Muztagh Ata

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Muztagh Ata

Elevation	7,546 metres (24,757 feet)^[1] Ranked 43rd
Location	Xinjiang, China
Range	Muztagata Range, Kunlun Shan
Prominence	2,735 metres (8,973 ft)^[2]
Coordinates	38°16′42″N, 75°06′57″E
First ascent	1956 by E. A. Beletskiy et al.
Easiest route	glacier/snow climb
Translation	Father of ice mountains (Uyghur)

Muztagh Ata, or Muztagata (Chinese: 慕士塔格峰; pinyin: Mùshìtǎgé Fēng), is the second highest mountain in the Kunlun Shan, the mountain range which forms the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. It is also reputedly one of the easiest 7,000m peaks in the world to climb, due to its gentle western slope and the comparatively drier weather of Xinjiang. The peak has even been ascended on skis.

[edit] Location

Muztagata lies just south of Kongur Tagh, the highest peak of the Kunlun Shan. Together they form a somewhat isolated group, separated from the main chain of the Kunlun, and also separate from the Pamir Mountains to the west. (Both peaks are sometimes regarded as being in the "Chinese Pamir", and are more closely connected to the main Pamir group than the main Kunlun group.) Not far to the north and east of this group are the lowlands of the Tarim Basin and the Taklamakan Desert. The Karakoram Highway passes very close to both peaks.

[edit] History

Famed western traveller Sven Hedin made the first recorded attempt to climb Muztagata, in 1894. Additional attempts were made in 1900, 1904 and 1947, the last by the intrepid team of Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman; they came very close to the summit but turned back due to cold and deep snow.

The first ascent of the peak was in 1956 by a large party of Chinese and Russian climbers, via the West Ridge.

Since the first ascent, many ascents of Muztagata have been made. Notable are a ski ascent/descent by a party led by Ned Gillette, in 1980, and an ascent of the Southeast Ridge in 2000.