SIACHEN GLACIER IN KASHMIR Location : On the Indo – Tibetan Border Destination : Rimo glacier group Area : Stretches across an area of 72 kilometers Altitude : It ranges at an attitude of 5,753 m and is jutting out towards China

The Taboo of Kashmir

Ladakh Getting There

Zanskar

Kargil

Being the world's largest non polar glacier, Siachen glacier is often termed as the third pole. This vast tract of barren land is appalling because of its scarce population and its treacherous climatic conditions. Viewing this part of Kashmir is a once in a lifetime experience. In the Karakoram belt of the Himalayas lies the World's largest 'non polar' mountain glacier, and is sometimes referred to as the third pole. Known as Siachen which means 'places of the wild roses', it ranges at an attitude of 5,753 m and protrudes towards China. Standing near the India-Tibet border, it is 70 km long, and lies between the Saltro Ridge Line in the west and the Kakakoram Range in the east.

With more than 2 trillion cubic feet of ice, Siachen Glacier within 25 kms has 45 peaks which rise up to a height of 18000 feet. It is the coldest part of the country where the temperature can dip to minus 50 degrees during snowfall. This area of Jammu and Kashmir is so desolate that only 16 peaks of the colossal glacier has been recognized and out of them only six have been mountaineered.

Intramural of the Third Pole

The central part of this glacier is a vast field in its 2 km wide trough and the sides of the glacier, with rocks and boulders dispersed in the area. Large tributary glaciers like the Shelkar Chorten and Mamostang that open into the main glacier from both sides of its depression and are the source of water for many rivers in India and Tibet. This tract is more or less devoid of vegetation due to its high altitude. The sediments of snow form the bulk of this area all the year round, which makes tis part of Kashmir barren and unproductive.

At the conflux of large tributary glaciers and trunk glaciers, Lateral moraines occur. There has been a formation of numerous ice falls, at the convergence of trunk glaciers as well as small valley glaciers. The sidewalls of the glacial are steep and sloping and snow slides on these slopes occur quite often, specially in winters.

Your Step Towards Isolation

Adventure

Rafting

Trekking

The Siachen glacier can be approached via Skardu in Ladakh. Being to Siachen glacier is a reverie of every mountaineer. A step on the glacier is supposed to be an achievement for these mountain savvy trekkers. But as this area lies near the border of India and Pakistan, special permission is required for admittance in this region. This area has presence of a large army that makes it easier for the mountain climbers to uncover the areas that are hidden under the sheath of the ice. Rimo glacier group, a group of three glaciers -- North, Central and South -- located at an altitude of between 6,000 and 7,000 m above sea level, lie to the east of the Siachen range. Between them, these glaciers have almost 700 -sq-kms of ice, which at places is 100 m deep. Siachen glacier imperium thus contains about 2,000-sq-kms of ice surface and almost 200 cubic kilometers of ice.

Gearing Up For The Siachen Trek

The much dreaded area of the Earth is finally being tread upon. Recently 20 civilians have been selected to begin their journey along with the team of military cadets, to the first ever civilian expedition to the Siachen Glacier. Organized by the Indian Army it is a step undertaken to initiate and promote tourism in the desolate region.