The Flow of Glaciers in the Khumbu Region*

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Flow of Glaciers in the Khumbu Region* Seppyo, 1976 H. Kodama and S. Mae 31 The Flow of Glaciers in the Khumbu Region* Hideo Kodama** and Shinji Mae*** Abstract The results of measurements of the surface velocity of the glaciers in the Khumbu region showed that the surface velocity underwent a seasonal variation in the upper parts of the ablation area of the Khumbu and the Nuptse glaciers, that is, the velocity from May to August was higher than that of the rest of the year. It was found that the surface of the Kongma Glacier moved upward and this strange motion of the ice was discussed. The thickness of the Khumbu and the Nuptse glaciers was estimated using the theory of glacier flow to be 110 m and 70 m, respectively. The discharge of the Khumbu Glacier was also estimated to be 7.5 •~ 106, 3.4 •~ 106, 1.6 •~ 106 and approximately 0 •~ 106 tons/year at the elevations of 5340 m, 5280 m, 5140 m and 4960 m, respectively. Using these values and measured ablation rate, the increasing rate of the thickness of the Khumbu Glacier was obtained as follows, 1 m/year between 5340 m and 5280 m, 0.3 m/year between 5280 m and 5140 m, and -1.5 m/year between 5140 m and 4960 m. These results indicated that the Khumbu Glacier was not in equilibrium. basis of them the glacier flow is discussed. The 1. Introduction thickness and discharge of glaciers are estimated In 1956 Mailer (1968) carried out the first and the thickness change of the Khumbu Glacier measurements of flow velocity in the Khumbu is obtained. Glacier and found that the flow velocity increased in the premonsoon season, especially in May. 2. Measurements of flow velocity From his observation he concluded that the 2.1. Measured glaciers increase in the flow velocity was caused by the The measurements were carried out in the enhancement of basal sliding due to the percola- Khumbu, the Nuptse, the Kongma, and the tion of melt water stored as glacier ponds down Kongma-Tikpe glaciers which are shown in Fig. to the glacier bed. However, Muller measured 1. The morphology of the glaciers where the the flow velocity in only the Khumbu Glacier, measurements were performed are described as though there are various and complicated types follows. of glaciers in the Nepal Himalayas, even in the 2.1.1. The Khumbu Glacier Khumbu region. The glacier is 18 km long and 1 km wide. The In the spring of 1973 the Glaciological Expedi- accumulation basin of the glacier is called the tion to Nepal (GEN) started measurements of West Cwm which is separated by a big ice fall flow velocity in many glaciers of the Khumbu from the ablation area. From 1 km down-glacier and the Dhaulagiri regions in order to determine of the ice fall to the glacier terminus the glacier the mechanism of glacier flow and the effect of is covered with a debris. climate on glaciers. In this paper the results of The velocity measurements were made at 4 the measurements are summarized and on the stake lines called the Everest Base camp line * Glaciological Expedition to Nepal (5340 m), the Pumo Ri line (5280 m), the Gorak , Contribution Shep line (5140 m) and the Lobuche line (4960 m) No. 10 as shown in Fig. 1. At each stake line which was ** Water Research Institute , Nagoya University (present address, Chubu Region Development located in the ablation area, 5 to 7 stakes were Research Center, Sakae 2, Naka-ku, Nagoya) set. Near the Everest Base Camp line ogives of *** Water Research Institute , Nagoya University, which the height and wave length are about 5 m Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464 and 10 m were observed. At other lines no 32 The Flow of Glaciers in the Khumbu Region Fig. 1. Glaciers in the Khumbu region. ogive was observed but irregular undulations were were set at each stair of this stair-type glacier. observed. Below the Lobuche line the glacier is 2.1.4. The Kongma-Tykpe Glacier covered with a thick debris. This glacier is the smallest among the measured 2.1.2. The Nuptse Glacier glaciers and the surface is smooth. The stakes The Nuptse Glacier is a valley glacier. It is were set along the center line of the glacier from covered with a debris, as is the Khumbu Glacier, the highest point to the terminus including the but there are no big ice fall and no ogives. The ablation and accumulation areas. altitude of its terminus is the same as that of 2.2. Method of measurement the Khumbu Glacier and is 4900 m. The Nuptse Using a Sokkisha's No. 10 theodolite or Wild Glacier is 6 km long and 500 