| Langtang Lirung Mountain/Rock |
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| Langtang Lirung   | 
| Page Type: Mountain/Rock Location: Langtang Himal/Himalaya, Nepal, Asia Lat/Lon: 28.25000°N / 85.52000°E Activities: Mountaineering Season: Spring, Fall Elevation: 23733 ft / 7234 m | Page By: cjaniesch Created/Edited: Apr 23, 2005 / Sep 18, 2007 Object ID: 153976 Hits: 3526 Loading... Page Score: 91.32% - 36 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
OverviewLangtang Lirung as seen from the little peak of Tsergo Ri. Photo by Bill Schaefer.
Langtang Lirung, sometimes referred to as Langtang I, is the highest peak of the Langtang Himal and as such one of the more important mountains of the Central Nepalese Himalaya.
The Langtang Himal, lying to the north of Kathmadu and being readily accesible from there, is a complex range, its western border defined by the Bhote Kosi (later on known as the Trisuli), beyond which rises the Ganesh Himal. To the east it is connected to the Jugal Himal, to the northeast to the big massif of Shisha Pangma, while to the immediate north the Lende Tsangpo forms the natural border to Tibet.
Langtang Lirung itself is a bulky mountain with a 10 km long west to east running ridge that culminates at its eastern end in the actual summit. From there the south face drops steeply for 2200 meters to the floor of a giant cirque from which the Lirung Glacier issues. Towards the western end of the long ridge is a significant notch beyond which rises the shapely peak of Chenge Lirung (6581m), also known as Langtang II, first- climbed in 1963 by the Canadian Peter Taylor.
This mountain is a serious challenge for any party, cause it is either technically very difficult (the west ridge), subject to a good deal of objective dangers (the east ridge), or both (the south face).
The northeast ridge of Langtang Lirung catching the last light of day. The rock peak of Pangshungtramo (5321meters) already in deep shadows.
However, for those who have just come to look, it is a beautiful peak in a very beautiful valley, the great cirque with the stunning south face being just an easy stroll from Kyanjing Gompa, the highest village in the Langtang Valley.
A very comprehensive view of the southern and eastern aspects of the mountain might be obtained from the summit of Tsergo Ri (4984 meters), lying 10 kilometers southeast of Langtang Lirung, an easy daytrip from Kyanjing.
Getting ThereThere are several options to get to the Langtang Valley.
The most straightforward one is taking a bus from Kathmandu to Syabrubensi, which is a village at the junction of the Langtang Khola and the Bhote Kosi. Buses leave from the new bus terminal on the Kathmandu ringroad, N-NW of Thamel at 6:30 and 7:00 in the morning. Tickets cost 200 NRP one way. The trip takes most of the day but is broken by a lunchstop along the way. Sometimes it is a good idea to buy the tickets the day before / in advance. From Syabrubensi it is a trek of three days to Kyanjing Gompa.
The other alternatives are entering the Langtang Valley from the south via any of three passes. The initial stages, starting at Sundarijal (reached by a short taxi ride from Kathmandu) are much the same for any of them and will lead through the district of Helambu, which is interesting both culturally and landscapewise.
The first pass, Laurebina La (4609 meters) leading over the Gosaikund Lekh, connecting Helambu with the Bhote Kosi Valley is open by beginning of April (though you still have to reckon with snow up to your hips) and will eventually bring you down to the lower reaches of the Langtang Khola in 5-7 days. Under the western side of the pass the sacred lakes of Gosainkund are to be found. They are said to have been generated by Shiva himself who poked his trident into the ground in order to find water to quench his thirst. The lakes are visited by thousands of Hindu pilgrims each year during the monsoon. See the Route Page Trek to Base Camp via Laurebina La for more detailed information.
Another pass is the Ganja La (5122 meters) which is the most direct approach from Helambu to Kyanjing Gompa, requiring 5-6 day. Itīs a more difficult pass and might not be open until the beginning of June.
The last alternative is Tilmanīs Pass (5320 meters). Being a glacier pass between the famous peaks of Urkgyenmang and Gangchenpo, it is only suitable for an experienced party and leads from Helambu to the upper Langtang Valley in 6-8 days.A Short Climbing History
A view of the immense south face of Langtang Lirung. Photo by Nelson Chenkin.
As I havenīt climbed Langtang Lirung I naturally canīt offer any route descriptions. Instead here is a short climbing history:
The first mountaineer to visit the Langtang Himal was the notorious Englishman H.W. Tilman in 1949, together with the young Tensing Norgay among others. Tilman judged his party too weak for the southern and eastern routes up the peak and only made a half- hearted attempt to get onto the west ridge.
During the years 1961 to 1964 three expeditions set out to climb the east ridge, each failing to do so at the cost of the lives of two Italians, two Japanese and one Sherpa. In 1964 an Austrian party was defeated on the west ridge.
The mountain was then left alone for a couple of years until in 1978 a Japanese team led by Seishi Wada finally succeded in reaching the top via the east ridge.
Ascents of the south ridge in1980 and the west ridge in 1988 by South Koreans followed but the south face remains unclimbed even though several attempts by British, Canadian and American partys have been undertaken, two Americans and one Sherpa having died.
In 1988 a Polish team made a successful winter ascent by way of the southeast ridge.
So far only 48 people have gained the top, the last successful expedition dating back to 1995. In 2004 the first German attempt on the mountain ( by members of the most active Alpine Club of Saxony ) failed due to sustained snowfall. The team has put up a nice homepage with good photos, the text being written in German though.
Langtang Lirung Expedition 2004
Red TapeFor climbing Langtang Lirung having a permit is imperative. Fees for mountains of that category are rather high, though how high might change from year to year. Contact the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of the Government of Nepal that concerns itself with such matters for the actual price. You could also apply online using this form.
Trekking permits for the area have been dealt away with and all that remains is a 1000 NPR (~15$) fee for entering the Langtang National Park. You can obtain this National Park permit in Kathmandu or at the first National Park checkpost you encounter (i.e. Dhunche, etc.) . If coming from the south via Helambu through the Shivapuri Water Reserve area just north of Kathmandu, you need to pay for another permit.
Apparently Maoists are an issue in the area. While they donīt seem to be active in the Langtang Valley itself, they might be met with in Helambu through which you pass on way to Laurebina La. If encountered they seem to demand a "donation" of approximately 10$.
When To ClimbClimbing in the Nepal Himalaya which is subject to the monsoon is usually done either in the pre- monsoon period from March to May (skies may be hazy and passes still under snow) or in the post monsoon period from September to November (skies are clear, but nights can get very cold).CampingThere are a lot of homestays in the Langtang as far upvalley as Kyanjing Gompa. Once away from that place, camping becomes a necessity and beautiful spots for a camp site are legion.
Camping in the lower and middle sections of the valley is possible, but good spots are scarce due to the steepness of the terrain and the more or less dense habition in those places that are not. We made the whole Langtang a camping trek but in one place had to pitch the tent on the local dungheap and were induced to pay a fee for that!
Mountain ConditionsUp to date information on weather is hard if at all to come by. Once you are in the Langtang you can be sure to meet a lot of locals who will gladly give you as much information about the conditions for peaks and passes as they have.
CreditsMany thanks to dmiki for his suggestions that helped to update and improve the Getting There and Red Tape sections.
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