Kongur Tagh

Template:Short description Template:Infobox mountain The Kongur Tagh (meaning 'Brown Mountain' in Turkic languages) is the highest peak in the Pamir Mountains, and also the highest mountain wholly within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. With an elevation of Template:Convert, it is also the highest mountain outside of the Hindu Kush/Karakoram and Himalaya ranges.

Geography

Kongur Tagh is within a range called the Kongur Shan (Template:Zh.) Kongur Tagh is located just north of Muztagh Ata and visible from Karakul Lake. Some sources use "Kongur Shan" mistakenly to refer to the peak itself. The Kongur Shan range, including Muztagh Ata, is separated by the major Yarkand River valley from the Kunlun Mountains and thus is included in the "Eastern Pamirs".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Kongur Tagh is the highest peak in the Pamirs. Due to its remoteness and being hidden by nearby peaks, Kongur was not discovered by Europeans until 1900. However, the building of the Karakoram Highway from Pakistan to China, which runs past nearby Tashkurgan and Karakul Lake, has now made it more accessible.

Administratively, the Kongur Range is within Akto County.

Climbing history

The first ascent of Kongur Tagh was made in 1981 by a British expedition consisting of Chris Bonington, Alan Rouse, Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker.<ref>Ward (1983), pp. 146–8.</ref>

Elevation

Kongur Tagh is Template:Convert high. Some sources list the peak's elevation as Template:Convert, but this is likely incorrect. The main summit is close enough in height to the Template:Convert high northeastern summit that climbers standing on the main summit could not tell which was taller, thus it can not be Template:Convert high.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>