m wide. The ac- T-2 theodolite, the position of stakes were cumulation area is very steep, but in the ablation measured by triangulation method from fixed area the surface gradient is about 5 degrees. points located usually on a side moraine. The Two stake lines for the velocity measurments positions of the lines were determined on a were set and are called the upper (5380 m) and topographical map from the photographs near lower (5210 m) lines as shown in Fig. 1. At the lines. The directions of the lines were deter- each line 4 or 5 stakes were set. The upper line mined from measurements of the angles between is located just below the accumulation area and the lines and magnetic north using a Sokkisha's the surface gradient is 5 degrees, and the lower No. 10 theodolite. line is located near the terminus and the gradient Bamboo and alminium poles were used as is 8 degrees. stakes in the measurements. Bamboo stakes 2.1.3. The Kongma Glacier were successfull, but alminium stakes were a The Kongma Glacier is very small and com- little bit weak and sometimes bended strongly as pletely different from the Khumbu and the a consequence of some accidents. Therefore, the Nuptse glaciers. The morphology and the strati- position of the stakes were measured at their graphy of the Kongma Glacier were investigated foot. Errors in the stake position are caused in detail (Wushiki, unpublished). A few stakes by uncertainties in the setting of the theodolite, Seppyo, 1976 H. Kodama and S. Mae 33 in measuring the base line length, in reading the surveying instrument and by the effect of refrac- tion of light. These uncertainties are independent but their contribution to the error of the stake position is not independent. The error was, therefore, estimated using the law of propagation of errors. The flow velocity was calculated from the displacement of the stake position and the time interval between the measurements. 3. Results of measurements The flow velocities were represented in the Data Report of 1973 and 1974 GEN and in this section simple features of the glacier flow is described. 3.1. The Khumbu Glacier The directions of the flow are almost parallel to the center line of the glacier except at the Lobuche line where the directions deviate to left side of to glacier. At the Lobuche line, however, the error of the velocity magunitude is slightly larger than the calculated velocity. Therefore, it is concluded that at least the part below the Lobuche line is stagnant. The flow velocity at the Everest Base Camp line and the Pumo Ri line show a remarkable Fig. 2. Seasonal variation of surface velocity in seasonal variation consistent with Mailer's results. the Khumbu Glacier. Though Mailer (1968) reported that the velociey in 1956 increased only in May, the velocity in 1973 was large in May, June and July as shown in Fig. 2. This difference may be caused by the difference of ablation in 1956 and 1973. The difference between the velocities at the Everest Base Camp line in May, June, July and August and in winter is almost the same as that at the Pumo Ri line or a little smaller than it. This is consistent with Mailer's results. It is very interesting that such a seasonal varia- tion of the velocity as those at the Everest Base Camp line and the Pumo Ri line is not observed at the Gorak Shep line. This indicates that the flow mechanism at the former lines is not com- pletely the same as that at the latter line. 3.2. The Nuptse Clacier In this glacier, the directions of the flow Fig. 3. Seasonal variation of surface velocity velocity is parallel to the center line at both the in the Nuptse Glacier. upper and the lower lines. From the measure- ments a stagnant part is not observed in the Therefore, near the terminus a stagnant part glacier, but the velocity at the lower line contains might be observed. a stagnant component as will be discussed later. The velocity at the upper line indicates a 34 The Flow of Glaciers in the Khumbu Region seasonal variation which is smaller than that at paratively large seasonal variation of the velocity the Everest Base Camp and the Pumo Ri lines is derived by the basal sliding. Theoretical work in the Khumbu Glacier as shown in Fig. 3. A on the basal sliding was begun by Weertman seasonal variation was not detected at the lower (1957), but the observations of it were not enough line. to obtain a relation between h and Vb until 3.3. The kongma Glacier Paterson (1970) obtained a following relation The Kongma Glacier has a flow completely different from that of the Khumbu and the (3) Nuptse glaciers.
