Ama Dablam
Ama Dablam from Chola Valley
Highest point
Elevation6,812 m (22,349 ft)[1]
Prominence1,041 m (3,415 ft)[2]
ListingList of mountains in Nepal
Coordinates27°51′40″N 86°51′40″E / 27.86111°N 86.86111°E / 27.86111; 86.86111
Geography
Ama Dablam is located in Koshi Province
Ama Dablam
Ama Dablam
Location in Northeastern Nepal
Ama Dablam is located in Nepal
Ama Dablam
Ama Dablam
Ama Dablam (Nepal)
LocationKhumbu, Nepal
Parent rangeKhumbu Himal
Climbing
First ascent1961
Easiest routeRock/snow/ice climb

Ama Dablam is a mountain in the eastern Himalayan range of Koshi Province, Nepal. The main peak is 6,812 metres (22,349 ft), the lower western peak is 6,170 metres (20,243 ft). Ama Dablam means "mother's necklace"; the long ridges on each side like the arms of a mother (ama) protecting her child, and the hanging glacier thought of as the dablam, the traditional double-pendant containing pictures of the gods, worn by Sherpa women.[3] For several days, Ama Dablam dominates the eastern sky for anyone trekking to Mount Everest Base Camp. For its soaring ridges and steep faces Ama Dablam is sometimes referred as the "Matterhorn of the Himalayas."[4] The mountain is featured on the one rupee Nepalese banknote.[5]

Ama Dablam was first climbed on 13 March 1961 by Mike Gill (NZ), Barry Bishop (US), Mike Ward (UK) and Wally Romanes (NZ) via the Southwest Ridge. They were well-acclimatised to altitude, having wintered over at 5,800 metres (19,029 ft) near the base of the peak as part of the 1960–61 Silver Hut expedition, led by Sir Edmund Hillary.[6]

Situated at a distance of 162 km (101 mi) north of the provincial capital of Biratnagar and 152 km (94 mi) northeast to Kathmandu, Ama Dablam is the third most popular Himalayan peak for permitted expeditions. The most popular route by far is the Southwest Ridge (right skyline in the photo).[7] Prior to a 2006 avalanche, climbers typically set up three camps along the ridge with Camp III just below and to the right of the hanging glacier, the Dablam. Any ice that calves off the glacier typically goes left, away from the camp. However, after the avalanche, climbers now prefer to set just two camps to minimize risk. Camp I is at an altitude of over 5,800 metres (19,029 ft), and Camp II is at an altitude of over 6,000 metres (19,685 ft). A climbing permit and a liaison officer are required when attempting Ama Dablam. As with Mount Everest, the best climbing months are April and May (before the monsoon) and September and October.

Notable ascents

Ama Dablam's Camp II is set on a rocky outcrop at approximately 6,100 m (20,000 ft). It often serves as the final resting point before climbers depart for the summit.

Accidents

In May 1959, George Fraser and Mike Harris, two of Britain’s finest climbers, were last seen at 6,400 metres (21,000 ft) on the mountain’s north ridge, but never returned to tell whether they had reached the summit.[18]

On the night of 13/14 November 2006, a large serac collapse occurred from the hanging glacier, which swept away several tents at Camp III, killing six climbers (three European, three Nepalese). Eyewitness testimony indicates that Camp III had not been sited in an unusual or abnormally dangerous spot, and that the serac fall was of such magnitude as to render the specific placing of the tents at Camp III irrelevant.[19]

On November 28, 2016, highly acclaimed climbing Sherpa Lakpa Thundu Sherpa of Pangboche was killed when a 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck, triggering an avalanche and the release of a few ice blocks. Thundu was at 6,000 metres (19,680 ft) on the 6,812-metre (22,349 ft) mountain.[20]

On 11 November 2017, Valery Rozov was killed when he jumped from the mountain in a wingsuit and struck a cliff.[21]

In popular culture

A representation of Ama Dablam was originally used by Invesco Perpetual as its branding logo within the UK. It has since been adopted by the INVESCO group of companies as its worldwide signature.

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ Nepa Maps (Pvt.Ldt. ), NE517: Everest Base Camp & Gokyo, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2013
  2. ^ "Ama Dablam". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
  3. ^ Kennedy 2005, p. 22
  4. ^ Bo Parfet, Richard Buskin, Die Trying: One Man's Quest to Conquer the Seven Summits, p. 205
  5. ^ "पैसाले भन्ने रोचक कथा". Himal Khabar. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  6. ^ Kennedy 2005, p. 26
  7. ^ Kennedy 2005, p. 27
  8. ^ Kennedy 2005, page 26
  9. ^ Frost, Tom (1980). "Ama Dablam's South Ridge - Climbing and Filming". The American Alpine Journal. 22 (53). New York, NY, USA: American Alpine Club: 445–453. ISSN 0065-6925.
  10. ^ a b c Kennedy 2005, page 28
  11. ^ a b c Kennedy 2005, page 31
  12. ^ Kennedy 2005, page 33
  13. ^ Kennedy 2005, pp. 34-36
  14. ^ Kennedy 2005, pp. 37-38
  15. ^ Kennedy 2005, page 39-41
  16. ^ "Sheikha Asmaa scales Ama Dablam peak in the Himalayas". Qatar-Tribune. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  17. ^ "Fastest Known Time Broken on Ama Dablam". Men's-Journal. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  18. ^ Hillary, Edmund and Doig, Desmond (1962). High in the Thin Cold Air. New York: Doubleday. p. 163.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ "Ama Dablam avalanche testimony". MountEverest.net. 2006-11-17. Archived from the original on 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
  20. ^ "Sherpa Death on Ama Dablam". 28 November 2016.
  21. ^ "Russian extreme sports star killed in wingsuit accident on Mt Ama Dablam", by Rajn Pokhrel, The Himalayan Times
Sources

External links

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