CONQUERING THE HEIGHTS
MONT BLANC The Alps are the most extensive mountain range in Europe, and its highest peak is Mont Blanc, at 4807 meters above sea level, at the same time the highest peak in the Western Europe and in France, and the second highest peak in Europe. For centu ries, the French and Italian villagers who live at the base of Mont Blanc have been grassing cattle on the lush slopes of this mountain, while today many parts of Mont Blanc are popular ski resorts and main source of income for the local population.
Did You Know?
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In French, Mont Blanc means White Mountain.
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THE FIRST WINTER OLYMPICS The first Winter Olympics were held in the town of Chamonix on Mont Blanc (the French part is at 1035 above sea level) in 1924.
The Pioneers Conquer Mont Blanc Although it lies at the heart of Europe, throughout history, Mont Blanc was a mystery. In the past, people were convinced that there are evil froces living in the highest regions of Mont Blanc, ready to envelop in eterlna darkness anyone who got lost. However, in 1742 a scientist Pierre Martel pointed out that Mont Blanc might be the highest peak in Europe and after that many explorers were ready to go on an expedition into the heights of Mont Blanc. The first to climb the highest point of Mont Blanc were doctor Michael Paccard and his guide, an adventurer and chamois hunter, Jacques Balmat. They conquered the summit in 1786, and to this day, this is considered one of the greatest achievements in the history of mountaineering.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PACCAR’S AND BALMAT’S ACHIEVEMENT
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CHARACTERISTICS The Mont Blanc mountain range is 40km long and has a maximum width of 16km, spreading over three coun tries: France, Italy and Switzerland. The highest peak is on the French territory.
INTERESTING FACT
Encouraged by the great accomplishment of the two explorers who climbed Mont Blanc, many other ex plorers start their exploration of the mountain tops all over the planet. Although, through centuries, people cov ered vast expanses of land, as well as ocean, discovering new continents and civilizations, only after Paccard’s and Balmat’s achieve did men start conquering the highest mountain tops.
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CONQUERING THE HEIGHTS
MOUNT ELBRUS
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Mount Elbrus lies at the far east of Europe and it is part of the Caucasus Mountains. Elbrus lies in the southern part of the European part of Russia, near the Georgian border. Elbrus has two peaks, the western, at 5,642m above sea level, and the east ern, at 5,621m above sea level. These to peaks are the highest points in Europe and Russia, and the western peak is the tenth highest peak in the world.
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AN EXTINCT VOLCANO Elbrus is an inactive volcano. At the very top there is a 300-400m wide crater. Although a long time ago red-hot lava erupted from the crater, today this place is covered in permafrost. It is believed that the last eruption took place in 50 BC.
The Conquerors of the Highest Peaks of Europe
The eastern peak of Elbrus was first conquered in 1829, by Kilar Hashirov, a member of the Imperial Russian Army. Slightly higher, western peak, was first conquered by the members of the British expedition, led by Florence Grove, Frederick Gardner, Horace Walker, Peter Knubel and their guide, Ahiya Sottaiev. They were the first men who climbed the highest peak in Europe in 1874.
AN UNEXPECTED ATTRACTION
THE DANGERS OF ELBRUS Even though, unlike some other mountains, the climb to the top of Elrbus is technically not very demanding, Elbrus is one of the deadliest mountains in the world. Strong winds and deep pits hidden under the snow have taken a great number of human lives. The darkest day happened in 2004, when 48 mountaineers, who wanted to reach the top, lost their lives on the slopes of Elbrus.
INTERESTING FACT
At 5,400 m above sea level, anyone who starts climbing to the top of Elbrus will come across something unusual – the wreckage of a landrover! In 1996, a team of Russian adven turers decided to climb a car to the top of Elbrus. After a lot of comlications, they managed to do that, but on their way back, the car slipped and was badly damaged after hitting a rock. Luckily, no one was hurt, and the remains of the rover became an attraction for the mountaineers.
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CONQUERING THE HEIGHTS
KILIMANJARO Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa. It lies in southeast Tanzania, on the border with Kenya. The amazing beauty of this mountain is enhanced by its different climate zones: while the climate at the base is tropical, on the top it is alpine. What makes Kilimanjaro unique is also the diversity of its plant and animal life, which is why Mount Kilimanjaro is protected by UNESCO1 since1987.
Did You Know?
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INTERESTING FACT
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The name Kilimanjaro comes from the African words Kilima and Njaro, which means White Hill.
CHARACTERISTICS Kilimanjaro is of volcanic origin. It cosists of three inactive volcanoes: Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo. The highest peak Uhuru, at 5,895m, is on Kibo. Between these three volcanoes lies the Saddle Plateau, the largest tundra2 region in Africa, spreading over 3,600 hectares.
ยน The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 2 A vast plain covered in low vegetation.
The Expeditions to the Top
The first men to reach the highest point in Africa were German geologist Hans Meyer and Austrian mountaineer Ludwig Purtscheller. Their first two attempts to reach the top of Kibo were unsuccessful because of their physical exhaustion and inadequate equipment. After they established several campsites with supplies – so that they were no longer forced to climb down for food and equipment – they finally climbed the summit of Kilimanjaro in 1889. When they reached the top and saw an enormous crater, these two mountaineers were the first to discover that Mount Kilimanjaro is of volcanic origin.
The Conquerors of Kilimanjaro
In 2014, the world was amazed when the Swiss, Karl Egloff managed to climb to the top and back in 6 hours and 42 minutes! The oldest person to reach the Uhuru peak was Angela Vorobeva (86 years and 267 days), while the youngest was an American boy, Keats Boyd, who was only 7 years old at the time.
The glaciers covering the peaks of Kilimanjaro are about 12,000 years old, but because of the global warming, almost 80% of them have disappeared since 1912, and it is believed that they will com pletely disappear by 2033.
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