Recommended publications
  • GLACIERS of NEPAL—Glacier Distribution in the Nepal Himalaya with Comparisons to the Karakoram Range
    Glaciers of Asia— GLACIERS OF NEPAL—Glacier Distribution in the Nepal Himalaya with Comparisons to the Karakoram Range By Keiji Higuchi, Okitsugu Watanabe, Hiroji Fushimi, Shuhei Takenaka, and Akio Nagoshi SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD Edited by RICHARD S. WILLIAMS, JR., and JANE G. FERRIGNO U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1386–F–6 CONTENTS Glaciers of Nepal — Glacier Distribution in the Nepal Himalaya with Comparisons to the Karakoram Range, by Keiji Higuchi, Okitsugu Watanabe, Hiroji Fushimi, Shuhei Takenaka, and Akio Nagoshi ----------------------------------------------------------293 Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------293 Use of Landsat Images in Glacier Studies ----------------------------------293 Figure 1. Map showing location of the Nepal Himalaya and Karokoram Range in Southern Asia--------------------------------------------------------- 294 Figure 2. Map showing glacier distribution of the Nepal Himalaya and its surrounding regions --------------------------------------------------------- 295 Figure 3. Map showing glacier distribution of the Karakoram Range ------------- 296 A Brief History of Glacier Investigations -----------------------------------297 Procedures for Mapping Glacier Distribution from Landsat Images ---------298 Figure 4. Index map of the glaciers of Nepal showing coverage by Landsat 1, 2, and 3 MSS images ---------------------------------------------- 299 Figure 5. Index map of the glaciers of the Karakoram Range showing coverage
    [Show full text]
  • A Statistical Analysis of Mountaineering in the Nepal Himalaya
    The Himalaya by the Numbers A Statistical Analysis of Mountaineering in the Nepal Himalaya Richard Salisbury Elizabeth Hawley September 2007 Cover Photo: Annapurna South Face at sunrise (Richard Salisbury) © Copyright 2007 by Richard Salisbury and Elizabeth Hawley No portion of this book may be reproduced and/or redistributed without the written permission of the authors. 2 Contents Introduction . .5 Analysis of Climbing Activity . 9 Yearly Activity . 9 Regional Activity . .18 Seasonal Activity . .25 Activity by Age and Gender . 33 Activity by Citizenship . 33 Team Composition . 34 Expedition Results . 36 Ascent Analysis . 41 Ascents by Altitude Range . .41 Popular Peaks by Altitude Range . .43 Ascents by Climbing Season . .46 Ascents by Expedition Years . .50 Ascents by Age Groups . 55 Ascents by Citizenship . 60 Ascents by Gender . 62 Ascents by Team Composition . 66 Average Expedition Duration and Days to Summit . .70 Oxygen and the 8000ers . .76 Death Analysis . 81 Deaths by Peak Altitude Ranges . 81 Deaths on Popular Peaks . 84 Deadliest Peaks for Members . 86 Deadliest Peaks for Hired Personnel . 89 Deaths by Geographical Regions . .92 Deaths by Climbing Season . 93 Altitudes of Death . 96 Causes of Death . 97 Avalanche Deaths . 102 Deaths by Falling . 110 Deaths by Physiological Causes . .116 Deaths by Age Groups . 118 Deaths by Expedition Years . .120 Deaths by Citizenship . 121 Deaths by Gender . 123 Deaths by Team Composition . .125 Major Accidents . .129 Appendix A: Peak Summary . .135 Appendix B: Supplemental Charts and Tables . .147 3 4 Introduction The Himalayan Database, published by the American Alpine Club in 2004, is a compilation of records for all expeditions that have climbed in the Nepal Himalaya.
