Muztagh Ata
| Muztagh Ata | |
|---|---|
Muztagh Ata, as viewed from the Karakoram Highway
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,509 m (24,636 ft) Ranked 43rd |
| Prominence | 2,698 m (8,852 ft) |
| Listing | Ultra |
| Coordinates | 38°16′42″N 75°06′57″E / 38.27833°N 75.11583°ECoordinates: 38°16′42″N 75°06′57″E / 38.27833°N 75.11583°E |
| Naming | |
| Translation | Father of ice mountains (Uyghur) |
| Geography | |
 Muztagh Ata
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| Location | Xinjiang, China |
| Parent range | Kongur Shan |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1956 by E. A. Beletskiy et al. |
| Easiest route | glacier/snow climb |
Muztagh Ata, or Muztagata (Uyghur: مۇز تاغ ئاتا, Музтаң Ата, literally "ice-mountain-father"; Chinese: 慕士塔格峰; pinyin: Mùshìtǎgé Fēng), is the second highest (7509 metres) of the mountains which form the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau (not the second highest of the mountains of the Tibetan Plateau). It is sometimes regarded as being part of the Kunlun Shan, although physically it is more closely connected to the Pamirs. It is also one of the relatively easier 7,000 m peaks in the world to climb, due to its gentle western slope and the comparatively drier weather of Xinjiang, though a thorough acclimatization period and a very strong physical condition are crucial for success.
Muztagh Ata (Turkish: Muz Dag (modern pronunciation Buz Dag [as in "men" versus "ben"- where Oguz Kaan lost his horse according to the legend) lies just south of Kongur Tagh, the highest peak of this somewhat isolated range that is separated from the main chain of the Kunlun by the large Yarkand River valley, and thus generally included in the "Eastern Pamirs". 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 as well as Karakul Lake, from which the mountain is conveniently viewed. The closest city is to the mountain is Tashkurgan, the westernmost town in China and very close to the border with Pakistan.
The Swedish explorer and geographer Sven Hedin made the first recorded attempt to climb Muztagh Ata, in 1894. Additional attempts were made in 1900, 1904 and 1947, the last by the team of Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman who came very close to the summit but were turned back due to cold and deep snow.
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