Kanchanjunga (Third Highest Peak In The World)

Early Mount Kanchanjunga was considered as the highest mountain in the world. Later it became apparant that the peak was only the third highest mountain after the Everest and K2(Karakoram, Pakisthan). It lies 128 km east of Everest. The western face lies in Nepal, Taplejung district while the other side lies in the state of sikkim, India. Kanchenjunga or Kanchenzonga in Sikkimese means "Five treasures of the Great Snows" as the mountain has five porminent peaks. They are Kanchanjunga Main (8586m.) Yalung Kang (8505m.), Kanchanjunga West (8420m.) and the Twin Peaks (Both 8476m.). Unlike most of other Himalayan peaks, this mountain lies north to south and the Kanchanjunga glacier drains into the tamor river which is tributory of Koshi. Kanchanjunga is one of the most difficult mountain to climb. Climbing Kanchanjunga has been contemped by as far back as in 1882. Yet no attempt was made till 1905. The first to go up the Yalung glaicer was Alaister Crowely but he lost four men on the moountain. After than for fifteen years no one dared another attempt. In 1929 an American climber named Francis Climbed up the south face but he was never seen again. After that also many climbers from different countries made unsuccesful attempt to the kanchanjunga summit. Many Climbers and potters lost their life during this period.

Wihth the breakout of second world war, there was no climbing in the himalayas. The next attempt was made by Gilmour Lewis and George Frey in 1951 and they failed. Once more they tried in 1954 with no more sucess.

Finally Fifty years afer the first attempt, in 1955 a British expedition took off, led by Charles Evanas who had been a member of succesful expidition on Everest two years earlier. Goerge Band and Joe Brown finally made it to the summit of this difficult mountain. The first Nepali to climb the Kanchanjunga was Ang Phurba Sherpa on 14th may 1980.