Molamenqing
Encyclopedia
Molamenqing or Phola Gangchen is an eastern outlier of Shishapangma
, the 14th highest peak in the world. Both are in the Jugal Himal, a subrange of the Himalaya in Tibet
. (This range is contiguous with, and often considered as part of, the Langtang
Himal.) Its elevation is also given as 7,661 m (25,134 ft); the elevation given here is from a Chinese survey. (Neate 1989:52) Molamenqing is little-known, partly since it does not have much independent stature. Its topographic prominence
, i.e. its rise above the saddle connecting it with Shishapangma, is only 430 metres, which is relatively small for a Himalayan peak, although large enough for it to qualify in some reckonings as an independent peak.
Molamenqing did enjoy a temporary fame in the early 1980s. At the time it was one of the highest unclimbed peaks in the world (using a prominence cutoff low enough to qualify it as a separate summit). A team from New Zealand
applied to the Chinese
authorities to climb the peak, and became one of the first Western teams to be allowed to climb in Tibet since before World War II
. The team succeeded in making the first, and so far the only, ascent of the mountain. They started from the east side of the peak, but their long route went via the north side of Shishapangma and approached the summit from the west.
The Himalayan Index lists no other attempts on this peak.
Shishapangma
Xixabangma, frequently spelled Shishapangma or Shisha Pangma , also called Gosainthān , is the fourteenth-highest mountain in the world and, at 8,013 m , the lowest of the eight-thousanders...
, the 14th highest peak in the world. Both are in the Jugal Himal, a subrange of the Himalaya in Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. (This range is contiguous with, and often considered as part of, the Langtang
Langtang
Langtang is a region in Nepal to the north of Kathmandu and bordering Tibet. It is protected as Langtang National Park and has a number of high peaks including Langtang Lirung . As of 2010, the entrance ticket to the park cost 2400 Nepali Rupees for foreigners.About 4,500 people live inside the...
Himal.) Its elevation is also given as 7,661 m (25,134 ft); the elevation given here is from a Chinese survey. (Neate 1989:52) Molamenqing is little-known, partly since it does not have much independent stature. Its topographic prominence
Topographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
, i.e. its rise above the saddle connecting it with Shishapangma, is only 430 metres, which is relatively small for a Himalayan peak, although large enough for it to qualify in some reckonings as an independent peak.
Molamenqing did enjoy a temporary fame in the early 1980s. At the time it was one of the highest unclimbed peaks in the world (using a prominence cutoff low enough to qualify it as a separate summit). A team from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
applied to the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
authorities to climb the peak, and became one of the first Western teams to be allowed to climb in Tibet since before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The team succeeded in making the first, and so far the only, ascent of the mountain. They started from the east side of the peak, but their long route went via the north side of Shishapangma and approached the summit from the west.
The Himalayan Index lists no other attempts on this peak.
Source
Jill Neate, High Asia: an illustrated history of the 7,000 metre peaks, The Mountaineers, 1989.Further reading
- Warwick Anderson, To the Untouched Mountain: the New Zealand Conquest of Molamenqing, Reed, 1983.