KARAKORAM NOMENCLATURE

PROFESSOR KENNETH MASON

publishing the conclusions reached by the Karakoram Conference

IN during the winter of 1936, it seems appropriate to place on record both
the origin of that conference and the various stages of its work. It was during
a study of the literature of the Karakoram more than twenty years ago that
I noted the growing inconsistencies regarding range-names among travellers
and writers on the region. At the end of my paper on the Shaksgam valley
and Aghil range read before the Society on 24 January 1927,1 called attention
to these inconsistencies (Geogr. J. 69 (1927) 311), and in notes by Dr. T. G.
Longstaff and myself, written after the discussion on that occasion and
published with my paper, certain tentative proposals regarding the range
names were put forward for examination. These proposals were at the same
time submitted to the Surveyor-General of India (Sir Edward Tandy), who
expressed the opinion that the whole question of Karakoram nomenclature
should be discussed by geographers and travellers with special knowledge
of the country. In a semi-official letter to me, a copy of which he addressed
to the Society, he asked me to consult with the Royal Geographical Society,
and intimated that he would be prepared to accept the decisions reached after
such consultation.
In his preface to my official report on the Shaksgam Expedition of 1926,
Sir Edward Tandy gave his personal views as follows:

I do not consider this department should decide questions which depend

so much on international usage. We can only assist by publishing the sugges-
tions of our best experts, and then hope that the Royal Geographical Society,
which includes all the principal geographers and explorers interested, will find
an early opportunity of discussing these suggestions and of arriving at decisions,
in which case we shall be happy to accept them and to incorporate them on
our future maps (Records of the Survey of India, vol. xxii, p. iv).

This was the origin of the special interest which the Society has taken in
the matter during the last ten years.
While on leave in England in 1927, and in India subsequently, I devoted
much time to collecting the references from published material, discussed
them personally and by letter with various travellers and experts, and com-
piled a map of the whole region from Survey of India and other sources. In
the Journal for September 1929 (p. 276), and January 1930 (pp. 35, 38, 44)
appeared papers and letters on the subject; and at an afternoon meeting of
the Society on 12 May 1930, I initiated a discussion with a paper that had
previously been submitted to the Surveyor-General of India (Brigadier
R. H. Thomas) and had received his general approval (Geogr, J. 76 (1930)
I43~5^)- The resulting discussion however showed two apparently irrecon-
cilable opinions, and it was felt that until a detailed modern map showing the
relief of the whole area was available, it was impossible to reach a conclusion
generally acceptable to all.
The work of preparing this map proceeded slowly, partly owing to the
124 karakoram nomenclature

difficulty of showing such great altitude differences by layer tints, partly

because it was necessary to wait for the results of recent expeditions, and partly
owing to pressure of work in the Society's drawing office. By the end of 1935
the map was sufficiently far advanced to approach the Surveyor-General
(Brigadier H. J. Couchman) to ascertain his views and wishes. In March
1936 the Director of the Geodetic Branch of the Survey of India intimated,
on behalf of the Surveyor-General, that a settlement was most desirable,
that he would like to be represented at any further conference that might
take place, that he would cordially accept an invitation to such a conference,
and that the winter of 1936-37 would be most suitable from his point of view.
The Council of the Society had some years before appointed a small Com-

The Karakoram

mittee, with Sir Charles Close as chairman, to deal with the preparation of
the map; and from this Committee they chose three members to be their
representatives at the conference. Invitations to the conference were sent
both to the Surveyor-General and to the Director of the Geological Survey
of India, and a collection of cuttings giving the views of various authorities
was sent by the Society to them and others interested. During the summer
of 1936 a provisional edition of the Society's map was brought out and also
sent to these people.
Meanwhile in India the whole policy of naming features in uninhabited
and little-visited parts of the Himalaya was under consideration, the result of
which was the issue of a letter from the Surveyor-General to various bodies
interested, among which were the Royal Geographical Society and the
 KARAKORAMNOMENCLATURE 125

Himalayan Club. This letter, dated September 1, laid down the principles
which would underlie the policy of the Survey of India regarding the naming
of peaks and other features in the Himalaya and neighbouring mountain
ranges. Sir Harold Couchman's letter is as follows:

As you are perhaps aware the question of the entry of names invented by
explorers and others for peaks and other features of the mountain systems to
the north of India on maps published by the Survey of India is one on which
there has been occasional controversy.
The practice of the Survey of India in the past has been that no names should
be entered on its maps, of areas for which it considers itself responsible, unless
they have been found to be of local or at least indigenous origin. It has admittedly
departed from this practice in the case of Mount Everest, but it will be generally
agreed that the highest mountain in the world is entitled to special treatment,
especially when the result was so euphonious. In the absence of a local or
indigenous name, the old practice was to allot a symbol, usually a letter and a
number. This practice has however been abandoned on our maps for many
years except in the case of K2 which, as probably the second highest mountain,
is perhaps also entitled to special treatment.
This practice has had two results, one favourable, the other unfavourable.
The favourable result is that there has been no temptation to give personal
names to peaks, the embarrassment of selection of the person to be so honoured
has been avoided, and the situation, not unknown, of the name of a peak being
changed because the reputation of its owner had lessened has not occurred.
The Survey of India will always be grateful to its predecessors for this result.
The unfavourable result is that owing to absence of local or indigenous
names in these sparsely inhabited areas our maps are undoubtedly deficient
in names. With the increasing growth of Himalayan travel this defect is becom-
ing of increasing prominence.
The position has therefore been examined and it has been decided that the
embargo on invented, other than personal, names should be removed.
Invented names will be accepted by the Survey of India for its maps taking
into consideration the following points:
(i) Lack of local names in the vicinity.
(ii) Suitability of the names.
(iii) When applicable, the degree of currency among climbers and explorers
that they have already obtained.
(iv) Personal names will not be accepted.
Suitability is difficult to define, but entirely fanciful or humorous names
will not be acceptable. Well-known English names of peaks, such as those in
the Karakoram and the Sikkim Himalaya, will be considered for adoption at
once.
You will no doubt agree that this change in policy should be brought to the
notice of travellers and I would request your assistance in doing so either by
the publication of this letter or by a reference to its contents.
The Survey of India will be grateful to past, present, and future explorers
for any suggestions they may care to make. As regards the language of the
names we would prefer that English names be confined to the more popular
climbing centres. In the lesser-known regions explorers are requested to suggest
names freely after consultation with their local guides or coolies. Nalas, cols,
glaciers and peaks may be named after some local pasturage or other existing
name, or may be invented with reference, say, to shape, colour, or some other
126 karakoram nomenclature

distinctive feature. Such names should normally be given in the local vernacular
and should be pointed out to the local people so that they may the more rapidly
gain currency. English names should be given sparingly in areas which are
likely to be unimportant from a mountaineering point of view.
Explorers are requested to report their proposed names with sketches or
annotated copies of Survey of India maps to me either direct or "through you.
In sending in reports full details should be given of the reasons for the proposed
names, with meanings in English, and the local language adopted.
On receipt of this letter it seemed to us that during the winter conference
we might usefully discuss, not only the broader questions of regional and
range names, but also the detailed grouping of massifs in the Karakoram,
their names, and those of their chief individual summits. I had collected a
large number of notes and references relating to this subject during the last
fifteen years, and had already arranged many of the known peaks and massifs
into groups. It had already appeared to me certain that if we were to obtain
a settlement of the main problem which would be acceptable to all and which
would avoid the barren controversies of the past, we must abandon the old
proposals which I had put forward and pressed in 1927 and 1930, in spite of
the fact that they had gained a considerable amount of support and acceptance.
We had to find some other classification of the mountains which embodied
the points of agreement and met the criticisms of those who objected most
strongly to the earlier proposals. During the last three months of the year I
therefore drew up a detailed draft memorandum for discussion by the con?
ference, and placed the major groups tentatively on our provisional map.
Colonel C. G. Lewis, then Director of the Geodetic Branch of the Survey
of India, who had held charge of the recent modern surveys in the Chitral
and Gilgit Agencies, and who had considerable experience of the difficulties
of the problem, was appointed by the Surveyor-General to represent the
Survey of India. He arrived in November 1936, bringing with him the maps
and blue prints of the still later surveys.
The draft memorandum was then exhaustively examined point by point
at no less than nine informal meetings of the conference. As soon as the first
general principles were agreed upon, the general approval of the Surveyor-
General was asked and obtained. As work progressed, Colonel Lewis
explained the proposals to Sir Sidney Burrard, who had taken so active an
interest in the matter since it became acute ten years ago. Typed copies were
sent to India for examination and criticism. By the time the conference met
officially on March 23, the revised memorandum, which had been circulated
for a last scrutiny, was practically in its final form. With a few minor amend-
ments it was then set up in type and copies were circulated to those geo-
graphers and travellers known to be particularly interested.
It was most gratifying to learn that the proposals met with general approval,
Sir Sidney Burrard's support being particularly generous. In a letter dated
23 April 1937, he wrote as follows:
Lewis has shown me the outlines of your solution of the Karakoram problem.
This problem has confronted the Survey for fifty years. Colonel Strahan used
to mention it as unsolved. I must send you my congratulations on your success
in finding a solution that is both scientific and artistic. Your Committee's
 KARAKORAMNOMENCLATURE 127

solution will meet with the approval of British India and of Central Asian
explorers. I regard your success as remarkable.
When a long outstanding problem is solved, it is generally easy to say that
the solution is obvious. But the fact remains that the problem of Karakoram
nomenclature has been a real difficulty facing the Survey of India for half a
century. The solution has only been attained by much thought and work;
and I can only do justice to my own feelings by sending you my warm congratula-
tions.

