Lhotse.

Lhotse.

TODAY NPL# May 09, 2023

Lhotse

Lhotse is the fourth tallest mountain in the world, situated in the Himalayas on the border between Nepal and Tibet. It has an elevation of 8,516 meters (27,940 feet), making it just 610 meters (2,000 feet) shorter than Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. Lhotse is part of the Everest massif, and its name means "South Peak" in the Tibetan language.

Lhotse


Lhotse first climbed May 18, 1956, by a Swiss team led by Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger. The ascent was made via the West Face, which is considered one of the most difficult and dangerous routes to the summit. Since then, Lhotse has been climbed by several other teams using various routes, including the South Face, the East Face, and the Normal Route, which is also known as the Everest South Col Route.

One of the most interesting features of Lhotse is its prominence. Prominence is the vertical distance between a mountain's summit and the lowest point that separates it from any higher mountain. Lhotse has a prominence of 610 meters (2,000 feet), which is the same as its height difference from Mount Everest's South Col. This makes Lhotse an independent peak, rather than a sub-peak of Everest, despite being part of the same mountain range.

The West Face of Lhotse is considered one of the most challenging climbs in the world. It is a steep, icy wall that rises 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) from the base of the mountain to the summit. The face is exposed to high winds, extreme cold, and frequent avalanches, making it a dangerous and demanding climb. Despite the difficulty, the West Face has been climbed several times since the first ascent in 1956, although it remains one of the least climbed routes to the summit.

The South Face of Lhotse is another challenging route to the summit. It is a steep, icy wall that rises 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) from the base of the mountain to the summit. The route is prone to rockfall, avalanches, and high winds, making it a dangerous climb. The first successful ascent of the South Face was made in 1984 by a Polish team led by Jerzy Kukuczka.

The East Face of Lhotse is the least climbed route to the summit. It is a steep, technical climb that involves negotiating complex ice formations, rock faces, and mixed terrain. The route is exposed to high winds and extreme cold, and the climbing is demanding and difficult. The first ascent of the East Face was made in 1980 by a Czechoslovakian team led by Zdenek Stary.

The Normal Route to the summit of Lhotse is also known as the Everest South Col Route, as it follows the same path as climbers on their way to the summit of Mount Everest. The route starts from the South Col, a saddle between Lhotse and Everest, and ascends the Southeast Ridge to the summit of Lhotse. The climb involves negotiating steep snow and ice slopes, as well as traversing exposed ridges and climbing through the famous "Yellow Band" of rock. Despite being the easiest route to the summit of Lhotse, the climb is still challenging and demanding, requiring climbers to be in excellent physical condition and have experience with high-altitude mountaineering.

Climbing Lhotse is a major challenge, even for experienced mountaineers. The altitude, extreme cold, and high winds all pose significant risks to climbers, as does the possibility of rockfall, avalanches, and crevasses.

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