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Kalanka

Coordinates: 30°30′12″N 79°56′30″E / 30.50333°N 79.94167°E / 30.50333; 79.94167
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kalanka
Kalanka and Changbang from Bagini glacier (L-R)
Highest point
Elevation6,931 m (22,740 ft)[1][2]
Prominence769 m (2,523 ft)[3]
ListingMountain peaks of Uttarakhand
Coordinates30°30′12″N 79°56′30″E / 30.50333°N 79.94167°E / 30.50333; 79.94167
Geography
Kalanka is located in Uttarakhand
Kalanka
Kalanka
Location in Uttarakhand
CountryIndia
StateUttarakhand
Protected areaNanda Devi National Park
Parent rangeGarhwal Himalayas
Climbing
First ascent1975 by Ikuo Tanabe's four-member expedition from Japan via the west ridge.[4]

Kalanka (Hindi: कलंका) is a mountain of the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India. Kalanka stands at 6,931 metres (22,740 ft). It's the 20th highest located entirely within the Uttrakhand. Nanda Devi is the highest mountain in this category. Kalanka is the 48th highest peak in India and 319th highest peak in the world.[5] Southern side of Kalanka falls under Nanda Devi National Park.

Kalanka loosely translated means "cockscomb" in Hindi.[6]

Geography

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Kalanka lies on the outer rim of the Nanda Devi sanctuary and in between Changabang and Saf Minal.

The mountain is surrounded by glaciers on three sides: Changabang on the southern side, Uttari Rishi on the eastern side, and Bagini on the northern side. The river from the Bagini Glacier meets with the Dhauliganga River at Jumma. Changabang Bamak (Glacier) and Uttari Rishi Bamak (Glacier) also intersect with the Dhauliganga River through the Rishi Ganga gorge. The Dhauliganga River joins with the Alaknanda river at Vishnu Prayag, the two main tributaries of Dhauliganga. These two main rivers meet at Devpryag. The name Ganga starts from there.

The entire surrounding area is protected within the 2,236.74 km2 (863.61 sq mi) Nanda Devi National Park or Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve which is a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO.[7] The Nanda Devi National Park is home to several world-class treks.

The neighboring peaks of Kalanka include:

Peak Elevation (m/ft) Coordinates
Nanda Devi 7,816 25,643 30°22′33″N 79°58′15″E / 30.37583°N 79.97083°E / 30.37583; 79.97083
Dunagiri 7,066 23,182 30°30′54″N 79°52′00″E / 30.51500°N 79.86667°E / 30.51500; 79.86667
Rishi Pahar 6,992 22,940 30°31′48″N 79°59′24″E / 30.53000°N 79.99000°E / 30.53000; 79.99000
Saf Minal 6,911 22,674 30°31′43″N 79°58′01″E / 30.52861°N 79.96694°E / 30.52861; 79.96694
Changabang 6,864 22,520 30°30′00″N 79°55′37″E / 30.50000°N 79.92694°E / 30.50000; 79.92694

Climbing history

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The first ascent was completed in 1975 by Ikuo Tanabe's four-member expedition from Japan. They followed the Rishi Ganga gorge and crossed over to Shipton's col to gain the col between Changabang and Kalanka and climbed the west ridge. The first summit was reached by Noriaki Ikeda, Tsuneo Kouma, Kazumasa Inoue and the leader Tanabe on 3 June 1975.[4]

The first ascent of the north face was made in 1977 by a Czechoslovakian expedition led by Frantisek Grunt. They approached the col through the Bagini Glacier and the west ridge. Jozef Raconcaj and Ladislav Jon reached the summit on 20 September 1977.[8]

The north face direct had been attempted many times but remained unclimbed until Fumitaka Ichimura, Kazuaki Amano and Yusuke Sato, of Japan, succeeded in alpine style in 2008.[9][10]

The first ascent via the southeast face was completed by a Scottish team in 1978. After establishing base camp on September 20 at the junction of the Changabang and Uttar Rishi glaciers, Robert Barton and Allen Fyffe made a new route up the southeast face. They reached the summit on October 11.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Kalanka - Himalayan Peak". himopedia.org. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  2. ^ "Topographic map of Kalanka". opentopomap.org. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  3. ^ "Kalanka". PeakVisor. 1978-05-31. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
  4. ^ a b Ikeda, Tsunemichi (1978). "Kalanka, First Ascent, 1975". American Alpine Journal. 21 (2). American Alpine Club. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  5. ^ "List" (PDF). 4sport.ua. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
  6. ^ Carter, H. Adams (1977). "The Goddess Nanda and Place Names of the Nanda Devi Region". American Alpine Journal. 21 (1). American Alpine Club. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  7. ^ "Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks". whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  8. ^ Grunt, Frantisek (1978). "Kalanka from the North". American Alpine Journal. 21 (2). American Alpine Club. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  9. ^ "Expeditions and Notes". Himalayan Journal. 65. 2009. Archived from the original on 2019-08-31. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  10. ^ Sato, Yusuke (2009). "Bushido, The Complete North Face of Kalanka in India's Garhwal". American Alpine Journal. 51 (83). American Alpine Club. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  11. ^ Barton, Robert D. (1979). "Kalanka, Southeast Face". American Alpine Journal. 22 (1). American Alpine Club. Retrieved 2023-07-03.