I should like to place on record my own personal appreciation of this

generous tribute to the Committee's work.
The conclusions of the conference were reported to the Council on 5 April
1937, and the detailed recommendations were submitted to the Surveyor-
General of India for sanction. In a letter dated 30 August 1937, he gave his
approval to the proposals without qualification of any kind. I should like to
take this opportunity of thanking Sir Harold Couchman and Brigadier Lewis,
who has since succeeded him in the Surveyor-Generalship, for their courtesy
and close co-operation throughout.

A few remarks regarding the decisions may perhaps not be out of place.
The general principles underlying the scheme have been to define and name
the topographical features as they exist to-day and to avoid theorizing on their
structure and origin. Much of the confusion that has arisen in recent years
has been due to the introduction of conflicting theories of structure based on
insufficient data. Once we had a comprehensive map showing not only the
relief and topography clearly from the most recent surveys, but also such
details as the ice and permanent snow, it became a problem of dividing the
whole region into suitable geographical blocks, of sub-dividing these blocks
into suitable groups and massifs, and then of searching for and agreeing upon
the most suitable names. This meant a detailed study of the writings and
maps of a large number of explorers and cartographers, and the settlement
of a number of conflicting statements. The names of the larger divisions were
first agreed upon. The name "Karakoram," which had originally been ex-
tended from the pass of that name to the mountains by European geographers,
was further extended to include the whole region to which subsequent travellers
have applied it, while the term "The Great Karakoram" was accepted for
the great alinement of ice massifs that extends from one end of the region
to the other. It was felt that the locally preferred name "Muztagh," which
also had considerable historical significance, could be suitably applied to the
major divisions of the Great Karakoram. The muztaghs lent themselves to
subdivision into groups, and the groups into massifs and individual peaks.
It was felt that the term muztagh was inappropriate either linguistically or
descriptively for the subdivisions of the lesser Karakoram, and, for want of a
better term, they were called "ranges." The muztaghs have been named in
every instance but one from the great glaciers which drain them; the ranges
of the Lesser Karakoram from the most conspicuous mountain on their
alignment.
The groups have been named from the best known locally named feature,
often a glacier, whenever possible from the most accessible side; there are a
128 KARAKORAM
NOMENCLATURE

few exceptions, where it has been deemed advisable to retain some name that
has long been associated with the group in existing literature, as, for instance,
the Kanjut Group. A few of the more important unnamed peaks have been
named, either from their group-names, or from an accessible locality, with a
suitable affix such as Sary or Kangri, according to the language of the region,
and according to local practice. A few of the recognized English names for
the best known and most prominent peaks have been retained, but only a
very few. The names so retained from long usage are K2, the Muztagh
Tower, and Broad Peak. The "Hidden Peak" of Conway has long been
known in the records of the Survey of India as Gasherbrum I, and this official
name is retained. The conspicuous unclimbed summit north-east of K2,
inappropriately called "Staircase" on unofficial maps of the past, has been
named "Skyang Kangri," from the glacier on its north. A number of other
unofficial English names for peaks have been rejected; some of these peaks
have been renamed, while the renaming of others has been left to subsequent
travellers. All personal names have been discarded. Notes are given in the
appendices explaining the different questions involved. Regions which are
or were inadequately mapped at the time of the conference have been left in
outline for subsequent treatment.
It is not to be expected that all the decisions reached will meet with the
approval of every student of Karakoram literature and geography. It is true
that controversy is keenest where facts are fewest. In these distant and
sparsely inhabited lands some conventionalism is essential to the needs of
ordered geography, and it is to be hoped that travellers and geographers will
in future accept the nomenclature that has been agreed upon and authorized.
In some instances it may be necessary to allude in papers to old and unofficial
nomenclature for the purposes of identification, but it is hoped that travellers
will co-operate to bring into use the authorized names as early as possible, so
that the literature of the Karakoram may be freed from the ambiguities and
inconsistencies of the past.
 KARAKORAM CONFERENCE REPORT

The recommendations of the Karakoram Conference as accepted by the Council

of the Royal Geographical Society and approved by the Surveyor-General of
India are printed below.

I. The term Karakoram. We recommend that the term "The Karakoram"

be used to denote the mountain region whose boundaries are defined thus:
On the south: by the Shyok river from its bend at about long. 780 15' (map
sheets 52 J, F, B, A, 43 M) to its junction with the Indus, about long. 750 55';
then by the Indus to its junction with the Gilgit river about long. 740 40'
(43 I); and by the Gilgit river (43 1,42 L, H) to the confluence of the Ishkoman
river about long. 730 45'.
On the west: by the Ishkoman and Karumbar rivers (42 H, L) to the
Chilinji pass.
On the north: from the Chilinji pass, down the Chapursan river, over the
Kermin pass to Rich, and down the Kilik river to its junction with the Khun-
jerab (42 L); then up the Khunjerab river to the Khunjerab pass, across the
head of the Oprang Pamir to the Oprang pass, and down the Oprang river to
its junction with the Shaksgam (42 P); then up the Shaksgam river to its
source at Wood's Pass "G" (for which we propose the name Shaksgam
pass) (42 P, 51 D, 52, A, E); then to the snout of the Rimo-Yarkand river
source, and by the left bank of the Rimo glacier to the junction of the Rimo
river and the Chip-chap (52 E).
On the east: by the upper Shyok from the Rimo-Chip-chap junction to
the great bend in the river about long. 780 15' (52 E, F, J).
Note: The use of the term "the Karakoram" for a region is in accordance
with the general usage among geographers for many years past, but up till
now the boundaries have not been defined. The proposed boundaries exclude
the Aghil mountains, all mountains east of the upper Shyok and on the
Tibetan plateau, the mountains between the Shyok and the Indus rivers
("the Ladakh range"), but they include the mountains of Hunza west of the
Hunza river, as far as the Karumbar-Ishkoman river.
Though not directly in the terms of reference of the conference, we suggest
that "the Aghil mountains" be defined by the Shaksgam on the south and
west as far as the Oprang confluence, on the north by the Shaksgam and
Raskam (Yarkand) rivers, and on the east by the Yarkand river tributary
draining from the Karakoram pass.
We also suggest that the "Ladakh range" be restricted to the definite
range in Ladakh, between the Indus and Shyok rivers; that the term "Zaskar
mountains" be restricted to the mountains of Zaskar, or at least not extended
east of the upper Sutlej; and that the term "Deosai mountains" be applied
to the mountain region defined on the north by the Indus from long. 760 15'
to long. 740 45', and on the south by the Astor, the Das Kirin, and the Shingo
rivers, to the junction of the latter with the Suru river, and then by the Suru
river to its confluence with the Indus.

II. The Great Karakoram. We recommend that the term "The Great
Karakoram" be given to the main crest zone of the Karakoram, from the
9
130 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

mountain Koz Sar (360 43' 10", 740 05' 19", Map 42 L) in the west along the
crest zone south of the Batura glacier, north of the Hispar, Panmah, Baltoro,
and Siachen glaciers, and along the watershed between the Nubra and upper
Shyok rivers.

III. Divisions of the Great Karakoram. We consider it desirable to divide

the Great Karakoram into sections, and to apply the descriptive term Muztagh l
to each section. The sections proposed are as follows:

(A) The Batura Muztagh: From Koz Sar, south of the Batura glacier, to
the gorge of the Hunza river (42 L).
(B) The Hispar Muztagh: From the gorge of the Hunza river, north of the
Hispar glacier, to the head basin of the Biafo glacier (42 P).
(C) The Panmah Muztagh: The groups drained by the Panmah glacier and
its main tributaries from the head of the Biafo glacier to the West
Muztagh pass (42 P, 51 D, 52 A).
(D) The Baltoro Muztagh: From the West Muztagh pass, north and east
throughout the length of the Baltoro glacier, to its head south-east
of the Gasherbrum group (52 A).
(E) The Siachen Muztagh: From the above head of the Baltoro glacier
along the northern mountains of the Siachen glacier and south of
the Shaksgam valley, as far as the pass between the Teram Shehr
and Rimo glaciers, thence north of the Central Rimo glacier to its
snout (52 A, E).
(F) The Rimo Muztagh: From the pass between the Teram Shehr and
Rimo glaciers along the mountain groups between the Siachen and
the upper Shyok, as far as the Saser pass (52 E).
(G) The Saser Muztagh: From the Saser pass to the south-eastern extremity
of the Great Karakoram in the bend between the upper Shyok and
the Shyok rivers (52 E, F, J).

IV. Mountain groups of the Great Karakoram. On small-scale maps it is

neither feasible nor desirable to enter any but the most important peak
names; but it is possible now to classify the peaks in groups, and we con-
sidered that it would be convenient if group names were to be inserted on
small-scale maps; peak names, excepting those of the most important, being
reserved for maps on the scale of 1 :250,000 and larger. An attempt to group
the peaks of the Great Karakoram inuztaghs has been made in Appendix I of
this report.

