Skyang Kangri (Urdu: سکیانگ کنگری), or Staircase Peak, is a high mountain peak of the Baltoro Muztagh, a subrange of the Karakoram range. It lies on the PakistanChina border, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) 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
سکیانگ کنگری
Skyang Kangri seen from K2 glacier
Highest point
Elevation7,545 m (24,754 ft)
Ranked 43rd
Prominence1,085 m (3,560 ft)
Coordinates35°55′35″N 76°34′03″E / 35.92639°N 76.56750°E / 35.92639; 76.56750
Geography
Skyang Kangri سکیانگ کنگری is located in Karakoram
Skyang Kangri سکیانگ کنگری
Skyang Kangri
سکیانگ کنگری
Skyang Kangri سکیانگ کنگری is located in Gilgit Baltistan
Skyang Kangri سکیانگ کنگری
Skyang Kangri
سکیانگ کنگری
Skyang Kangri
سکیانگ کنگری
(Gilgit Baltistan)
Skyang Kangri سکیانگ کنگری is located in Southern Xinjiang
Skyang Kangri سکیانگ کنگری
Skyang Kangri
سکیانگ کنگری
Skyang Kangri
سکیانگ کنگری
(Southern Xinjiang)
Map
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Maps: terms of use
45km
30miles
Pakistan
India
China
Gasherbrum V
48
Gasherbrum V
Rimo III
Rimo III
Apsarasas Kangri I
Apsarasas Kangri I
Diran
Diran
Muztagh Tower
Muztagh Tower
K6
K6
Yutmaru Sar
Yutmaru Sar
Baintha Brakk
Baintha Brakk
Crown Peak
Crown Peak
Baltoro Kangri
Baltoro Kangri
Yazghil Dome South
Yazghil Dome South
Sherpi Kangri
Sherpi Kangri
Rimo I, Rimo massif
Rimo I, Rimo massif
Ultar, Ultar Peak, Ultar Sar
Ultar, Ultar Peak, Ultar Sar
Ghent Kangri
Ghent Kangri
Haramosh Peak
Haramosh Peak
Skil Brum
Skil Brum
Momhil Sar
Momhil Sar
Sia Kangri
Sia Kangri
K12
K12
Malubiting
Malubiting
Teram Kangri I
Teram Kangri I
Yukshin Gardan Sar
Yukshin Gardan Sar
Passu Sar
Passu Sar
Pumari Chhish
Pumari Chhish
Saser Kangri III
Saser Kangri III
Saser Kangri II
Saser Kangri II
Mamostong Kangri K35
Mamostong Kangri K35
Skyang Kangri
Skyang Kangri
Trivor Sar
Trivor Sar
Shispare or Shispare Sar
Shispare or Shispare Sar
Chogolisa
Chogolisa
Saser Kangri I, K22
Saser Kangri I, K22
Batura III
Batura III
Saltoro Kangri, K10
Saltoro Kangri, K10
Kanjut Sar
Kanjut Sar
Batura II
Batura II
Rakaposhi
Rakaposhi
Batura Sar, Batura I
Batura Sar, Batura I
Masherbrum, K1
9
Masherbrum, K1
Kunyang Chhish (Kunyang Kish, Khunyang Chhish, Khinyang Chhish)
8
Kunyang Chhish (Kunyang Kish, Khunyang Chhish, Khinyang Chhish)
Distaghil Sar
7
Distaghil Sar
Gasherbrum IV, K3
6
Gasherbrum IV, K3
Gasherbrum III, K3a
5
Gasherbrum III, K3a
Gasherbrum II, K4
4
Gasherbrum II, K4
Broad Peak
3
Broad Peak
Gasherbrum I, K5
2
Gasherbrum I, K5
K2
1
K2
The major peaks in Karakoram are rank identified by height.

