Pumori facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pumori
View of Pumori from Everest Base Camp, Khumbu Valley
Highest point
Elevation	7,161 m (23,494 ft)
Prominence	1,278 m (4,193 ft)
Geography
Pumori Location in Nepal
Location	Nepal-Tibet
Parent range	Himalayas
Climbing
First ascent	1962 by Gerhard Lenser
Easiest route	snow/ice climb

Pumori (Nepali: पुमोरि), also known as Pumo Ri, is a beautiful mountain located right on the border between Nepal and Tibet. It's part of the Himalayas, specifically in the Mahalangur section. Pumori is quite close to Mount Everest, only about eight kilometers to its west.

The name "Pumori" means "the Mountain Daughter" in the Sherpa language. It was given this name by the famous climber George Mallory. In Sherpa, "Pumo" means young girl or daughter, and "Ri" means mountain. Because of its name and closeness to Everest, climbers often call Pumori "Everest's Daughter." Mallory also had a special name for it, Clare Peak, named after his own daughter. Pumori is a popular mountain for climbers. Even though its easiest path is not too difficult, climbers must still be careful of avalanches.

Exploring Pumori: A Mountain Adventure

Pumori stands tall at 7,161 meters (23,494 feet) above sea level. It's a challenging but rewarding climb for many mountaineers.

First Climbers to Reach the Top

The first people to successfully climb Pumori were from a German-Swiss expedition. A climber named Gerhard Lenser reached the summit on May 17, 1962. This was a big achievement in mountain climbing history. Later, in 1996, two climbers from the Czech Republic, Leopold Sulovský and Zdeněk Michalec, found a new way to climb the mountain's south side.

Kala Patthar: A Nearby Viewpoint

Close to Pumori is a smaller peak called Kala Patthar. It's 5,643 meters (18,513 feet) high. Kala Patthar looks like a brown hill below Pumori's south face. Many trekkers who want to see Mount Everest up close will climb to the top of Kala Patthar. From there, they get amazing views of Everest and the surrounding mountains.

Climbing and Trekking on Pumori

By 2005, almost 500 people had successfully reached the top of Pumori. The mountain became even more popular by 2008. From the summit, you can see the high Tibetan Plateau on one side and Nepal on the other. You can also see the western part of Mount Everest.

Avalanche Dangers on Pumori

While climbing Pumori is exciting, it also has dangers, especially from avalanches. Some climbing teams have faced serious accidents. For example, Spanish teams had heavy losses in 1989 and 2001 due to avalanches. A very large avalanche in 2015 caused many deaths and injuries. This avalanche was likely caused by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. It is believed to have started from the ridge between Pumori and Lingtren.

Skiing Around Everest

In 1982, a group climbing Pumori also went on a ski-hike around Mount Everest. This expedition was led by Jim Bridwell.

Notable Climbs on Pumori

Many climbers have made history on Pumori by finding new ways to reach its summit.

• In 1962, the first successful climb was made by Gerhard Lenser. He was part of a German-Swiss team.
• In 1974, a Japanese climbing club, Alpine Club Unpo, found a new route on the west side of Pumori. Minoru Takagi and Nobuyaki Kaneko reached the top on October 13.
• In 1986, two Japanese climbers, Hiroshi Aota and Yoshiki Sasahara, climbed a new route on the east side. They reached the summit on December 3.
• Also in 1986, Todd Bibler climbed the "1985 Catalan Route" on the east face, reaching the summit on December 5.
• In 2002, three women from an Iranian expedition, Leila Bahrami, Mitra Nazari, and Farhondeh, reached the summit on October 20. They climbed the southeast face to the east ridge.

Skiing Attempts

Some adventurers have tried to ski down Pumori.

• In 2013, Seb de Sainte Marie and Paul Holding attempted to climb and ski the West Face, but they were not successful.

Mountain Accidents

Climbing high mountains like Pumori can be very dangerous.

• In October 1988, two climbers from Iceland died on the mountain. Their bodies were found 30 years later, in November 2018.
• In 1989, a team of four Spanish climbers were killed by an avalanche on Pumori. Another Spanish team also died in an avalanche in September 2001.
• On October 19, 2002, five mountaineers from the Basque region were swept 600–800 meters down the southeast face. This was caused by an avalanche from falling ice blocks called seracs.
• On April 25, 2015, a strong earthquake (7.8 magnitude) hit Nepal. This caused several avalanches on and around Mount Everest. One huge avalanche, described by a witness as "coming off Pumori," hit Everest Base Camp. It traveled through part of the Khumbu Icefall and into the South Base Camp. Sadly, at least 19 people died in this event.

Images for kids

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  The 2015 Everest avalanche is reported to have started between Pumori (Left) and Lingtren (middle peak). Khumbutse is to the right.

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  Pumori and Lingtren

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  Pumori

See also

In Spanish: Pumori para niños