V. Mountain divisions of the lesser Karakoram.?So far we have only

dealt with divisions and subdivisions of the Great Karakoram. The moun?
tains of the lesser Karakoram are not so easy to deal with, for they do not \it
on a single long alinement of groups. The most important of them however
fall on a series of shorter alinements, which might be called "ranges," though
the term is not very satisfactory. They correspond to the "Muztaghs" of the
Great Karakoram, but we consider this Turki word to be unsuitable for them.
1 Muz ? ice ; Tagh = mountain. Muztagh, not Mustagh, is correct.
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT 131

(A) North of the Great Karakoram, in Hunza territory, there are two
systems of mountains, one on each side of the Hunza river, which may be
called the Lupghar group and the Ghujerab mountains respectively.
The remainder of any importance all lie to the south of the Great Kara?
1:
koram, and may be conveniently listed on the following alinements
(B) The Rakaposhi range, from the Hunza river west of the peak Rakaposhi,
following the snowy crest zone between the Hispar and Chogo Lungma
glaciers as far east as long. 750 30'. Two subsidiary groups at the eastern end
may be considered independent of Rakaposhi. These are the Ganchen group
and the Meru group.
(C) The Haramosh range, from where it joins the Rakaposhi range about
long. 740 50', along the crest zone between the Chogo Lungma glacier,
Basha and Shigar rivers on the north and the Indus on the south.
(D) The Masherbrum range, from the junction of the Braldu and Basha
rivers, west of Mango Gusor, along the crest zone south of the Braldu river
and Baltoro glacier, as far east as the Kondus glacier and valley. Two inde?
pendent groups, at present unnamed, extend south from the Masherbrum
range.
(E) The Saltoro range, lies between the Kondus on the west, the Siachen
and the Nubra on the east, and the Shyok valley on the south. It is crossed
by the Saltoro or Bilafond pass.
An attempt has been made to group the various massifs of these "ranges"
in Appendix II.

APPENDIX I: MOUNTAIN GROUPS OF THE GREAT KARAKORAM

In the following lists an attempt has been made to collect the mountains of
the Great Karakoram into groups, and to name these groups from some geo?
graphical feature, generally the most important glacier draining from them.
Some groups are, of course, better known than others, and it has been easier
in these instances to define the group boundaries with greater precision.
Occasionally comments have been made on peak names, while a few additional
names have been suggested.
Where possible, the latitudes, longitudes, and heights have been given from
the Survey of India triangulation pamphlets, unless stated otherwise for definite
reasons, and where other values of peak co-ordinates have been obtained by
other observers comment has been made.
Figures in italics are only approximate, and are measured from topographical
maps; they are only given for the purposes of identification. Where co-ordinates
are given only to the nearest minute, thus j6? 35', 740 ig', the map from which
they are taken is not directly adjustable to existing Survey of India maps.
Heights shown in brackets, thus (21,250), are derived approximately from an
examination of the contours.
Where names for individual peaks have been suggested, the principle has
been to name them from the most accessible valley or glacier draining them.
Suggested new names for peaks are shown in italics; old names that we recom?
mend should be dropped are in brackets.
1 The new survey of 1931 in Sheet 42 L is not available in
England ; consequently
we have not attempted to group the mountains between the Gilgit and Hunza rivers
south of the Batura Muztagh.
132 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

Mountain Groups of the Great Karakoram.

(A) Batura Muztagh: Map 42 L.

(a) Koz group, at the head of the Koz Yaz (glacier).
Name Height Lat. Long.
Koz Sar .. . . 21,907 360 43' 10" 740 05' 19"
? 21,25? 36 43 24 74 06 55
? 20,345 36 43 74 11
(b) Yashkuk group, at the head of the Yashkuk glacier.
? 21,548 36?4o' 74? 13'
? 2iygi$ 36 39 74 14
? 20,060 36 38 74 16
(c) Kampire Dior group, at the watershed between the Batura and Yashkuk
glaciers. Kampire Dior, "the house of the old woman," is derived from a
well-known legend of the Chapursan valley, the best version of which is given
by Lorimer in Geogr. J. 71 (1928) 535.
Kampire Dior .. 23,434 36? 37' 32" 740 19' 10" Pk. 24/42L
? 22,740 36 38 24 74 21 33 Pk. 23/42 L
(d) Kuk group, at the head of the Kuk-i-jerab valley. Kuk Sar signifies "the
summit of Kuk."
Kuk Sar .. ..22,751 360 40' 08* 74? 25' 18" Pk. 21/42 L
? 22,050 36 39 06 74 25 23 Pk. 22/42 L
(e) Batura group, the enclosing south wall of the head of the Batura glacier.

Peaks 32 and 31 are known in the Survey of India records as Hunza-Kunji I

and Hunza-Kunji II. 'Kunji* really means nothing and is probably a triangula-
tor's error for 'Kanjut,' another name for Hunza. There is no sense in the
compound name, but it is difficult to suggest a better name until the southern
slopes of the massif are surveyed. (For Burrard's views, see his 'Sketch, etc./
2nd Edn., vol. i,pp. 51,52.)
(f) Pasu group, at the head of the Pasu glacier.
? 23,897 36? 28'51* 74? 36'53" Pk. 55/42 L
? 24,970 36 26 30 74 40 52 Pk. 33/42 L
The triangulator's designation for Peak 33, Hunza Kunji III, should be
dropped.
(g) Atabad group, the eastern group of the great ridge, extending to Atabad
hill-station of the Indo-Russian triangulation, above the village of Atabad.
Boiohaghur Duanasir 24,044 360 24' 10" 740 41' 43" Pk. 34/42 L
? ? 36 23 32 74 42 57 Pk. 35/42 L
Boiohaghur Duanasir, "where only the horse of the devil can go," is the
name given to Conway and Bruce for this peak by the people of Baltit in 1892.
Its name in Survey records is Hunza-Kunji IV. According to Burrard ('Sketch,
Geol. Geog. Him. and Tib.,' 2nd edn., p. 49), Colonel Lorimer sees in this
word three Burushaski words: Boyo, a divine animal; Haghur, a horse; and
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT 133

Donas, one who opens. Possibly a more correct form than that given to Bruce
would be Boyohaghur Donas Sar, but since the Burushaski language presents
difficulty and is little known, it seems advisable to retain the form Boiohaghur
Duanasir.
From the survey made of the Batura and this region on the Vissers' Expedition
of 1925, it would appear that the height of Peak 35 is about 24,500 feet. Its old
name is Hunja-Kunji V. It would, we think, be a mistake to retain these
"Hunza-Kunji" names at intervals along this Batura Muztagh.

(B) Hispar Muztagh: Map 42 P.

(a) Momhil group, at the head of the Momhil glacier.

Momhil, "the grazing-ground of the old woman," i.e. no one but an old fool
would think of grazing there. Momhil Sar, the "summit of Momhil," the chief
peak at the head of the Momhil glacier. (For Momhil, see Schomberg,
'Unknown Karakoram,' p. 233.) The old triangulators' name 'Kunjut No. 3'
is meaningless.
(b) Disteghil group, at the head of the Malangutti Yaz glacier, in which lies
Diste Ghil, "the sheepfold in the hill." Schomberg's spelling is to be pre-
ferred to Visser's, Dasto Ghil, which is at present on the map. We think that
the peak should have the addition Sar, but it is a small point. Visser's spelling
of the Malangutti Yaz is to be preferred to Cockerill's and Bridge's corruption
Malungidiaz.

"the sheepfold in the snow," or perhaps, according to Schomberg, "the curving

ice." Yaz is either ice or snow, and is the common word for a glacier, while
ghil is descriptive of anything circular or round, and is generally applied to a
circular sheepfold. Only one important peak has been fixed in this group as
yet, and this is probably more conspicuous from the Hispar side, at the head
of the Pumarikish glacier. We therefore suggest the name Pumarikish for it,
instead of its old triangulators' name 'Kunjut No. 2.'
Pumarikish .. .. 24,580 360 12' 45" 750 15' 12" Pk. 11/42P
(d) Kanjut group, at the head of the large Jutmaru glacier tributary of the
Hispar. A name for one of the summits is forthcoming from its chief glacier.
The old name for Kanjut Sar was 'Kunjut No. i.'
Yukshin Sar .. . . 20,570 " "
360 14'00 jf 23''00 42 P
Kanjut Sar . . . . 25,460 36 12 21 75 25 03 Pk. 12/42 P

(e) Khurdopin group, a cluster of summits at the head of the Khurdopin

glacier, none of which is as yet well fixed. There was a discrepancy here
between Khan Sahib Afraz GuPs plane-table and the work of both Conway
134 karakoram conference report

and the Workmans. Individual names should certainly not be given in the
present state of our knowledge, but there is undoubtedly a well-marked group

