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Annapurna Himal, Gandaki
Mardi Himal (5,587 m) lies less
than 15 miles from Pokhara, and
is the most southerly peak of
the Annapurna range. It is the
lowest and the least climbed or
visited peak. Photographs of
Mardi Himal taken in 1953 by
Baisl Goodfellow first drew the
attention of western climbers,
and the mountain received its
first ascent in 1961. The first
route was via the East Flank and
is the only one used so far.
The mountain separates the
southwest ridge of
Machhapuchhare as a separate
mass at right angles to the
ridge and is best seen from the
south. The southwest face of the
mountain has three well-defined
ridges rising from rock
buttresses and separated by
hanging glaciers. Its east face
is separated from the
Machhapuchhare ridge by a col at
5,200 meters. The normal
climbing route to the summit of
Mardi Himal passes through this
col. The summit offers a
splendid view of the Annapurna
Range and the fishtail mountain
– Machhapuchhare.
The valleys and ridges south of
Mardi Himal are steep and
heavily wooded with bamboo and
rhododendron. Alpine pastures
above the forest provide a good
habitat for wildlife. |
