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NANGA PARBAT "Killer Mountains" an ExplorersWeb series
14:33 p.m. EDT Aug 28, 2003
In ExplorersWeb's new series, we investigate messages hidden in unique statistics compiled by AdventureStats. We look at fatality rates for the 14 8000+ mountains, starting with the dreaded Karakorum/Pakistan giants. But we are not stopping there. We compare modern and old fatality statistics, trying to determine the effects of the arrival of commercial expeditions in 1990s. AdventureStats is providing the research and later, will also look into the causes of deaths.
Today, Everest has hosted close to 2000 successful summits. 179 people have perished giving a fatality rate of 9.3% (fatality rate is defined as successful summits compared to fatalities). However, since 1990 there has been an explosion of summiteers and fatality statistics have changed. Up to 1990 the Everest fatality rate is a whopping 37%, yet from 1990 until today the rate has dropped to 4.4%. So how does that compare to the rest of the 8000+ peaks? Let's check it out.
Yesterday we determined that statistically, Broad Peak has become more dangerous lately.
Now let's look at Nanga Parbat (8,125m)
Nanga Parbat is also known as the “Naked Mountain,” a name that suits its dominant windswept faces. But by reputation, it has also become known as the “Killer Mountain.”
Since the first attempt on Nanga Parbat, 216 climbers have summited Nanga Parbat and 61 have died. (31 deaths occurred before the mountain was first summited in 1953.) The overall fatality rate thus 28.24%, more than three times Mount Everest’s overall fatality rate of 9%! However, the recent statistics shows a dramatic change in Nanga Parbat’s rate, which, in recent years is about on par with Everest’s rate. Up to 1990, the Nanga Parbat fatality rate was a whopping 77%. But from 1990 until today, there have been 8 deaths and 147 summits, a significant rate drop to about 5.5 %, and only slightly higher than the modern Everest fatality rate (4.4%).
Whilst the old Everest risk was 37%, Nanga Parbat’s was more than twice that at 77%. In the last decade, the statistical rates are now almost even. In a later follow up, we will look at the causes, but though facts on a page may indicate a reduced risk, Nanga Parbat remains a dangerous mountain to climb.
At 8,125m, it is the ninth tallest mountain in the world. Nanga Parbat is geographically a part of the Himalayas, located in relative isolation at the westernmost end of the range in Pakistan. Of the world's fourteen highest mountains, ten are Himalayan peaks: Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Nanga Parbat, Annapurna and Shisha Pangma. Only four are located in within the Karakoram Range: K2, Gasherbrum I and II, and Broad Peak. K2 is the tallest mountain in the Karakoram Range and her three 8000m neighbors lie within 20 km. Nanga Parbat is 200 km away.
The first attempt on Nanga Parbat was made by legendary British climber Albert Mummery in 1895. He and two Gurkha partners set out on an alpine style ascent of the Diamir Face using no oxygen, fixed ropes or set camps. They climbed above 6000m before turning around. Not willing to give up, they went to go explore the Rakhiot Face, but disappeared along the way and were never seen again.
It would be 58 years before Nanga Parbat was summited for the first time in an extraordinary effort by Hermann Buhl, who reached the summit in a solo bid from high camp and was benighted on his descent. Buhl was forced to bivouac in the open above 8000m – standing up from 9:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m. on a rock ledge just wide enough for his feet. Buhl later was among the first party to summit Broad Peak in 1957.
This year, as Nanga Parbat also celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its first unforgettable ascent, some climbers made the summit, and several did not.
Some of the most notable stories of Nanga 2003 were Denis Urubko's lone summit bid and Tomaz Humar's perilous battle to climb the main wall on the Rupal face. Check out Tomaz spectacular video from the climb.
Fortunately, there were no deaths. With an overall fatality rate of 28.24% and modern fatality rate decrease to 5.5%, Nanga Parbat is statistically slightly more dangerous than Everest today.
Image of Nanga Parbat courtesy of Tomaz Humar
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