Peak No. and map

42 P (from
Visser, 1925)

(f) Virjerab group, a group of mountains at the head of the Virjerab glacier
and between that glacier and the Khurdopin. The limits of this group should
at present be undefined, as it has not been triangulated and is little known.
? 21,180 36? II' 75? 39' } ?/r
36 o9 42 P (from
21,510 75 43
VlSSCr' I925)
20,720 36 11 75 43 )
(C) Panmah Muztagh: Maps 42 P, 51 D, 52 A.
(a) Nobande Sobande group, at the head and left of the Nobande Sobande
glacier, as far as about long. 750 57'. This group is only roughly known, first
from Godwin Austen's surveys (1861) and latterly from those of the Spoleto
expedition of 1929. One peak only has been named and its height is not yet
known with any accuracy. The spelling, Nobande Sobande, used on Spoleto's
map is probably more correct than Nobundi Sobundi of Godwin Austen.
Panmah is similarly more correct than Punmah.
Bobisghir.? j6? 02' 750 48' 42 P (from
Spoleto, 1929)
(b) Drenmang group, the mountains of the main watershed from about
longitude 750 57' (Spoleto's map) eastwards, including those at the head of the
Drenmang glacier as far south as latitude 350 59'. Skamri is an important massif
of this group, but its height and topography are not yet known in any detail.
(c) Chiring group, at the head of the Chiring glacier, south of the Drenmang
group as far as the West Muztagh pass.
No peaks have been defined accurately for height in these three groups of
the Panmah Muztagh, and no names except Bobisghir and Skamri have been
given.
(d) Choktoi group, between the Choktoi glacier and the Nobande Sobande
glacier. At present we know very little of the group and no peaks have been
fixed by triangulation.
(e) Latok group, between the Biafo glacier and the Choktoi and Panmah
glaciers. There is undoubtedly a high group here at the head of the Latok
tributary glacier of the Biafo. Three summits have been triangulated and are
listed below. For a discussion on them and their relation to surrounding topo?
graphy, see Himalayan Journal, vol. vi, 1934, p. 71.
? 23,900 35? 56' 54" 75? 45' 11* Pk. 18/43 M
? 23,440 35 55 43 75 49 24 Pk. 19/43 M
? Pk. 20/43 M
22,790 35 55 14 75 50 21
Conway named the first "the Ogre"; Mrs. Bullock Workman considered the
illustration given by Conway as "the Ogre" was of a smaller mountain nearer
to the Biafo, and named the 23,900-foot summit "Kailasa," showing it with a
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT 135

height 23,914 feet. Auden agreed with the Workmans that "the Ogre" of
Conway was not the high peak, and stated that this faulty identification of
Conway had thrown out the position of the Biafo glacier on his map. It appears
to us too early to assign names to individual peaks of this group, but we recom?
mend that neither "the Ogre" nor "Kailasa" should be adopted.

(D) Baltoro Muztagh: Map 52 A.

(a) Paiju group, at the extreme western end of the Baltoro Muztagh, includes
the mountains west of the main trunk of the Trango glacier tributary of the
Baltoro. It includes the mountains enclosing the Surgus, Borum, and Choricho
glacier tributaries of the Panmah, as well as the remarkable Paiju Peak (21,650
feet), with its strata set vertically, which gives it an "organ-pipe" appearance
(for illustrations see De Filippi's 'Karakoram and Western Himalaya,' par-
ticularly Panorama B, which shows the whole of the Baltoro Muztagh from
Paiju Peak to Gasherbrum; see also Himalayan jfournal, vol. ix). The
coordinates of Paiju Peak are approximately 350 43' 00", 760 07' 00", 21,650
feet.
(b) Trango group, east of the Paiju group, includes the mountains east of
the main trunk of the Trango glacier and those west of the Dunge glacier
(longitude 760 13'). The heights of various conspicuous summits are given
on Spoleto's map between the Trango and Dunge glaciers, but we do not know
the height of the most conspicuous summit, the Trango Tower. The spelling
Trango is probably better than Spoleto's Tramgo, or the older Survey spelling
Trahonge.
(c) Lobsang group, at the head of the Muztagh glacier and its tributaries.
The glaciers here are shown incorrectly on Conway's map. Ferber's map,
in Geogr. J. 30 (December 1907), shows the glaciers better, but they are shown
best on Spoleto's map of 1929. Abruzzi (1909) did not survey them. We
suggest the name Lobsang group from the ancient camping ground of Lobsang
Brangsa in the trough of the Muztagh glacier. This name "Muztagh glacier"
was apparently given by Ferber as leading to Younghusband's East Muztagh
pass, and has been adopted since by Abruzzi and Spoleto, though it is not the
local name. Three summits are conspicuous; their heights are known with
fair accuracy, and they have been named.
Name Height
Biale (6j2g m.) . . .. 22,080
Lobsang (6225 m.) .. 20,420
Muztagh Tower (7275 m.) 23,860
Biale is spelt Piale on Conway's and Ferber's maps, when used for the glacier
name. Guillarmod gave Biale and De Filippi followed suit. Spoleto's map
gives Biale for both peak and glacier, as well as the height; and as his party
spent some time in the region, his spelling should, we think, be accepted.
"Seven Pagodas" was given as a descriptive name by Ferber, who shows an
illustration in Geogr. J. 30 (December 1907). Lobsang Brangsa, "Lobsang
camping-ground," is at the foot of the peak, and we suggest the name Lobsang
instead of "Seven Pagodas" for the peak. The height is from Spoleto's map.
The Muztagh Tower is one of the most striking peaks in the whole Kara?
koram, and has been commented upon by almost every traveller to those parts
from Conway onwards. Conway named it; there are some striking photographs
of it in De Filippi's 'Karakoram and Western Himalaya.' It is now so well
known in Karakoram literature and is so suitable for this great rock tower that
it would be right, in our opinion, to retain it. Its height has been determined
136 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

by photographic survey as 7273 metres (23,860 feet). It is far more conspicuous

than the lower "Black Tooth," which rises to the south-east to a height of
6719 m., and is part of the same massif. (We think that "Black Tooth" was
named by Ferber, and are not absolutely certain of its position on Spoleto's
map.)
Spoleto's map shows another great peak with a height of 6974 m. (22,550
feet) at the head of "the Younghusband glacier." Nothing is as yet known of
this summit, and we suggest that it be at present excluded from any group.
We also suggest provisionally re-naming the "Younghusband glacier" the
Biange glacier, from the camping-ground used by Abruzzi at its mouth, or
possibly leaving the glacier unnamed.
(d) K2 group, at the head of the "Godwin Austen glacier."
The name "Godwin Austen glacier" was given by Conway. Being a per-
sonal name, it is unsuitable, as are the other personal names in this region,
such as the Savoia pass, the Savoia glacier, De Filippi glacier, Sella pass, which
all first appeared on Abruzzi's map after his 1909 expedition.

Only the more important summits have been included in the above list,
from the Survey of India triangulation pamphlet 52 A, from Spoleto's map,
and from the Shaksgam survey, 1926.
Peak 22,330 is the highest summit on the south ridge of K2. Peak 25,354
is not a true peak, but merely a shoulder or flattening of the steep east ridge
of K2. Abruzzi's height for "Staircase peak" (24,078 feet) is much too low.
Two photographic heights from the 1926 results, based on the height of K-
(28,250) gave closely agreeing heights with a mean of 24,750 feet. Spoleto's
map follows Abruzzi and gives 7339 m. = 24,078 feet. Professor Mason is
convinced this is wrong.
The surveyor's name Skiyang Lungpa would be better spelt Skyang Lungpa.
Skyang or Kyang means "wild ass." The initial "s" before consonants "g,"
"
k," and "p," which is silent in some parts of Tibet, is generally pronounced
in the Ladakhi dialect, e.g. Spiti, Skyangpo-che (see Rec. Surv. of India, xxii,
pp. 172-3).
This name "Skyang Lungpa glacier" is much more suitable for the glacier
draining eastwards from "Staircase Peak" than the "Windy Gap glacier"
(Ghiacciaio della Sella dei Venti), which was given by Spoleto; and if it is
accepted, we suggest that "Staircase Peak" be re-named Skyang Kangri ("the
ice-mountain of the wild ass") from the glacier.
" Broad "
(e) group, bounding the "Godwin Austen" glacier on the east.
The name "Broad Peak" was given by Conway in 1892. There are no Survey
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT 137

of India triangulated points in this group, and Conway did not determine
the height of the highest point. On Abruzzi's map the height of Broad Peak
is given as 27,132 feet, but no peak of that altitude was found by Mason in the
region in 1926. Mason's photographic height for the highest peak, in almost
exactly the same position as Abruzzi*s Broad Peak, was 26,400 feet (see Geogr.J.
(October 1927) 349, and stereographic survey map accompanying thatpaper).
The other peaks given below are from Spoleto's map, on which he has shown
a height of 8051 metres (26,414 feet) for the highest peak, and approximately
the same heights as Abruzzi for the others, except point 25,330, for which
Abruzzi gives 26,188, which seems also too high. Spoleto's metric heights
have been included below.

(f) Gasherbrum group, the conspicuous group at the head of the main trunk
of the Baltoro glacier, comprising twro main massifs.
On Conway's map Gasherbrum I is named "Hidden Peak," and the name
Gasherbrum is reserved for the massif containing peaks II, III, and IV, which
rise from a long east-to-west ridge. Gasherbrum I is hidden from the main
Baltoro glacier by peak 24,019 (pk. 22/52 A) which rises from the southern
ridge of Gasherbrum IV. It is by far the most conspicuous of the group from the
south and east. We prefer to retain Gasherbrum I, and to drop "Hidden Peak."
The Survey of India triangulated positions were all checked by photographic
survey in 1926. Mason's positions and heights of Gasherbrum I and II agreed
almost exactly with the Survey of India values, but his heights for Gasherbrum
III and IV were 26,000 and 26,180 instead of 26,090 and 26,000, making IV
slightly higher than III. We prefer however the Survey heights, as only the
tips were seen by Mason; the Survey heights are given below. These were
accepted on Spoleto's map.
Of the other peaks included, 24,500 is a prominent summit on the eastern
arete of Gasherbrum II (the height 7772 m. or 25,500 feet shown on Spoleto's
map is not correct, the ridge east of Gasherbrum II falling much more steeply
than is shown). Points 24,019 and 22,980 are conspicuous summits on the
south ridge of Gasherbrum IV, the heights being taken from Spoleto's map in

1 It is uncertain whether this point, 25,330, is exactly the same as Abruzzi's 26,188
(350 48' 15", 760 35' io//); but Mason does not believe that this shoulder on the south-
east ridge of the Broad peak is over 26,000 feet, and we consider it better to accept the
heights from Spoleto's map.
3 For position see Geogr. J., October 1927, map accompanying "Stereographic survey
of the Shaksgam."
138 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

(E) Siachen Muztagh: Map 52 A, 52 E.