Legend:
1:K22:Gasherbrum I, K53:Broad Peak4:Gasherbrum II, K45:Gasherbrum III, K3a6:Gasherbrum IV, K37:Distaghil Sar8:Kunyang Chhish9:Masherbrum, K110:Batura Sar, Batura I11:Rakaposhi12:Batura II13:Kanjut Sar14:Saltoro Kangri, K1015:Batura III16: Saser Kangri I, K2217:Chogolisa18:Shispare19:Trivor Sar20:Skyang Kangri21:Mamostong Kangri, K3522:Saser Kangri II23:Saser Kangri III24:Pumari Chhish25:Passu Sar26:Yukshin Gardan Sar27:Teram Kangri I28:Malubiting29:K1230:Sia Kangri31:Momhil Sar32:Skil Brum33:Haramosh Peak34:Ghent Kangri35:Ultar Sar36:Rimo massif37:Sherpi Kangri38:Yazghil Dome South39:Baltoro Kangri40:Crown Peak41:Baintha Brakk42:Yutmaru Sar43:K644:Muztagh Tower45:Diran46:Apsarasas Kangri I47:Rimo III48:Gasherbrum V

 
Parent rangeBaltoro Muztagh, Karakoram
Climbing
First ascentAugust 11, 1976 by Yoshioki Fujioji, Hideki Nagata (Japanese)
Easiest routeEast Ridge: glacier/snow/ice climb
Skyang Kangri
Simplified Chinese斯坎格里峰
Transcriptions

Geology

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As can be determined from limited exposures, the summit, northern, and northeast slopes of Skyang Kangri consist predominantly of limestones of the Shaksgam formation that are largely covered by ice. Further south and west, exposures of K2 Gneiss occur between it and Skyang Luungpa Glacier where the K2 Gneiss is in fault contact with highly folded and faulted strata of the Shaksgam and Baltoro formations. The lower southeast flank of Skyang Kangri consists of a strip of black slate of the Baltoro formation that underlies the Shaksgam Formation and is in fault contact with main body of K2 Gneiss that comprises K2.[1][2]

The Shaksgam Formation consists of massive, brown-grey, shallow-marine, shelf limestones. These limestones contain occasional interbeds of brown and yellowish sandstone and light-colored marl. They are weakly metamorphosed and highly fossiliferous. They contain an abundance of Permian fossils that include brachiopods (Productus sp.) lamellibranchs, bryozoans, corals, crinoids and foraminifera (Parafusulina sp.). The thickness of the Shaksgam Formation is not less than 1,000 meters (3,300 ft).[1][2][3]

The Baltoro Formation consists of thin-bedded black, foliated shales often grading into black slates. The slates are highly cleaved and metamorphosed as high as lower greenschist facies. Interlayered with the slates are thin beds of dark coloured limestone and sandstone. These strata are unfossiliferous and presumed on the basis of their stratigraphic position to date to the Carboniferous Period. The slates of the Baltoro Formation is part of a thick sequence of well-cleaved black shales and slates that are exposed along almost the entire length of the Karakoram. These black shales and slates include the Singhie shales, Sarpo Laggo slate, and Pasu slates.[2][3]

Climbing history

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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 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.

 
The southeast pillar and southwest face of Skyang Kangri as viewed from K2's Abruzzi Spur.

Passes

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Windy Gap is a 6,111-meter (20,049 ft)-high mountain pass 35°52′23″N 76°34′37″E / 35.87318°N 76.57692°E / 35.87318; 76.57692 at east of K2, north of Broad Peak, and south of Skyang Kangri.

See also

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Sources

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  • Jill Neate, High Asia: an illustrated history of the 7,000 metre peaks, The Mountaineers, 1989.
  • Jerzy Wala, Orographical Sketch Map of the Karakoram, Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research, 1990.

References

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  1. ^ a b Searle, M.P. (1991a) Geology and Tectonics of the Karakoram Mountains. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 358 pp. ISBN 978-0471927730
  2. ^ a b c Searle, M.P. (1991b) Geological Map of the Central Karakoram Mountains. scale 1: 250,000. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York.
  3. ^ a b Desio, A. (1980) Geology of the Upper Shaksgam Valley, North-East Karakorum, Xinjiang (Sinkiang) Italian expeditions to the Karakorum (K²) and Hindu Kush. Scientific reports, III., Geology. vol. 4. Leiden, Brill, 196 pp.
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