Peak Korzhenevskaya
Encyclopedia
Peak Korzhenevskaya is the third highest peak in the Pamir Mountains
of Tajikistan
. It is one of the five "Snow Leopard Peaks
" in the territory of the
former Soviet Union
. It is named after Evgenia Korzhenevskaya, the wife of Russian
geographer Nikolai L. Korzhenevskiy
, who discovered the peak in August 1910.
Due to transliteration
and declension issues the peak's name is rendered
in many different ways, including Korzhenevski, Korzhenevskoi, and Korzhenievsky.
, the north-south trending subrange which forms the core of the Pamirs. It rises on the south bank of the Muksu River
, and to the west of the peak is the Fortambek Glacier. While most of the Akademiya Nauk Range
is in Tajikistan
's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
(GBAO), Korzhenevskaya is located a little to the west of the GBAO line, in Jirgatol district
(Region of Republican Subordination
).
, which is more often given as 6,995 m) that were required for a climber to be awarded the Snow Leopard award
, the highest honor given to Soviet mountaineers. It is usually said to be the second easiest of these peaks to climb, after Lenin Peak
. However it is not a small mountain; its rise above local terrain rivals that of Ismoil Somoni Peak, since it is closer to the deep valley of the Muksu River
.
Korzhenevskaya was first climbed in 1953 by a party led by A. Ugarov; the summit team comprised Ugarov, B. Dimitriev, A. Goziev, A. Kovyrkov, L. Krasavin, E. Ryspajev, R. Sielidzanov, and
P. Skorobogatov. They approached via the Fortambek Glacier, to the Korzhenevsky glacier, and
thence to the north ridge.
Partly since it is required for the Snow Leopard award
, Korzhenevskaya has been climbed many times; it is the second most frequented major peak in the Pamirs, after Lenin Peak
. A base camp on the moraine of the Moskvin Glacier, and helicopter access, make this possible. Korzhenevskaya has been climbed from almost every direction, including a first winter ascent in 1986; most of these ascents were by Russians. The most common current route on the mountain ascends from the south and attains the summit ridge from the west side.
Pamir Mountains
The Pamir Mountains are a mountain range in Central Asia formed by the junction or knot of the Himalayas, Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. They are among the world’s highest mountains and since Victorian times they have been known as the "Roof of the World" a probable...
of Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
. It is one of the five "Snow Leopard Peaks
Snow Leopard award
The Snow Leopard award was a Soviet mountaineering award, given to very experienced climbers. It is still recognised in the Commonwealth of Independent States...
" in the territory of the
former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. It is named after Evgenia Korzhenevskaya, the wife of Russian
geographer Nikolai L. Korzhenevskiy
Nikolai Korzhenevskiy
Nikolai Leopol'dovich Korzhenevskiy , 1879 – October 31, 1958), born in Vitebsk Guberniya, Russia , died in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. A famous Russian and Soviet geographer, glaciologist, Pamir explorer. His exploration of Pamir began in 1903, with support from the military command in the region...
, who discovered the peak in August 1910.
Due to transliteration
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
and declension issues the peak's name is rendered
in many different ways, including Korzhenevski, Korzhenevskoi, and Korzhenievsky.
Location
Peak Korzhenevskaya lies about 13 km (8.1 mi) north of Ismoil Somoni Peak (formerly Communism Peak), the highest point of the Pamirs. It forms the end of the northwest fork of the Akademiya Nauk Range
Akademiya Nauk Range
Akademiya Nauk Range is a mountain range in the Western Pamirs of Tajikistan. It is stretched in the meridianal direction and considered to be the core of the Pamir mountain system....
, the north-south trending subrange which forms the core of the Pamirs. It rises on the south bank of the Muksu River
Muksu River
The Muksu River is a west-flowing river in north-central Gorno-Badakhshan province, Tajikistan. It is a tributary of the Vakhsh River which in turn is a tributary of the Amu Darya. The north side of its valley is the Trans-Alay Range and the south side is formed by the high mountains near the...
