RAKHIOT PEAK (Cave on the)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An estimated 15 m wide and high cave entrance gives access to a cave passage which leads after some 75 m to a snow plug. The cave is only superficially explored but the most frequently mentioned cave of Pakistan as it was claimed to be a solution cave at a record breaking world's highest known cave location (note 1) on the avalanche-swept east face of the south spine (arête) of Rakhiot Peak (note 2) on the Nanga Parbat (note 3) massif in the Kashmiri Himalaya (KAZIMER, A 1963: 127), Indus Kohistan, Diamir district, Northern Areas province. POSITION: N35°15’31”: E074°38’25” (unspecified geodetic datum, KAZIMER, A 1963: 127). ELEVATIONS: 6767 m or 22'200 feet (KAZIMER, A 1963: 127; HUGHES, D 1988: 357). 6700 m KÓSA, A (1976 after KAZIMER, A 1963: 127); TRIMMEL, H (1976: 265) 6645 m or 21'860 feet in: McWHIRTER, N D & McWHIRTER, A R (1970); COURBON, P (1986: 80); COURBON, P et al. 1989: 137); DUCLUZAUX, B (1993a: 50) 6600 m COURBON, P (1972: 24; 1979: 21) 6600 m or 21'650 ft (Mar A. Minton 1999.12.09a, 1999.12.09b). 6540 m BALÁZS, D (1972: 39); KUBASSEK, J (1981: 36 after BALÁZS, D 1972: 39) 665 m DUCLUZAUX, B & JUBERTHIE, C (2001: 1965). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The unexpectedly large cave entrance (45 x 45 feet or about 15 m wide and high) gives access to an estimated 250 feet (note 4) long solution cave passage (no width or height mentioned) which lead in July 1963 to a terminal snow and ice plug. The cave, which is said to have formed not only in metamorphosed sediments (KAZIMER, A 1963: 127) or in a marble band in a region of magmatic gneiss (WALTHAM, A -Tony- C 1971h: 79) but also in paragneiss (SINGH, R L 1995: 352), is suspected to have developed during the first stages of Pliocene Himalayan uplift -- presuming subsequent tectonic complications sparing the cave. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1963a: On 2 July 1963 the loftiest cave on earth was discovered in the Kashmiri Himalaya. E. Meinziger and J. R. Caldwell, descending the south arête of Rakhiot Pk, Nanga Parbat massf, discovered the solution cave in metamorphsed sediments at an elevation of 22,200 feet. The 45 x 45 foot entrance is on the avalanche-swept east face of of the arête at 35°15'31”N, 74°38'25”E. The cave could only be traversed for 250 feet before it became completely choked with ice and snow. Formation of the cave, extent unknown, took place in the first stages of Pliocene uplift when the mass had just emerged from the ancient Tethys Sea. Absence of subsequent tectonic complications in the massif has spared the cave (KAZIMER, A 1963: 127). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1963b: A világ legmagasabban fekvö barlangja: A világ legmélyebbre nyúló barlangjainak ranglistájáról gyakran olvasunk. Ezúttal viszont arról érkezett hír, hogy 1963. júliusában felfedezték a világ legmagasabban fekvö barlangját a Himalája Kasmir felöli részében E. Meinzinger és J.R.Caldwell a Nanga Parbat csoportjához tartozó Rakhiot csúcs oldalán leereszkedve, 6700 m magasságban, oldott formákat mutató barlangot találtak, melnek 13x13 m-es bejárata a hegy lavinaszaggatta keleti oldalában nyílik ( É 35° 15’31”, K 74° 38’25”). A barlang 75 m hosszúságban járható, azontúl teljesen eltömi a hó és jég. (NSS News, 1963. p.127) (KÓSA, A 1963).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1968: Die am 2. Juli 1963 von Meinzinger und Caldwell entdeckte Höhle am Südhang des Rakhiot Peak im Gebiet des Naga Parbat, die sich in einer Höhe von 6700 m öffnet, gilt derzeit als die höchstegelegene der Erde (TRIMMEL, H 1968: 265).