Saltoro Mountains
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The Saltoro Mountains (or Saltoro Muztagh) are a subrange of the Karakoram range. They are located in the heart of the Karakoram, on the southwest side of the Siachen Glacier, one of the longest glaciers outside of the polar regions. They span the disputed border between the Northern Areas of Pakistan and the Kashmir region of India. Hence, despite high peaks and dramatic climbing opportunities, they are little visited except by military forces.
On the southwest side, the Saltoro Mountains drop steeply to the valleys of the Kondus and Dansam Rivers, which join to form the Saltoro River, a tributary of the Shyok River. This in turn flows into the Indus River. To the northwest, the Kondus Glacier separates the range from the neighboring Masherbrum Mountains, while on the southeast, the Gyong River, Glacier, and Pass (Gyong La) separate the range from the Kailas Mountains. (Not to be confused with the sacred Mount Kailas, which is not in this region.)
[edit] Selected peaks of the Saltoro Mountains
The following is a table of the peaks in the Saltoro Mountains which are over 7,200 meters (23,622 feet) in elevation and have over 500 meters (1524 feet) of topographic prominence. (This is a common criterion for peaks of this stature to be independent.)
Mountain | Height (m) | Height (ft) | Coordinates | Prominence (m) | Parent mountain | First ascent | Ascents (attempts) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saltoro Kangri | 7,742 | 25,400 | 2,160 | Gasherbrum I | 1962 | 2 (1) | |
K12 | 7,428 | 24,370 | 1,978 | Saltoro Kangri | 1974 | 4 (2) | |
Ghent Kangri (Mount Ghent) | 7,401 | 24,281 | 1,493 | Saltoro Kangri | 1961 | 4 (0) | |
Sherpi Kangri | 7,380 | 24,213 | 900 | Ghent Kangri | 1976 | 1 (1) |
[edit] See also
[edit] Source
Jerzy Wala, Orographical Sketch Map of the Karakoram, Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research, Zurich, 1990.