OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Saturday
SOUTH African mountaineers will tackle two of the world’s few remaining unclimbed 7_000m peaks in China in July, says the expedition leader.
“The Kuksay region is very remote and has two peaks – Kuksay Peak (7_184m) and the Koskulak Peak (7_028m) – which have not been climbed,” said Ulrike Kiefer, from the Mountain Club of South Africa.
“There are not many places left in the world with unclimbed peaks over that height,” she said, explaining her attraction to the region.
The Chinese authorities that granted Kiefer the permits and a mountain guide from the region have assured her that these peaks have never been climbed.
Kiefer (53) has twice summited over 7_000m without oxygen – Peak Lenin (7_134m) in the Pamir mountains in Tadjikistan and Khan Tengri (7_010m) in the Tien Shan range in Kazakstan – and is confident of success.
“Besides numerous expeditions through South America and Africa, this will be my third expedition to Asia and all have been above 6 500m,” she said.
The team will fly into Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, and travel overland from there to Kashi, the ancient city of Kashgar on the old silk route in Sinkiang.
They will then trek south from Kashi to the Muztagh-Kongur mountain range where they will establish a base camp in the Kuksay glacier area.
“We will travel on foot and with camels for about three days to get there,” said Kiefer.
“From there we will initially explore and climb some of the unclimbed surrounding mountains to acclimatise before climbing Koskulak Peak and Kuksay Peak.
“Both will be a world first,” she said. – AFP