STEVE RAZZETTI MOUNTAIN PHOTOGRAPHY AND JOURNALISM

HIMALAYA: KANGCHENDZONGA

"After travelling for three miles in this region of snow I fell down exhausted. The difficulty of breathing, produced by the extreme tenuity of the air, and increased by the exertion of the lungs in an up-hill journey at a height of over 19,000 feet, together with the glare of the snow, which terribly tired my eyes in spite of the protection afforded by my green spectacles, reduced me to a wretched state. Lama Ugyen Gya-tsho, whose condition was worse than mine on account of his corpulence, sat down on the snow in dispair..."

Babu Sarat Chandra, on reaching Pang Pema, from "How I Crossed the Jon-Tsang La", June 1879.

Wedge Peak silhouetted against the blood red sunset on the evening before the fatal storm of November 1995.Canon EOS500, 28mm, Fuji Velvia
   
A mother and child from the village of Ghunsa. Lhonak (4780m) is the principal grazing ground used by this village for their huge heards of yaks during the summer months.
  
The stupendous north face of Kangchendzonga (8598m), from the summit of Drohmo Ri (6150m). The third highest summit on earth, its name translates from the Tibetan as "Peak of the five great treasure houses in the snow". I have visited it seven times.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
Yamphudin (2150m) is the most remote settlement passed on the eight day walk-in to the south side of Kangchendzonga in Nepal.Canon A1, 28mm, Kodachrome 64
   
Children at the village of Mamankhe (circa 2000m) in the Kabeli Kola valley, garlanded for the festival of Dipawali.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
   
Otherwise known at Jannu (7710m), Kumbakharna is one of the most fearsome peaks in the entire Himalaya. This evening shot, taken from a slope high above the summer settlement of Khambachen, shows the Jannu glacier, with the north face of Jannu at its head. To the right are Sobithongie (6669m), Phole (6645 and Khabur (6332m).Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
Seen at sunset from above Khambachen.Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
   
From a mountainside above Khambachen, this shot shows the north face of Jannu (7710m) and adjacent peaks.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
   
From the moraine of the Yalung glacier above Ramze on the south side of Kangchendzonga.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
The base-camp for the north face of Kanchendzonga.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
   
Children at this marvellously named village in the Kabeli Kola valley, on the approach to the south side of Kangchendzonga.Canon A1, 28mm, Kodachrome 64
   
This peak towers over the south-face base-camp for Kangchendzonga at Ramze (4560m).Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
The entire massif, seen from over 50 miles away on the crest of the Milke Danda ridge. Jannu is on the left, the priciple summits of Kangchendzonga and Khambachen in the centre, and the peaks above the Yalung glacier on the right.Canon A1, 135mm, Kodachrome 64
   
The distant Kangchendzonga Himal seen from the ridge at Khesewa Banjang, early on in the walk in to the south fac from TapljungBronica ETRSi, 150mm, Fuji Velvia
   
Farm-houses and terraces in the Kabeli Kola valley.Canon A1, 50mm, Kodachrome 64
     
  
Looking down-country (south) from above Yamphudin, the last village on the southern approach to Kangchendzonga in Nepal.Canon A1, 28mm, Kodachrome 64
   
Seen from the south-face basecamp at Ramze (4560m).Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
   
At the head of the Yalung glacier is one of the most awesome mountain walls on earth. Rising 4000m straight up from the glacier at its highest point, it runs for a distance of over 20km and is nowhere below 7000m. In 1992 a huge Russian expedition succeeded in traversing its entire length!Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
A day's walk north of the airstrip at Taplejung (Suketar), Pathi Bara (3794M) is the highest point for miles in every direction and affords stunning vistas. There is a tiny Shiva shrine on its summit, and a night spent sleeping out up here is rewarded with this view of the Kangchendzonga Himal at dawn.Canon A1, 28mm, Fujichrome 100
   
The unmistakable hulk of Jannu (7710m) is on the left, the south face of Kangchendzonga (8598m) on the right.Canon A1, 135mm, Fujichrome 100
   
Hindu pilgrims come from far and wide to sacrifice (and eat) goats at the Shiva temple on the summit of Pathi Bara.Canon A1, 50mm, Fujichrome 100
     
