Kangchenjunga

Kangchenjunga is a peak in the Himalaya mountain range, subrange, Sikkim-Eastern Nepal Himalaya. It is located in Nepal, Asia. It has five peaks, the highest of which is at an elevation of 28,169 feet (8,586 meters). It is the third largest mountain in the world, surpassed only by Mount Everest and K2.

Kangchenjunga (also spelled Kinchinjunga) is translated as Five Treasuries of the Great Snow, referring to the five peaks that rise from the surrounding glaciers. Some of its other titles are Kachendzonga and Kangchanfanga.

Kangchenjunga was first successfully climbed in 1955 by an expedition lead by Charles Evans, who reportedly had climbed Mount Everest. The ascent was first tried in 1905 by Joe Brown and George Band, who were followed the next day by Tony Streather and Norman Hardie. All of the men from the first attempt met an unfortunate end in an avalanche. The climb in 1955 actually halted several feet from the summit of the mountain in regards to the Sikkimese religion and their beliefs that the peak is sacred. All other expeditions since then have also honored the Sikkimese by stopping several feet short of the mountain's highest peak.

Two women have climbed Kangchenjunga:Ginette Harrison and Wanda Rutkiewicz. Harrison is the only woman to have ever reached the summit. Rutkiewicz died on the mountain on May 12 or 13th (records aren't clear) in 1992. She is revered to this day as the greatest female climber ever.

Sources

• Peakware World Mountain Encyclopedia http://www.peakware.com/peaks.html?pk=132
• Kangchenjunga History http://www.k2news.com/kanghistory.htm
• The North Face of Kangchenjunga http://classic.mountainzone.com/climbing/99/kangchenjunga/