, and to the west of the peak is the Fortambek Glacier. While most of the Akademiya Nauk Range
Akademiya Nauk Range
Akademiya Nauk Range is a mountain range in the Western Pamirs of Tajikistan. It is stretched in the meridianal direction and considered to be the core of the Pamir mountain system....
is in Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province is an autonomous, mountainous province in the east of Tajikistan. Located in the Pamir Mountains, it makes up 45% of the land area of the country but only 3% of the population....
(GBAO), Korzhenevskaya is located a little to the west of the GBAO line, in Jirgatol district
Jirgatol district
Jirgatol district or Nohiyai Jirgatol lies in the extreme north-east corner of the Region of Republican Subordination in Tajikistan. Its northern boundary is the international boundary with Kyrgyzstan; on the south it borders with Tavildara and Tojikobod districts, and its western border is with...
(Region of Republican Subordination
Region of Republican Subordination
Districts of Republican Subordination is a region in Tajikistan, consisting of 13 districts which are directly under central rule.-History:...
).
Notable features
Korzhenevskaya is one of the five 7,000 m peaks of the former Soviet Union (this counts Khan TengriKhan Tengri
Khan Tengri is a mountain of the Tian Shan mountain range. It is located on the China—Kyrgyzstan—Kazakhstan border, east of lake Issyk Kul. Its geologic elevation is , but its glacial cap rises to...
, which is more often given as 6,995 m) that were required for a climber to be awarded the Snow Leopard award
Snow Leopard award
The Snow Leopard award was a Soviet mountaineering award, given to very experienced climbers. It is still recognised in the Commonwealth of Independent States...
, the highest honor given to Soviet mountaineers. It is usually said to be the second easiest of these peaks to climb, after Lenin Peak
Lenin Peak
Lenin Peak , rises to in Gorno-Badakhshan on the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and is the second-highest point of both countries. It is considered one of the easiest 7,000 m peaks in the world to climb and it has by far the most ascents of any 7,000 m or higher peak on earth, with every...
. However it is not a small mountain; its rise above local terrain rivals that of Ismoil Somoni Peak, since it is closer to the deep valley of the Muksu River
Muksu River
The Muksu River is a west-flowing river in north-central Gorno-Badakhshan province, Tajikistan. It is a tributary of the Vakhsh River which in turn is a tributary of the Amu Darya. The north side of its valley is the Trans-Alay Range and the south side is formed by the high mountains near the...
.
Climbing history
In 1937 D. Gushchin led an attempt on the peak which reached the lower summit (6,910 m).Korzhenevskaya was first climbed in 1953 by a party led by A. Ugarov; the summit team comprised Ugarov, B. Dimitriev, A. Goziev, A. Kovyrkov, L. Krasavin, E. Ryspajev, R. Sielidzanov, and
P. Skorobogatov. They approached via the Fortambek Glacier, to the Korzhenevsky glacier, and
thence to the north ridge.
Partly since it is required for the Snow Leopard award
Snow Leopard award
The Snow Leopard award was a Soviet mountaineering award, given to very experienced climbers. It is still recognised in the Commonwealth of Independent States...
, Korzhenevskaya has been climbed many times; it is the second most frequented major peak in the Pamirs, after Lenin Peak
Lenin Peak
Lenin Peak , rises to in Gorno-Badakhshan on the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and is the second-highest point of both countries. It is considered one of the easiest 7,000 m peaks in the world to climb and it has by far the most ascents of any 7,000 m or higher peak on earth, with every...
. A base camp on the moraine of the Moskvin Glacier, and helicopter access, make this possible. Korzhenevskaya has been climbed from almost every direction, including a first winter ascent in 1986; most of these ascents were by Russians. The most common current route on the mountain ascends from the south and attains the summit ridge from the west side.
Sources
- Jill Neate, High Asia: An Illustrated History of the 7000 Metre Peaks, ISBN 0-89886-238-8
- Robin Collomb and Andrew Wielochowski, Pamir-Trans Alai Mountains, 1:200,000 scale map and guide, West Col Productions.
- DEM files (Corrected versions of SRTM data)