The Valley of Silence (also known as the Valley of Silence , the Western Circus or the Western Car , English Valley of Silence or Western Cwm [1] ) is a wide, flat, slightly hilly glacial valley (glacial basin) located at the foot of the Lhodze Jomolungma Wall. It was so named by George Mallory in 1921 during the “British Reconnaissance Expedition”, which for the first time explored the upper parts of Chomolungma in search of routes for future ascents to the top [2] .
Modern ascenders also go to the summit of Chomolungma through the Valley of Silence; It is located on the southeast route after the Khumbu Icefall . The central part of the valley is cut by large transverse clefts stretching from there to the very top of this glacier. Climbers climbing to the top have to go around these crevices to the right, where a narrow, passable path stretches along the foot of Nuptse , known as the “ Nuptse corner ”. But there are stunning views of the upper 2400 meters of Chomolungma ( the top of the mountain is not visible from the Base Camp ; the climbers see it for the first time from here).
The snow-covered cup-shaped slopes of the valley reflect and intensify the sunlight, which warms up the Valley of Silence noticeably, despite the fact that it is located at a considerable height of 6000–6800 m above sea level [3] . In clear calm weather in some places in the Valley of Silence, the temperature reaches +35 ° C , and it becomes difficult to pass them because of such heat.
Notes
- ↑ Translator's note : “cwm” is pronounced “cuum”; it is a Welsh word for round valley, ice circus or map
- ↑ Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster. - New York: Villard, 1997. - ISBN 0-385-49478-5 . p. 7
- ↑ Krakauer 186-187