Mustagh-Ata Expedition, 7546 m



Why Not Ski the Highest Ski Mountaineering Peak in the World?


The gnarliest ski touring trip of your life; ski the safest 7000 m mountain, Mustagh Ata.

Caravan gets going toward Base Camp

Over the last few years, as an object of climbing, the Mustag-Ata Peak (7546 m) has been increasingly becoming more popular with both local and foreign mountaineers. This is primarily due to the area’s uniqueness and good accessibility, relatively low expedition costs.

We're talking about a 7500 metre mountain, whose basecamp you approach with a camel caravan, then hike or ski (or even ride a bike down on, as has been done by some wackos) - and be back home in just over 3 weeks! Not many other 7000ers can provide this ease, safety and versatility. 



START DATES END DATES
  • 11. July 2011, Monday
  • 4. August 2011, Thursday

BOOKING DEADLINE

About these prices...
Join Summit Club for free and enjoy a huge discount from your first trip on! All you have to do is sign up on a short form and you are immediately eligible for Members' price! Click here for details and to enroll. Yes, it is FREE and takes 2 minutes.
About these prices...
 
Join Summit Club for free and enjoy a huge discount from your first trip on! All you have to do is sign up on a short form and you are immediately eligible for Members' price! Click here for details and to enroll. Yes, it is FREE and takes 2 minutes.

Prices

CLIENT-GUIDE RATIO * PRICE
  • n/a
  • Friendly Price:
    2100 GBP
  • For Our Members:
    2000 GBP
* You get to choose this after booking, don't worry about it just now.

PRICE INCLUDES PRICE DOESN'T INCLUDE
  • Meeting/seeing off at the airport
  • Osh-Sary-Tash-Irkeshtam-Kashgar-Subashi transfers and the same for the road back
  • All needed documents arrangement: Invitation Letters; OVIR registration; Eco fees; permits
  • Accommodation in 2-3* hotel with breakfast and in yurts in yurt camp according to the program
  • Full board during Subashi-Base Camp trekking program
  • Transportation by camels from Subashi till Base Camp (4350 м) and for the way back
  • Excursion program and entry fees for the monuments in Kashgar
  • Local guide (not mountain guide)
  • Liaison officer in Base Camp
  • Mineral water for the transfers
  • Services in Base Camp (4350 м): Accommodation in tents for two; 3 times of meals – European and Chinese cuisine; Using of toilet
  • shower and storage chamber; Guide-consultant services; Medical services; Electricity 220 В
  • 50 Hz; Consultation of professional Mountain guides; Rescue party registration; Using of radio
  • Insurance
  • visa
  • international flights
  • high altitude guides and porters
  • mountaineering equipment

Other info

We highly recommend the use of skis or snowshoes, as this hill sees vasts amounts of snow. Muztagh Ata is among the technically easiest 7000 meter peaks.


About these grades...

Physical difficulty of trips

  1. Alpine trekking - up to 1200 m of vertical in a day on short trips
  2. Longer trips with high daily loads of 1000 m+ vertical
  3. Climbs involving 1000 m+ of vertical climbing above 4000 meters
  4. Same as Level 3 with the addition of speed as a must
  5. Climbs to summits over 6000 meters in altitude

Technical difficulty grades

  1. Trekking on rocks or snow to 25 degrees steepness, no hands required
  2. Alpine Grade PD - 30-45 degree snow/firnice axe required, may have to use with hands, as you may meet UIAA Grade III rock.
  3. Alpine grade AD: 40-55 degree slopes or UIAA grade-III rock
  4. "My feet are shaking!" Alpine grade D: 50-70 degree snow-walls or UIAA IV-V rock: serious stuff
  5. D graded climbs None of our package trips do this level, but you can request an expert to accompany you for your D or higher graded project.

Here's a table detailing the above used grades on MountainDays.

Culture shock grading

As far as the cultural environment of your country/area of destination, we have set up grades to indicate what degree of culture shock you may expect.

  1. Your usual cultural environment, no big surprises in relation to Anglo/Saxon way of life
  2. A little different than what you are used to at home, but no big suprises
  3. Your trip is a cultural experience in itself, with amusing differences form what you're used to at home.
  4. This is a different world; you have to significantly alter your expectations and behaviour.
  5. Possibility of extreme culture shock; forget any rules you may have brought from home, life runs completely differently than what you can even dream up.
About these grades...
 

Physical difficulty of trips

  1. Alpine trekking - up to 1200 m of vertical in a day on short trips
  2. Longer trips with high daily loads of 1000 m+ vertical
  3. Climbs involving 1000 m+ of vertical climbing above 4000 meters
  4. Same as Level 3 with the addition of speed as a must
  5. Climbs to summits over 6000 meters in altitude

Technical difficulty grades

  1. Trekking on rocks or snow to 25 degrees steepness, no hands required
  2. Alpine Grade PD - 30-45 degree snow/firnice axe required, may have to use with hands, as you may meet UIAA Grade III rock.
  3. Alpine grade AD: 40-55 degree slopes or UIAA grade-III rock
  4. "My feet are shaking!" Alpine grade D: 50-70 degree snow-walls or UIAA IV-V rock: serious stuff
  5. D graded climbs None of our package trips do this level, but you can request an expert to accompany you for your D or higher graded project.