(a) Sia group, at the extreme head of the Siachen glacier. It was named by
Mrs. Bullock Workman, after her 1912 expedition, "King George V group/'
a name which has never been accepted by the Survey of India. Siachen means
"great rose," the Siachen glacier being so named because of the wild rose
bushes near its snout. We suggest the name Sia group, partly because of the
name Siachen, and partly because of the connection of the rose with British
royalty, thus giving some recognition to the wishes of the explorer.

Mrs. Bullock Workman's map of the Siachen glacier, which shows this group,
is published in Geogr. J. 43 (1914) 232. The three peaks are those numbered
17, 16, and 15 in the list of her triangulator, Grant Peterkin, and have been
accepted in the Survey of India triangulation pamphlet 52 A. The first two
were named by her "Queen Mary " and "Mt. Hardinge," names which were
not accepted by the Survey of India. We suggest the name Sia Kangri, "the
ice-mountain of the rose/' for the highest. (Photographs by the Workmans
in Two summers in the ice-wilds of the Eastern Karakoram/ pp. 192, 194.)
Dyhrenfurth's expedition to the upper Baltoro in 1934 maintained that
the highest point in the Sia massif ("Queen Mary peak") was over 25,000 feet.
It does not seem likely that the Survey of India triangulators, including Collins
in 1911, and Mason in 1926, who were definitely on the look-out for high peaks,
would have missed one of that altitude. (For a discussion on this point see
Himalayan Journal, vol. 7, 1935, pp. 145-7.)
(b) Staghar group, the mountains on both sides of the Staghar glacier,
bounded on the west by the Urdok glacier and on the south by the Siachen
glacier. The highest peak fixed prior to Visser's expedition in 1934 was the
following, which was obtained by stereo-photogrammetry in 1936 (Mason),
which may be verified from Khan Sahib Afraz Gul's plane-tables on the Visser
expedition.
? " " ?
21,300 350 47'00 j6? 46'00
(c) Singhi group, at the head of the large left-bank tributaries of the Singhi
glacier. The Singhi glacier was first seen by Mason in 1926, and was crossed
by members of the Spoleto expedition in 1929, who named it. It was crossed
again by Visser with two surveyors, and surveyed by them.
On the blue print of 52 A, showing Afraz Gul's work compiled with the older
surveys, the word is spelt Singi. Unless there is any special reason for the
change, the older spelling of those who gave it, Singhi, should be retained.
The group was well fixed by Peterkin on the Bullock Workman expedition
to the Siachen glacier in 1912, the highest, 23,630 feet, being named Mount
Rose, but for which a better name, in our opinion, would be Singhi Kangri.
The three peaks are Nos. 20, 21, and 22 of Grant Peterkin *s lists (Map,
Geogr. J. 43 (1914) 232), and have been accepted in the Survey of India
pamphlets as Peaks 45, 44, and 49, 52 A.
? 22,360 350 35'
Singhi Kangri (Mt.Rose) 23,630 35 35
? 20,300 35 32
(d) Teram Kangri group, a group first seen by Dr. T. G. Longstaff in 1909,
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT 139

after crossing the Saltoro pass or Bilafond La on to the Siachen glacier. It was
first triangulated by V. D. B. Collins, Survey of India, in 1911, but without a
very good connection to India triangulation. It was next surveyed in more
detail by Grant Peterkin, of the Bullock Workman expedition in 1912 (Geogr.jf.
43 (1914) 232). The name Teram Kangri was given in Dehra Dun by Dr.
LongstafF, with the approval of Sir Sidney Burrard, Surveyor-General, from
the only locality place-name Teram, in the region. The alteration of the spelling
to Tarim by the Workmans for the glacier tributary of the Siachen is incorrect.
The group was resurveyed from the north by Mason in 1926 by stereo-
photogrammetry, based on resection from well-fixed Survey of India triangu?
lated points. Remarkable agreement was obtained with Peterkin's results.
The summits below have been given their values from Mason's survey, as these
have been used by both Spoleto and Visser for their subsequent surveys in
1929 and 1934. They will be found in the stereographic map of the Kyagar
glacier in Geogr. J., October 1927. Collins' and Grant Peterkin's values are
given in brackets for comparison.
Name Height
Teram Kangri III . . 24,218*
(Pk. 14/52 E) (24,218*
(Siachen No. 23) (24,240

Teram Kangri I. . . . 24,489*

(Pk. 15/52 E) (24.489*
(Siachen No. 24) (24,510
(Pk. 163/52 E) (24,430

Teram Kangri II .. 24,300

(Siachen No. 25) (24,300

(Unnamed) 22,920 35 33 18 77 07 40 Mason

(22,890* 35 33 22 77 07 45 Peterkin)

(Unnamed) .. . . 22,530 35 33 02 77 08 15 Mason

(Siachen No. 26) (22,530 35 33 08 77 08 16 Peterkin)

Apsarasas I .. .. 23,770 35 32 23 77 09 03 Mason

(Siachen No. 27) (23,770 35 32 22 77 09 01 Peterkin)

Apsarasas II 23,75o 35 32 04 77 10 18 Mason

Apsarasas III 23,740 35 3i 05 77 12 30 Mason
* The
position and height drums were adjusted on Teram Kangri I to Collins'
triangulated height for this summit, and checked on Teram Kangri III. All
the other positions and heights are quite independent of both Collins' and
Peterkin's results. We have only given the three highest summits of the
Apsarasas ridge, but Mason found three other summits over 23,000 feet near
the last, namely:
? -
23,580 35?3i,i2" 77?n'3o"
? ?
23,710 35 31 12 77 12 47
? ?
23,570 35 31 15 77 13 11
Grant Peterkin's Peak No. 28 (23,350, 350 31' 57", 770 08' 40") is not on
the main ridge, but on the south-west arete of Apsarasas I, while his Peak No. 29
1 Clinometer height.
140 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

(23,010, 33? 31' 05", 770 11' 21") seems to be a summit on the south-west arete
of the first of the three summits, 23,580, listed above. These two peaks of
Peterkin were hidden from the north.
Wood's Pk. i6J/52 E (23,720, 350 31" 09", 770 12' 46") is almost certainly
the same as Mason's 23,710, 350 31" 12", 770 12' 47", shown above. Mason
was unable to identify his Pk. i62/52 E (23,680,350 31' 08", 770 12'40"), probably
a minor point on the Apsarasas III ridge, which extends westwards to 23,580
and eastwards to 23,570.
The Apsarasas ridge was named by Grant Peterkin. We recommend the
adoption of the names Apsarasas I, II, and III.
(e) Kyagar group, a high group between the Singhi and Kyagar glaciers,
surveyed by Mason in 1926. The summits listed below are from the detailed
stereographic survey map of the Shaksgam glacier in Geogr. J., October 1927.
The group extends further northwards with several summits above 20,000
feet. It was not surveyed on the Spoleto expedition of 1929, but the western
side of it was probably surveyed during the Visser expedition in 1934.

(f) Teram Shehr group, at the head of the Teram Shehr glacier, east of the
main trunk of the Kyagar glacier and north of the Central Rimo glacier. It
comprises a rather miscellaneous collection of mountains, which have been
mainly triangulated by Wood and Alessio on De Filippi's expedition of 1914.
22,480 350 29' 48" 77? 14' 39" (Peterkin 30)
("Highest pt. of
ridge") 22,380 35 28 52 77 16 36 Pk. 34/52 E,
Wood
(*'S. W, end of southern of
two flat-topped hills") 21,410 35 36 37 77 25 59 Pk. 30/52 E,
Wood
21,650 35 31 38 77 20 31 2or/52 E,
Alessio
21,865 35 2g 30 yy 22 00 De Filippi map
("Rock pinnacle on peak.
ClifTs on south side") . . 21,910 35 28 18 77 23 46 Pk. 35/52 E,
Wood
Peak 22,480, which was first triangulated by Grant Peterkin during the
WTorkman Expedition of 1912, is also shown on De Filippi's map, though it
has not been entered in the Survey of India's triangulation pamphlets. Peak
34/52 E, 22,380, triangulated by Wood on De Filippi's expedition, 1914, is
shown on De Filippi's map as 22,410; while Wood's Pk. 36/52 E (22,090,
350 28' 17*, 770 18' 22"), entered by Wood as a "rock pinnacle" in his lists, is
not shown on De Filippi's map, its place being taken by a much lower summit,
20,745. No rock pinnacle appears here in photographs.
(F) Rimo Muztagh: Map 52 E.
(a) Rimo group, a complex group along the watershed between the Rimo
glacier and the head of the Teram Shehr, and throwing out a long ridge between
the two main Rimo glaciers eastwards.
De Filippi's map, published with the English edition of his book ('Himalaya,
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT I4I

