Gardan Sar 27：Teram Kangri I 28：Malubiting 29：K12 30：Sia Kangri 31：Momhil Sar 32：Skil Brum 33：Haramosh Peak 34：Ghent Kangri 35：Ultar Sar 36：Rimo massif 37：Sherpi Kangri 38：Yazghil Dome South 39：Baltoro Kangri 40：Crown Peak 41：Baintha Brakk 42：Yutmaru Sar 43：K6 44：Muztagh Tower 45：Diran 46：Apsarasas Kangri I 47：Rimo III 48：Gasherbrum V Location in Nagar valley, Bagrote valley Gilgit-Baltistan
Location	between Nagar Valley,Bagrot Valley, District Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Parent range	Rakaposhi, Karakoram
Climbing
First ascent	1958 by Mike Banks and Tom Patey
Easiest route	Southwest Spur - glacier/snow/ice

Rakaposhi (Burushaski : رآکاپوݜی, lit.  'Shining Wall'; ^[4] Urdu : راکاپوشی) also known as Dumani (Burushaski : دومآنی, lit.  'Mother of Mist') is a mountain within the Karakoram range in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan. ^[3] It is situated in the middle of the Nagar and Bagrote valleys. The mountain is extremely broad, measuring almost 20 kilometres (12 mi) from east to west. It is the only peak on earth that descends directly and without interruption for almost 6,000 meters from its summit to its base. ^[4]

Geography

Rakaposhi is a mountain in the Karakoram mountain range in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, about 100 km (62 mi) north of the city of Gilgit. ^[1] It is the 27th-highest mountain in the world and ranked 122nd by prominence. Rakaposhi rises over the Nagar Valley.

The first successful recorded ascent was in 1958 by Mike Banks and Tom Patey, members of a British expedition, via the southwest Spur/Ridge route. ^[5] It was over 20 years before another team succeeded in reaching the summit, in 1979. ^[6]

Park

Rakaposhi is also known as Dumani ("Mother of Mist" or "Mother of Clouds"). ^[7] The people of Nagar and Bagrot Valley have dedicated the Rakaposhi range mountain area as a community park. The minister for the northern areas inaugurated the park.^{[ citation needed ]} The Rakaposhi mountain range is the home of endangered species such as Marco Polo sheep, snow leopard, brown bear, and wolves.^{[ citation needed ]}

Rakaposhi as viewed from the road across the valley.

Notable features

Rakaposhi is notable for its exceptional rise over local terrain. On the north, it rises 5,900 metres (19,357 ft) in only an 11.2 km (7 mi) horizontal distance from the Hunza River. There are views of Rakaposhi from the Karakoram Highway on the route through Nagar. A tourist spot in the town of Ghulmet (located on the Hunza River) called "Zero Point of Rakaposhi" is the closest view point of the mountain.

Taghafari

Rakaposhi (7,788m) from Taghafari base camp

Taghafari, Tagafari or Tagaferi is the base camp of Rakaposhi from the Nagar side.

Time line

Front view of Rakaposhi Peak from Bagrote Valley, Gilgit

• 1892 Martin Conway explored the south side of Rakaposhi. ^[8]
• 1938 M. Vyvyan and R. Campbell Secord made the first reconnaissance and climbed a north-western forepeak (about 5,800 m (19,030 ft)) via the northwest ridge. ^[9]
• 1947 Secord returned with H. W. Tilman and two Swiss climbers, Hans Gyr and Robert Kappeler; they ascended via the Gunti glacier to 5,800 m (19,000 ft) on the south-west spur. ^[10]
• 1954 A Cambridge University team, led by Alfred Tissières, attempted the peak via the south-west spur but only reached 6,340 m (20,800 ft). ^[11] Tissières' party included Major General Mian Hayaud Din, the Chief of General Staff of the Pakistan Army and liaison officer, and George Band who was a member of the team that made the first ascent of Everest in 1953 and was later to be part of the team who made the first ascent of Kangchenjunga. An Austro-German expedition led by Mathias Rebitsch also attempted the same route on the mountain a couple of months earlier in the season but, because of the avalanche risk in the Rakaposhi area at the time, they moved to climb in an area c. 40 km to the NE. ^[12]
• 1956 A British-American expedition, led by Mike Banks, reached 7,163 m (23,500 ft) on the Southwest Ridge, above the Gunti glacier. ^[8]
• 1958 The first successful recorded ascent: Mike Banks and Tom Patey, members of a British expedition, via the Southwest Spur/Ridge route. ^{[13] [6]} They both suffered minor frostbite during the ascent to the summit on June 25.
• 1964 An Irish expedition, led by Paddy O’Leary with Joss Lynam as deputy, attempted the long and difficult Northwest Ridge. ^[14]
• 1971 Karl Herrligkoffer led an attempt on the elegant but difficult North Spur (or North Ridge). ^[15]
• 1973 Herrligkoffer returned to the North Spur but was again unsuccessful due to time and weather problems. ^[15]
• 1979 A Polish-Pakistan expedition ascended the Northwest Ridge from the Biro Glacier. ^[16]
• 1979 A Japanese expedition from Waseda University, led by Eiho Ohtani, succeeded in climbing the North Spur. Summit party: Ohtani and Matsushi Yamashita. This ascent was expedition-style, done over a period of six weeks, with 5000 m of fixed rope. ^[17]
• 1984 A Canadian team achieves a semi-alpine-style ascent of the North Spur, using much less fixed rope than the Japanese team had. Summit party: Barry Blanchard, David Cheesmond, Kevin Doyle. ^[18]
• 1985-1987 Various unsuccessful attempts on the long East Ridge.
• 1986 A Dutch team climbed a variation of the Northwest Ridge route. ^[19]
• 1995 An ascent via the Northwest Ridge.
• 1997 An ascent via the Southwest Spur/Ridge (possibly the original route). ^[20]
• 2000 An attempt from the east side Bagrot Valley Hinercha Glacier.
• 2002 A Canadian caliber attempt period of 2 weeks from front side of base camp Hinercha glacier Bagrote valley gilgit east side.^{[ clarification needed ]}
• 2004 An attempt from the east side Bagrot Valley Hinercha Glacier.
• 2019 An ascent by two Japanese mountainers, Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima. ^[21]
• 2021 A successful ascent by Wajidullah Nagari and two Czech climbers, Jacob Vicek and Peter Macek. ^[22]

