The Great White Part 6: Snowy Summits Quiz

Answer: Tibetan Buddhists

The Meili Snow Mountains are in the Chinese province of Yunnan, between the Hu (Salween) and Mekong Rivers. The range includes six peaks over 6,000 m (19,700 ft), none of which have ever been summitted. Kawagebo or Kawagarbo, the tallest, is 6,740 m (22,110 ft) above sea level. Climbers from Japan and the USA made several unsuccessful attempts to climb the mountain in the 1980s and 1990s before the Chinese banned future expeditions for cultural and religious reasons. Kawagebo is considered a holy mountain by Tibetan Buddhists. Thousands journey there to follow the 800-year-old pilgrimage route that encircles it. Tibetans believe there is divinity in the snowy areas of every mountain. By circling Kawagebo, they hope their sins can be cleansed, helping them to reach nirvana.


Question submitted by pitegny.

Answer: Executive Committee Range

The Executive Committee Range consists of five dormant volcanoes located around 126° West (approximately the same longitude as Vancouver and Seattle) and 75° South. It was discovered during a 1940 flight over the area, except for Mount Sidley which had already been spotted and named six years prior. It is Antarctica's highest volcano. There are two conflicting values given for its height - 4,181 m (13,717 ft) and 4,285 m (14,058 ft). The first ascent of the mountain was in 1990.

Question submitted by WesleyCrusher.

Answer: Pyrenees

Aneto, also known in France as the Pic de Néthou, lies in the Pyrenees, just six kilometres (four miles) from the French border. It stretches up to 3,404 m (11,168 ft) above sea level and forms the eastern section of the Maladeta Massif. Much of the massif remains snow-capped all-year round. Aneto also boasts several glaciers, including the major one that gave its name to the mountain, although they all shrank significantly over the 20th century - a process that has continued into the 21st century. Despite its snow and ice cover, much of the massif, including the summit of Aneto, can be reached from the Renclusa Refuge (which provides accommodation for both climbers and skiers), via a route that takes up to around 12 hours and includes having to cross an extremely steep-sided ridge.

Question submitted by Fifiona81.

Answer: "Journey to the Center of the Earth" by Jules Verne

Snaefellsjokull is the mountain peak in Jules Verne's novel that houses the entrance to the centre of the Earth and from where Professor Lidenbrock begins his adventure. In reality, Snaefellsjokull is one of the most visited locations in Iceland. It is located on the end of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and can be seen from Reykjavik on clear days.

Question submitted by Joepetz.

Answer: Mawson Peak

This external territory of Australia is a barren, snow and ice covered, volcanic group of Antarctic Islands. The group's overall size is 372 sq km (144 sq mi) in area. Mawson Peak, on Big Ben Massif, is an active volcano and is higher than any mountain on the Australian mainland. These islands are among the most remote places on Earth. The territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands is uninhabited.

Question submitted by em1958.

Answer: North Korea

On the border between China and North Korea rises Baekdu San, also spelt Paektu San. It reaches an altitude of just over 9,000 feet, but probably has been taller: the top of this volcano is flattened by a caldera lake, which freezes over in the winter. Koreans and Manchus consider it a divine place, and the caldera lake is called Lake Heaven in the local language. The Baekdu San is by far the tallest mountain in both Koreas.

Question submitted by JanIQ.

Answer: The North Face of the Eiger

The Eiger is one of a group of three mountains in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. It overlooks the small villages of Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. Despite many attempts, some fatal, by experienced climbers, the North Face remained unconquered until 1938, when a team of four climbers found a way up the face. This involved a number of difficult traverses and several nights spent on the mountain (bivouacs).

Question submitted by windrush.

Answer: Australia

Not much can excite the Western Australian media and public more than the possibility of snow on Bluff Knoll if the conditions are right. People will drive and wait for hours to see "real snow" on Bluff Knoll, approximately a five-hour drive from the state's capital, Perth. One of the heaviest snowfalls was in 1992 when twenty centimetres (nearly eight inches) fell on the peak. There was even light snowfall at the base, 450 m (1,476 ft) below. It might not seem a lot to those people who deal with shovelling snow all winter; however it's a massive event in the hot, dry state of Western Australia.

Question submitted by Lones78.

Answer: Bhutan

Located in the Himalayas, Gangkhar Puensum has a height of 7,570 m (24,836 ft) making it the tallest mountain in Bhutan. Its name translates to "White Peak of the Three Spiritual Brothers" in the local Dzongkha language. Bhutan was closed to mountaineering until 1983. When it opened up, four different attempts were made to scale this lofty peak, but none of them succeeded. In 1994, Bhutan once again banned any attempts to climb peaks higher than 2,000 meters. This was done to honour local beliefs which hold that these are abodes of the spirits. In 2003, the country extended the ban to prohibit mountaineering completely.

Question submitted by zorba_scank.

Answer: Mont Blanc

The Mont Blanc (White Mountain in English, Monte Bianco in Italian) is the tallest mountain in the Alps at more than 4,808 m (15,777 ft) above sea level. It is located on the border between France and Italy and belongs to both. Almost 100 deaths are recorded there every year, including both climbers and skiers. Part of the problem is its accessibility. Because it is a much less technical climb than other peaks of its size, many beginners tackle it with guides. Weather conditions are very changeable which does not help. Large numbers of people attempt the ascent, an average of 300 per day. Those with reservations in the scarce shelters, often take the risk even when the weather is doubtful. On perfect weather days, the climbers when seen from afar look like a line of ants winding their way up the mountain.

Question submitted by pitegny.