Baltoro Glacier

The Baltoro Glacier, at over 70 kilometers long, is the longest glacier outside of the polar regions. It is situated in northeast Pakistan and runs through the center of the second tallest mountain range on Earth ? the Karakoram. At 8,611 m (28,251 ft) K2 is the tallest mountain in the region, and three others within 20 km top 8,000 m.

Related Topics:
Polar regions - Pakistan - Karakoram - K2

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The glacier is situated in a large arena hemmed by high peaks on the southern slopes of the central Karakoram Range, in the Baltistan area of Jammu and Kashmir.

Related Topics:
Karakoram - Baltistan - Jammu - Kashmir

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The glacier gives rise to the Shigar River, which is a tributary of the Indus River. Large tributary glaciers feed the main Baltoro glacier. These include a glacier from the southwestern slopes of the Gasherbrum peak and a tributary glacier from the northwestern slope of the Masherbrum peak, both in the Karakoram mountain range.

Related Topics:
Shigar River - Indus River - Gasherbrum - Masherbrum - Karakoram

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The trough of this glacier is very wide and its central part is a vast snowfield. Small valley glaciers form icefalls where they meet the trunk glacier. The sidewalls vary from very steep to precipitous. The glacier has carved striations on the surrounding country rocks. Moving ice has formed depressions, which serve as basins for numerous glacial lakes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The glacier can be approached via Skardu in Ladakh.

Related Topics:
Skardu - Ladakh

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~