    [Show full text]
  • Debris-Covered Glacier Energy Balance Model for Imja–Lhotse Shar Glacier in the Everest Region of Nepal
    The Cryosphere, 9, 2295–2310, 2015 www.the-cryosphere.net/9/2295/2015/ doi:10.5194/tc-9-2295-2015 © Author(s) 2015. CC Attribution 3.0 License. Debris-covered glacier energy balance model for Imja–Lhotse Shar Glacier in the Everest region of Nepal D. R. Rounce1, D. J. Quincey2, and D. C. McKinney1 1Center for Research in Water Resources, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA 2School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK Correspondence to: D. R. Rounce ([email protected]) Received: 2 June 2015 – Published in The Cryosphere Discuss.: 30 June 2015 Revised: 28 October 2015 – Accepted: 12 November 2015 – Published: 7 December 2015 Abstract. Debris thickness plays an important role in reg- used to estimate rough ablation rates when no other data are ulating ablation rates on debris-covered glaciers as well as available. controlling the likely size and location of supraglacial lakes. Despite its importance, lack of knowledge about debris prop- erties and associated energy fluxes prevents the robust inclu- sion of the effects of a debris layer into most glacier sur- 1 Introduction face energy balance models. This study combines fieldwork with a debris-covered glacier energy balance model to esti- Debris-covered glaciers are commonly found in the Everest mate debris temperatures and ablation rates on Imja–Lhotse region of Nepal and have important implications with regard Shar Glacier located in the Everest region of Nepal. The de- to glacier melt and the development of glacial lakes. It is bris properties that significantly influence the energy bal- well understood that a thick layer of debris (i.e., > several ance model are the thermal conductivity, albedo, and sur- centimeters) insulates the underlying ice, while a thin layer face roughness.
    [Show full text]
  • In Memoriam I Met Ralph in 1989 When I Moved to Wolverhampton, Through Our Involvement with the Wolverhampton Mountain- Eering Club
    Obituaries Matterhorn. Edward Theodore Compton. 1880. Watercolour. 43 x 68cm. (Alpine Club Collection HE118P) 399 I N M E M ORI am 401 Ralph Atkinson 1952 - 2014 In Memoriam I met Ralph in 1989 when I moved to Wolverhampton, through our involvement with the Wolverhampton Mountain- eering Club. Weekends in Wales The Alpine Club Obituary Year of Election and day trips to Matlock and the (including to ACG) Roaches became the foundation for extended expeditions to the Ralph Atkinson 1997 Alps including, in 1991, a fine Una Bishop 1982 six-day ski traverse of the Haute John Chadwick 1978 Route, Argentière to Zermatt, John Clegg 1955 and ascents in 1993 of the Mönch Dennis Davis 1977 and Jungfrau. Descending the Gordon Gadsby 1985 Jungfrau in a storm, we could Johannes Villiers de Graaff 1953 barely see each other. I slipped David Jamieson 1999 in the new snow and had to self- Emlyn Jones 1944 arrest, aided by the tension in the Brian ‘Ned’ Kelly 1968 rope to Ralph. It worked, and I Neil Mackenzie Asp.2011, 2015 Ralph Atkinson climbing on the slabs of Fournel, was soon back on the ridge, but Richard Morgan 1960 near Argentière, Ecrins. (Andy Clarke) when we dropped below the John Peacock 1966 Rottalsattel and could speak to Bill Putnam 1972 each other again, he had no idea that anything untoward had happened. Stephanie Roberts 2011 I recall long journeys by car enlivened by his wide-ranging taste in music. Les Swindin 1979 The keynote of many outings was his sense of fun. There were long stories, John Tyson 1952 jokes or pithy one-liners.
