I have always thought that plateaus, snow-capped mountains, and glaciers are only found in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, but it is easy to ignore that Xinjiang, which is a desert and Gobi, also has a plateau that is not inferior to any other place-the Pamirs. Regarding the Pamir Plateau, there are different descriptions from different angles and disciplines, and the three words "Pamir" alone are very desirable. In the east of the Pamir Plateau, whose geological history can be traced back to the Ordovician period 400-500 million years ago, stands a majestic giant peak, which is "Mustagh Peak".
Muztag Peak is located at the junction of Akto County and Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, with an altitude of 7509 meters (the mountaineering circle often says that the altitude is 7546 meters). It is located on the western edge of the Tarim Basin, in the southeast of the East Pamirs, with latitude and longitude coordinates of 38°16′32″N and 75°06′57″E. To the north of Muztagh Peak are Gongger Peak and Gongger Jiubie Peak. Muztag Peak belongs to the Kunlun Mountains and is the third highest peak in the West Kunlun Mountains. Muztagh Peak, Gongger Peak, and Gongger Jiubie Peak, the three mountains stand tall like jade pillars, standing on the beautiful Pamirs and becoming the symbol and representative of the Pamirs.
As for Muztag, he is known as the "Father of the Glacier". Muztagh Peak is a round fault-block mountain with an altitude of 7,509 meters (7,546 meters is often said in the mountaineering circle), with a high-pitched terrain and a cold climate. It is dominated by solid precipitation all year round, so it is very conducive to the development of glaciers. Many large-scale mountain glaciers have developed around the two sides of its main peak, in a radial distribution pattern. Hundreds of square kilometers of ice cover from the top of the mountain above 7,000 meters to the height of 5,100 and 5,500 meters, becoming a special canyon-style overflow valley glacier. . There are 128 modern glaciers in this area, with a total area of 377.21 square kilometers. Among them, 8 glaciers have an area of more than 10 square kilometers. The largest glacier is the Kekesay Glacier located on the east side of the main peak, with an area of 86.5 square kilometers. One of the important glaciation areas in the Tarim Basin.
Generally speaking, there are two types of glaciers, namely continental glaciers and mountain glaciers. Continental glaciers are also called "ice cover" and "continental ice sheet". The surface is roughly flat, the middle part is slightly thicker, and it is shield-shaped, and its scale is larger than that of mountain glaciers. Mainly distributed in Antarctica and Greenland. There are two major ice sheets on the earth, the Antarctic ice sheet and the Greenland ice sheet, which account for 99% of the total volume of glaciers in the world. Mountain glaciers, also known as mountain glaciers, are mainly distributed in middle and low latitude alpine areas. Most of my country's glaciers belong to mountain glaciers. For example, other glaciers in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tianshan Mountains, and Pamirs are all mountain glaciers. Then, the Muztag Peak in the Pamirs is neither a continental glacier nor a typical mountain glacier. She is a transitional type of these two completely different glaciers.
There are generally two explanations for the origin of the name "Father of Glaciers". One is that in 1894, Sven Hedin entered Xinjiang from the Pamirs. stand. He asked the Kirgiz guide, and the guide told him "Mustag, Ata". In the Kirgiz language, "Mustag" means glacier, and "Ata" means father. Sven Hedin named this snow mountain after "the father of glacier". But in fact, "Ata" should be translated as "the venerable". The local people respect the alpine glacier and give it a respectful title, although Sven Hedin called this snow "the father of the glacier". Misunderstood, but Muztag did not disgrace the name. Secondly, take a bird's-eye view of Muztag Peak, which is a crescent-shaped mountain with its back facing west. There are 16 glaciers flowing in all directions. In addition to a large valley glacier with a length of 21 kilometers in the east, the other 15 glaciers on three sides are all It is a wide-tailed glacier at the foot of the mountain, and Muztagh Peak is also the base camp of modern glaciers.
Regardless of the argument, Muztag is worthy of being called the "father of glaciers", which is a kind of shock that rises from the ground. Although Muztag is often covered by clouds and snow in winter, he may not be able to see his true face, but this will not weaken his majesty. When you come to the shore of Karakul Lake and look at Muztagh covered in clouds and mist, the cold on the Pamirs seems to freeze the cloud and mist falling on Muztagh Peak. The dark brown mountains are exposed at the snow line, and the dark peaks stand among the ice and snow, which are extremely firm.
Standing on the bank of Karakul, the magnificence of Muztagh Mountain is hard to describe in words. More than a dozen glaciers of Muztag Peak pour down from the peak along the steep canyon like a rushing river, and at the foot of the mountain, the slope slows down, forming a magnificent forest of seracs. The top of the mountain still retains the original flattened surface, and the round top of the mountain is covered with snow all the year round, forming a rare type of glacier-ice cap. Around the top of the mountain, there are dozens of glacier canyons with a depth of thousands of meters. In the canyon, the huge thick ice is eroding upwards, constantly eroding the dome-shaped mountain top, cutting the mountain into petals. On the other hand, due to its own gravity, the glaciers in the canyon move down slowly, even reaching the foothills, and spread out to become wide-tailed glaciers. The entire mountain is in the form of an isosceles triangle, which is indeed a miracle of nature. The top of the mountain is an ice cap, and mountain glaciers develop at the foot of the mountain. Such a combination of glaciers is really rare among the highest mountains in the world.
