The NADRA List of Peaks (snapshot dated 2026-08-26) contains something unusual: two rows with the identical name “Golden Throne SE (Baltoro Kangri)”. One is recorded at 7,225 m. The other, the one this page covers, is recorded at 7,240 m. Same words, different heights, 15 metres apart. Our site gives each row its own page, which is why this one carries a “-2” in its address. If you are planning a climb here, that duplication is the first problem to solve, long before you think about tents or fuel.
The record as printed
- Name: Golden Throne SE (Baltoro Kangri)
- Height on this row: 7,240 m
- Second row with the same name: 7,225 m, covered on our Golden Throne SE (7,225 m) page
- Other Golden Throne rows: Golden Throne NE at 7,180 m and Golden Throne NW at 7,115 m
- District, coordinates, grade, season: not stated
Golden Throne is a name widely used for Baltoro Kangri. The list also has a separate short table of recommended peaks, where “Baltoro Kangri” appears at 7,282 m with a printed route ending at a base camp described (with a typing slip) as the “South East Peak”. The list doesn’t say which, if either, of the two SE rows that route serves. We note it here and leave it open. A name that appears twice on the list needs the height to settle which row you mean.
Rows around 7,240 m
| Row | Height | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Malubiting Central | 7,260 m | 20 m higher |
| Link Sar | 7,241 m | 1 m higher |
| Golden Throne SE (this row) | 7,240 m | — |
| Malubiting – LC | 7,233 m | 7 m lower |
| Hachindar Chish – N | 7,233 m | 7 m lower |
| Golden Throne SE (other row) | 7,225 m | 15 m lower |
Three possible readings of the duplicate
We can’t tell from the list alone why the name appears twice. Three readings are plausible, and your planning shouldn’t depend on any of them being true:
- Two distinct points that happen to share a label, perhaps a summit and a subsidiary top.
- One summit recorded twice, with two height surveys that disagree.
- A clerical slip, where one row was meant to carry a different suffix.
The practical answer is the same in all three cases: ask the permitting authority which row your permit will name, and get the answer in writing. The method is described in applying for trekking and mountaineering permits.
Writing to the authority
A clear query gets a clear reply. A short template you can adapt:
> We intend to apply for a permit for Golden Throne SE (Baltoro Kangri). The NADRA List of Peaks (version checked 2026-08-26) shows this name twice, at 7,240 m and at 7,225 m. Please confirm which row a permit for our objective should reference, and whether the two rows refer to the same summit.
Keep it that short. Don’t add theories. Attach a screenshot of both rows if the channel allows it. When the reply arrives, file it with your permit papers and share it with your operator, so everyone points at the same row.
If the reply is slow
Permit offices are busy, and a question about a duplicate row may not be top of anyone’s pile. Decide in advance what you’ll do if no answer has come back by a certain date. A sensible fallback sequence:
- Set a deadline well before your flights, for example the point after which changing plans would cost you nights or bookings.
- Follow up once through the same channel, quoting your first message word for word.
- Ask your operator to raise it through their own contacts, since they deal with the office regularly.
- Decide at the deadline whether to apply naming the 7,240 m row explicitly, with a covering note about the duplicate, or to postpone.
What you shouldn’t do is submit an application that names only “Golden Throne SE” and hope it sorts itself out. That leaves the choice to someone else.
Keeping a decision log
With a record this ambiguous, it helps to keep a one-page log of every decision and the reason for it. Each line needs only four things: the date, what was decided, who decided it, and what evidence it rested on. For example, “Operator confirmed past permits showed 7,240 m” or “Authority replied that rows are distinct”.
The log is useful in three ways. It stops the team re-arguing settled points. It gives a newcomer, say a late replacement climber, a quick way to catch up. And if something goes wrong, it shows anyone reviewing the trip that the identity question was handled with care rather than skipped.
Keep the log in the same shared folder as the permit papers, and print a copy for base camp. Paper doesn’t need charging.
