The name of mountain Nanga Parbat is derived from two words of Sanskrit language; nagna and parvata, these when combine means "Naked Mountain". The mountain is also locally known as Diamer (دیامر) which means “king of the mountains”. Nanga Parbat is the ninth-highest mountain on Earth being summit at 8,126 m (26,660 ft) above sea level.
Killer Mountain
Nanga Parbat is known to be a difficult climb
due to dramatic peak rising far above its surrounding terrain and has earned
the nickname Killer Mountain for its high number of climber
fatalities.
Location
Nanga Parbat is the westernmost major peak of the Himalayas
laying closely to southeast of the northernmost bend of the Indus River in
the Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan-administered sector of Kashmir
Region. The mountain's steep south wall rises nearly 4,600 meter (15,000 feet) above the valley immediately below and the north side drops about 7,000 meters (23,000 feet) to the River Indus.
Ascents History
1. In
1895, Albert F. Mummery led an expedition to the peak, accompanied by Geoffrey
Hastings, and reached almost 20,000 ft (6,100 m) on the west Diamir Face
but Mummery and two Gurkha companions later died reconnoitering the
Rakhiot Face.
2. In the 1932, German-American expedition expedition to Nanga Parbat was led by Willy Merkl alongwith seven famous climbers included Rand Herron, an American, and Fritz Wiessner. Although the team were all strong climbers but no one had Himalayan experience and poor planning, bad weather, prevented the team from reaching far beyond the Rakhiot Peak northeast of the Nanga Parbat summit.
3. In
1934, Merkl led another expedition. On July 6, the Tyrolean climbers, Peter
Aschenbrenner and Erwin Schneider, reached an estimated height of 7,900 m
(25,900 ft), but were forced to return because of worsening weather. On
July 7, they and 14 others were trapped by a storm at 7,480 m
(24,540 ft). Resultantly during retreat three famous German mountaineers, Merkl
himself, Uli Wieland, and Willo Welzenbach alongwith six locals
(Sherpas) died due exhaustion, exposure and altitude sickness, and several
others suffered severe frostbite. Ang Tsering is the only survivor having
spent seven days battling through the storm.
4. In
1937, Karl Wien led expedition to the mountain, the team included seven
Germans and nine Sherpas following the same route of Merkl's expeditions. On 14
June, the team, were at Camp IV below Rakhiot Peak when it was overrun by
an avalanche and sixteen men were died.
5. In
1938 German climber Paul Bauer led expedition but reached halfway between
Rakhiot Peak and Nanga Parbat summit.
6. On
July 1953, Nanga Parbat was first climbed by Austrian climber Hermann Buhl a
member of a German-Austrian team, via the Rakhiot Flank (East Ridge). The
expedition was led by Peter Aschenbrenne who had participated in the 1932 and
1934 attempts. By the time of this expedition, 31 people had already died on
the mountain. The survivor companions of Buhl had turned back but Buhl continued
alone for the final 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) and become the only man to
have made the first ascent without oxygen of an 8,000-metre
(26,000 ft) peak alone.
7. In
1962 Germans climbers Toni Kinshofer, Siegfried Löw, and A. Mannhardt made the
second ascent of Nanga Parbat via the Diamir Face. Now this route has become
the "standard route" on the mountain.
8. In
1970, the two brothers Günther and Reinhold Messner made
the third ascent of the mountain and the first ascent via the Rupal Face.
9. In
1971, Slovak mountaineers Ivan Fiala and Michal Orolin made fourth ascent of Nanga
Parbat.
10. In
1976 a team of four made the sixth ascent.
11. In 1984, the French climber Lilliane Barrard became the first woman to climb Nanga Parbat, along with her husband Maurice Barrard.
12. In 1985, Polish climbers, namely Jerzy Kukuczka, Zygmunt Heinrich, Slawomir Lobodzinski and Mexican climber Carlos Carsolio climbed the mountain.
13. Also
in 1985, a Polish women's team including Wanda Rutkiewicz, Krystyna Palmowska,
and Anna Czerwinska climbed the peak.
14. On 15 July 2012,
Scottish mountaineers Sandy Allan and Rick Allen made the first ascent of the
mountain via the 10-kilometre-long (6 mi) Mazeno Ridge, and in April
2013 were awarded the Piolet d'Or for their achievement.
15. On 26
February 2016 Nanga Parbat was first successfully climbed in winterby a team
consisting of Ali Sadpara, Alex Txikon, and Simone Moro.
16. On 25
January 2018, the Polish climber Tomasz Mackiewicz and Frenchwoman Élisabeth
Revol made second winter ascent.
For Tourists
Nanga Parbat Pakistan is the most beautiful Fairy
Meadows on this Planet and this place is everything in itself. Fairy Meadows is a name given to the spectacular, green
fields that ley near the Nanga Parbat Mountain in Raikhot Valley, Diamer
District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Most beautiful, garnished
with nature, unobstructed views of mountains, and words can’t describe nature’s
beauty.
The
perfect time for visiting and hiking is from April to May or from September to
October. For
hiking, this place is popular and beautiful for good reasons. When you hike
towards the fairy meadows, you’ll see the unobstructed view of Nanga Parbat.
Nanga Parbat is the second highest peak in Pakistan, and the first one is K2.
The height of Nanga Parbat is 8000 meters. If you are making a plan to travel
Pakistan, must add Fairy meadows in the list.
The meadows are also home to many species of wildlife. Mammals found are brown bears, musk deer, Marco Polo’s sheep, red fox, markhor, and Himalayan ibex. The area is a visual treat for nature enthusiasts and wildlife photographers. The road to Faily Meaddows was built by Brigadier Muhammad Aslam Khan, the first Commander of the Gilgit Scouts. A 12 Kilometers jeep track from Raikhot Bridge on the Karakorma Highway lead to Tattu.
Things you must possess before trip to Nanga Parbat
1.
Trekking
boots/Joggers/Comfortable Shoes/Slippers
2.
Back Pack
3.
Waterproof lower and
Jacket
4.
Thermals (both upper
and lower)
5.
Fleece/Sweaters
6.
T shirts for day
trekking
7.
Water bottle
8.
Socks, preferably woolen
(4-6 pairs)
9.
Gloves (highly
recommended)
10.
Muffler (highly
recommended)
11.
Beanie (highly
recommended)
12.
Hand
wash/soap/sanitizer, wipes, tooth paste and all other necessities
13.
Sun Block and Sun
glasses