Nanga Parbat is the ninth-highest mountain in the world. It is the major peak in the westernmost part of the Himalayas. It stands tall at 8,126 meters (26,660 ft) above sea level. It is also famously known as Diamir. The mountain is situated in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The easiest route of the mountain is said to be from the Western Diamir District.
Similarly, Hermann Buhl was the first to climb this mountain on July 3, 1953. The Nanga Parbat is also known as the Killer Mountain due to its fatality rate.
There are several interesting facts about the Diamir or Nanga Parbat. Make sure to read till the end of this article to know more!
Where is “Diamir” Nanga Parbat situated?
Diamir or Nanga Parbat is a famous mountain in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Nanga Parbat or Nagna Parvata translates to the naked mountain in Sanskrit language. Likewise, Diamir translates to King of the Mountain. The peak lies southeast of the northernmost of the Indus River. It is located in the westernmost part of the Himalayas in Pakistan. The Indus and Yarlung, as well as the Tsangpo/Brahmaputra rivers, also bound the mountain. It covers the majority of the western Himalayan range.
It is one of the 14 eight-thousanders in the world. The mountain’s prominence is 4,608 m (15,118 ft), the second highest prominence out of the hundred other tallest mountains in the world. In Tibetan, Diamer or Deo Mir refers to a huge mountain. It is not possible for even the most experienced mountaineers to easily summit the mountain due to several factors like the height and extremity of it. Nanga Parbat is famously known as the killer mountain because of the number of mountaineers or visitors, in general, who have died due to various number of circumstances in the peak.
Why Is Nanga Parbat Called the Killer Mountain?
Nanga Parbat is called the Killer Mountain because of the fatality rate of the peak. Several mountaineers have lost their lives on the mountain throughout the years. There are wild storms, avalanches, and instability in glaciers in Nanga Parbat all around the year, including the summer season. While a lot of other mountains have comparatively fairer conditions during summer or spring, this is not the case for this mountain.
Diamir compares to another of the most dangerous mountains in the world, also located in Pakistan, Mount K2, when it comes to the technicality of the peak. The mountain is very technical and requires much supervision and expertise, as well as good-quality gear and equipment.
Likewise, it is almost impossible for a person to make it to the summit without a good amount of supplemental oxygen as not only is the higher altitude of the mountain cold and unbearably suffocating, but it is not physically possible for a human being to survive low oxygen as is in the summit.
The Nanga Parbat really pushes mountaineers to their limits, which is why a lot of summiteers or climbers have lost their lives in the mountains. A lot of dead bodies of the fallen mountaineers still remain in the peak. Additionally, there is nothing new about getting lost in the snowy peak, either.
The southern face of the mountain is the 15000 ft Rupal face, which is the largest mountain face in the world. And it is also a big individual wall of ice and rock. Mountaineer David Gotter says about the mountain,
“Nanga Parbat is even long and difficult under normal summer conditions. Now imagine putting short days, very high winds, and low temperatures on top [and] you can roughly imagine what we are talking about.”
Climbing History of Diamir (Nanga Parbat)
The first ascent of Nanga Parbat or Diamir was succeeded by Austrian climber Hermann Buhl on July 3, 1953. He was a member of the German–Austrian Nanga Parbat expedition. He summited the mountain via the Rakhiot Flank (East Ridge).
Similarly, the first attempt to climb the mountain was made by a team of German-American expeditions, including Rand Herron, an American, and Fritz Wiessner, which Willy Merkl led in 1932. The team, though skilled in mountaineering, did not have expertise in climbing the Himalayas. The situation of the mountaineers was made worse by bad weather, unfavorable weather conditions, and poor planning. When Willy led another expedition in a different year, 1934, which the Nazi government funded, the summit remained unsuccessful yet again.
After the first summit, however, there were several others who made successful ascents of the mountain in years, namely Kristin Harila (Norway), Tenjen Sherpa “Lama” (Nepal), Pasang Nurbu Sherpa (Nepal), Nima Rinji Sherpa (Nepal), Sophie Lavaud (of French, Swiss, and Canadian nationalities), Dawa Sangay Sherpa (Nepal), Dendi Sherpa (Nepal), Pasang Tenji Sherpa (Nepal), Alina Pekova (Russia), Sajid Ali Dadpara (Pakistan), Tunc findik (Turkey), Nima Dorje Sherpa (Nepal), Viridiana Alvarez (Mexico), Lakpa Temba Sherpa (Nepal), Yousuf Ali (Pakistan), Imtiaz Ali Sadpara (Pakistan), Francois Damilano (France), Ulysse Lefevre (France), Ming Temba Sherpa (Nepal), and Lakpa Temba Sherpa (Nepal).
Nanga Parbat Taliban attack
The Taliban attacked Nanga Parbat on June 23, 2013, by 15 extremist militants who were in Gilgit Scouts uniforms. They killed ten foreign climbers, including one Lithuanian, three Ukrainians, two Slovaks, two Chinese, one Chinese-American, and one Nepali. Moreover, a Pakistani guide was also killed in the attack.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Nanga Parbat in India or Pakistan?
Nanga Parbat is situated in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region.
Is Nanga Parbat in Nepal?
No, Nanga Parbat is not situated in Nepal but in Pakistan.
Why is Nanga Parbat called the Killer Mountain?
Nanga Parbat is called the Killer Mountain because of its high fatality rate of 21 deaths per 100 successful summits.
Is K2 called Nanga Parbat?
No, K2 is a completely different mountain than Nanga Parbat. While K2 is the second highest mountain in the world, Nanga Parbat falls in the ninth place.
What is the old name of Nanga Parbat?
The old name of Nanga Parbat is Diamer. However, it is still recognized with the name by many people in Pakistan.
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