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1971: The cave appears to be formed in one of a number of marble bands, none thicker than 30 m, in a region of magmatic gneiss (WALTHAM, Tony [Anthony C] 1971h: 79). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1972a: Távolabb kelet felé a híres Nanga Parbat-csúcs emelkedik, amelynek felépítésében m´rvanyrétegek is részt vesznek. Itt fedesték fel 1963-ban a 84 m hosszú Rakhoit Peak-barangot, amely 6540 m tszf. magasságban nyílik, s jelenlegi ismereteink szerint földünkön ez a legmasabb fekvésü barlang (BALÁZS, D 1972: 39).CAVE DESCRIPTIN 1972b: Grotte de Rakhiot Pic, Nanga Parbat, Cachemire, 6.600 m (COURBON, P 1972: 24; 1979: 21).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1981: … Nanga Parbatcsúcs oldalában, 6540 m tszf. magasságban taálható a Rakhoit Peak Cave, Földunk legmagasabb fekvésú barlangja (BALÀZS 1972) (KUBASSEK, J 1981: 36).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1986: La grotte plus élevée du monde sur l'arête sud du pic de Rakhoit [sic!] Pic, à 6.645 m (COURBON, P et al. 1986: 80). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1988: The highest cavern yet known in the world has been found in the Himalaya according to the September 1963 NSS News. The entrance is 45 ft on a side and is located at an elevation of 22,200 ft. The discoverers managed to traverse the cave for 250 ft before being halted by an ice blockage. Presumably, the formation of the cave occurred during the early stages of the Pliocene uplift and the absence of tectonic action in the massif has preserved the cavern (HUGHES, D 1988: 357 after KAZIMER, A 1963: 127). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1989: Highest known cave of th world…Rakhoit [sic!] Peak … at 6,645 m (COURBON, P et al. 1989: 137).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1991: Rakhiot Peak cave is the highest known (BROOKS, S J 1991, 1993d). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1993: … la grotte la plus élevée du monde s'ouvre à 6645 mètres d'altitude dans du marbre … sur l'arête sud du pic de Rakhoit (7070 m) (DUCLUZAUX, B 1993a: 50). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1999a: In CD 5650/9 Donald Davies asked about the world's highest elevation caves [note 5] …: What is the highest carbonate solution cave known in the world? About 30 years ago, I recall seeing [a] reference (perhaps in the NSS News?) to a cave in the Himalayas at an elevation something like 18,000 feet. I believe this was described as a fossil cave dating from before the mountain had been elevated to a permanently frozen one … The probable source of Donald's memory is Paul Courbon's -Atlas des Grandes Gouffres du Monde-. The 1979 edition gives the following information (p. 21). (Lists of high elevation caves have since been ropped from the newer versions of the -Atlas-.) Rakhiot Pic on Nanga Parbat in Kashmirm India is at 6,600 m (21,650 ft). It is only 75 m long [note 6], and ends in an ice plug. This cave is not mentioned in Daniel Gebauer's -Caves of India and Nepal- (1983) … (Mark A. Minton 1999.12.09a).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1999b: In an earlier reply I said: [A cave on] -Rakhiot Peak on Nanga Parbat in Kashmir, India is at 6,600 m (21,650 ft). It is only 75 m long, and ends in an ice plug. The cave is not mentioned in Daniel Gebauer's -Caves of India and Nepal- (1983). Actually it is in Pakistan, so it's no wonder it isn't mentioned in -Caves of India and Nepal-! A little further research revealed that the cave was discovered in 1963 by the Meinzinger-Caldwell team, at 6645 m (21,800 ft), and is formed in marble. Thus if Iain Barker's assertion in CD 5651/10 is correct [note 7], there are two different extremely high elevation caves in the Himalayas … (Mark A. Minton 1999.12.09b). CAVE DESCRIPTON 2001: … à 665 m d'altitude sur la flancs du Rakhiot Peak … la plus hautre grotte du monde (DUCLUZAUX & JUBERTHIE 2001: 1965). