Top 10 summits never reached in the world, those who make their little quiet life
Among the best-preserved places in the world (well, until now, because fat human dummies could quickly ruin everything), there are some really cool virgin mountain peaks. To get straight to the heart of the matter, we are not talking about just any summit: according to the scientific community, a “true independent summit” is a summit with a prominence of at least 500 m, that is i.e. a summit from which you have to descend at least 500 m in altitude and then climb back up to a higher peak. Yes, it’s complicated. But you’ll see, it’s to impress you (because there’s still little chance that you’ll go there one day).
1. And Gangkhar Puensum
This peak is certainly one of the most impressive virgin peaks, especially because it is the largest of all. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it culminates at 7,570 meters in height (not bad). None of the six climbs attempted since 1983, when Bhutan opened up to mountaineering, has succeeded, and it is not about to happen, because the country has re-banned mountaineering in all its forms in 2003.
2. Le Lapche Kang II
Rising to 7,250 meters, this peak is a secondary peak of Lapche Kang Mountain, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The last expedition, led by a Polish team in 2016, was able to reach an altitude of 6,900 meters (which is already not too gross). The main summit of 7,367 meters was already reached in 1987 by a Sino-Japanese expedition.
3. L’Apsarasas Kangri III
The Apsarasas is none other than the summit of the Siachen Muztagh massif, on the borders between India, China and Pakistan. If the western summit (the highest point) and the southern summit have already been explored, all the other summits of Apsarasas are virgins, in particular the eastern summit (III), which is sometimes represented as the “true” highest point of the mountain. Ah well yes, you have to follow, it would have been too easy to make a mountain in a triangle like we did in primary school.
4. Le Karjiang I
This Tibetan peak has a total of three peaks, culminating at more than 7,000 m above sea level. The highest, South Karjiang or I, rises to 7,221 m above sea level. If it is still virgin, unlike the main summit (the central Karjiang which culminates at 7,216 m), it is because its ascent was deemed too difficult by the Japanese expedition of 1986. Other explorers tried to climb the South Summit in 2001, but had to stop at the 6,824m peak, which isn’t too bad, between us.
5. Le Tongshanjiabu
Besides the fact that its name is relatively unpronounceable, this summit is also in the Himalayas and rises to almost 7,207 m above sea level. Fun fact, Tongshanjiabu is only 12 km from Teri Kang, another virgin peak over 7,000 m high, but which does not have its 500 m prominence, hence its absence in the top. Ah the big sucker, point it out!
6. Le Praqpa Kangri
Of the three peaks of Praqpa Kangri, only two are still virgin: the central summit and the highest, which rises to 7,134 m, and the North summit. The southern summit was climbed in 2017 by Chileans whose ascent was noticed by the Piolets d’Or, an association that values significant ascents. They had, at the beginning, for objective the central top, but had to give up it, because of the bad conditions of stops.
7. Le Mandu Kangri
Yes, it looks like this peak is the brother of the Praqpa Kangri, but no, they are just distant cousins. This summit of the Masherbrum Mountains, in Pakistan, culminates at an altitude of 7,127 m. And he’s pretty handsome from the outside, even though I’d rather see him painted than in kind.
8. And Sanglung
This Tibetan peak in the Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon Nature Reserve is lucky: it’s not alone in its isolation. Although it culminates at 7,095 m above sea level, it has at its side another virgin peak, Sanglung West, which rises to 6,809 m above sea level. So it’s okay, he still has someone to play Connect 4 with during the day.
9. And Shudu Tsenpa
This summit, with its cute name, reminiscent of a noodle dish, is located at the top of the Himalayas, on the border between India and China. It culminates at 7024 m in height and is the last highest virgin peak in the world (still with a minimum prominence of 500 m, we don’t forget, it’s like Covid distances).