The Urdok ridge is a 7426 m high mountain ridge follows the continuation of the southwest ridge of Gasherbrum I.

Urdok Ridge
Overhead view of the Gasherbrum group from space, the Urdok range runs from left to right, noticeable due to the shadow on the north face
Geography
Map
State(s)Pakistan,
Xinjiang (China)
Parent rangeKarakoram

Two main chains of the Karakoram range meet on this ridge. Along the Urdok ridge, there are several peaks. From north to south these include:

Urdok I (7,250 also known as Urdok Kangri I),[1] and an unnamed peak (7,136 m), before the ridge reaches the Abruzzi Saddle mountain pass (6,782 m).[2] The Abruzzi Saddle marks the boundary between the Gasherbrum group and the Sia Kangri massif.

Continuing south, the ridge rises to Urdok II (7,082 m)[3] and Urdok III (6,950 m)[4] before reaching Sia Kangri. Some recognize Urdok II as Sia Kangri North.

Nomenclature

edit

In 1934, Günter Oskar Dyhrenfurth explored the region while looking for access points to climb Gasherbrum I. He named the Urdok ridge as it drops off to the northeast towards the Urdok Glacier. The glacier was already known by this name on the Chinese side of the Karakoram at this time.[5]

Urdok I
Urdok Kangri I
 
Highest point
Elevation7,250 m (23,790 ft)
Prominence270 m (890 ft)
Parent peakGasherbrum I
Isolation1.34 km (0.83 mi)
Coordinates35°42′17″N 76°43′42″E / 35.70472°N 76.72833°E / 35.70472; 76.72833
Geography
LocationGilgit-Baltistan
Parent rangeBaltoro Muztagh
Climbing
First ascent4 August 1975 by Hanns and Liselotte Schell, Robert Schauer , Herbert Zefferer and Karl Hub
Urdok II
Urdok Kangri II
 
Highest point
Elevation7,082 m (23,235 ft)
Prominence262 m (860 ft)
Isolation1.89 km (1.17 mi)
Coordinates35°41′9″N 76°44′43″E / 35.68583°N 76.74528°E / 35.68583; 76.74528
Geography
LocationGilgit-Baltistan
Climbing
First ascentUnclimbed
Urdok III
Urdok Kangri III
 
Highest point
Elevation6,950 m (22,800 ft)
Prominence180 m (590 ft)
Parent peakGhent Kangri
Isolation.03 km (0.019 mi)
Coordinates35°40′53″N 76°45′27″E / 35.68139°N 76.75750°E / 35.68139; 76.75750
Geography
LocationXinjiang

Climbing history

edit

There is little recorded history of climbs of mountains of this group.

Urdok I

edit

Urdok I was climbed for the first time in 1975 by an Austrian expedition led by Hanns Schell.[6] While enroute to Gasherbrum I, the expedition detoured to summit Urdok I, summitting Gasherbrum I several days later.[2]

Urdok II

edit

In 2018, Luis Stitzinger led a team from Amical alpin to be the first to summit Urdok II.[7] After considerable snow fell at base camp, the team abandoned the expedition, and moved to summit Gasherbrum I.[8]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Urdok Kangri I - Peakbagger.com". www.peakbagger.com. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Annapurna, Kris (13 March 2023). "Hanns Schell: Unlocking the 7,000'ers » Explorersweb". Explorersweb. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Urdok Kangri II - Peakbagger.com". www.peakbagger.com. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Urdok Kangri III - Peakbagger.com". www.peakbagger.com. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  5. ^ G. O. Dyhrenfurth: Zum Dritten Pol. München, 1952, S. 230f.
  6. ^ "AAC Publications - Asia, Pakistan, Urdok I and Hidden Peak". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  7. ^ Walsh, Martin (3 August 2018). "Karakorum 2018: Season Recap » Explorersweb". Explorersweb. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  8. ^ Nestler, Stefan (5 July 2018). ""Good-weather disturbance" in the Karakoram". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 24 July 2024.