A team of 10 mountaineers comprising five Nepalese and five climbers from the UK, Kosovo, Iran and the UAE have successfully climbed the world’s third-highest peak – the 8,586-metre-high Mount Kanchenjunga. The feat achieved yesterday marks the first ascent of the peak this climbing season.
Kanchenjunga holds a special place in local culture and spirituality, and its summit is considered sacred by many. For many years, climbers followed the practice of stopping short of the true summit out of respect for local religious beliefs and the sacredness of the mountain.
Joe Brown and George Band were the first to reach the summit on May 25, 1955. However, they stopped short of the true summit, respecting a promise made to the Chogyal (King) of Sikkim that the top of the mountain would remain inviolate. Climbing Kanchenjunga is considered a challenging and risky endeavour, with factors like steep slopes, ice, and avalanches posing significant dangers.