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2002: Rakoit Peak Cave (sic!) is the world's highest cave (BROOKS, S J et al. 2002: 15).ropped from the newer versions of the -Atlas-.) Rakhiot Pic on Nanga Parbat in Kashmirm India is at 6,600 m (21,650 ft). It is only 75 m long [note 6], and ends in an ice plug. This cave is not mentioned in Daniel Gebauer's -Caves of India and Nepal- (1983) … (Mark A. Minton 1999.12.09a).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1999b: In an earlier reply I said: [A cave on] -Rakhiot Peak on Nanga Parbat in Kashmir, India is at 6,600 m (21,650 ft). It is only 75 m long, and ends in an ice plug. The cave is not mentioned in Daniel Gebauer's -Caves of India and Nepal- (1983). Actually it is in Pakistan, so it's no wonder it isn't mentioned in -Caves of India and Nepal-! A little further research revealed that the cave was discovered in 1963 by the Meinzinger-Caldwell team, at 6645 m (21,800 ft), and is formed in marble. Thus if Iain Barker's assertion in CD 5651/10 is correct [note 7], there are two different extremely high elevation caves in the Himalayas … (Mark A. Minton 1999.12.09b). CAVE DESCRIPTropped from the newer versions of the -Atlas-.) Rakhiot Pic on Nanga Parbat in Kashmirm India is at 6,600 m (21,650 ft). It is only 75 m long [note 6], and ends in an ice plug. This cave is not mentioned in Daniel Gebauer's -Caves of India and Nepal- (1983) … (Mark A. Minton 1999.12.09a).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1999b: In an earlier reply I said: [A cave on] -Rakhiot Peak on Nanga Parbat in Kashmir, India is at 6,600 m (21,650 ft). It is only 75 m long, and ends in an ice plug. The cave is not mentioned in Daniel Gebauer's -Caves of India and Nepal- (1983). Actually it is in Pakistan, so it's no wonder it isn't mentioned in -Caves of India and Nepal-! A little further research revealed that the cave was discovered in 1963 by the Meinzinger-Caldwell team, at 6645 m (21,800 ft), and is formed in marble. Thus if Iain Barker's assertion in CD 5651/10 is correct [note 7], there are two different extremely high elevation caves in the Himalayas … (Mark A. Minton 1999.12.09b). CAVE DESCRIPTropped from the newer versions of the -Atlas-.) Rakhiot Pic on Nanga Parbat in Kashmirm India is at 6,600 m (21,650 ft). It is only 75 m long [note 6], and ends in an ice plug. This cave is not mentioned in Daniel Gebauer's -Caves of India and Nepal- (1983) … (Mark A. Minton 1999.12.09a).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1999b: In an earlier reply I said: [A cave on] -Rakhiot Peak on Nanga Parbat in Kashmir, India is at 6,600 m (21,650 ft). It is only 75 m long, and ends in an ice plug. The cave is not mentioned in Daniel Gebauer's -Caves of India and Nepal- (1983). Actually it is in Pakistan, so it's no wonder it isn't mentioned in -Caves of India and Nepal-! A little further research revealed that the cave was discovered in 1963 by the Meinzinger-Caldwell team, at 6645 m (21,800 ft), and is formed in marble. Thus if Iain Barker's assertion in CD 5651/10 is correct [note 7], there are two different extremely high elevation caves in the Himalayas … (Mark A. Minton 1999.12.09b). CAVE DESCRIPTON 2001: … à 665 m d'altitude sur la flancs du Rakhiot Peak … la plus hautre grotte du monde (DUCLUZAUX & JUBERTHIE 2001: 1965). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2002: Rakoit Peak Cave (sic!) is the world's highest cave (BROOKS, S J et al. 2002: 15).