Located at 87.3'E and 36.4'N,
Mustang Fen at 6973 meters above sea level, ranks first among
the peaks on the East Kunlun Shan and lies in Atqan County
of South Xinjiang, where the southwest nook of the Altun Natural
Reservation and West Tibet have their common boundary.
In Uygur Language, "Muztag" refers
to the "Ice monutain", while "Muztag Feng"
is called "Wulage"(transliteration) Feng, meaning
"great". In the circumference of 200 square kilometers
sit 54 high peaks of 6000 meters above sea level, among which,
Mustang Feng, the main peak, is tied to sister peak, appearing
right to be a jade polar holding up against the sky.
Wrapped in snow all the year around, Mustang
Fen looks up at the sky and stands upright with the cut precipitous.
The long and gentle northwest slope abounds in open and hidden
crevasses while the slope is 45' in gradient. From here, you
can reach the summit by going up the Linglong River course
and passing through three glaciers and a Nev. Basin. To take
both the two routes from the southeast slope, you need to
negotiate a highland of 5823 meters in height to arrive right
at the summit. Despite the slope of 60,you may surmount the
summit and turn back to the base campsite in thus one day
only if you avoid the precipices and climb along the uncovered
rocks.
With the highly developed modern glaciers
of various types, the Muztag Feng area possesses 93 glaciers
of various sizes, totaling 1200 square kilometers, among which
the 18-kilometer-long Binglin Glacier is about 300 meters
thick. The giant solid reservoir formed by the glacier offers
the rivers here abundant water resources. The Qarqan River,
the largest of its kind in Xinjiang, for example, originates
from the northwest ice slope of Muztag Feng. As a result of
the violent movement of the glaciers, ice and snow avalanches
frequently occur, cracking soul-stirringly.
With the most salient characteristic of
the unpredictable climate, Tomur Feng area is affected by
monsoons and westerly wind zone, the wind of which sometimes
reaching force 12 with the lowest temperature at less that
--30'C.The good mountaineering season is in the three months
of June, July and August, in which July proves to be the best
to make longer cycles of five days available.
As a result of the fact that the extraordinary
geographical location and that the harsh natural conditions
pose difficulties for getting to the circumference of hundreds
of kilometers, Muztag Feng area still remains untranversed
and in a virgin state of mystery. Thus the snowy peaks, snowy
fields, grasslands, lakes and dozens of precious animals still
living there, all combine to produce not only the unique natural
scenes but also typically primitive ecosystems and the communities
of living organisms which are remain intact. Ratified by the
State council, Altun Mountains Natural Reservation, the largest
of its kind in our county, was established in 1983, measuring
an area of 45,000 square kilometers. So explorers, mountaineers
and scholars at home and abroad have always been looking forward
to it. As early as the close of the 19th century, some Russians
came here to have a survey. Thereafter, no footprints had
been left over there. It was until 1984 that the Chinese Scientific
Exploration Team went twice into the region to explore the
peak. In 1985, the Allied Mountaineering Team of China and
the United States (with five members from China---Hu Fengling,
Mamuti, Wu Qianxing, Zhang BaoKua and Aerta) reached the summit
along the west slope.
The route line to the mountain. Drive for
374 kilometers from the city of Urumqi to Korla City. Then,
after going southward for 442 kilometers to Ruqiang county,
a southeastward travel of 269 kilometers brings you to Mangnai
Zhen in Qinghai Province. Turn southwest from here, and you
will reach the mountaineering base campsite to the southwest
of Aqqikkol Lake by crossing over mountains after mountains
and the river valleys for several days. The riverside of the
Yueya He River (Crescent Moon River) can locate the 5400-meter
high base campsite.
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