Saser Muztagh
Encyclopedia
The Saser Muztagh is the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram
range
, in the Kashmir
region of India
. It is bounded on the south, east and northeast by the Shyok River
, which bends sharply around the southeast corner of the range. On the west it is separated from the neighboring Kailas Mountains by the Nubra River, while the Sasser Pass
(Saser La) marks the boundary between this range and the Rimo Muztagh
to the north. The Ladakh
Range stands to the south of the Saser Muztagh, across the Shyok River.
Notable glacier
s of the Saser Muztagh include the North and South Shukpa Kunchang Glaciers, the Sakang Glacier, and the Chamshen Glacier.
Early European exploration and surveying of this range occurred between 1850 and 1900. In 1909 famed explorer T. G. Longstaff
, Arthur Neve, and A. M. Slingsby explored the Nubra Valley and scouted approaches to the main Saser Kangri massif. However the main peaks were not climbed until the 1970's.
Since this region is near the disputed border between Pakistan
and India
, there is currently little climbing and exploratory activity in the range, except for occasional forays by the Indian military.
.
(This is a common criterion for peaks of this stature to be independent.) Note that they are all in the Saser Kangri group; the highest peak in the range outside of this group is an unnamed 6,789m peak.
Karakoram
The Karakoram, or Karakorum , is a large mountain range spanning the borders between Pakistan, India and China, located in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan , Ladakh , and Xinjiang region,...
range
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
, in the Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
region of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is bounded on the south, east and northeast by the Shyok River
Shyok River
The Shyok River flows through northern Ladakh in India and the Northern Areas of Pakistan , spanning some .The Shyok River, a tributary of the Indus River, originates from the Rimo Glacier, one of the tongues of Siachen Glacier. The river widens at the confluence with the Nubra River...
, which bends sharply around the southeast corner of the range. On the west it is separated from the neighboring Kailas Mountains by the Nubra River, while the Sasser Pass
Sasser Pass
Saser Pass, Saser La, or Sasser Pass is a high mountain pass in Ladakh and India on the ancient summer caravan route from Leh in Ladakh to Yarkand in the Tarim Basin...
(Saser La) marks the boundary between this range and the Rimo Muztagh
Rimo Muztagh
The Rimo Muztagh is one of the most remote subranges of the Karakoram range. The southern part of Rimo Muztagh is in the Kashmir portion of far northwestern India, also claimed by Pakistan. The northern half, including the Rimo massif, is in the Siachen area The Rimo Muztagh is one of the most...
to the north. The Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
Range stands to the south of the Saser Muztagh, across the Shyok River.
Notable glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s of the Saser Muztagh include the North and South Shukpa Kunchang Glaciers, the Sakang Glacier, and the Chamshen Glacier.
Early European exploration and surveying of this range occurred between 1850 and 1900. In 1909 famed explorer T. G. Longstaff
Thomas George Longstaff
Tom George Longstaff was an English doctor, explorer and mountaineer, most famous for being the first person to climb a summit of over 7,000 meters in elevation, Trisul, in the Indian Himalaya in 1907. He also made important explorations and climbs in Tibet, Nepal, the Karakoram, Spitsbergen,...
, Arthur Neve, and A. M. Slingsby explored the Nubra Valley and scouted approaches to the main Saser Kangri massif. However the main peaks were not climbed until the 1970's.
Since this region is near the disputed border between Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, there is currently little climbing and exploratory activity in the range, except for occasional forays by the Indian military.
Selected peaks of the Saser Muztagh
The following is a table of the peaks in the Saser Muztagh which are over 7200 meters (23,622 feet) in elevation and have over 500 metres (1,524 feet) of topographic prominenceTopographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
.
(This is a common criterion for peaks of this stature to be independent.) Note that they are all in the Saser Kangri group; the highest peak in the range outside of this group is an unnamed 6,789m peak.
| Mountain | Height (m) | Height (ft) | Coordinates | Prominence (m) | Parent mountain | First ascent | Ascents (attempts) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saser Kangri Saser Kangri Saser Kangri is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram range in India.The Saser Kangri massif consists of five named peaks:... I |
7,672 | 25,171 | 34°52′00"N 77°45′09"E | 2,304 | Gasherbrum I Gasherbrum I Gasherbrum I , also known as Hidden Peak or K5, is the 11th highest peak on Earth, located on the Pakistan-China border in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan and Xinjiang region of China. Gasherbrum I is part of the Gasherbrum massif, located in the Karakoram region of the Himalaya... |
1973 | 6 (4) |
| Saser Kangri Saser Kangri Saser Kangri is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram range in India.The Saser Kangri massif consists of five named peaks:... II E |
7,513 | 24,649 | 34°48′15"N 77°48′18"E | 1,450 | Saser Kangri Saser Kangri Saser Kangri is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram range in India.The Saser Kangri massif consists of five named peaks:... I |
unclimbed | 0 (0) |
| Saser Kangri Saser Kangri Saser Kangri is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram range in India.The Saser Kangri massif consists of five named peaks:... III |
7,495 | 24,590 | 34°50′44"N 77°47′06"E | 850 | Saser Kangri Saser Kangri Saser Kangri is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram range in India.The Saser Kangri massif consists of five named peaks:... I |
1986 | 1 (0) |
Sources
- Jerzy Wala, Orographical Sketch Map of the Karakoram, Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research, Zurich, 1990.
- Jill Neate, High Asia: an illustrated history of the 7,000 metre peaks, The Mountaineers, 1989.