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Lonely Planet Nepal Rough Guide Nepal Trekking and Climbing in NepalLonely Planet - Trekking in NepalOn Foot around the AnnapurnasTrekking in the Annapurna RegionThe Trekking Peaks of Nepal Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8000m Peak


"The Sickness that can strike anytime"


“Because it’s there is the classic and simplistic justification for climbing a mountain, but there are usually other reasons. While aspirant Munroists must scale each and every one of the many look-a-like 277 summits ( such as the four, flat-topped Geal Charns ) scattered throughout the Scottish Highlands, connoisseurs can be more particular in deciding on which objectives to spend their available time, energy and money.

Eye-catching peaks such as the Matterhorn in the European Alps and Ama Dablam in the Nepal Himalaya are natural magnets while my friend Horst has expressed an interest in a shapely target he spotted in his travels in the Peruvian Andes.

Matterhorn from Weisshorn

Matterhorn

from

Weisshorn

The challenge and degree of difficulty of a route are also considerations. Scaling Ben Nevis by one of its three ridges ( Castle, Tower, Observatory ) is far more interesting than a trudge up the tourist path. Remoteness is a feature that attracts expeditions to unfrequented locations such as Greenland and Spitzbergen.

For those seeking to break new ground and establish new routes 6000 metre and 7000 metre mountains remain to be climbed in the vast tracts of the Himalaya, but these can present problems regarding accessability and securing permissions and permits. Some such as Macchapucchre ( the "Fish-Tail Mountain" ) are sacred and forbidden.

Macchapucchre from Rakshi Peak

Macchapucchre

from

Rakshi Peak

Despite protests to the contrary, altitude is a fundamental factor and most mountaineers are keen to improve their personal bests. “Have you climbed Everest?” is the inevitable question if one has been to the Himalaya. Notwithstanding his illustrious record of achievements on other 8000 metre mountains, it must have been a great sense of relief as well as satisfaction when Sir Chris Bonington eventually made his ascent of the world’s highest mountain.

Once one ventures into the bigger mountains the invisible and insiduous effects of AMS ( Acute Mountain Sickness ) must be taken into account. The two most important factors to counteract it are fitness and acclimatisation but individual physiology is critical. When Rebecca Stevens reached the summit of Everest ( the first British woman to do so ) an SAS officer in her group could not.

Previous experience at altitude is, moreover, no guarantee of success. Although I had breached the 6000 metres contour on several occasions, ( including ascents of Parchamo and Mera, two of Nepal’s so-called "trekking peaks" ) on my subsequent crossing of the 5,200 metres Larkya La on the circuit of Mount Manaslu I suffered an acute attack of the “mountaineer’s disease” - an enormous difficulty in putting one foot ahead of the other. I was engulfed by a tremendous mental and physical ennui and every step was a major effort.

Tengi Kagi Tau from Pharchoma

Tengi Kagi Tau

from

Parchamo

Some professional guides and mountaineers spend part of the year in the Himalaya in the Northern Hemisphere and part in the Andes in the Southern Hemisphere in an attempt to maintain their acclimatisation.

Continued general ignorance of AMS is commonplace and every year there are fatalities in the Nepal Himalaya. One American was sure that the effects would wear off if he only pushed on - the worst possible thing to do. The essential first step is not to go any higher and then, if necessary, to descend as far and as fast as possible. Many on a once-in-a-lifetime, tight-for-time trip foolishly persevere against advice with tragic consequences.

Diamox can be taken to help with acclimatisation or to assist with recovery from AMS. It requires an expensive prescription in this country but can be obtained over-the-counter at a small fraction of this cost in Kathmandu.

Organised trekking groups from the better agencies carry bottles of oxygen for emergency treatment for those suffering from the rarefied atmosphere and some also take “Gamow bags” - pressurisable body bags ( named after the inventor ) to reproduce the conditions of a lower altitude.

Everest from Kallar Pattar

Everest

from

Kallar Pattar

Hitherto, bottled oxygen was standard practice in forays into the “Death Zone” above 8000 metres but since the first ascent of Everest without the use of supplementary oxygen by Rheinhold Messner and Peter Habeler its continued use as a climbing aid is now considered unsporting. Alan Hinkes, the Yorkshireman aiming to be the first Briton to climb all 14 of the world’s 8000 metre peaks, has been criticised by his peers for his use of oxygen on his successful ascent of Everest.

