K6 (mountain)

K6
Balistan Peak
K6 Location in Pakistan
Highest point
Elevation	Ranked 89th
Prominence
Listing	Ultra
Coordinates
Geography
Location	Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Parent range	Masherbrum Mountains, Karakoram
Climbing
First ascent	1970 by von der Hecken, G. Haberl, E. Koblmüller, G. Pressl, D. Entlesberger
Easiest route	glacier/snow/ice climb

K6, or Baltistan Peak, is a notable peak of the Masherbrum Mountains, a subrange of the Karakoram mountain range in Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan. Despite being much lower than its sister mountains, the Eight-thousanders and high 7000m peaks such as Masherbrum, it has huge, steep faces, and great relief above the nearby valleys.

Location

K6 is the highest peak in the area surrounding the Charakusa Glacier, a region which has seen renewed climbing interest in recent years. This glacier lies at the head of the Hushe Valley, which in turn leads to the Shyok River and thence to the Indus River. The Charakusa gives access to the north side of K6; to the southwest of the peak is the small Nangmah (or "Nangpah") Glacier, and to the east is the larger Kaberi Glacier and the Kaberi River valley.

History

The first ascent of K6 was in 1970, by an Austrian party, which was led by Eduard Koblmueller and included Gerhard Haberl, Christian von der Hecken and Gerd Pressl via the Southeast Ridge from the Nangmah Glacier.

The Himalayan Index lists 3 additional attempts, but no additional ascents, on K6.

References

• Jill Neate, High Asia: An Illustrated History of the 7000 Metre Peaks, ISBN 978-0-89886-238-6.
• Andy Fanshawe and Stephen Venables, Himalaya Alpine-Style, Hodder and Stoughton, 1995.
• Himalayan Index
• The ascent of K6, Eduard Korbmüller