Shivling (mountain)

Shivling forms the western gateway for the lower Gangotri Glacier, opposite the triple-peaked Bhagirathi massif. It lies on a spur projecting out from the main ridge that forms the southwest side of the Gangotri Glacier basin; this ridge contains other well-known peaks such as Bhagirathi, Thalay Sagar and Meru. It was also called Mahadeo Ka Linga or (Mahadev Ka Linga) Appearing as a single pyramid when seen from Gaumukh, Shivling is actually a twin-summited mountain, with the northeast summit being slightly higher than the southwest summit, . Between Gaumukh and Shivling lies the Tapovan meadow, a popular pilgrimage site due to its inspiring view of the mountain. Shivling is well-defended on all sides by steep rock faces; only the west flank has a moderate enough slope for snow accumulation. ==Climbing history==

After British exploration of the Gangotri Glacier in 1933, a German expedition led by R. Schwarzgruber climbed nearby peaks and did a reconnaissance of Shivling in 1938. They reported "no feasible route" on the mountain due to its steepness and the threat of falling seracs. On 25 May 2012, Valery Rozov made the first BASE jump from the summit of Shivling at an altitude of wearing a wingsuit. In September 2024, an Indian-led expedition consisting of Indian mountaineers Kanak Puri, Rialch Rajat and Vivek Anand, along with German-Swiss alpinist and physician Christian Crott, attempted another ascent via the West Face under the leadership of Sunny Sharma (White Magic) and Sherpas Pasang, Ang Kami, and Lenthup Bhutia in expedition style. Due to increased icefall and avalanches (the biggest one very close to CII), the summit team withdrew from Camp II at 5,800 m after five days. The plan for a second summit attempt had to be abandoned due to unusual low pressure over northern India, which brought heavy rain and snowfall, particularly over Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. ==References==