Saser Kangri

Saser Kangri

Saser Kangri III (left), Saser Kangri II (right)
Highest point
Elevation 7,672 m (25,171 ft) [1]
Ranked 35th
Prominence 2,304 m (7,559 ft) [1]
Listing Ultra
Coordinates 34°51′54″N 77°45′09″E / 34.86500°N 77.75250°E / 34.86500; 77.75250Coordinates: 34°51′54″N 77°45′09″E / 34.86500°N 77.75250°E / 34.86500; 77.75250 [1]
Naming
Translation Yellow Snow Mountain[2] (Ladakhi)
Geography
Saser Kangri

Location in India

Location Jammu and Kashmir, India[3]
Parent range Saser Muztagh, Karakoram
Climbing
First ascent 5 June 1973 by Dawa Norbu, Da Tenzing, Nima Tenzing, Thondup[2]
Easiest route snow/ice climb

Saser Kangri (or Sasir Kangri) is a mountain in India. It is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh, the easternmost subrange of the Karakoram range.[3] Sasir Kangri is located within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of India.

Saser Kangri massif

The Saser Kangri massif consists of five named peaks:

Saser Kangri I 7,672 m (25,171 ft)Ranked 35th, Prominence = 2,304 m (7,559 ft) 34°52′00″N 77°45′09″E / 34.86667°N 77.75250°E / 34.86667; 77.75250
Saser Kangri II East 7,518 m (24,665 ft) Ranked 49th, Prominence = 1,450 m (4,757 ft) 34°48′15″N 77°48′18″E / 34.80417°N 77.80500°E / 34.80417; 77.80500
Saser Kangri II West 7,500 m (24,600 ft)†
Saser Kangri III 7,495 m (24,590 ft) Ranked 51st, Prominence = 850 m (2,789 ft) 34°50′44″N 77°47′06″E / 34.84556°N 77.78500°E / 34.84556; 77.78500
Saser Kangri IV 7,416 m (24,331 ft)†

This massif lies toward the northwestern end of the Saser Muztagh, at the head of the North Shukpa Kunchang Glacier, a major glacier which drains the eastern slopes of the group. The Sakang and Pukpoche Glaciers head on the western side of the group, and drain into the Nubra River.

Climbing history

Early exploration and climbing attempts of Saser Kangri occurred on the western side, from the Nubra Valley; this is lower, more populated, and hence more easily accessible than the eastern side, which faces the Tibetan Plateau. Early European exploration included a visit in 1909 by famed explorer T. G. Longstaff, along with Arthur Neve and A. M. Slingsby. However, visits and failed climbing attempts by multiple groups on the western side over the period 1922-1970 showed that the western side was surprisingly difficult.

In 1973, an expedition of members of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police finally succeeded in making the first ascent of the peak, by a very different route. They approached the peak from the southeast, via the upper Shyok Valley and the North Shukpa Kunchang Glacier, a long and difficult journey.[2] Only in 1987 did climbers succeed in ascending this peak from the western side: an Indian-British team successfully climbed the peak in conjunction with the first ascent of Saser Kangri IV.[4]

Saser Kangri II West was first climbed in 1984 by an Indo-Japanese team, who at the time, had believed the peak to be higher than Saser Kangri II East and only subsequently was it determined to be the lower of the two. Saser Kangri II East was first climbed by Mark Richey, Steve Swenson and Freddie Wilkinson on August 24, 2011.[5] Until then it was the world's second highest unclimbed mountain after Gangkhar Puensum.

Saser Kangri III was first climbed by an Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition in 1986 using an eastern approach. The summit party consisted of the climbers: Budhiman, Neema Dorjee, Sher Singh, Tajwer Singh, Phurba Sherpa and Chhewang Somanla.[6]

See also

Notes

†.^ Saser Kangri II West and Saser Kangri IV both lack sufficient prominence to be included or ranked in most lists of highest mountains.

References

Footnotes
  1. 1 2 3 "The Karakoram, Pakistan Himalaya and India Himalaya" Ultra-Prominence Page. Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  2. 1 2 3 Singh, Jogindar (1975). "Saser Kangri". Climbs And Expeditions. American Alpine Journal. American Alpine Club. 20 (1): 65. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  3. 1 2 Saser Kangri lies on the eastern side of the Line of Control.
  4. ↑ Khullar, D.K. (1988). "Asia, India—Eastern Karakoram, Saser Kangri I, West Ridge, and Saser IV". Climbs And Expeditions. American Alpine Journal. American Alpine Club. 30 (62): 240. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  5. ↑ "First Ascent of Saser Kangri II". American Alpine Club. 2011. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  6. ↑ Chamoli, S.P. (1987). "Saser Kangri III 1986". The Himalayan Journal. The Himalayan Club. 43. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
Sources
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