Karakoram and Eastern Turkestan'), shows a large number of heights. In the

lists below only the most important are given, from an examination of the
topography. Where possible, the triangulated positions and heights have been
given, and where these differ from those shown on De Filippi's map a note has
been made to that effect. A few points have also been derived from Collins'
triangulation of 1911, and from Visser's map made during his 1929-30
expedition.
The group extends eastwards of Peak 48 between the Central and South
Rimo glaciers, and south-eastwards of Peak 53 between the South Rimo and
Shelkar Chorten glaciers.
Name Height Lat. Long. Peak No. and map
'
22,512 35~ 23' 58" 770 19' 01* Pk. 46/52 E
(Collins)
Shown on De
Filippi's map
as 22,515
? 22,569 Visser, 1929-30
("sharp cone at S. end") 23,730 Pk. 49/52 E
(Wood). De
Filippi and
Visser both
show Wood's
height
? 24,188 35 21 24 77 22 15 *Pk. 50/52 E
(Collinsj
("southern of twin peaks") 24,230 35 21 22 77 22 09 *Pk. 51/52 E
(Wood)
("eentre of triple peak") 23,520 35 22 38 77 23 04 Pk. 48/52 E
(Wood)
(shown cor-
rectly on De
Filippi)
("rounded") 22,460 35 23 09 77 23 15 Pk. 47/52 E
(Wood)
(shown cor-
rectly on De
Filippi)
("eone-shaped") 22,560 35 23 38 77 23 19 (Pk. 173/52 E
(Wood)
(shown on De
Filippi's map
("southern and highest as 22,580)
point") 22,240 35 24 52 77 22 45 *Pk. 45/52 E
(Wood)
("northern end") 22,180 35 24 57 77 23 03 * Pk. 44/52 E
(Wood)
1 There is a difficulty with these two peaks. From the above two sets of data it would
appear that Peak 50 is N.E. of Peak 51, and Visser's map shows them as eorrectly
identified. On the other hand, De Filippi shows twin peaks, roughly in the same posi-
tion, of which one, with a height of 24,250, is N.W. of the other, 24,240. We have
preferred the evidence of Wood, Collins, and Visser.
2 These two points appear to be at the extremities of a north-south ridge. On
De Filippi's map the southern is marked 22,240, the northern 22,150,
142 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

Name Height Lat. Long. Peak No. and map

("S.W. summit of cjouble
peak") 21,840 35? 19' 46" 77? 23' 00" Pk. 52/52 E
(Wood)
(shown on De
Filippi's map
as 21,810)
("snow peak") 22,300 35 18 48 77 22 07 JPk. 53/52 E
(Wood)
(b) North Terong group, between the main trunk of the Siachen glacier, the
Teram Shehr, and the North Terong glacier.

It seems likely that Peaks 17 and 164 are points on the same massif, and
possibly the same peaks, the first being observed by Peterkin from the west in
1912, the second by Wood from the east in 1914. The Workmans named
Peak 17 "Mt. Lakshmi," which we consider unsuitable.
(c) South Terong group, between the Nubra valley, the South Terong glacier,
and the Mamostong glacier. No peaks have been triangulated and the three
noted below are from the Visser expedition of 1929-30.
? 20,119 350 12' 00" 770 19' 30"
? 35 10 30 J7 20 00 ?
20,600
? 35 09 00 77 23 30 ?
22,224
(d) Shelkar group, a group between the right bank of the Shelkar Chorten
glacier and the South Rimo glacier. The existing map 52 E is inaccurate on the
west side of the watershed, the detail being best shown on the map of the Visser
Expedition 1929-30.
("rocky peak at W. end of
ridge") 21,120 350 14' 40" 770 30' 26" Pk. 185/52 E
(Wood)
("coneat E. end of ridge") 21,180 35 14 33 77 30 57 Pk. 186/52 E
(Wood)
("rounded top of cone") 21,420 35 17 12 77 32 26 Pk. 107/52 E
(Wood)
(shown on De
Filippi's map
as 21,395)
(e) Kumdan group, an extensive group comprising the mountains on the right
bank of the Upper Shyok as far south as the Saser pass, and east of the main
trunk of the Mamostong glacier; the group is drained eastwards by the Chong
Kumdan, Kichik Kumdan, and Aktash glaciers.
1 De Filippi's and Visser's maps both give 22,300. The Survey of India map
52 E incorrectly shows 22,230.
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT H3

Name Height Lat. Long. Peak No. and map

The first two listed above are not shown on De Filippi's map, but are shown
on Visser's. The extreme south of De Filippi's map is not very accurate, and
the topographical points should be treated with some doubt; it was only sketched
from a distance. The mountains at the head of the Mamostong glacier were
first explored at close range by Dr. A. Neve.
The spelling Mamostong, which means "the thousand demons," is, we
believe, more correct than the old spelling Murghistang. The name "Mamo?
stong" recalls a legend in which a number of raiders from Central Asia were
destroyed by an avalanche (Rec. Surv. of India, vol. 22, p. 172). The chief peak,
whose height was determined by Johnson during the early Kashmir survey
prior to 1860 as 24,690, was refixed by Wood on De Filippi's expedition (24,660).
It was likened by Dr. A. Neve to "a crouching lion." We suggest the name
Mamostong Kangri for it.
The mountains at the head of the Aktash glaciers north of the Saser pass
are not yet well enough known to be given names. Peaks 114 and 115, fixed
by Collins, were not refixed by Wood in 1914, but are shown on the map illus-
trating his work. On De Filippi's map however they are given the heights
22,200 and 22,130, instead of 23,020 and 22,133. Neither De Filippi's nor
Wood's maps are reliable in this region, the Aktash glaciers being omitted.

(G) Saser Muztagh: Maps 52 F, 52 J.

(a) Saser group, a great group south of the Saser pass, some of the peaks of
which were triangulated before 1860. The group was not surveyed in detail
during the early surveys of Kashmir by Mr. E. C. Ryall, and it was not till
i44 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

Dr. Arthur Neve visited the Sa-kang and Phukpo-che glaciers that any details
were known (Popoche, Neve, 'Thirty Years in Kashmir,' pp. 227-35). It was
subsequently surveyed in detail by the Vissers in 1929, and the peaks whose
coordinates are shown in italics are from that survey.

22,yyy 34 4$ og yy 46 25 ?

(b) Chhushku group, at the head of the Sultan Chhushku and other lesser
glaciers draining into the upper Shyok above Kataklik. With one exception,
all the peaks are given data derived from measurement from Visser's map,
while some of the heights (shown in brackets) are from an examination of the
contours. They are only given for the purposes of identification, and should
not be accepted.
? ^(22,250) 34? 52' 35"
? 1(21,250) 34 52 50
?(2i,y5o) 34 52 30
1(21^50) 34 5^ 55
1(22,000) 34 51 30
1(21,250) 34 52 28
21,920 34 54 34 77 56 05 Pk. 28/52 F
(before 1860)
(c) Shukpa Kunchang group, a high group between the two Shukpa Kun-
chang glaciers. The heights of all the summits axe doubtful, and the positions
from Visser's map by measurement.
? ?
1(22,000) 340 46' 52" yy? 51' 40"

1 Saser means "yellow ground." From Saser Brangsa the name has gone to the
Saser pass, and then to the peak. Sasir is incorrect. We suggest Saser Kangri as
preferable to Sasir Peak.
2 This point, about 21,000 feet, was climbed by Dr. Neve and named "Panamik
Peak," not very suitably.
3 We suggest this name from the glacier draining it.
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT 145

(d) Arganglas group, provisionally named from a grazing ground at the

junction of the two glaciers draining it.
Name Height Lat. Long. Peak No. and map
? 34? 36' 52" 77? 50' 55" ?
?21,932
? 22,272 34 35 07 77 54 19 Pk. 47/52 F
(Collins)
(e) Kunzang group, provisionally so named from the Kunzang Lungpa
draining eastwards into the upper Shyok. No details are available for us to
work out this group. It was surveyed by Visser in 1934.
(f) Shyok group, the last group of the Great Karakoram, in the bend of the
Shyok river and opposite the village of Shyok. The peaks listed are all from
the Changchenmo triangulation done by Johnson and Clarke in 1862. The
heights of only two peaks were determined, but those of the others should be
available from Visser's survey of 1934, the details of which are not yet available
to us.

APPENDIX II: MOUNTAIN GROUPS OF THE LESSER

KARAKORAM

Groups North of the Great Karakoram in Hunza

A (i) Lupghar group (42 L). This group lies between the Batura glacier,
the Chapursan, and the Hunza river. It is believed that 110 moun?
tains in the group rise above 20,000 feet, but there are several snow-
clad summits over 19,000 feet.
A (ii) The Ghujerab mountains (42 P). Two groups may be recognized in the
mountains of Ghujerab, viz. the Chapchingal group and the Karun
Kuh group.
(a) The Chapchingal group lies between the Kuksel and Chapchingal tribu-
taries of the Khunjerab and Ghujerab rivers respectively, and on both sides of
the Chapchingal pass. No peaks have been triangulated, but the following
three are shown on the Survey of India map 42 P. They are from K. S. Afraz
Gul's survey with the Visser expedition, 1925. We suggest the name Chap?
chingal Sar for the highest.
Chapchingal Sar . . 21,210 360 45' 36" 370 18' 05" ?
? 36 43 05 ?
20,730 37 23 55
? 20,070 36 42 50 37 28 55 ??