  
I spent a freezing night on the summit of Pathi Bara with these guys on my first visit to the area in 1988.Canon A1, 50mm, Fujichrome 100
   
Perhaps the most amazing view from Pathi Bara is this, looking west to (left to right) Chamlang (7290m), Menlungtse (7181m), Lhotse (8383m), Makalu (8481m) and Chomolonzo (7790m). Pure Himalayan magic!Canon A1, 135mm, Fujichrome 100
   
Children at the village of Khesewa, two days into the southern approach to Kangchendzonga from the airstrip at Taplejung.Cannon A1, 50mm, Kodachrome 65
     
  
From a hillside above Ramze on the Yalung glacier.Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
   
Looking south over a sea of cloud from Ramze.Nikon A1, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
   
Clouds lapping at the southern slopes of the Kangchendzonga Himal, from Ramze.Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
Chamlang (7290m) and Makalu (8481m) seen from the crest of the Lapsang La (5100m). This is the high route, skirting around the flanks of Kangchendzonga from Ramze in the south, to the Ghunsa valley and Pang Pema in the north-west.Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Provia 100
   
The south face, seen from just below the Lapsang La (5100m).Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Provia 100
   
The Sikkim side of the massif, seen from the Singalila Ridge.Canon EOS 500, 80mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
The south-east face of Kangchendzonga (8598m) seen from atop a ridge above Dzongri in Sikkim.Canon EOS 500, 80mm, Fuji Velvia
   
The entire south-est face of Kangchendzonga and the Goecha La pass, seen from a hillside above Thangshing in Sikkim.Canon EOS 500, 80mm, Fuji Velvia
   
Schoolgirls from Darjeeling on a visit to the museum at this famous institute.Canon EOS 500, 28mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
Prayer flags on a snowy ridge above Dzongri in Sikkim.Canon EOS 500, 28mm, Fuji Velvia
   
Sunset light on this awesome peak at the head of the Yalung glacier.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
   
The summit of Talung (7349m) from Oktang on the Yalung glacier.Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
A young boy at Khesewa village near Taplejung.Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
   
Sunset light illuminating the entire south face of Kangchendzonga, from Oktang on the Yalung glacier.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
   
Two young boys at Kheswewa village, near Taplejung in eastern Nepal.Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
At sunset, from near Oktang on the Yalung glacier.Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
   
The west face at sunset, from near Oktang on the Yalung glacier.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
   
The main summits (far left) and peaks over the head of the Yalung glacier, from the Mirgin La (circa 4500m). Ramze - the south-face basecamp for Kangchendzonga - is visible by the prominent lateral moraine of the glacier.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
One of our hard-core Kangchendzonga porters!Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
   
A sad lack of imagination on the part of whoever named this beautiful 6750m peak. It towers over Pang Pema on the Kangchendzonga glacier, and would surely be famous in its own right, were it not so dramatically upstaged by its immediate neighbours.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
   
I was sitting here, at 6000m on the slopes of Drohmo Ri, enjoying a peaceful smoke, when these normally timid bharal, or Tibetan blue sheep, came to within a hundred metres. The mountains beyond are the Sharphu Himal, which rise to 6400m.Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Felvia
     
  
A view north, over the intermediate ridge of Drohmo (aka Longridge Peak, for obvious reasons) to Jongsang Peak (7473m) and the Tibetan border. Jongsang is on the left, with Pyramid (7123m), Tent Peak (7365m) and Nepal Peak (7168m).Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
   
From the summit of Drohmo Ri (6150m), above Pang Pema.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
   
A Bhotia boy at the village of Ghunsa.Nikon FM2, 105mm, Fuji Velvia
     
  
A lama with his novice at this tiny monastery below GunsaBronica ETRSi, 75mm, Fuji Velvia
   
Waiting for the daily flight to Nepalganj. This is the old departure gate at this tiny airfield atop an airy ridge at Taplejung.Nikon FM2, 24mm, Fuji Velvia
   
At the tiny Shiva shrine above the Yalung glacier, with the south face of Kangchendzonga beyondCanon A1, 28mm, Fuji RDP