    [Show full text]
  • Project ICEFLOW
    ICEFLOW: short-term movements in the Cryosphere Bas Altena Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo. now at: Institute for Marine and Atmospheric research, Utrecht University. Bas Altena, project Iceflow geometric properties from optical remote sensing Bas Altena, project Iceflow Sentinel-2 Fast flow through icefall [published] Ensemble matching of repeat satellite images applied to measure fast-changing ice flow, verified with mountain climber trajectories on Khumbu icefall, Mount Everest. Journal of Glaciology. [outreach] see also ESA Sentinel Online: Copernicus Sentinel-2 monitors glacier icefall, helping climbers ascend Mount Everest Bas Altena, project Iceflow Sentinel-2 Fast flow through icefall 0 1 2 km glacier surface speed [meter/day] Khumbu Glacier 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 Mt. Everest 300 1800 1200 600 0 2/4 right 0 5/4 4/4 left 4/4 2/4 R 3/4 L -300 terrain slope [deg] Nuptse surface velocity contours Western Chm interval per 1/4 [meter/day] 10◦ 20◦ 30◦ 40◦ [outreach] see also Adventure Mountain: Mount Everest: The way the Khumbu Icefall flows Bas Altena, project Iceflow Sentinel-2 Fast flow through icefall ∆H Ut=2000 U t=2020 H internal velocity profile icefall α 2A @H 3 U = − 3+2 H tan αρgH @x MSc thesis research at Wageningen University Bas Altena, project Iceflow Quantifying precision in velocity products 557 200 557 600 7 666 200 NCC 7 666 000 score 1 7 665 800 Θ 0.5 0 7 665 600 557 460 557 480 557 500 557 520 7 665 800 search space zoom in template/chip correlation surface 7 666 200 7 666 200 7 666 000 7 666 000 7 665 800 7 665 800 7 665 600 7 665 600 557 200 557 600 557 200 557 600 [submitted] Dispersion estimation of remotely sensed glacier displacements for better error propagation.
    [Show full text]
  • Everest – South Col Route – 8848M  the Highest Mountain in the World  South Col Route from Nepal
    Everest – South Col Route – 8848m The highest mountain in the world South Col Route from Nepal EXPEDITION OVERVIEW Join Adventure Peaks on their twelfth Mt Everest Expedition to the world’s highest mountain at 8848m (29,035ft). Our experience is amongst the best in the world, combined with a very high success rate. An ultimate objective in many climbers’ minds, the allure of the world’s highest summit provides a most compelling and challenging adventure. Where there is a will, we aim to provide a way. Director of Adventure Peaks Dave Pritt, an Everest summiteer, has a decade of experience on Everest and he is supported by Stu Peacock, a regular and very talented high altitude mountaineer who has led successful expeditions to both sides of Everest as well as becoming the first Britt to summit Everest three times on the North Side. The expedition is a professionally-led, non-guided expedition. We say non-guided because our leader and Sherpa team working with you will not be able to protect your every move and you must therefore be prepared to move between camps unsupervised. You will have an experienced leader who has previous experience of climbing at extreme high altitude together with the support of our very experienced Sherpa team, thus increasing your chance of success. Participation Statement Adventure Peaks recognises that climbing, hill walking and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement. Adventure Travel – Accuracy of Itinerary Although it is our intention to operate this itinerary as printed, it may be necessary to make some changes as a result of flight schedules, climatic conditions, limitations of infrastructure or other operational factors.
    [Show full text]
  • NATURE January 7, 1933
    10 NATURE jANUARY 7, 1933 Mount Everest By Col. H. L. CROSTHWAIT, c.I.E. OUNT EVEREST, everyone knows, is the would be through Nepal, but even if the Nepalese M highest mountain in the world. It was Government were willing to permit the passage discovered, and its height determined, during the of its country, the route would be through operations of the Great Trigonometrical Survey trackless leach- infested jungles impossible for of India in the course of carrying out the geodetic pack transport. Added to this, the snow line is triangulation of that country in the years 1849-50. about 2,000 ft. lower on the south side than on The figure adopted, namely, 29,002 ft. above the north, for it is subject to the full force of the mean sea level, was derived from the mean of a monsoon and is probably more deeply eroded and, large number of vertical angles observed to the in consequence, more inaccessible than from the peak from six different stations situated in the Tibet side. For these reasons successive expe­ plains of India south of Nepal. These stations ditions have taken the longer route, about 350 were at distances varying from 108 to liS miles. miles from Darjeeling via the Chumbi valley, It was not until some months afterwards, when Kampa Dzong and Sheka Dzong, made possible the necessary computations had been completed, since the Tibetan objection to traversing its that the great height of Everest was first realised. territory has been overcome. The actual discovery was made in the computing This route possessed the advantage of passing office at Dehra Dun.
