Kongur Tagh
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| Kongur Tagh | |
|---|---|
 Kongur Tagh in 2005 |
|
| Elevation | 7,649 metres (25,095 feet) Ranked 37th |
| Location | Xinjiang, China |
| Range | Kunlun Mountains |
| Prominence | 3,585 m |
| Coordinates | |
| First ascent | 1981 by British team |
| Easiest route | rock/snow/ice climb |
Kongur Tagh (Chinese: 公格尔山; pinyin: Gōnggé'ěr Shān) (also referred to as Kongur) is the highest peak of the Kunlun Mountains in China. It is situated in a small subrange, known as the Kongur Shan, which forms the western end of the Kunlun. (Some sources use "Kongur Shan" mistakenly to refer to the peak itself.) It is just north of Muztagh Ata and close to Karakul Lake and the Pamir Mountains. Due to its remoteness and being hidden by nearby peaks, Kongur was not discovered by Europeans until 1900. However, the building of the Karakorum Highway from Pakistan to China, which runs past nearby Tashkurgan and Karakul Lake, has now made it more accessible.
The first attempt to climb Kongur Tagh was made in 1956 but the party aborted the attempt when it realized it was beyond their abilities.
The first ascent of Kongur Tagh was completed in 1981 by a British expedition consisting of Chris Bonington, Al Rouse, Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker.
Kongur Tagh has a significant subpeak known as Kongur Tiube, 7,530 m (24,705 ft). It is moderately independent, with a topographic prominence of 840m (2,756 ft). It was first climbed in 1956.
[edit] Elevation
This is taken from the Guide to Mountaineering in China. Some Chinese authorities give it 7,719 m, but evidence against this higher elevation is given here.
[edit] See also
