| Nangpa La (Khumbu La) | |
|---|---|
 Traveling caravan crossing the Nangpa La. TheLunag Ri is in the background. | |
| Elevation | 5,716 m (18,753 ft) |
| Location | Nepal (Khumjung) –China (Tibet) |
| Range | Himalayas |
| Coordinates | 28°06′28″N86°35′17″E / 28.10778°N 86.58806°E /28.10778; 86.58806 |
  Nangpa La (Khumbu La)  Nangpa La (Khumbu La) | |
| Nangpa La | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 囊帕拉山口 | ||
| Simplified Chinese | 囊帕拉山口 | ||
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Nangpa La (Chinese:囊帕拉山口 also known asChinese:朗喀巴山口) (el. 5,806 m or 19,050 ft) is a highmountain pass crossing theHimalayas and theNepal-Tibet Autonomous Region border a few kilometres west ofCho Oyu and some 30 km (20 mi) northwest ofMount Everest.[1] A foot-trail over Nangpa La is the traditional trade and pilgrimage route connectingTibetans andSherpas ofKhumbu and its historical name wasKhumbu La. This was the location of the 2006Nangpa La shootings.
From this pass theMahalangur section of the Himalaya extend east past Cho Oyu,Gyachung Kang, Everest,Ama Dablam andMakalu to the gorge of theArun River. TheRolwaling Himalayas includingGauri Sankar andMelungtse rise west and southwest of the pass.
In 1951 Dane Klaus Becker-Larsen and two Sherpas attempted theNorth Col, but turned back because of rockfall. He had minimal equipment and no mountaineering experience. He may have been the first Westener to reach Nangpa La.[2]
The1952 British Cho Oyu expedition led byEric Shipton established a base at Lunak below the Nangpa La Pass. Shipton wanted to avoid any clashes with Chinese troops, but eventually agreed to a camp just short of the Nangpa La, and to send a party to attempt the first crossing of the Nup La pass which could be quickly withdrawn if Chinese troops were sighted. ButEd Hillary,George Lowe and three Sherpas crossed the Nup La col and then went "deep into Chinese territory" like "a couple of naughty schoolboys".[3]
In 2006, Chinese border guards of thePeople's Armed Police (PAP) opened fire on 75 unarmed Tibetan refugees as they traversed waist-deep snow in theNangpa La shooting incident, killing 17-year-old Buddhist nunKelsang Namtso and leading to the disappearance of a further 17 refugees. Despite an attempted Chinese coverup, several foreign climbers at base camps on Cho Oyu managed to video and photograph the situation as it unfolded and the events drew widespread international condemnation when shown to the outside world.[4][5][6]
| On the border |
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| In the interior |
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