    [Show full text]
  • Nuptse 7,861M / 25,790Ft
    NUPTSE 7,861M / 25,790FT 2022 EXPEDITION TRIP NOTES NUPTSE EXPEDITION TRIP NOTES 2022 EXPEDITION DETAILS Dates: April 9 to May 20, 2022 Duration: 42 days Departure: ex Kathmandu, Nepal Price: US$38,900 per person Crossing ladders in the Khumbu Glacier. Photo: Charley Mace. During the spring season of 2022, Adventure Consultants will operate an expedition to climb Nuptse, a peak just shy of 8,000m that sits adjacent to the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest, and the world’s fourth highest mountain, Mount Lhotse. Sitting as it does, in the shadows of its more famous partners, Nuptse receives a relatively low number of EXPEDITION OUTLINE ascents. Nuptse’s climbing route follows the same We congregate in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, line of ascent as Everest as far as Camp 2, from where we meet for a team briefing, gear checks where we cross the Western Cwm to establish a and last-minute purchases before flying by fixed Camp 3 on Nuptse. From that position, we ascend wing into Lukla Airport in the Khumbu Valley. We directly up the steep North East Face and into trek the delightful approach through the Sherpa Nuptse’s summit. The terrain involves hard ice, homelands via the Khumbu Valley Along the way, sometimes weaving through rocky areas and later we enjoy Sherpa hospitality in modern lodges with lower angled snow slopes. good food, all the while being impressed by the spectacular scenery of the incredible peaks of the The Nuptse climb will be operated alongside the lower Khumbu. Adventure Consultants Everest Expedition and therefore will enjoy the associated infrastructure We trek over the Kongma La (5,535m/18,159ft), a and legendary Base Camp support.
    [Show full text]
  • Nepal 1989 a V Saunders
    AV SAUNDERS (Plates 25-27) These notes have been arranged in (more or less) height order. The intention has been to report developments and first ascents completed during the year, rather than to list repeat ascents of existing routes. 1989 was not a good year. There were few new routes, and several fatalities. On Everest (8 848m), reports ofovercrowding have become common­ place; this year they have been linked to outbreaks ofviral flu. As if this were not enough, there are now perennial arguments about the fixing of the route through the Khumbu icefall. Apparently the earlier expeditions who set up a route often demand payment from the-following expeditions who use the route. During the spring season, the Polish expedition organized by Eugeniusz Chrobak followed a variation on the W ridge route, avoiding the normal Lho La approach. Following a line with minimum avalanche danger, the team climbed Khumbutse (6640m) before descending to the Rongbuk glacier, where they established Camp I at 5850m. The line continued left of previous ascents to gain the W shoulder. Five more camps were established on the ridge and in the Hornbein Couloir. On 24 May Chrobak and Andrzej Marciniak reached the summit. Over the next two days they descended, stripping the camps with the help of two other team members. They reached Camp I in deteriorating weather to join another team arriving from base. The next day all the climbers set out for base, up the 600m fixed ropes over Khumbutse. At 1pm the six climbers were struck by an avalanche which broke the ropes.