Keeping the height straight in your own files
Because the name alone isn’t unique, the height becomes part of the name. Every document should say “Golden Throne SE (Baltoro Kangri), 7,240 m”, never the name on its own. That includes insurance, the operator contract, the emergency sheet you leave with family, and any message to a rescue service. A coordinator who reads “Golden Throne SE” will reasonably ask “which one?”, and that’s a question you want answered before anyone asks it under pressure.
If the authority tells you the two rows are the same summit, add that line to your documents too: “listed twice on NADRA, at 7,240 m and 7,225 m; authority confirmed same summit on [date]”.
Two extra habits make the duplicate easier to live with on the mountain itself. First, when the team talks over radio or satellite messenger, use the height as a call sign for the objective: “seven-two-four-zero” is quick to say and can’t be confused with the other row. Second, if anyone writes a trip report afterwards, include both heights and say which row the permit named. That small courtesy helps the next team that runs into the same puzzle.
Talking to operators
Not every operator will have noticed the duplicate. That is not necessarily a red flag, but how they respond when you point it out is informative. Useful questions:
- Have you applied for either Golden Throne SE row before, and which height did the permit show?
- Does your usual approach for Baltoro Kangri end at the base camp printed in the recommended table?
- Who in your office will check the height on our application before it goes in?
The hiring a tour operator guide covers licensing checks, contracts and what to ask for in writing. If your team plans to use local guides, the rules for them are in registering as a tour guide.
Getting to the region
Most teams heading for the Baltoro Kangri side start in Skardu, which is also where the recommended-table route string begins: Skardu, Khaplu, Haldi, Dumsum, Kondos Valley, Roshan Camp, Kondus, then base camp. We repeat that string as printed; it gives no distances or times. For flights and roads into Skardu, see Skardu International Airport access and getting to Gilgit-Baltistan. Flights can be cancelled by weather, so your calendar needs room for that at both ends.
Timing, loads and camps
The list gives no season for this row. Regional conditions are described in the best time to visit Gilgit-Baltistan. Carriers and pack animals are regulated; read porter and mule hiring regulations before agreeing loads. Rules for base camp, waste and fires are in camping regulations, and a general starting point for kit is our packing list.
Safety when the record is ambiguous
Ambiguity in a record can turn into ambiguity in a rescue. The aim of your safety plan is to remove it:
- Leave the full identity line, including 7,240 m, with your home contact and your operator.
- Record the base camp name exactly as your operator uses it, alongside the recommended-table wording.
- Agree a fixed daily check-in time and a clear action if it’s missed.
- Make sure your insurer’s policy names the same row and height.
For emergencies in the region, the Tourist Police lines are 1422 and 05811-930055. Your operator and insurer remain the main route for evacuation.
Respecting people and places
The approach runs through inhabited valleys. Read photography restrictions and the broader trekking and mountaineering regulations, and spend a few minutes with culture of Gilgit-Baltistan before you go.
Frequently asked questions
How high is this Golden Throne SE row?
This row is recorded at 7,240 m on the NADRA List of Peaks. Another row with the same name is recorded at 7,225 m.
Why does your page address end in “-2”?
Because two official rows share the exact name. We gave each its own page, and this is the second one.
Are the 7,240 m and 7,225 m rows the same mountain?
The list doesn’t say. Ask the permitting authority to confirm in writing which row your permit should reference.
Is Golden Throne the same as Baltoro Kangri?
Golden Throne is a commonly used name for Baltoro Kangri, and the list pairs the two names in every Golden Throne row.
Is there an official route?
The recommended table lists a route for “Baltoro Kangri” at 7,282 m, from Skardu to a south-east base camp. It doesn’t say whether that serves this row.
What should I write on my application?
The full name with the height: “Golden Throne SE (Baltoro Kangri), 7,240 m”, plus the list version you checked.
Which other Golden Throne rows exist?
Golden Throne NE at 7,180 m and Golden Throne NW at 7,115 m, each with its own page here.
Where do most teams start?
The recommended-table route begins in Skardu. Check flight and road options before fixing your dates.
What season is best?
The list gives none. Use regional guidance and keep spare days for weather and acclimatisation.
Who can I call for help in the region?
The Tourist Police on 1422 or 05811-930055. Set up rescue cover through your operator and insurer first.