Posted by Dave W on May 22, 2000 at 22:42:17 from dewaller.demon.co.uk:
For some time I have been wondering about the choice of the name Kanchenjunga. I think this name was chosen by Titty?
My researches so far have discovered that it is situated in the Himalayas and is the third highest mountain in the world at 28,169 feet. From 1838 until 1849 it was believed to be the highest.
Everest has a height of 29,035 feet by the current measurement.
Attempts were made on both peaks in the twenties, British teams failing on Everest in 1922 and 1924 (the latter being the occasion of the disappearance of Mallory and Irvine).
Kanchenjunga was attempted in 1929 by a Bavarian expedition, and by another German party in 1931.
The successful climbs of both mountains were not achieved until the 1950s.
Possibly, since AR was out of the UK until about 1925, he might have been less aware of the attempts on Everest compared with the 1929/1931 attempts on Kanchenjunga?
Or maybe the name Kanchenjunga ( often translated as Five Treasures of the Great Snow), has a much more romantic sound to capture the interest of youthful explorers.