From 7,000 to 8,000 meters — Muztagh Ata Is the Best Choice

Muztagh Ata is located at the border between Aketao County and Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County in Xinjiang. For mountaineers attempting a peak above 7,000 meters for the first time, Muztagh Ata is the optimal choice and also serves as an excellent acclimatization peak for those preparing to climb peaks above 8,000 meters. The traditional climbing routes of Muztagh Ata are via the west ridge and south ridge, with the west ridge route being the most developed — it has relatively gentle slopes and is the best first option for climbers tackling 7,000-meter peaks. Equally famous is the fact that among European alpine skiers, Muztagh Ata is considered the highest mountain in the world where skiing is possible. Muztagh Ata is part of the Western Kunlun Mountain Range and lies in the eastern section of the Pamir Plateau. It is a massive peak with an area of 275 square kilometers, standing at 7,546 meters above sea level, at longitude 75.1°E and latitude 38.5°N in Xinjiang. Majestically towering and resembling a silver-haired elder, the locals call it “Muztagh Ata,” where “Muztagh” means “ice mountain” and “Ata” means “father” in Uyghur. Together with the highest peak of the Western Kunlun Range, Kongur Peak (7,719m), and the second highest, Kongur Tagh (7,595m), Muztagh Ata forms a triumvirate that dominates the western section of the Kunlun Mountains, known as the “Three Giants of Kunlun” or the “Three High Peaks of Eastern Pamir.” The summit of Muztagh Ata is rounded and perpetually snow-covered, with an average ice thickness of 100–200 meters. The snow line is around 5,200 meters, and the glacial landform has given rise to 120 glaciers. Among them, the largest — the Qilii Glacier and the Kemutule Glacier — split the mountain in half, with glacial valleys and cliffs reaching depths of 1,000 to 1,500 meters. The lower ends of the glaciers reach down to 4,300 meters above sea level.

  

As a professional climbing brand, KAILAS takes it upon itself to “promote the development of grassroots mountaineering and exploration sports.” Since 2003, it has supported numerous public welfare projects including the “KAILAS Outdoor Coaches Growth Program,” “KAILAS Climbing Team,” and “KAILAS Mountaineering and Exploration School,” nurturing a large number of key reserve talents for China’s mountaineering and outdoor sports. Moreover, KAILAS sponsors various professional outdoor events such as mountaineering, rock climbing, ice climbing, and cross-country challenge races, making significant contributions to the popularization and development of mountaineering and outdoor sports in China.

For more up-to-date information, please follow KAILAS’s official website or its official Sina Weibo account.