Gangotri group
| Gangotri group | |
|---|---|
 Chaukhamba massif from the south |
|
| Highest peak | Chaukhamba I ( 7138 m ) |
| location | Uttarakhand ( India ) |
| part of | Garhwal Himalayas |
| Coordinates | 30 ° 45 ′ N , 79 ° 17 ′ E |
| Type | Fold Mountains |
The Gangotri Group forms the western part of the Garhwal Himalayas in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand .
The mountain group frames the Gangotrigletscher and its tributary glacier . It is bounded by the river valleys of the Bhagirathi and their tributaries Jahd Ganga and Mana Gad in the west and north. In the east, the Saraswati river valley separates the Gangotri group from the Kamet group further east . The 5545 m high Mana Pass forms the transition between the two mountains. The Alaknanda rises in the southeast of the Gangotri Group and is fed by the Satopanth Glacier and the Bhagirath Kharak Glacier .
The Gangotri Group is made up of several mountains known for either their religious significance to the Hindus, or for being difficult to climb, or both. The ascent of three peaks (Thalay Sagar, Shivling and Meru) was honored with the award of the Piolet d'Or .
The most famous peaks include:
- Chaukhamba (I – IV), a mountain range that has four peaks. Chaukhamba I ( 7138 m ) is the highest peak in the group.
- Kedarnath ( 6940 m ) is the highest peak on the southwest side of the glacier.
- Thalay Sagar ( 6904 m ), a rock needle and probably the most difficult peak in the entire group.
- Shivling ( 6543 m ), another steep mountain with two peaks and the most impressive sight if you look at the group from the pilgrimage site of Gaumukh at the foot of the glacier. It is considered a symbol of the goddess Shiva and is the peak of the group most revered by the Hindus.
- Meru ( 6660 m ). Located between the Thalay Sagar and the Shivling, it offers some of the most challenging routes to climb and was not climbed until 2011.
- Bhagirathi (I: 6856 m ; II: 6512 m ; III: 6454 m ), rises with moderately difficult routes on the back, but huge overhangs on the side facing the glacier. The Bhagirathi III in particular is considered to be the most extreme there is in rock climbing in the Himalayas.
Other notable mountains are:
- Balakun ( 6471 m )
- Bhrigupanth ( 6772 m )
- Chandra Parbat ( 6728 m )
- Gangotri I ( 6471 m )
- Indradhanush Parbat ( 6739 m )
- Janhukut ( 6805 m )
- Mana Parbat ( 6796 m )
- Nilkantha ( 6596 m )
- Satopanth ( 7075 m )
- Sri Kailas ( 6932 m )
- Vasuki Parbat ( 6792 m )
literature
- H. Adams Carter: Classification of the Himalaya. In: American Alpine Journal . 1985, pp. 139-141.
- Andy Fanshawe, Stephen Venables: Himalaya Alpine-Style. Hodder and Stoughton, 1995, ISBN 0-340-64931-3 , pp. 108-111.
- Ed Douglas: Shivling. In: World Mountaineering. Bulfinch Press, 1998, ISBN 0-8212-2502-2 , pp. 258-261.