Noshaq, also called Noshakh or Nowshakh (Dari: نوشاخ, Nowshākh, lit. 'new horn'), is the highest mountain in Afghanistan and the second highest in the Hindu Kush mountain range after Tirich Mir at 7,492 m (24,580 ft). Lying on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the north and west sides of the mountain are in Afghanistan whereas the south and eastern sides are in Pakistan. It is the westernmost 7,000 m (22,966 ft) peak in the world.
| Noshaq | |
|---|---|
| Noshak, Nowshakh | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,492 m (24,580 ft) Ranked 52nd |
| Prominence | 2,024 m (6,640 ft) |
| Listing | Country high point Ultra |
| Coordinates | 36°25′54″N 71°49′42″E / 36.43167°N 71.82833°E |
| Naming | |
| Native name | نوشاخ (Dari) |
| Geography | |
Noshaq Location in Afghanistan Noshaq Location in Pakistan Noshaq Noshaq (Pakistan) | |
| Countries | Afghanistan and Pakistan |
| Province |
|
| Parent range | Hindu Kush |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 17 August 1960 by Toshiaki Sakai and Goro Iwatsubo (Japan) |
| Easiest route | glacier/snow climb |
The easiest access to Noshaq is from Wakhan region of Afghanistan.
Climbing history
Noshaq main was first climbed by a Japanese expedition on 17 August 1960, led by Professor Yajiro Sakato. Other members of the expedition were Goro Iwatsubo and Toshiaki Sakai. The climb followed the normal Afghanistan approach, the West ridge from the Qadzi Deh Glacier.
Noshaq East, Noshaq Central and Noshaq West were first climbed in 1963 by Austrians Dr. Gerald Gruber and Rudolf Pischenger.
The Tiroler Hindukusch-Ski-Expedition of Akademischer Alpenklub Innsbruck (Austria) made the first ski descent from the summit of Noshaq in 1970. The famous meteorologist Karl Gabl was a member of the team.
The first winter ascent was 13 February 1973 by Tadeusz Piotrowski and Andrzej Zawada, members of a Polish expedition, via the north face. It was the first winter climb of any 7000 m peak and is the only winter ascent of this mountain.
Between the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the mountain was very difficult to access because of political turmoil in the region. In 2011, National Geographic noted that the trail to the summit was again accessible to climbers, with hopes of opening the area up for tourism.
See also
- Durand Line
- Extreme points of Afghanistan
- List of elevation extremes by country
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