Meru Peak

Meru Peak is a summit in the Garhwal Himalayas within Uttarkashi district, standing between Thalay Sagar and Shivling at 6660 meters. The three pinnacles rise at different elevations and form a continuous ridge of rock and ice extending from south to north.

The central peak stayed unclimbed until 2011 when Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk completed the Shark's Fin route. This line had been considered one of the hardest and most dangerous in the entire Himalayan range before that ascent.

The name Meru comes from Sanskrit and describes how the mountain resembles a spine rising through the Garhwal range. This naming follows Indian traditions of calling landscapes by their shape, with the three peaks appearing like stacked segments along a single ridge.

Travelers go from Dehradun by bus to Uttarkashi and onward to Gangotri before trekking up to the Tapovan base camp. The trail passes through pine forests and glacier moraines, with altitude rising steadily over several days.

In 2006 Glenn Singleman and Heather Swan performed a BASE jump from 6604 meters, setting a temporary world record for altitude. The jump took place near the south summit and was complicated by freezing winds and thin air at that elevation.

Location: Uttarkashi district

Elevation above the sea: 6,660 m

GPS coordinates: 30.86721,79.03382

Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:02