乞力马扎罗――赤道最后的雪

一直以来,乞力马扎罗的雪顶引发世人无限遐想,连大文豪海明威也被它的魅力折服,写下了著名短篇小说《乞力马扎罗的雪》(The Snows of Kilimanjaro)。然而,赤道上独一无二的雪正在迅速消失。如果不是有图为证,你一定难以相信万年冰川在一百年间已所剩无几。专家预测,非洲第一高峰的雪很可能在2020年完全消失。气候问题的警钟再次敲响,假若不采取措施,地球气候将在不久的将来发生剧烈变化,从而引发更多自然灾害,直接威胁到人类和地球的生存。

It is called “the roof of Africa.” Rising 19,340 feet, nearly four miles into the sky, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest point on the entire African continent.

Located in northeastern Tanzania in East Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro is about equidistant[等距的] from Cairo to the north and Cape Town to the south, around 220 miles south of the equator[赤道]. The majestic[庄严的] snow-capped peaks of Kilimanjaro have long captured the world’s imagination.

Thousands have traveled to Tanzania to climb the mountain or to view its famous glacier-covered peak. One such visitor, the American author Ernest Hemingway, even wrote a story about it. In The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Hemingway described the mountain’s ice fields as “wide as all the world; great, high and unbelievably white in the sun.”As spectacular as it is to see, the ice on top of Mount Kilimanjaro serves a much more important purpose. Formed more than 11,000 years ago, the glaciers are a vital[至关重要的] source of drinking and farming water for those who live in the surrounding areas. But for the last century, the snows have been disappearing. Kilimanjaro’s

glaciers have shrunk by more than 80% since 1912.

There are several theories as to why Kilimanjaro’s snow is disappearing so quickly. For one thing, the mountain is located in a tropical region. For this reason, its glacier is especially vulnerable[易受伤害的] to climate changes. One type of climate change is called global warming, which is causing a constant[不断的] rise in the earth’s temperature. Another possible reason the glaciers are melting is deforestation[砍伐森林], which happens when trees are cut down in mass quantities. Trees keep the air cooler and add moisture[湿气] to the atmosphere, which helps create clouds and precipitation[降水]. Regardless of[不管] the causes, the snows of Kilimanjaro continue to melt. Experts predict that the mountain’s glaciers could disappear completely by the year 2020.

The loss of Kilimanjaro’s glaciers removes a source of water from the mountain’s surrounding area. In addition, it will probably decrease the amount of tourism and the revenue[收入] it generates[产生] to Tanzania. Finally, the disappearing snow in Africa serves as proof that the Earth, with its changing climate and warming trends, cannot always sustain[维持] its natural treasures.

Fast Facts About Kilimanjaro

 The meaning and origin of the name Kilimanjaro are unknown. It is thought to be a combination[结合] of the Swahili word “Kilima,” meaning “mountain,” and the KiChagga word “Njaro,” loosely translated as “whiteness,” giving the name “White

Mountain.”

 Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and fourth highest of the Seven Summits[顶点], is considered the tallest freestanding[独立式的] mountain in the world, rising 15,100 feet from base to summit.

 Kilimanjaro is composed of three distinct volcanic cones[锥形物]: Kibo (19,340 feet), Mawenzi (16,896 feet) and Shira (13,000 feet). Uhuru Peak is the highest summit on Kibo’s crater rim[火山口边缘].

 Kilimanjaro is a giant stratovolcano[成层火山] that began forming a million years ago when lava[熔岩] spilled from the rift valley[地堑,裂谷] zone. The mountain was built by successive[连续的] lava flows. Two of its three peaks Mawenzi and Shira are extinct while Kibo, the highest peak is dormant[休眠的] and could erupt again. The last major eruption was 360,000 years ago, while the most recent activity was only 200 years ago.

 Kilimanjaro has 2.2 square kilometers of glacial ice and is losing it quickly due to global warming. It may be ice free within 20 years, dramatically affecting local drinking water, crop irrigation, and hydroelectric[水力发电的] power.

 Kilimanjaro lies within the 756-square-kilometer Kilimanjaro National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the few places on earth that encompasses[包括] every ecological[生态学的] life zone including tropical jungle, savannah[热带草原], and desert to montane[山地森林的] forests, sub-alpine[亚高山带的] plants, and the alpine zone[高山带] above timberline[树带界线(在山区林木生长的最高上限)].

 Kilimanjaro has five common routes to its highest summit: Marangu Route, Machame Route, Rongai Route, Lemosho Route and Mweka Route.

Machame and Lemosho routes are popular and scenic. Marangu is easiest and busy although the last ascent[攀登] to the crater rim is difficult.

 Kilimanjaro was first climbed on October 5th, 1889 by German geologist Hans Meyer,

Marangu scout[侦察员] Yoanas Kinyala Lauwo, and Austrian Ludwig Purtscheller.

 Climbing Kilimanjaro is easy and requires no technical climbing or mountaineering experience.

The biggest challenge and danger is the high altitude. Climbers die from improper

acclimatization[环境适应性] and altitude sickness rather than falls.

 Kilimanjaro is not a peak you can climb on your own. It is mandatory[强制的] to climb with a licensed[得到许可的] guide and have porters[搬运工] carry your equipment. This sustains the local economy and allows local people to reap[收获] the rewards of tourism.

 Mount Meru, a 14,980-foot volcanic cone, lies 45 miles west of Kilimanjaro. It is an active volcano; has a snowcap; lies in Arusha National Park; and is often climbed as a training peak for Kilimanjaro.