(b) The Karun Kuh group lies between the lower Ghujerab and the lower
Shimshal valleys, of which the culminating summit is the mountain known as
Karun Kun, about 6 miles north-east of the Karun Pir (pass), which has been
fixed by triangulation, during the Indo-Russian work, 1912-13.
Purzin-wa-dasht . . 20,786 36? 39' 10" 750 06' 30" ?
Karun Kuh .. . . 22,891 36 36 47 75 04 48 Pk. 19/42 P
? 20,147 36 34 30 75 a 30
10
146 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

Groups South of the Great Karakoram

(B) The Rakaposhi range may be divided into five groups, of which some-
thing is known at present, though it cannot be said that we have anything more
than rough maps, except in the Bagrot and Haramosh valleys, which the Survey
of India mapped in 1931. In 1892 Conway made a plane-table sketch of the
Hispar glacier, but the side valleys were extremely roughly sketched, and it
is uncertain whether he correctly identified the few triangulated summits of
the Survey of India. The Workmans made two expeditions, one to the Chogo
Lungma glacier in 1902, and the other to the Hispar in 1909, and with each
record of their journeys they published large-scale maps. Unfortunately, here
again they seem to have had great difficulty in recognizing fixed points, owing
to faulty initial azimuths and base measurement; it is extremely difficult
to fit their work in with the work of others, and their heights must remain in
doubt. Where possible the names given by these travellers have been entered
for the purposes of identification and their approximate positions on the Survey
of India map given in order to place them in relation to the general topography
of the sheet.
The five groups are the Rakaposhi group, the Bagrot group, the Phuparash
group, the Chogo Lungma group, and the Hispar Wall.
(a) The Rakaposhi group, on the extreme western end of range, rising steeply
from the Hunza gorge at Chaichar Parri. Only one summit of the Rakaposhi
massif has been triangulated, and the heights of subsidiary summits are not
known.
For a note on the name "Rakaposhi," see Burrard, 2nd Ed., vol. 1, p. 50.
The name Rakaposhi should most certainly be retained, with the Hunza name,
Dumani, as well. The peak was triangulated during the Kashmir triangulation
of 1855-60, and is well fixed.
Name Height Lat. Long. Peak No. and map
Rakaposhi, or Dumani .. 25,550 360 08' 39// 740 29' 22// Pk. 27/42 L
(b) The Bagrot group. This group lies at the head of the two main tributary
glaciers of the Bagrot valley, the Hinarche and Burche (called the Bagrot and
Gargo glaciers on Conway's map). Conway only gives the height of one (the
"Dome of Dirran"), but the "Crown of Dirran" is probably higher. The four
given below are certainly over 21,000 feet.

Perhaps it is yet too early to consider names for these, though we would
suggest Diran I and Diran II for the first two, and Burche I and Burche II
for the two last. Burche is probably a better spelling than Burchz. Reference
should however be made to the Survey of India work of i93x> which is not
available tous.
(c) The Phuparash group.1 An important group at the head of the Phuparash
1 The work of the Survey of India of 1931 in sheet 42 L is not available in England,
and the suitability of this group name requires confirmation after consulting that survey*
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT 147

valley, four peaks of which were fixed by the triangulators in 1855-60. Conway
calls the first and westernmost "Emerald Peak," and saw it from the Bagrot
valley; the second and third he does not name and may not have seen, though
they are marked on his map. The last, which he names "Saddle Peak," he
saw from the glacier he calls the Shallihuru. The topography at the head
of this glacier and its neighbour to the east is entirely different from that shown
at the head of the Chogo Lungma glacier by the Workmans. In compiling
map 42 L the best fit possible has been made, but it is very probably inaccurate.
On that map Conway's Shallihuru is given as Miar (Shalhubu) glacier, probably
from K. S. Afraz Gul's plane-table with the Vissers in 1925.

The Haramosh range branches south-eastwards from the Rakaposhi range

about 2 miles east of "Saddle peak."
(d) The Chogo Lungma group. This group lies mainly at the head of the
Chogo Lungma glacier and at the head of the Yengutz Har glacier. The Chogo
Lungma was ascended by the Workmans and described by them in 'Ice-bound
heights of the Mustagh.' On the north the Yengutz Har glacier was surveyed
by K. S. Afraz Gul with the Vissers in 1925. It is extremely difficult to reconcile
the topography as shown by the Workmans with either that of K. S. Afraz Gul
on the north or with that of the Survey of India in Sheet 43 I on the west, and
the three summits listed below from the Workmans' work should be treated
with considerable reserve. It is unlikely that a peak as high as 24,500 feet
exists here, while from the illustrations in their book, the two summits which
they named "Mount Chogo" and "Mount Lungma," and which they climbed,
are little more than snow knolls on the south-east ridge of "Pyramid Peak."
Chogo Lungma, which is applied to the glacier and valley to the south-east,
merely means "the large valley." To call two summits towards the head of the
valley "Mt. Chogo" and "Mt. Lungma," i.e. "Mount Large" and "Mount
Valley," seems to us particularly unsuitable, and we suggest that the names
be dropped and the summits left unnamed until the regular survey or next
explorer finds or suggests more suitable names.
The peak at the head of the Yengutz Har glacier, for which we suggest the
name Yengutz Har, seems to fall roughly in the position of the ridge shown on
Conway's map as "the Golden Parri" (i.e. Golden Cliff, or "Ghenish Chish"),
but Conway's topography here is unrecognizable on the modern survey. The
name for this glacier was first obtained by Sir Henry Hayden when examining
glaciers in the neighbourhood about 1906; it was then spelt Yengutsa. Gilgit
officials who later visited it stated that the correct spelling should be Yengutz
Har, and this name is now in general use in glacier literature.
("Pyramid Peak") . . 24,500 ? 360 03' 15" 740 54' 30" ?
("Mt. Lungma") .. 22,568 ? 36 02 20 74 55 00 ?
("Mt. Chogo") . . . . 21,500 ? 36 02 03 74 55 30 ?
Yengutz Har .. . . 23,056 36 03 28 74 58 00 Pk. 68/42 L
(e) The Hispar Wall. All along the southern side of the Hispar glacier
there is a mountain wall, from which, on the west, a series of short glaciers
descends to the Hispar. The wall was crossed at one place by Bruce in 1892,
the pass being known by the name "Nushik La" (360 01' 30", 750 14' 25").
148 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

No summits have been triangulated along this wall, and the points noted
below are either from K. S. Afraz Gul's plane-table on the Visser Expedition of
1925 or from the Workmans' map in 'The call of the snowy Hispar.' In view
of the fact that the Workmans failed to recognize the Survey of India triangulated
points, the positions and heights of the points from their map should be treated
with reserve.
The names for the first three summits are from the glaciers draining north-
wards from them, and are from K. S. Afraz Gul's work. Makorum is pre-
sumabiy the same as the point marked 23,635 on the Workmans' map.
Name Height Lat. Long. Peak No. and map

Subsidiary groups associated with the Rakaposhi range

(f) The Ganchen group, between the Hoh Lumba and the Basha river. Very
little is known about this region and it has not been surveyed in detail. One
summit only, Ganchen, 21,200 feet, has been fixed by triangulation. In 'Ice-
bound heights of the Mustagh,' pp. 54, 58, the Workmans show photographs
of some of the peaks of the group further north, one of which, which they call
Hikmul, may be as high as Ganchen. They explored a small glacier west of
Ganchen.

Ganchen .. .. 21,200 350 48' 36" 750 29' 11" Pk. 9/43 M,
1855-60

(g) The Meru group, between the Hoh Lumba and the Biafo glacier. There
is undoubtedly a high group here, but nothing is known of it. During the old
survey no peaks were triangulated in the group, and Conway fixed none. The
Workmans named a high peak Meru, and assigned an approximate height of
22,000 feet to it; this is probably too high. An illustration of part of Meru
appears in Himalayan Journal, vol. vi, 1934, p. 71.
(C) The Haramosh Range. Little is known about the detailed topography
of this range. A few of the higher summits towards the north of it have been
fixed by triangulation, but it is too early yet to attempt a classification of groups.
It seems to us probable that the Workmans never properly identified Haramosh
when they explored the head of the Chogo Lungma glacier, and therefore their
representation of the topography in that region is very probably at fault. Cer?
tainly it is impossible to fit it in with the modern Survey of India work west
of that mountain. No details are known of the heights of the range south-east
of Pk. 1/43 M, and it seems likely that none rises above 21,000 feet. The peaks
above 20,000 feet in the range which have been triangulated are given below.
The height of Peak 59 was not fixed during the triangulation. It has subse-
quently been found to be approximately 20,190 feet. Pk. 60/43 I (350 46' 02",
740 58' 02") falls in the same category, but as its height was found subsequently
to be approximately 19,850 feet, it is not listed. The Workmans add another
peak with a height of 21,930, but it would be unsafe to assume it to be
correct,
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT 149

(D) The Masherbrum Range. The range extends from the junction of the
Basha and Braldu rivers, south of the Baltoro glacier, as far east as the Chogolisa
"
Saddle, east of Chogolisa or Bride Peak." It is not known in detail throughout
its length, but certain well-marked groups can be distinguished.
(a) The Koser Gunge group, on the extreme west as far as the Skoro La.x The
height of only one summit is known with any degree of accuracy, and this has
not been triangulated.
Koser Gunge .. . . 21,000 350 37' 10" 75? 39' 00" ?

