Spantik

Infobox Mountain
Name = Spantik / Golden Peak
Photo = Spantik or Golden Peak.jpg
Caption = Spantik / Golden Peak
Elevation = 7,027 metres (23,053 feet)
Location = Northern Areas, Pakistan
Range = Spantik-Sosbun Mountains
Prominence =
Coordinates = coord|36|3|26.35|N|74|57|28.74|E|type:mountain [http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/420123/an/0/page/0#420123]
First ascent =

Spantik or Golden Peak is a mountain in Spantik-Sosbun Mountains subrange of Karakoram. Its northwest face features an exceptionally hard climbing route known as the "Golden Pillar".Andy Fanshawe and Stephen Venables, "Himalaya Alpine-Style", Hodder and Stoughton, 1995, ISBN 0-340-64931-3.] It lies east of Diran and northeast of Malubiting.Jerzy Wala, "Orographical Sketch Map of the Karakoram", Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research, Zurich, 1990.]

Overview

* Miar Glacier
* List of mountains in Pakistan
* Northern Areas

The most commonly climbed line follows the South East ridge, which was attempted by the Bullock Workman party in 1906, the peak was first climbed in 1955 by Karl Kramer's German Expedition. This route is a long snow and ice ridge climb of moderate angles.

The south east ridge rises 2700m over a lateral distance of 7.6km. The ridge provides an easy angle of mostly less than 30 degree slopes. In a few sections the ridge steepens to 40 degrees. The route is an interesting excursion through varied terrain, from rocky outcrops to snow and ice and scree. The upper sections are well defined ridge tops of hard ice culminating in the summit dome.

From base camp, the ascent to Camp 1 follows a moderate slope, at first on grass and gravel then up to a rocky ridge with sections of loose scree. Camp 1 is placed on a rock platform just below the snow line ( 5 hrs climbing). The climb then follows the undulating ridge on snow to a level patch of snow where we place Camp 2 ( 5 hrs climbing). Above this the slope steepens and anywhere up to 500m of fixed rope will be set between camp 2 and camp 3 by most parties if the are first on the mountain. The first section of 300-400m of rope is sually set on an open 35° slope leading to a large snow platform. After a few hundred meters of easier ground, a second section of 150m is set as the slope steepens to nearly 40°. Just beyond this, Camp 3 is found on a wide snow ledge below the summit slopes (5 hrs climbing).

The route to the summit from camp 3 is technically quite straightforward but can be a very demanding day physically. A gentle slope rises to a height of 6550m where it steepens to join the SW ridge. This is then followed for 400m at an average angle of 30° until it levels out 100m below the summit. The top of the mountain is a rounded snow dome and 50m of rope may be fixed on the short section leading onto the summit slopes (6-8 hrs ascent/2-3 hrs descent).

References

External links

* [http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/420123/an/0/page/0#420123 Northern Pakistan detailed placemarks in Google Earth]
* [http://www.pakwheels.com/forumreply_az_TopicID!53562~ForumID!29~Page!1~pw.html PakWheels.com]
* http://www.fieldtouring.com/expeditions/spantik.php