GUNUNG · Kazakhstan / Kyrgyzstan / China

Khan Tengri

Khan Tengri / Хан-Тенгри / 汗腾格里峰

Information

Elevation: 7.010 m
Country: Kazakhstan / Kyrgyzstan / China (KZ)
Location / Range: Tian Shan (Tengri Tag), Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan border near China
Mountain type: Mountain peak (non-volcanic, Tian Shan marble-and-ice pyramid)
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 42.2108, 80.1750
Difficulty: Very difficult (a technical seven-thousander); one of the 'Snow Leopard' peaks, with bad weather and very narrow climbing windows
Best Season: Late July–August (the short Tian Shan summer window)
Permits & Rules: Climbing permit and border registration (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan); base camp access on the Inylchek Glacier is usually via helicopter flight from Karkara
Hazards: Extreme, fast-changing Tian Shan weather, snowstorms, avalanches, rockfall in couloirs, high altitude, and a very short weather window

Description

Khan Tengri (7,010 m including its ice cap; the rock summit is about 6,995 m) is an iconic marble-and-ice pyramid in the Tian Shan, on the border of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan near China. Its name means 'Lord of the Sky/Spirits' in Turkic, and at sunset its red marble glows, earning it the nickname 'blood mountain' (Kan-Too). It is one of the five former-Soviet 7,000ers that make up the 'Snow Leopard' challenge. The recognized first ascent was in 1931 by a team led by Mikhail Pogrebetsky via the south side from the South Inylchek Glacier. The two most common routes are the classic north (Solomatov) route from the North Inylchek Glacier — considered the most objectively safe — and the south (Pogrebetsky) route from South Inylchek, which is technically easier but more dangerous. Base camp on the Inylchek Glacier is usually reached by helicopter, and the summit weather window each summer is very short.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Rute Klasik Selatan — Pogrebetsky (Glasier Inylchek Selatan)

Sangat sulit (7.000-an, teknis lebih ringan tetapi lebih terpapar)

Ekspedisi ±3–4 minggu (termasuk aklimatisasi)

The south (Pogrebetsky) route from the South Inylchek Glacier is the line of the 1931 first ascent and the most popular route because it is technically the easiest. It is, however, more exposed to objective hazards — avalanches and rockfall — making it 'easier to climb but more dangerous'. The approach and base camp are also typically reached by helicopter onto the Inylchek Glacier.

Source

Rute Klasik Utara — Solomatov (Glasier Inylchek Utara)

Sangat sulit (7.000-an teknis)

Ekspedisi ±3–4 minggu (termasuk aklimatisasi)

The classic north (Solomatov) route is regarded as the most objectively safe way to Khan Tengri's summit. From Karkara, climbers usually fly by helicopter to the North Inylchek base camp around 4,000 m, then ascend in stages through a camp system along the snow-and-ice ridge to the 7,010 m summit. The short late-July–August weather window and Tian Shan storms demand careful timing.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Khan Tengri (7,010 m), the iconic marble-and-ice pyramid of the Tian Shan and one of the 'Snow Leopard' peaks. The videos and references below document real experiences — from a classic north-route expedition and a 4K ascent from the southern Inylchek side, to an honest account of incidents and hazards, plus a community route guide.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.