However this is not a problem for recreational mountaineers and any which way you choose should be acceptable. Getting to the top of one’s selected summit ( and safely back down again ) even if it takes the assistance of a guide, the support of Sherpas and porters or the use of supplementary oxygen provides a sense of achievement and satisfaction.

( The Commentator, The (Glasgow) HERALD, Saturday 7th August 1999 )


References:-







International Mountaineering :: Nepal Treks :: Nepal Peaks :: 7000ers :: 8000ers

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Nepal Guide Books & Maps:-


Lonely Planet Nepal Rough Guide Nepal Lonely Planet - Trekking in Nepal Lonely Planet - Kathmandu Lonely Planet Trekking and Climbing in NepalThe Trekking Peaks of Nepal Trekking in NepalTrekking in Nepal - D'Abbundo

Trekking in the Annapurna RegionNepal Mountaineering Guide Trekking in the Everest Region Everest: A Trekkers Guide Trekking in the Everest RegionTrekking in the Annapurna RegionTrekking in the Langtang & Helambu RegionKangchenjunga Trekkers Guide Footprint Nepal

Nepal Handbook by Kerry Moran The Kathmandu Valley Kathmandu Bikes and Hikes Rough Guide India Footprint Tibet Handbook Into Thin Air - John Pilkington Sepu Kangri Bonnington Kurt Diemberger OmnibusBelow another Sky by Rick Ridgeway

Seven Summits - Quest to reach the highest peaks On Top of the World - climbing the 14 highest mountains On Top of the World - Rebecca Stephens High Himalaya 2003 Calendar Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8000m PeakTilman: The 7 Mountain Travel BooksLost Mountains - Climbs in the Himalayas - Stephen Venables A Slender Thread - Escaping Disaster in the Himalayas - Stephen Venables Himalaya Himalaya - Tenzing Norbu Lama The High Himalayas Thin Air - Encounters in the Himalayas - Doug Scott Let's Go India & Nepal Asia & India: Read this firstSeven Summits The Death Zone K2: Challenging the SkyHigh Exposure - David BreashearsEverest: The West RidgeEric Shipton - Everest and beyondEdmund Hillary - View from the SummitKurt Diemberger OmnibusTilman: The 7 Mountain Travel BooksChris Bonington's Everest Mountaineering: Freedom of the HillsRope Techniques: The complete guideHistory of Mountain ClimbingTouching the Void - Joe SimpsonThe Beckoning Silence - Joe SimpsonDark Shadows Falling - Joe SimpsonStorms of Silence - Joe SimpsonClimbing High - the Everest DisasterThe Climb - Anatoli BoukreevInto Thin Air - the Everest DisasterConquest of Everest A Mountaineer's Tale - W.H.MurrayReturn to Everest - DVD Return to Everest - Video Lost on Everest - Video Mountain Leadership Handbook of Climbing - Hamish MacInnes Climbing Free: My Life in the Vertical WorldDougal Haston: Philosophy of RiskEverest: A Trekkers Guide Trekking in the Annapurna RegionMountains of the Mind - A history..Mountains of the Mind - ExperiencesEverest: Summit of AchievementEverest: 50th Anniversary VolumeEverest: Alone at the SummitThe Villain: Life of Don WhillansLeft for Dead: Journey Home from EverestTrekking in the Everest RegionTenzing Norgay: Touching my Father's SoulBelow another Sky by Rick RidgewayFacing Up; A journey to the summit of EverestLost Mountains - Climbs in the Himalayas - Stephen Venables A Slender Thread - Escaping Disaster in the Himalayas - Stephen Venables Himalaya 

Coronation Everest Alpine / Himalayan Climbing Everest Pioneer - Photos of Captain John Noel Himalaya Map - NellesNepal Trail Map - Nelles Cho OyuHimalayan Quest - the 8000m Giants Climbing the World's 14 Highest Mountains

Everest: To the Top  All 14 Eight Thousanders - Reinhold Messner









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