Latest update: 2012-12-01 15:09:51

Asia

Langtang valley. Source: Canon Ixus 850IS, (c) Ari Paulin, licensed under (c) 2008 Ari Paulin. Shot on 2007-10-11Photo taken (Langtang valley) in Langtang valley, Rasuwa, Nepal (map)

General

Note: There are alternative ways of spelling many names in Asian ranges.

• Central Asia overview map
• Overview map of Central Asia. At Hartmut's mountaineering page.
• Maps of Central Asia. Large collection of good quality maps covering, Pamir, Tien Shan and Caucasus.

• Bonington, Chris & Salkeld, Audrey: World Mountaineering - The World's Greatest Mountains by the Worlds Greatest Mountaineers. Miller's Publications, 2006. Isbn: 1845331427.
• Maier, Frith: Trekking in Russia and Central Asia - A Traveler's Guide. Mountaineers Books, 1994. Isbn: 0898863554.

Turkey

Turkey is a mostly mountainous country, with mountains bordering to the Mediterranean in the south, the Black Sea in the north, Aegean Sea in the west and a high, dry plateau in the interior part of the country. There is much variety among the mountains of Turkey, and the same can be said of Turkey's climate, as the damp coastal regions contrast with the dry inland plateau. Generally warm, comfortable temperatures prevail throughout Turkey, making for excellent year round hiking, though early Summer is the best season for the higher summits.

In the southern part of the country on the cost of Mediterranean Sea lie Taurus mountains. They presents a formidable crest-line of steep rocky peaks, dozens of which top 3000 meters.

In northern part of Turkey, close to Caspain Sea rise Pontic Mountains, which is actually a collection of several smaller ranges. Summits in the Pontics average from 3000m to 3600m.

Ida Mountains in northwestern Turkey on the coast of Aegean Sea, are volcanic in origin, and there are many hot springs in the foothills. This mountain area is the site of ancient Troy, and of the legendary events which led to the Trojan War.

The two highest mountains in Turkey, Mount Ararat (5165m) and Suphan Dagi (4434m) are isolated volcanoes in the extreme east of the country. Snow-capped Mount Ararat (5165m) rises in isolation above the surrounding plains and valleys in extreme northeast Turkey, 15km west of Iran, and 35km south of Armenia. Ararat is a holy mountain. Its sacredness comes from the Old Testament legend of Noah, whose ark came to rest on Ararat following the great flood. The second highest mountain Suphan Dagi (4434m) is located just north of Lake Van, Turkey's largest lake.

Caucasus

Caucasus range, extending 1200km between Black Sea in the west and Caspian Sea in the east, forms both geographic, ethnic and political barrier between Europe and Asia. North to south the range extends maximally 180km. Although it is the home to the highest mountains of the Europe, the area is relatively little known among western climbers, as the access was formerly difficult. There are seven peaks above 5000m. The Great Caucasus is traditionally divided into three regions - Western, Central and Eastern, with conventional borders coming through two highest peaks: Mt. Elbrus (5642m) to the west and Mt. Kazbek (5033m) to the east. <<more>>.

Tien Shan

Tien Shan mountain range, meaning Heavenly Mountains, is 800 km wide and 2800 km long mountain system located in Central Asia northeast of Pamir and north of Kunlun Shan, extending from Uzbekistan to Mongoliaa. It is extended further north by the Bogda Mountains, and further still by the Altai Mountains along China's northern border. It includes more than thirty peaks close to, or over, 6000 meters above sea level, the predominant height of summits in the Tien Shan is 4000-5000m and passes range between heights of 3500-4500m. All the chains are ridges of the Tien Shan except the meridian one, run west-east and consists of four separated by natural features: the Central Tien Shan, the Northern and the Western and the Inner Tien Shan. <<more>>.

Pamir

Pamir range, called the roof of the world by Persians, is located in southern Central Asia. It is mainly located mainly in Tajikistan, but the northern slopes stretch to Kyrgyzstan, its western and southern slopes stretch to Afganistan and eastern slopes to China. It is roughly rectangular in shape, they are 280 km long north to south and about 420 km from west to east. The range is naturally bordered by Kyzyl-Su and Surkhob river valleys in the north, Sarykol ridge on the border between China and Tajikistan in the east, Pamir and Pyandzh rivers in the south and Pyandzh river and Western spurs of the Darvaz and Peter the First ridges on the west. The region is sometimes referred to as the Pamir Knot, as it is the central hub of great mountain ranges. On the West Pamir borders on Hindu Kush, on the south on Karakoram and Himalaya and on the east of Pamier lies Kunlun Shan and on the North-East Tien Shan. <<more>>.

Kunlun Shan

Kunlun Shan (or Kunlun/Kun-Lun) is a major mountain system of Asia, located along the north edge of the vast dry Tibetan plains in China about halfway between the Himalayas in the south and Tien Shan in the north. On the west side, it borders on Pamir. The highest mountains of the range are located in the narrow eastern part. There are several high peaks in the range with very difficult Kongur (7719m) being the highest. Technically easy Muztagh Ata (7546m) is by far the most climbed of the high peaks, it probably being the most popular of all 7000m peaks. Apart from Muztagh Ata, many mountains of the range are little known, remote and access is both difficult and takes a great deal of time. There are several unclimbed high peaks. Apart from the above mentioned, Muztag (7282m), Cholpanglik (7102m), Ulugh Muztagh (6987m), Bukadaban Feng (6860m), Chakragil (6727m) and Amne Machin (6282m) are probably the most important peaks. July and August are considered the best months for climbing.