Here's a table detailing the above used grades on MountainDays.

Culture shock grading

As far as the cultural environment of your country/area of destination, we have set up grades to indicate what degree of culture shock you may expect.

  1. Your usual cultural environment, no big surprises in relation to Anglo/Saxon way of life
  2. A little different than what you are used to at home, but no big suprises
  3. Your trip is a cultural experience in itself, with amusing differences form what you're used to at home.
  4. This is a different world; you have to significantly alter your expectations and behaviour.
  5. Possibility of extreme culture shock; forget any rules you may have brought from home, life runs completely differently than what you can even dream up.

Is this climb for you?

  • Physical difficulty:
  • Technical difficulty:
  • Culture shock:

Your guides

Day 1


1. Via Bishkek: Arrive in Bishkek. Meeting at airport. Transfer from Bishkek to Naryn.
2. Via Osh: Arrive in Osh. Meeting at airport. Transfer from Osh to the yurt camp Sarytash.

Day 2


1. Via Bishkek: Drive Naryn - Torugart. Then you carry on driving from Torugart to Kashgar where you are having your lodge at hotel. Kashgar is a town most proximate to Base Camp.
2. Via Osh: Drive to Sarytash - Irkeshtam (3536m). Then you carry on driving from Irkeshtam to Kashgar where you spend the night at a hotel.
You may opt to join us in Kashgar, China as well. If this is the case, skip to Day 3. 
 

Day 3

Drive to Kashgar - Subashi (200 km, 4-5 hours).
 

Day 4


Trek Subashi - Base Camp (at 4350 m). Camels carry your load on from Subashi to BC. As soon as animals are loaded the caravan sets off and trekking starts along the trail that takes you across multiple hills to the Base Camp (approximately 4 hours). Base Camp (4350 m) is favourably fitted into a very scenic locality where you tread upon continuous multicoloured carpet of alpine herbs and flowers and are cheerfully saluted by marmots whistling in their distinctive way.
 

Day 5

Preparation for ascent.
 

Day 6

Acclimatisation walks in the Base Camp area.

Day 7

Uphill from BC (4350 m) to Camp 1 (5350 m). Organisationally, the ascent to the summit requires usage of three interim high-altitude camps. Camp 1 is set at 5350 m above see level.
 

Day 8

Downhill from Camp 1 (5350 m) to BC (4350 m).
 

Day 9

Uphill from BC (4350 m) to Camp 1 (5350 m).
 

Day 10

Uphill from Camp 1 (5350 m) to Camp 2 (6200 m).From Camp 1 track gradually goes up on the snow-, partly ice-covered slope over and across multiple crevasses towards small levelling stretch of the glacier.
 

Day 11

Downhill from Camp 2 (6200 m) to BC (4350 m).
 

Day 12 

Day of rest.
 

Day 13

Uphill from BC (4350 m) to C-1 (5350 m).
 

Day 14

Uphill from C-1 (5,350 m) to C-2 (6200 m).
 

Day 15

Uphill from C-2 (6200 m) to C- 3 (6800 m).
 

Day 16

Storm the summit from C-3 (6800 m) to the top of Muztag-Ata (7546 m) and get back to C-3 (6800 m).The path to the summit is quite straightforward. From altitude 6800 m till 7400 m the slope gradually levels becoming more and more flat.
 

Day 17

Downhill from C-3 (6800 m) to BC (4350 m).
 

Day 18-20

These are extra days in case of bad weather.
 

Day 21

Track from BC (4350 m) to Subashi. Drive from Subashi to Kashgar.
 

Day 22

Sightseeing programme in Kashgar.
 

Day 23-25

Head back to Bishkek or Osh and fly home. 

We offer 3 options for arrival to the Base Camp:

1. Via Bishkek - The capital of Kyrgyzstan - and further transfer to Naryn - the pass Irkeshtam - to Kashgar.
2. Via Osh - The Southern capital of Kyrgyzstan - and further transfer to the yurt camp «Sarytash» - the pass Irkeshtam - to Kashgar. We consider this option more convenient and less tiring.
3. Meet us in Kashgar, China. You'll need to change flights several times, though, but it may be faster. 
 

Visa 

You'll need a double entry visa to Kyrgyzstan and purchase a Chinese visa on the border. If you choose to arrive to Kashgar, then the Kyrgyz visa, of course, isn't necessary.

Equipment  

A detailed equipment list is available on inquiry. You'll definitely need a dawn jacket (not pants, though) and double boots. Other than that, it's standard mountaineering gear you would pack when it's very cold :)  

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Good stuff, eh? If this trip interests you, fill out the form below to enroll or just ask a question. Feel free to give us a ring, by the way... +36-20-584-1147

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