GUNUNG · India

Meru Peak

Meru

Information

Elevation: 6.660 m
Country: India (IN)
Location / Range: Gangotri Group, Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand
Mountain type: Puncak granit (orogenik, non-vulkanik)
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 30.8681, 79.0320
Difficulty: Sangat teknis / ekstrem — big-wall alpine (bukan trekking); jalur Shark's Fin termasuk yang tersulit di Himalaya
Best Season: Pra-monsun (April–Juni) dan pasca-monsun (September–Oktober)
Permits & Rules: Izin pendakian dari Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF); kawasan Gangotri di dekat sumber Sungai Gangga
Hazards: Dinding granit vertikal, medan campuran es-batu, cuaca cepat berubah, ketinggian, jendela cuaca sempit

Description

Meru (6,660 m) is a granite mountain in the Gangotri Group of the Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India, standing between Thalay Sagar and Shivling in the Gangotri Glacier region near the source of the Ganges. It has three summits — southern (6,660 m, the highest), central (6,310 m), and northern (6,450 m). Meru is not a volcano; its body was formed by orogenic uplift of granite rather than volcanic activity. Its fame comes from the 'Shark's Fin' — a huge granite prow on the north-east face leading to the Central Summit, regarded as one of the hardest big-wall lines in the world. After several failed attempts (including a near-miss in 2008), Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk became the first team to complete the Shark's Fin route in October 2011 — a story captured in the documentary film 'Meru' (2015). The Central Summit had earlier been soloed by Valery Babanov in 2001. Unlike a trekking peak, Meru is an objective for experienced alpinists, not a general hiking destination.

Gallery

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

Routes

Meru North (6.450 m)

Sangat teknis

Multi-hari (ekspedisi alpine)

Meru's north summit (6,450 m), a technical alpine objective earlier soloed by Valery Babanov (2001) during his Central Summit efforts. It still demands ice-and-rock skill and high-altitude acclimatization, not a trekking route.

Source

Shark's Fin (North East Pillar) — Meru Central

Ekstrem / sangat teknis (big-wall alpine, campuran es-batu)

Multi-hari (ekspedisi big-wall)

The iconic ~1,400 m line on the north-east pillar passing the 'Shark's Fin', a huge granite prow leading to the Central Summit (6,310 m). It demands aid and free big-wall climbing, mixed rock and ice, and multiple nights in a portaledge hanging off the wall. First completed in October 2011 by Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk — regarded as one of the hardest lines in the Himalaya.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Meru (6,660 m) in the Garhwal Himalaya is best known for the 'Shark's Fin' to the Central Summit — a granite big-wall long considered unclimbable. The experience record is dominated by the expedition of Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk, who completed the line in 2011 (after failing in 2008), told in the film 'Meru' (2015). Their footage and talks emphasize enduring days in a portaledge hanging off the wall, extreme weather and storms, turnaround decisions, injury, and the weight of risk and responsibility in extreme climbing. Meru is not a trekking mountain; its experiences come from world-class alpinists rather than general hikers.

References

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