It is forbidden to climb Gangkhar Puensum, but what's really stopping anyone?
In Bhutan, it is illegal to climb any mountain higher than 6000m, but what is stopping anyone from doing it anyway, and how likely is it that you would be found out?
I cannot imagine it is feasible to protect the mountains with a fence, or guards, and a person would be nearly impossible to spot on a mountain at a distance, so what is the mechanism for enforcement of this law?
Best Answer
In addition to the good answer you already have it's worth noting than climbing of all kinds had a very strong sense of ethics. This covers sporting integrity, environmental impact and cultural sensitivity, plus safety of course. 6000m+ mountaineering is also a pretty niche pursuit with a small community and you'd be unlikely to get to this level without first being at least somewhat known by that community. These factors together mean that to some extent these things are self policing. Of course there are always exceptions, so I'm sure it would be possible with very careful planning, but you wouldn't win much praise for it.
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Why is Gangkhar Puensum prohibited?
Gangkhar Puensum has been off limits to climbers since 1994 when Bhutan prohibited all mountaineering above 6,000 m (20,000 ft) due to spiritual/religious beliefs.Can you climb Gangkhar Puensum?
Climbing is banned on Gangkhar Puensum Out of respect for local spiritual beliefs, mountaineering is forbidden in Bhutan. There were four unsuccessful summit attempts before the mountain was closed to climbing in 1994.Is Gangkhar Puensum taller than Everest?
But most sources consider a mountain in Bhutan, Gangkhar Puensum or \u201cWhite Peak of the Three Spiritual Brothers,\u201d to be the highest unclimbed peak in the world. This mountain lies on the border of Bhutan and China and reaches 24,836 feet above sea level. For reference, Mount Everest is 29,029 feet above sea level.Why is Muchu Chhish unclimbed?
Muchu Chhish is one of the tallest mountains on Earth that remain unclimbed and is the tallest one of all that is not off limits due to religious or political prohibitions....Muchu ChhishClimbingFirst ascentUnclimbedEasiest routeTechnical9 more rowsLevison Wood Finally Reaches Gangkhar Puensum | Levison Wood: Walking The Himalayas
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