Muchu Chhish (7,453 metres (24,452 ft)) is a mountain in the Batura Muztagh sub-range of the Karakoram in Hunza Valley, in northern areas of Pakistan.[1] Located in a very remote and inaccessible region, only a handful of attempts have been made to reach the summit. Muchu Chhish was one of the tallest unclimbed mountains on Earth,[2] until its successful summit in 2024.[3] The peak has a modest prominence however, rising only 263 m (863 ft) above the nearest col or pass.[1] The Batura Glacier, one of the longest outside the polar regions, flanks Muchu Chhish to the north.
Muchu Chhish | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 7,453 m (24,452 ft)[1] |
Prominence | 263 m (863 ft)[1] |
Coordinates | 36°30′08″N 74°33′20″E / 36.50222°N 74.55556°E[1] |
Geography | |
Location | Hunza Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan |
Parent range | Karakoram |
Climbing | |
First ascent | July 5, 2024 by Zdenek Hak, Radoslav Groh, and Jaroslav Bansky |
Easiest route | Technical |
Muchu Chhish lacks any well-defined northern or southern ridges of its own and is nearly impassable from the north due to glacial icefall; most expeditions thus attempt it via the South Ridge of 7,462 m (24,482 ft) Batura VI to the immediate west. This ridge was climbed by a Polish expedition in 1983 using fixed ropes while making the first ascent of 7,531 m (24,708 ft) Batura V and VI.[4] One attempt was by a Spanish expedition in 1999, which reached 6,650 m (21,820 ft) on the south ridge.[5] In 2020, a three-member Czech expedition, including climber Pavel Kořínek and former politician Pavel Bém, made an attempt, but they did not reach the top due to bad weather.[6] The same climbers tried again in 2021, but that attempt failed due to excessive amounts of snow on the ridge.[7][8]
First ascent
editA Czech team consisting of Zdenek Hak, Radoslav Groh, and Jaroslav Bansky reached the summit of Muchu Chhish on July 5, 2024 after a six day climb.[3] At the time of the summit, it was the highest unclimbed peak in the Karakoram.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Muchu Chhish, Pakistan". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
- ^ "This place in Pakistan is one of the hardest places to reach on Earth". The Express Tribune. March 16, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
- ^ a b Benavides, Angela (2024-07-09). "Muchu Chhish Finally Summited! » Explorersweb". Explorersweb. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
- ^ "AAC Publications - Asia, Pakistan, Batura IV". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
- ^ Heichel, Wolfgang (2003). Chronicle of the Development of the Karakorum Part 1-Western Karakorum. Munich: German and Austrian Alpine Clubs. pp. 213, 214. ISBN 3-928777-97-1.
- ^ "Bém si vytáhl sirku a spal nad propastí. V zemi nikoho došlo i na Cliffhangera". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). 2020-10-02. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
- ^ Angela Benavides (2 July 2021). "Muchu Chhish — Czechs Back for the Highest Unclimbed Peak". explorerweb.com.
- ^ "Czech Team – Muchu Chhish Diary". everestmountain.co.uk. 23 July 2021.