• (Karakorum Highway Map). Cordee. Isbn: 0952171813.

• All peaks og Kongur - Muztagh Ata region greater than 6000m/list. By A Lebedev.
• All peaks og Kongur - Muztagh Ata region greater than 6000m/maps. By A Lebedev.
• Approach route from Bishkek. At CETneva.
• Approach route from Kashgar
• Kunlun Mountain Range. List of most important peaks. At Alpex High Alpine Expeditions.

Kongur Shan Kunlun

Muztagata Kunlun

Kunlun Shan

Hindu Raj

Hindu Raj range is located to the west of Hindu Kush, located mainly in Afghanistan. Its highest peak is Koyo Zom (6872m). Other notable peaks include Buni Zom and Ghamubar Zom. The range is much less well-known than its neighbors, partly because of the absence of any really high peaks.

Hindu Kush

Hindu Kush is located southwest of Pamir, more or less on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Hindu Kush is one of the great watersheds of Central Asia, forming part of the vast Alpine zone that stretches across the continent from east to west. In the eastern part of the range, mountains are generally round and wide, and rise to around 5500m, low by central Asian standards. Western part has a cluster of high snowy peaks, twenty of which are 7000 meter summits. The highest mountain of the area is Tirich Mir (7690m). Compared to many other areas with high peaks, the weather is predictable and stable.

• Tirich Mir

• Area page. At SummitPost.

Karakoram

Karakoram (sometimes spelled Karakorum) lies in northeast Pakistan and Northern India, some 1500km west of Nepalase Himalayas and north of westernmost part of Himalaya, separated from it by the river of Indus. It is often regarded as a part of the Himalayas. The mountains in Karakoram typically have sharp, angular form and many of icy peaks are surrounded by wild towers and spires. Many mountains in Karakoram are very difficult to climb. The range has severe storms, especially K2 is known for harsh weather. On high mountains, June - August are usually most suitable months for climbing. <<more>>.

Himalaya

Most of the worlds highest mountains are located in the vast and complex Himalayan range (that means The Land of Snow). It forms over 2000km broad crescent through Northeastern Pakistan (Punjab), Northwestern India, Southern Tibet, Nepal, Sikkim Bhutan and Assam area of India. It is bordered on the north by the plateau of Central Asia and on the south by the fertile plains of the India. Ten of the world's fourteen 8000-meter peaks are located in Himalaya (the remaining are located in Karakoram). <<more>>.

Chinese ranges

Besides the aforementioned ranges, there are several other ranges, especially in China. Mostly not much information is readily available and there is huge number of unclimbed high peaks.

• Maier, Frith: Trekking in Russia and Central Asia - A Traveler's Guide. Mountaineers Books, 1994. Isbn: 0898863554.

Tibetan Plateau

Central Tibetan Plateau

Vast range in Tibet located to the east of Karakoram, to the south of Kunlun, to the north of Gangdise and Nyangchen Tanglha and to the west of Tanggula. These ranges are not part of Himalayas.

Tanggula

Tanggula lies further north of Tibetan plateau, to the north of Nyengchen Tanglha.

• Tanggula Mountain Range. List of most important peaks. At Alpex High Alpine Expeditions.

Hengduan Mountains

The Hengduan Mountains is a large mountainous region in Sichuan province of southwest China forming the south-eastern part of the Tibet Plateau. It is a complicated system of mountain ranges of western Sichuan, most of which run roughly north to south. Most important of these ranges are Daxue Shan and Qionglai ranges. Smaller ranges forming the eastern edge of the Hengduan system include the Daxiangling and Xiaoxiangling ranges.

Daxue Shan

The Daxue Mountains are a great mountain range in the western part of Sichuan province in Southwest China, to the east of Assam Himalaya and Nyengchen Tanglha. The Daxue Mountain Range runs for several hundred kilometers in the general north-south direction, mostly within Sichuan's Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It separates the basins of the Yalong River (to the west) and the Dadu River (to the east). Both rivers flow in the general southern direction, and are tributaries of the Yangtze. The tallest peak of the range is Gongga Shan (Minya Konka, 7556m), the easternmost 7000m peak in Asia, located in the southern part of the range. To the east and south of the Gongga Shan, the Daxue Mountains are adjacent to the smaller Daxiangling and Xiaoxiangling ranges, which are usually considered by cartographers as separate ranges.

• Dexue Shan Range, Szechwan Province. By Roger Payne at Alpinist on 2004-03-01.

Qionglai Mountains

The highest point of the Qionglai Mountains is Siguniang Shan (6250m) located in the southern part of the range.

Bodga range

Bogda range is located immediately northeast of Tien Shan range in western China. The heavily glaciated range forms the northern border of Turpan Depression, where elevation is 150m below sea level. The valleys on southern side of the range are hot, dry, very windy, and comparatively treeless, while the northern side is densely covered in forests. The highest peak of the range is Bogda Peak (or Bogda Feng, 5445m). Its close proximity to the local capital of Urumqi makes it a popular mountain for Chinese mountaineers.

Altai

Altai mountains are located in the region where Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia meet, north of Bogda range. Though Altai range is lower in altitude than many other ranges in Asia, it is very remote, and much time and planning are required for its approach. The highest mountain is Gora Belukha (or Belukla, 4506m).

Forbidden Mountains pp.99-101

Kamchatka

Japan