(b) The Mango Gusor group, lying immediately east of the Skoro La. Its
eastern boundary cannot yet be determined.
Mango Gusor .. .. 20,630 350 34' 41" 750 55' 14" Pk. 21/43 M,
1855-60
No topographical details are known of the range east of Mango Gusor until
the Masherbrum group is reached.
(c) The Masherbrum group. Little is known of the Masherbrum group.
Every expedition up the Baltoro seems to have passed it by. In the Survey of
India Records there are two summits triangulated, both over 25,000 feet, from
the south. The early survey carried out from the south was very sketchy in
the higher valleys of the Hushe valley. Mr. J. A. Sillem in 1903 explored the
Hushe valley from the south, but left no account of his work, and died soon
afterwards (H. J., vii, 1935, p. 66). The Workmans in 1911 made some
minor corrections to the topography and reached the watershed both east
and west of Masherbrum, but added little to our knowledge of the massif.
A number of illustrations showing Masherbrum from the north have been
published by various travellers, which make its outline well known from that
direction (e.g. H.J., vii, 1935, p. 142). Other aspects of the mountain appear
in the Workmans' book, 'Two summers in the ice-wilds of the Eastern Kara?
koram,' pp. 84, 98.
Masherbrum E.25,660 350 38' 36" 760 18' 31" Pk. 7/52 A
Masherbrum W. .. 25,610 35 38 29 76 18 23 Pk. 8/52 A
(d) The Chogolisa group. No further details of the topography of the range
are known until the head of the Kondus valley is reached. We then come
upon a group which has been explored in considerable detail by the expedition
of the Duke of the Abruzzi in 1909. To this the name "Chogolisa group" has
been suggested by the Workmans on the south, and this name seems suitable.

.. . . \20^2 35? **' 5?" 2*' *>*

("Mitre Peak") ?f ?b?zziX
\ 35 43 30 76 30 15 Spoleto)
? 35 39 10
21,896 76 33 10 Abruzzi and
Spoleto
? 35 38 10 Abruzzi and
22,477 76 32 30
Spoleto
1 For a brief history of the Skoro La and a discussion on its
height, see Himalayan
Journal, vol. i, 1929, p. 89. For an illustration of it, see ibid., vol. vi, 1934, p. 70.
150 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

The positions of "Mitre Peak" as given by Abruzzi and Spoleto do not

agree with each other; both positions have been given in the table above.
"Mitre Peak" is a very striking rock peak named first by Conway, and separated
from the rest of the Chogolisa group by the "Vigne glacier."
The height of "Golden Throne" is in doubt. Conway and Abruzzi gave no
height for it; Spoleto's height is given above; on the Survey of India map it is
shown as 23,600 feet, but I do not know the source, since the peak has not
been triangulated nor surveyed by the Survey of India. Dyhrenfurth accepted
23,990 feet, and basing his calculations on this, claimed that "Queen Mary"
was over 25,000 feet, whereas its triangulated height is 24,350 feet. It seems
therefore possible that the height 23,990 feet for "Golden Throne" is too
high. The summit is of snow and not sharply defined (see Himalayan Journal,
vol. vii, 1935, pp. 144-8).
The best illustrations so far published of the group are Panoramas C, D,
and O, in De Filippi's 'Karakoram and Western Himalaya,' the account of
Abruzzi's 1909 expedition.
We recommend that the names "Mitre Peak," "Golden Throne," and "Bride
Peak," which were given by Conway and never accepted officially, be dropped;
that until the position of the first is known with greater accuracy it be left
unnamed on Survey of India maps; that the name Baltoro Kangri for the
"Golden Throne" at the head of the Baltoro glacier be adopted; and that
Chogolisa be retained for "Bride Peak."
Subsidiary groups associated with the Masherbrum range
Little is known of the detailed topography of the two groups lying between
the Thalle and Hushe valleys and between the Hushe and Kondus valleys,
which may be given group names at a later stage. The Survey of India has
not surveyed the groups in detail, and no explorer that we know of has produced
any useful topographical work. Survey of India maps therefore only show a
very few isolated triangulated peaks, which are given below. All three were tri?
angulated from the Kashmir series between the years 1855 and 1860.
(e) Group east of Thalle valley.
? 21,190 350 26' 40" 760 12' 53" Pk. 1/52 A,
1855-60
(f) Group east of Hushe valley.
? Pk. 26/52 A
22,750 350 27' 45" 76?34/44//
? Pk. 27/52 A
23,890 35 25 08 76 33 12
(E) The Saltoro Range
A certain amount of detail is known about the various groups of the Saltoro,
owing to the interest taken by explorers of the Siachen. LongstafT crossed the
Saltoro pass, or Bilafond La, on to the Siachen glacier in 1909. He also carried
 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT 151

out some plane-tabling among the mountains south of that pass. His account,
with a small-scale map from his material, appeared in Geogr.J. 35 (1910) 622-
657, map p. 744. The Workmans followed in 1912, and their surveyor, Grant
Peterkin, carried out additional triangulation and plane-table survey. The
Workmans themselves crossed from the head of the Siachen to the Kondus by
the Sia La. In 1935 John Hunt and James Waller made an attempt to climb the
peak shown below as "Saltoro Kangri I" (Himalayan Journal, vol. viii, 1936,
pp. 14-24). The Workmans' maps are published in Geogr.J. 43 (1914) 232,
and in their book 'Two summers in the ice-wilds of the Eastern Karakoram.'
(a) The Kondus group, from the Sia La to the saddle between the Kondus
glacier and the glacier called by the Workmans the "Peak 36 glacier."
All the summits listed below were triangulated by Grant Peterkin on the
Workmans' 1912 expedition.

The above names, given by the Workmans, have not come into general use.
It is therefore not too late to give them more suitable names when the next
traveller goes there. We recommend that the Workmans' names should not
be adopted.
(b) The Saltoro group, from the above group southwards as far as the Saltoro
pass, including the Bilafond Wall. There seems to be some slight discrepancy
between the positions found for the two high peaks of this group by the earlier
triangulation and by Collins' triangulation in 1911. There is no doubt that the
summit shown in the Survey of India triangulation pamphlets as Pk. 53/52 A
is the same as Pk. 35/52 A, and that Pk. 54/52 A is the same as Pk. 36/52 A.
It seems essential that names should be given to these peaks, as confusion is
already occurring, through some authors calling the peaks K36 and K35, while
others call them Peak 36 and Peak 35.
Photographs of various aspects of the Saltoro Kangri are published in the
Workmans' 'Two summers in the ice-wilds of the Eastern Himalaya,' p. 174;
in Himalayan Journal, vols. iv, 1932, p. 46; viii, 1936, pp. 16, 17, 20.
A,

A,

A,

A,

A,
152 KARAKORAMCONFERENCEREPORT

Sherpi-gang means literally "the ice of Sherpi," gang being the form used
instead of Kang in western Ladakhi dialect. It might be more consistent to
use the form Sherpikang for the glacier, and Sherpi Kangri for the mountain
at its head.
(c) The Chumik group, from the Saltoro pass to the Rgyong La. Little is
known of the group in detail, though LongstafTcarried out a rapid reconnaissance
of it from the west in 1909. Peaks 8/52 E (1855-60) and 18/52 E (Collins) may
be the same, and it is probable that Collins' value is the better, for LongstafT
remarks: "... K12, an elusive peak which I was never able to identify to my
entire satisfaction." K13 is the old designation of Pk. 8/52 E.
Grant Peterkin observed two peaks of the group nearer to the Siachen in
1912, and it is possible that the Vissers may-have added to our knowledge of
this group in 1934.
The last two peaks, unlike the rest of Peterkin's work, have not been included
in the Survey of India pamphlets.

("K'

(d) The Dansam group, a group about which very little is known between the
Kondus and the Gyari valleys. One peak only has been triangulated, for which
the name Dansam is suggested. It is the old K*3.
Dansam (Kx3) .. .. 21,870 350 12' 12" 76? 4$'41" Pk. 38/52 A,
1855-60
(e) The Chulung group, from the Rgyong La to the end of the range. It is a
high group between the Nubra and the Lower Shyok, and it is possible that the
Vissers have added to our knowledge of the topography, though we have no
details. It is possible that this group should be divided into two parts, the first
four being included in a northern group and the last three in a southern group.
(KT9) Gharkun .. .. 21,720 350 05' 05" 760 58' 09" Pk. 39/52 A,
1855-60
? 77 00 29 Pk. 10/52 E,
20,960 35 01 30
1855-60
(I>2) .22,400 35 01 33 77 08 58 Pk. 9/52 E,
1855-60
21,601 34 59 42 77 17 31 Pk. 42/52 F,
Collins, 1911
21,334 34 55 04 77 17 23 Pk. 43/52 F,
Collins, 1911
20,213 34 46 07 77 25 16 Pk. 44/52 F,
Collins, 1911
(K*5) .21,400 34 54 37 77 08 43 Pk. 1/52 F,
1855-60
A certain number of other points were triangulated during the earlier survey
and hill-staffs erected on them; their heights however do not seem to have been
observed, and they therefore have not been included in the lists.