Hkakabo Razi

Submitted by Frank Verwijs using Add-a-Peak.

Description

Hkakabo Razi is the highest mountain in Myanmar. Myanmar was until 1987 known as Burma. The summittip borders also Tibet and India. The mountain is an extension of the Eastern Himalayas. Although low in comparison with Himalayan giants Hkakabo Razi is perennialy snowcapped. Hkakabo Razi lies in the Hkakabo Razi protected area, established in 1996 which covers over 3812 square kilometres. Before 1993 this area was not allowed to foreigners. The first recorded attempt was made in 1995 by Takashai Ozaki, from Japan. He failed due to persistent bad weather. A year later he returned, and this time succeded. Nyama Gyaltsen from Myanmar made it too. Like the main Himalayas, these mountains are heavily affected by the monsoon. Hkakabo Razi is certainly not a walkup. Huge cliffs with D+ climbing, hanging glaciers with large crevasses, and corniches, makes it a mountain not to be toyed with. The approach to the mountain is a major obstacle: Streams have to crossed over instable bridges, over huge gorges. For the most part, journeys are made on foot along footpaths that hug the mountainsides and wind through dense jungle undergrowth. Ozaki needed four weeks!(walking) to approach his basecamp above 3000m/10000ft.

• Hkakabo Razi - Wikipedia