ZEMU GLACIER CAVES
27.766700,88.416700
Description
WADDELL (1899a) counted »four distinct caves in the ice« and WHITE (1909) noticed »three ice caverns« in the Zemu / Zemoo Glacier (note 1). SITUATION (WHITE 1909 edited 1971, 1983, 1984: 69): »The glacier is the largest in Sikkim and is fed from the northern slopes of Siniolchu [note 2] and Simvoo [note 3] and the eastern slopes of Kangchenjunga [note 4], and with it are incorporated some large glaciers [note 5] from the ridge running to the north of Kangchen [Khangchendonga]. With the exception of the upper part the glacier is very rough, with enormous holes covered with huge masses of debris, and in this resembles that to the south of Giucha La [note 6].« CAVE DESCRIPTION 1: WADDELL (1899a: 233-234 and note 28) refers to one photographer T. Hoffmann and his »too brief narrative« (note 7) and adds: »After a hard climb we reached the base of the glacier at a height of 13,800 ft [4.200 m]. Here we counted four distinct caves in the ice. … On close examination the ice is very beautiful, and the ice caves [sic! for: glacier caves] out of which the river rushes are magnificent. The colouring of the ice was very lovely, varying in every shade of green and from pale turquoise blue to almost black in the depths of the caves, with opalescent tints where the sun's rays struck its edges.« CAVE DESCRIPTION 2: WHITE (1909 edited 1971, 1983, 1984: 68-69): »The Zemu glacier ends, about one-third of a mile [about 500 m or so]up the valley … in an ice cliff in which are three ice caverns out of which the Zemu river rushes in turbulent, muddy torrents.« WHITE (1909 edited 1984: 57) counts the Zemu among those glaciers, which »are completely cut up, have enormous holes in them, and over which it would be quite impossible to march« and which »appear more like a rough sea suddenly frozen into enormous hummocks of ice.«
NOTE 1: WADDEL (1899a: 233-234 and note 28) says the »Zemoo glacier« is the »Thlonok« of HOOKER (1855 / 1980, XX: 76) who himself reckons »The foot of the stupendous glacier filling the broad head of the Thlonok is certainly not below 14,000 feet [4276 m asl] …« »Zemu Glacier« (N27°45': E088°16' nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) is indicated near N27°45'30”: E088°15'30” on AMS sheet NG45-03 Kanchenjungs (U502 series, 1963 edition) with it's snout adjacent west of »Yabuk« (Ya Phug?), a »mine« at N27°46': E088°25': circa 13,500 feet / 4115 m asl. NOTE 2: Siniolchu, Simiolchu N27°43': E088°19' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003): 5780 m asl (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 519 map).NOTE 3: Khangchendzonga N27°42': E088°08' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003): 8598 m asl (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 519 map). NOTE 4: »Simvoo« (WHITE 1909) is indicated as »Simvo 22348« near N27°35': E088°15': 6812 m asl on AMS sheet NG45-03 Kanchenjungs (U502 series, 1963 edition). NOTE 5: Prominent among the glaciers descending from the ridge north of Khangchendzonga are Twins Glacier, Nepal Gap Glacier, and Tent Peak Glacier. NOTE 6: »Giucha La« (WHITE 1909) is the pass Goeche La N27°37'30”: E088°12' (AMS sheet NG45-03 Kanchenjungs, U502 series, 1963 edition): 4940 m asl (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 535). NOTE 7: Neither »photographer T. Hoffmann« nor his »too brief narrative« is identified.
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16.3 | PASSAMPHYAKU CAVE | ||
| 17.1 | PASSAMPHYAKU | ||
| 106.6 | GANGYUL (Cave at) | ||
| 121.8 | DECHEN PHUG, Tashi Cho Dzong | ||
| 124.8 | TANGO DIGLAM | ||
| 132.7 | JINKA DRADUK | ||
| 135.6 | PAREP CAVE (Cave of) | ||
| 140.4 | NAGRI RINCHEN PHUG | ||
| 225.0 | SA DKAR RDZONG |