| Skyang Kangri | |
|---|---|
Skyang Kangri seen from K2 glacier |
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| Elevation | 7,545 m (24,754 ft) Ranked 44th |
| Prominence | 1,085 m (3,560 ft) |
| Location | |
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Skyang Kangri
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| Location | Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan Xinjiang, China |
| Range | Baltoro Muztagh, Karakoram |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | August 11, 1976 by Yoshioki Fujioji, Hideki Nagata (Japanese) |
| Easiest route | East Ridge: glacier/snow/ice climb |
Skyang Kangri, or Staircase Peak, is a high peak of the Baltoro Muztagh, a subrange of the Karakoram range. It lies on the Pakistan-China border, about 7 km northeast of K2, the world's second-highest mountain. The name "Staircase Peak" refers to the East Ridge, which resembles a giant staircase with five steps.
Skyang Kangri was first attempted by the party of renowned climber and explorer Luigi Amadeo di Savoia, the Duke of the Abruzzi, in 1909, during an expedition to K2. They attempted the East Ridge, as did a subsequent failed attempt in 1975, in which one climber died and one had to be evacuated by helicopter. The first ascent was made in 1976 by a Japanese expedition, climbing the East Ridge without major incident.
In 1980, well-known American climbers Jeff Lowe (climber) and Michael Kennedy attempted the West Face of Skyang Kangri, but reached only about 7,070 metres. According to the Himalayan Index, there have been no subsequent attempts on the mountain.