    [Show full text]
  • A Perspective of the Cumulative Risks from Climate Change on Mt
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Review A Perspective of the Cumulative Risks from Climate Change on Mt. Everest: Findings from the 2019 Expedition Kimberley R. Miner 1,* , Paul Andrew Mayewski 1, Mary Hubbard 2, Kenny Broad 3,4,5, Heather Clifford 1,6, Imogen Napper 3,7, Ananta Gajurel 3, Corey Jaskolski 4,5 , Wei Li 8, Mariusz Potocki 1,5 and John Priscu 8 1 Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04463, USA; [email protected] (P.A.M.); [email protected] (H.C.); [email protected] (M.P.) 2 Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; [email protected] 3 National Geographic Society, Washington, DC 02917, USA; [email protected] (K.B.); [email protected] (I.N.); [email protected] (A.G.) 4 Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA; [email protected] 5 Virtual Wonders, LLC, Wisconsin, Delafield, WI 53018, USA 6 School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04463, USA 7 International Marine Litter Research Unit, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK 8 Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; [email protected] (W.L.); [email protected] (J.P.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: In 2019, the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Everest expedition success- fully retrieved the greatest diversity of scientific data ever from the mountain. The confluence of geologic, hydrologic, chemical and microbial hazards emergent as climate change increases glacier Citation: Miner, K.R.; Mayewski, P.A.; Hubbard, M.; Broad, K.; Clifford, melt is significant.
    [Show full text]
  • Everest Base Camp Trek 12 D/11 N
    Everest Base Camp Trek 12 D/11 N Pre Trek: Travel to Kathmandu (1,300m): ​ To ensure all permit paperwork and other necessary arrangements are completed before you trip it is important that you are in Kathmandu at least 24 hours prior to the trek commencement. The local operator will contact you to collect the required documents early in the afternoon. At 5:00 pm (17:00) a rickshaw will pick you up from your hotel and bring you to the trekking offices for a safety briefing on the nature of the trek, equipment and team composition. You will meet your trek leader and other team members. You can also make your last minute purchases of personal items as you will be flying to the Himalayas tomorrow. At 6:00 pm (18:00) we will make our way to a welcome dinner and cultural show where you will learn about Nepali culture, music and dance and get to know your trekking team. Overnight in Kathmandu (self selected) Included meals: Dinner DAY 01: Kathmandu to Lukla then trek to Phakding (2,652m): 25 minute flight, plus 3 to 4 hour trek. After breakfast you will be escorted to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu airport for an early morning flight to Lukla (2,800m), the gateway destination where our trek begins. After an adventurous flight above the breathtaking Himalaya, we reach the Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla. This is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world culminating in a dramatic landing on a hillside surrounded by high mountain peaks.
    [Show full text]
  • BEIJING — When George Mallory Made a Reconnaissance Trip to The
    BEIJING — When George Mallory made a reconnaissance trip to the gargantuan glaciers at the foot of Mount Everest in Tibet before his ill-fated attempt to climb the mountain, he took photographs and noted the splendor: “Here is a pure beauty of form, a kind of ultimate harmony,” he wrote. " Nearly 90 years later another mountaineer and photographer, David Breashears, traveled to the same remote Himalayan landscape and found something that might have made Mallory think again: more than 330 vertical feet of the Rongbuk Glacier had melted in the intervening decades, leaving stubs of ice where grand pinnacles had once been. The photographs that Mr. Breashears brought back as evidence of climate change are at the heart of a multimedia exhibition that opened here last weekend at a prestigious photography gallery in China, Three Shadows. In the same room as Mr. Breashears’s glacier photos from eight recent expeditions, which are projected on a wall in a sweeping 10-foot-by-45-foot panoramic video, are smaller projections of images by Chinese photographers that document what many scientists say is a leading cause of climate change. These were taken in coal mines thousands of miles east of the glaciers and they show miners covered in soot and toiling away in the bowels of the earth. The show, titled “Coal + Ice” and produced by the Asia Society in New York, is an ambitious attempt to call attention to the long-range impact of humanity’s unrelenting thirst for energy. The melting of glaciers on the Tibetan plateau, at the headwaters of Asia’s great rivers, threatens the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people downstream.
    [Show full text]