Langtang Lirung

Location

The Langtang Himal forms the western portion of a complex of mountains which also includes the Jugal Himal, home of Shishapangma. This complex lies between the Sun Kosi valley on the east and the Trisuli Gandaki valley on the west. Langtang Lirung lies near the Trisuli Gandaki, and north of the Langtang Khola. At a distance of four kilometres towards the east, Tsangbu Ri is located, and Ghenge Liru is four kilometres to the west.

Features

Though not high by the standards of major Himalayan peaks, Langtang Lirung is notable for its large vertical relief above local terrain. For example, it rises 5500 m above the Trisuli Gandaki to the west in only 16 km. It has a large south face which long resisted climbing attempts.

Climbing history

The peak was reconnoitered by H. W. Tilman and P. Lloyd in 1949. Attempts were made to climb the peak via the East Ridge in the 1960s, but none got close to the summit.

On October 24, 1978, Seishi Wada and Pemba Tsering Sherpa from a Japanese expedition made the first ascent of the mountain via the East Ridge.

Poles made the first winter ascent. On 3 January 1988 Mikołaj Czyżewski, Kazimierz Kiszka and Adam Potoczek stood at the summit.

According to the Himalayan Index, there have been 14 ascents of Langtang Lirung (in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, and 1995), mostly by the Southeast or Southwest Ridge routes; and 13 unsuccessful attempts on the peak (these may be underestimates).

On 29 March 1990, an avalanche hit an eight-member Japanese climbing team who was ascending the mountain via the southeast ridge. Four climbers were caught and carried 600 meters. One member of the team was able to free himself. Three others, Noriyuki Futami, Yasuhisa Kuwashina and Masahiro Hisamoto were killed.

On 9 November 2009, Slovenian mountaineer Tomaž Humar, who was on a solo climb (the expedition started on 5 October) via the South Face, had an accident during his descent. Sources report that he became stuck on the mountain at an approximate height of 6300 meters with a broken leg (other sources also report broken ribs and damaged spine). His only contact with the base camp staff via a satellite phone was made on the day of the accident, and he appeared to be in a critical condition. The rescue party found his body on 14 November at the height of 5600 m. Presumably, he died on 9 or 10 November.

On 30 October 2024 Czech climber Marek Holeček and his Slovak partner Ondrej Húserka achieved the first successful ascent of Langtang Lirung via the peak's east face. Ondrej died during the descent on October 31 after falling into glacier's crevasse. Marek reached him alive and tried to pull him out before realizing Ondrej's injuries being too serious and losing him hours into attempt to save his life.

Avalanche in 2015

On 25 April 2015, a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Nepal resulted in a landslide on Langtang Lirung. In Langtang village, directly in the path of the landslide, 243 people died. It took the villagers two years to rebuild the houses that were destroyed by the landslide in the Langtang Lirung. The route to the mountain was only opened for after 2017, when the villagers build up a completely new path.

References

Sources

• H. Adams Carter, "Classification of the Himalaya," American Alpine Journal 1985.
• Himalayan Index
• DEM files for the Himalaya (Corrected versions of SRTM data)

References

1. "High Asia II: Himalaya of Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and adjoining region of Tibet". Peaklist.org.
2. "Langtang Lirung".
3. [https://wspinanie.pl/2010/04/historia-polskiego-wspinania-himalaje-cziii-lata-1984-88/ Historia polskiego wspinania. Himalaje cz.III (lata 1984-88)]
4. "AAC Publications - Asia, Nepal, Langtang Lirung Tragedy".
5. "Tomaz Humar Stuck on Langtang Lirung with broken leg??". www.everestnews.com.
6. "Langtang Lirung rescue update: Tomaz Humar missing, Swiss rescuers stuck in BC". MountEverest.net.
7. "Tomaz Humar Missing on Langtang Lirung". www.everestnews.com.
8. (2007-08-19). "Slovenian climber dies in Himalayas". Topnews.in.
9. Benavides, Angela. (2024-10-30). "Finally! -- Summit on Langtang Lirung".
10. Aikman, Ian. (2024-11-05). "Top climber falls to death after rare Himalayan feat".
11. Horrell, Mark. (April 26, 2017). "The fate of Langtang village two years after the Nepal earthquake".
12. "Langtang Lirung after 2015".