它被称为“非洲屋脊”。乞力马扎罗山拥有19340英尺(5895米)的海拔高度,高耸入天近四英里,是整个非洲大陆的最高点。

乞力马扎罗山位于东非国家坦桑尼亚的东北部,赤道以南约220英里(354千米),大概相当于北面的开罗与南面的开普敦之间的中点。壮丽的乞力马扎罗山山顶覆盖着皑皑白雪,一直以来引发世人无限遐想。许多人为了爬上这座山或是一睹它闻名遐迩的冰峰雪顶而来到坦桑尼亚。其中一位慕名者――美国作家欧内斯特・海明威甚至写了一个关于这座山的故事。在《乞力马扎罗的雪》中,海明威这样描绘其冰原雪野:“像整个世界那样宽广无垠;宏大、高耸,在阳光下白得令人

难以置信。”

乞力马扎罗山不单看起来壮观美丽,其雪顶事实上还起到一个更为重要的作用。山上的冰川早在11000年前已经形成,一直是附近地区居民饮用水和农业用水的重要来源。但是在过去的一个世纪,雪顶在悄然消失。自从1912年以来,乞力马扎罗的冰川已经缩减了

超过80%。

对于乞力马扎罗的雪消融如此之快的原因,人们有好几种论断。一方面,这座山位于热带地区,因此其冰川尤其容易受到气候变化的影响。其中一种气候变化便是全球暖化,这导致地球温度不断上升。冰川消融的另一种可能是滥伐森林,也就是大量树木遭到砍伐。树木能够降低气温,增加大气湿度,有助云的形成,带来降水。不管是什么原因,乞力马扎罗的积雪仍在消融。专家预测,到了2020年,这座山上的冰川可能完全消失。

乞力马扎罗山冰川的逐渐消失带走了附近地区的一大水源。此外,游客数量可能也将受到影响,从而减少旅游业为坦桑尼亚创造的收入。最后,非洲正在消失的雪证明了气候不断变化、气温逐日升高的地球已经不能永远保有其自然宝藏了。

乞力马扎罗山基本知识一览

 “乞力马扎罗”这个名字的意义和来源不为人知。有人认为它是斯瓦希利语“Kilima”和基查加土语“Njaro”的组合,前者意为“山”,后者大致可以译为“白”,于是产生了这个意为“白山”的名字。

 作为非洲最高的山、在世界七大峰中名列第四位的乞力马扎罗山是世界上最高的独立式山峰,从基部到峰顶的高度达15100英尺(4602米)。

 乞力马扎罗山由三座主要火山锥组成,分别是基博峰(19340英尺/5895米)、马文济峰(16896英尺/5150米)和西拉峰(13000英尺/3962米)。乌呼鲁峰是基博火山口边缘的最高峰。

 乞力马扎罗山是一座巨大的层状火山。一百万年前,熔岩从裂谷带涌出开始形成火山,最后由连续不断的熔岩流累积而成。其三座山峰中的两座――马文济峰和西拉峰都是死火山,而最高峰基博峰则是一座休眠火山,有可能再次喷发。上一次火山大爆发发生在36万年以前,而最近的一次火山活动距今仅两百年。

 乞力马扎罗山有面积达2.2平方公里的冰川,由于全球暖化,冰川正在迅速消失。在今后二十年内,乞力马扎罗山的冰川可能完全消失,这将严重影响当地的饮用水、农作物灌溉和水力发电。

 乞力马扎罗山位于面积达756平方公里的乞力马扎罗国家公园内。该公园是联合国教科文组织(UNESCO)的世界遗址,是地球上少数拥有全部生态生活区类型的地方之一,其中包括热带丛林、热带草原、沙漠、山地森林、亚高山带植被以及林木线以上的高山带。

 有五条常规路线可到达乞力马扎罗的最高峰,分别是马兰谷路线、马夏米路线、龙盖路线、莱莫绍路线和姆维卡路线。马夏米和莱莫绍路线很受欢迎,沿途风景优美;马兰谷路线最轻松,来往游客最多,但是到火山口边缘的最后一段上坡路比较难走。

 1889年10月5日,德国地质学家汉斯・梅耶、马兰谷带路人约安那斯・金亚

拉・罗沃和奥地利人路德维希・普策施勒成为登上乞力马扎罗山的第一批人。

 攀登乞力马扎罗山很容易,无需攀爬技巧或登山经验。最大的挑战和危险在于其海拔高度。登山者多死于水土不服和高原反应,而不是失足。

 乞力马扎罗山不是一座你能够凭一己之力便能征服的山峰。你必须与一位持证导游一起登山,并雇用搬运工人运送装备。这可以维持当地的经济,使当地居民能够享受到旅游业带来的利益。

 位于乞力马扎罗山以西45英里

(72千米)处的梅鲁山是一座高14980英尺(4566千米)的活火山,山顶同样有积雪,地处阿鲁沙国家公园。人们攀登乞力马扎罗山之前经常会在梅鲁山进行训练。

Know More

《乞力马扎罗的雪》是美国作家海明威的短篇小说,于1936年首次发表,被称为海明威艺术上最优秀的作品之一。

故事开头记载了位于坦桑尼亚的非洲第一高峰乞力马扎罗山,在上帝的殿堂山顶附近有一只风干的死豹,没有人知道豹子到这样高寒的地方寻找什么。这个引子带出一段故事:男作家哈利娶了崇拜他的富孀海伦做妻子。夫妻俩到坦桑尼亚打猎旅行,卡车在荒野抛锚,哈利被荆棘刺伤膝盖,得了坏疽,躺在帆布床上等待飞机救援。临死前,他回顾自己的一生,并且不时辱骂海伦。然后飞机来了,把他载往最近的城市,飞行途中他看见壮丽的乞力马扎罗山,其实这是他濒死时在梦中的所见……

该小说曾被改编为同名电影,于1952年上映,由格利高里・派克(Gregory Peck)和艾娃・加德纳(Ava Gardner)主演。