GUNUNG · India

Chaukhamba

चौखम्बा

Information

Elevation: 7.138 m
Country: India (IN)
Location / Range: Gangotri Group, Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand — di hulu Gletser Gangotri
Mountain type: Massif bersalju-es Himalaya (ultra-prominent peak; 4 puncak berjajar)
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 30.7497, 79.2911
Difficulty: Ekspedisi mountaineering 7.000-an yang serius dan jarang didaki: dinding es-salju curam dari sisi gletser, kamp bertingkat, dan penguasaan teknik es di ketinggian. Bagi wisatawan, Chaukhamba lebih dikenal sebagai panorama ikonik dari trek-trek Garhwal (Tungnath–Chandrashila, Deoria Tal) ketimbang target puncak.
Best Season: Musim semi (Mei–Juni) dan pasca-monsun (September–Oktober) untuk pendakian; hindari monsun Juli–Agustus
Permits & Rules: Puncak butuh izin Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) via operator berlisensi; kawasan berada dekat Taman Nasional Gangotri/Nanda Devi Biosphere
Hazards: Retakan gletser (Gangotri/Bhagirathi-Kharak), longsoran salju, dinding es curam, cuaca cepat berubah, ketinggian >7.000 m, dan keterpencilan

Description

Chaukhamba (चौखम्बा; main summit Chaukhamba I, 7,138 m) is a snow-clad massif in the Gangotri Group of the Garhwal Himalaya, in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand — standing at the head of the Gangotri Glacier and forming the eastern anchor of the group, about 9 km west of the Hindu pilgrimage town of Badrinath. Its name comes from 'chau' (four) and 'khamba' (pillars): the massif has four summits along a northeast–southwest trending ridge, ranging from 7,138 m down to 6,854 m, with the highest (Chaukhamba I) at the northeast end. As an ultra-prominent peak (prominence over 1,500 m), Chaukhamba is rarely climbed. After unsuccessful attempts in 1938 and 1939, Chaukhamba I was first climbed on 13 June 1952 by Lucien George and Victor Russenberger (Swiss members of an otherwise French expedition) via the northeast face from the Bhagirathi-Kharak Glacier; the party also included the renowned French alpinist Édouard Frendo. For most visitors, Chaukhamba is best known as the majestic backdrop seen from popular Garhwal treks such as Tungnath–Chandrashila and Deoria Tal.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Dinding timur-laut dari Gletser Bhagirathi-Kharak (jalur pendakian pertama 1952)

Ekspedisi Himalaya serius — es/salju curam, sangat jarang didaki

Ekspedisi berminggu-minggu dengan kamp bertingkat di atas base camp gletser

The classic line to Chaukhamba I (7,138 m) climbs the northeast face from the Bhagirathi-Kharak Glacier — the route used on the first ascent on 13 June 1952 by Lucien George and Victor Russenberger (Swiss members of a French expedition). It demands a glacier base camp, staged camps, command of high-altitude snow-and-ice technique and official permits; the remoteness makes evacuation difficult.

Source

Trek panorama Garhwal (Tungnath–Chandrashila / Deoria Tal)

Trek ringan–menengah untuk melihat massif Chaukhamba dari kejauhan

2–4 hari (trek), bukan pendakian puncak

For most visitors the way to enjoy Chaukhamba is not a summit climb but one of Garhwal's popular scenic treks — such as Tungnath–Chandrashila or Deoria Tal — which offer grand views of the four-summit snowy line. These trails are relatively easy, accessible to general trekkers, and frame Chaukhamba as an iconic skyline backdrop.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Chaukhamba (7,138 m) — a four-summit massif at the head of the Gangotri Glacier in Garhwal — is rarely climbed but widely documented through expedition films and scenic vlogs from Uttarakhand. The videos below show an expedition to Chaukhamba III and views of the massif from Garhwal viewpoints (Tungnath, New Tehri) — all verified live via YouTube oEmbed.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.