As one of the birthplaces of human skiing that can be verified at present, Xinjiang has excellent mountain conditions and snowfall conditions, and it is an area comparable to the Alps, the world's skiing mecca. Many people only know that Muztagh Peak can be climbed, but they don’t know that it has long been a natural ski resort for extreme skiers. Many domestic mountaineering, skiing and other extreme sports enthusiasts also come here one after another.
Mufeng is covered with snow all the year round, and the thickness of the snow layer on the top of the mountain even exceeds 200 meters. The ice and snow cover Mufeng tightly. The north and east sides of Mufeng are steep, with almost vertical cliffs, while the west slope is relatively gentle. This side has also become the traditional climbing route of Mufeng. From the base camp at an altitude of 4,450 meters to the No. 3 camp at an altitude of 6,800 meters, the slope is about 40 degrees, and there are ice cracks and a steep ice wall during the period. The slope from 6800 meters to the summit is only 15 degrees. Because of this, countless mountaineering and skiing enthusiasts, carrying skis on their backs, climbed to the top of the peak, and then flew down from the top of the mountain, making this place a ski resort. Some people may think of the Alps, such thrills and excitements may only be comparable to Muztag, but how can the Muztag Peak towering over the sky at an altitude of 7509 meters be comparable to the Alps at an altitude of 4810.45 meters? What is the comparison?
Sven Hedin, who has failed to climb Muztag for many times, also wrote such praises for it-"The sun went down, and the last ray of purple light disappeared behind the west slope of Muztag Mountain, half a circle south of the Glacier River. A full moon rises from the arc stone wall, which is the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen in Asia. The snowfields that are frozen all year round on the peak, the foothills where the glaciers originate, all the commanding heights are bathed in the silver light of the moon, but the dark ice stream But lying in the deep valleys, they are cut off from the moonlight by the shadows. I can see the white clouds drifting across the rolling snow field, as if the mountain spirits are dancing; I feel that I am standing on the edge of the infinite space, the mysterious universe The eternal rotation here seems to be within reach; I feel the earth under my feet starts to rotate from here, and the wilderness stretches, and this spectacle surpasses any place on the earth."
Now that I come here, facing the green and quiet Karakul Lake, overlooking the majestic and majestic Muztag Peak, I can really feel how much the people who have loved it deeply for a long time respect here . To the west of Karakul Lake lies the endless Sarkole Mountains; to the south of the lake is a grassland, where the water is clear and the grass is abundant, the lake and the mountains are beautiful, the green grass, and the white felt houses are scattered all over the place. The reflections of the bright icebergs in the clear water of the lake reflect each other. There are bursts of pastoral songs on the grassland, and wild ducks on the lake, so dreamy. Karakul Lake is also a veritable "Tianchi", with an altitude of more than 3600 meters. It is also a colorful "color-changing" lake. At different times and in different locations, it will appear in green, blue, gray or golden, or even orange and other colors. On a calm day, the clear and wide Karakul Lake is extremely quiet, as if afraid of disturbing the reflection of Muztagh Peak. On windy days, the rippling Karakul Lake is even more colorful under the sunshine. Regarding the change of the color of the lake, there was a popular saying of "water monsters", but it is not true. Scientists believe that the reflection, refraction and scattering of sunlight by the fine powder sand suspended in the glacier melt water make the lake water appear in many different colors.
Compared with the lively summer, the winter here is more mysterious and quiet. Halos, snow fog, glaciers, boulders, shallow talks, wetlands, lakeshores and ice caves, each element has its own pure color, and each element has its own color. The connections of the three-dimensional paintings of the Pamirs form an amazing giant three-dimensional painting. Sitting on the stone shore by the lake, enjoying the beautiful scenery in front of you, the north wind in December is no longer so cold.
What the father of the glacier brings us is not only the infinite and magnificent scenery, but also the thinking about nature. Today, China's glaciology has gone through 60 years. Generations of glacier people have followed suit, from pioneering, to chasing, to going to the world; people's treatment of glaciers has gradually changed from cognition, to development, to protection. And where is the future of glaciers? Where is the future of the plateau ecological environment? This question is not just waiting for scientists to answer, but also deserves the attention of each of us.
Such a majestic and majestic peak has become a representative peak of the Pamirs. It is majestic, mysterious and magnificent. I hope that all the travelers who pass here or go here will not only be impressed by its appearance, but also just let out an exclamation and then walk away to Taxkorgan and Khunqirab very calmly. Instead, calm down and feel its majesty rising from the ancient Mediterranean, its glaciers that have grown for thousands of years, its pure and flawless lake water, its naturally beautiful past and the need for you and me to share The future of conservation.
