Independence Peak

Independence Peak or Qullai Istiqlol (Tajik:Қуллаи Истиқлол), at 6,940 m (22,769 ft), is the fourth highest peak in Pamir Mountains, located at the center of Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, above the source of Yazgulem River in the Yazgulem Range. The mountain consists of three snow and ice covered summits and its northwest face is the source of the Fedchenko Glacier. The peak was originally named Dreispitz by a joint Russian-German team who discovered it in 1928, but failed to climb it due to deep snow and avalanche danger. The first ascent was made in 1954 by a Russian team led by A. Ugarov.