Climbing routes

A view of Diran from Tagaferi Base Camp after sunrise.

A view of Rakaposhi from Bagrot Valley

The routes with successful summits so far have been (see the timeline as well):

• Southwest Spur/Ridge (first ascent route). Long, but not exceedingly technical. Some tricky gendarmes (rock pinnacles). ^[23] Has been repeated.
• From the east side, it is short route to climb
• Northwest Ridge. Long, and more technically difficult than the Southwest Spur/Ridge. ^[16] Has been repeated.
• North Spur (a.k.a. North Ridge). Shorter than the above two routes, but much more technically difficult. ^[17] Has been repeated, including a semi-alpine style (capsule-style) ascent.

Attempts have also been made from the east side Bagrot Valley Hinearcha Glacier, the East Ridge, and the North Face.

See also

• Highest mountains of the world
• List of ultras of the Karakoram and Hindu Kush

References

1. "Rakaposhi". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
2. "Karakoram ultras". peaklist.org. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
3. Wong, Edward (16 April 2000). "The High Road to Hunza". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
4. "Rakaposhi : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost". www.summitpost.org. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
5. Banks, Capt. Mike (1958). "Rakaposhi Climbed". Himalayan Journal. 21: 55–59. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
6. "Climbing details". summitpost.org. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
7. "Rakaposhi". PeakVisor. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
8. Irvin, Richard K. (1957). "Rakaposhi — Almost". Feature Article. American Alpine Journal . 10 (2). American Alpine Club: 54. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
9. Secord, R. Campbell; Vyvyan, M. (1939). "Reconnaissances of Rakaposhi and the Kunyang Glacier". Himalayan Journal. 11: 156–164. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
10. "Climbing and Exploration in the Karakoram-Himalayas" . Nature. 51 (1313): 196–197. December 1894. doi:10.1038/051196a0. ISSN   0028-0836.
11. Chorley, Roger (1956). "To the Monk's Head on Rakaposhi". Himalayan Journal. 19: 109–119. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
12. "Asia, Pakistan, Rakaposhi". American Alpine Journal . 9 (29). American Alpine Club: 180–181. 1955. ISSN   0065-6925 . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
13. Banks, Michael (1959). "Himalaya, Pakistan, Rakaposhi". Climbs And Expeditions. American Alpine Journal. 11 (2). American Alpine Club: 328. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
14. Lynam, Joss P. O’F. (1965). "Rakaposhi – The North-west Ridge". Himalayan Journal. 26: 70–81. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
15. Herrligkoffer, Karl (1975). "Rakaposhi (7788 m.) 1973". Himalayan Journal. 33: 156–158. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
16. Nyka, Józef (1980). "Rakaposhi, Second Ascent by New Route, Northwest and Southwest Ridges". Climbs And Expeditions. American Alpine Journal. American Alpine Club. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
17. Kodama, Shigeru (1981). "Rakaposhi from the north" (PDF). Alpine Journal. 86 (330): 185–188. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
18. Cheesmond, David M. (1985). "The North Face of Rakaposhi". Feature Article. American Alpine Journal. 27 (59). American Alpine Club: 53. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
19. Eckhardt, Robert (1987). "Rakaposhi, Northwest Ridge". Climbs And Expeditions. American Alpine Journal. American Alpine Club. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
20. Baghini, Ramin Shojaei (1998). "Rakaposhi, First Iranian Ascent". Climbs And Expeditions. American Alpine Journal. American Alpine Club. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
21. "Japanese climbers honored for Rakaposhi ascent". NHK World-Japan . 9 October 2020. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
22. Nagri, Jamil (10 September 2021). "GB, Czech climbers scale Rakaposhi". Dawn Newspaper . Retrieved 10 February 2025.
23. Brooke, Leut. Commander F.R. (1958). "The Ascent of Rakaposhi" (PDF). Alpine Journal. 63 (297): 159–168. Retrieved 6 April 2024.

Sources

• Neate, Jill (1989). High Asia: An Illustrated History of the 7000 Metre Peaks. Seattle: The Mountaineers. ISBN   0-89886-238-8.
• Fanshawe, Andy; Venables, Stephen (1995). Himalaya Alpine-Style. Hodder and Stoughton. ISBN   0-89886-456-9.
• DEM files for the Himalaya/Karakoram (Corrected versions of SRTM data)

External links

• Rakaposhi on Summitpost.org
• A list of mountains by local relief and steepness showing Rakaposhi as the world #3.
• A Quick approach through lovely meadows leads to the base camp of RAKAPOSHI