My Tajik colleagues tell me the term "Pamirs" is incorrectly used by foreigners. Applied by us to all mountains in eastern Tajikistan, this term obscures a signficant contrast in mountain morphology. The western Pamirs (where I live) have deeply incised, U-shaped valleys most recently carved by westward-bound valley glaciers. Valley floors are ~2500m and mountain peaks rise to ~4500m. However, the eastern Pamirs form a 4000m plateau with broad flat valleys between ranges that rise to 5000m (or higher). Too cool and arid to sustain agriculture, the eastern Pamir has widely-spaced small villages where people, many of nomadic Kyrgyz heritage, tend to herds of goats, cattle, and yaks. Where cars and trucks cannot travel, horses, donkeys, and even camels are used for off-road transport. This lovely desolate plateau, labeled the Murghab district, is more traditionally called the "Pamir".
I traveled through Murghab last weekend to see if it's a worthwhile destination for geology field trips. Accompanied by UBC geologist Ozlem Suleyman and our driver, Yusuf Bakhtaliev, we drove across the high plateau while making occasional stops to inspect bedrock outcrops. Yusuf knew the region and provided advice on lunch stops and scenic side roads. We drove to the town of Murghab, just 50 km from the Chinese border, and slept for two nights in a homestay. Our host was well-connected in the community and took us to meet the First Vice Chairman of the Murghab district, who was enthusiastic about the prospect of future geologists discovering mineral deposits in the region. After two days of fieldwork we found that the Murghab district has a full spectrum of rock types, making it suitable for field training. Still, it's a harsh environment - already 5°F at night and always short of oxygen. It's unclear if all students could withstand the conditions to focus on the rocks.
