Mustagh Pass
Encyclopedia
The Mustagh Pass or Muztagh Pass is a pass across the Baltoro Muztagh
range in the Karakoram
s which includes K2
, the world's second highest mountain. The crest of the Baltoro Muztagh marks the present border between Pakistan
i and Chinese
territory.
There are actually two passes, the eastern or 'Old' Mustagh Pass (alt. about 5,422 m.) and the so-called 'New' Mustagh Pass, about 16 km (9.9 mi) to the west (altitude variously given as 5,700 and 5,800 m.) The pass is on the watershed between the rivers which flow towards the Tarim Basin
and those flowing to the Indian Ocean
.
The route across the Mustagh Pass is the shortest route from Yarkand to Skardu
on the upper Indus River
in Baltistan
, from where caravans used to head on to Srinigar in Kashmir
. The pass is situated about midway between the Karakoram Pass
to the east, which leads to Leh in Ladakh
, and the Kilik and Mintaka passes to the west which lead to Hunza
and Gilgit
.
The route has been impassible to caravans since at least the middle of the 19th century due to the movement of the glaciers on it and, by 1861, when Godwin-Austen
did his survey of the region, it was only in use by a few Baltis living in Yarkand who crossed it to visit their families. Frederic Drew reported that there had been no crossings between Yarkand and Baltistan between 1863 and 1870.
It is unclear how much it was used in ancient times, though it is possible that it was in use as early as the Later Han Dynasty. It also seems possible, even likely, that this is the route the Chinese pilgrim monk Fa Xian took in 399 CE on his way to India.
There was apparently more abundant fodder and fuel along the Yarkand River
than on the approaches to the Karakoram Pass:
Francis Younghusband
(1863-1942) was the first European known to cross the pass which he did with much difficulty in 1887 after a request from Colonel Mark Sever Bell
(1843-1906), finally reaching the village of Askole
in Baltistan.
Apparently there have only been two recorded crossings of the pass since then, "by an Italian expedition of exploration in 1929, and a French ski expedition in 1986."
Baltoro Muztagh
The Baltoro Muztagh is a subrange of the Karakoram mountain range, in Baltistan region of the Gilgit-Baltistan province in northern Pakistan; and in Xinjiang, China. The crest of the range forms part of the Pakistan-China border....
range in the Karakoram
Karakoram
The Karakoram, or Karakorum , is a large mountain range spanning the borders between Pakistan, India and China, located in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan , Ladakh , and Xinjiang region,...
s which includes K2
K2
K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
, the world's second highest mountain. The crest of the Baltoro Muztagh marks the present border between Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i and Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
territory.
There are actually two passes, the eastern or 'Old' Mustagh Pass (alt. about 5,422 m.) and the so-called 'New' Mustagh Pass, about 16 km (9.9 mi) to the west (altitude variously given as 5,700 and 5,800 m.) The pass is on the watershed between the rivers which flow towards the Tarim Basin
Tarim Basin
The Tarim Basin is a large endorheic basin occupying an area of about . It is located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China's far west. Its northern boundary is the Tian Shan mountain range and its southern is the Kunlun Mountains on the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. The...
and those flowing to the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
.
The route across the Mustagh Pass is the shortest route from Yarkand to Skardu
Skardu
Skardu , is the main town of the region Baltistan and the capital of Skardu District, one of the districts making up Pakistan's Gilgit Baltistan....
on the upper Indus River
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
in Baltistan
Baltistan
Baltistan , also known as بلتیول བལིུལ་ in the Balti language, is a region in northern Pakistan which forms Gilgit-Baltistan, bordering the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. In addition, a part of Baltistan also falls into Jammu and Kashmir of India. It is situated in the Karakoram mountains...
, from where caravans used to head on to Srinigar in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
. The pass is situated about midway between the Karakoram Pass
Karakoram Pass
The Karakoram Pass is a mountain pass between India and China in the Karakoram Range. It is the highest pass on the ancient caravan route between Leh in Ladakh and Yarkand in the Tarim Basin...
to the east, which leads to Leh in Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
, and the Kilik and Mintaka passes to the west which lead to Hunza
Hunza (princely state)
Hunza was a princely state in the northernmost part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan until 1974. The state was also known as Kanjut. The state bordered the Gilgit Agency to the south, the former princely state of Nagar to the east, China, to the north and Afghanistan to the northwest. The state...
and Gilgit
Gilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...
.
The route has been impassible to caravans since at least the middle of the 19th century due to the movement of the glaciers on it and, by 1861, when Godwin-Austen
Godwin-Austen
Godwin-Austen may refer to:*Alfred Reade Godwin-Austen , British Army general*Robert Alfred Cloynes Godwin-Austen , geologist...
did his survey of the region, it was only in use by a few Baltis living in Yarkand who crossed it to visit their families. Frederic Drew reported that there had been no crossings between Yarkand and Baltistan between 1863 and 1870.
It is unclear how much it was used in ancient times, though it is possible that it was in use as early as the Later Han Dynasty. It also seems possible, even likely, that this is the route the Chinese pilgrim monk Fa Xian took in 399 CE on his way to India.
There was apparently more abundant fodder and fuel along the Yarkand River
Yarkand River
The Yarkand River is a river in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of western China. It is one of the headstreams of the Tarim River. It is approximately 970 km in length....
than on the approaches to the Karakoram Pass:
- "Turdi Kol took me a few miles further down the river and showed me two other equally good camping-grounds, and he says that there is considerably more pasture in the lower part of this valley than in that of the Karakash RiverKarakash RiverThe Karakash or Black Jade River, also spelled Karakax , is a river in the Xinjiang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, which lies partially in the disputed Aksai Chin region. The river originates near Sumde on the northern slopes of the Karakoram range in the Aksai Chin region of...
, where Shahidula is situated, and that in the old days the valley was populated and cultivated and merchants went to and fro by the Mustagh Pass to Baltistan."
Francis Younghusband
Francis Younghusband
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband, KCSI, KCIE was a British Army officer, explorer, and spiritual writer...
(1863-1942) was the first European known to cross the pass which he did with much difficulty in 1887 after a request from Colonel Mark Sever Bell
Mark Sever Bell
Colonel Mark Sever Bell VC CB was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
(1843-1906), finally reaching the village of Askole
Askole
Askole or Askoly is a small town located in the Braldu Valley in the most remote region of Karakoram mountains in Northern Areas, Pakistan. It is the last settlement before the wilderness of the Karakoram. Askole is the gateway to four of the world's fourteen highest peaks known as Eight-thousanders...
in Baltistan.
Apparently there have only been two recorded crossings of the pass since then, "by an Italian expedition of exploration in 1929, and a French ski expedition in 1986."