The dreaded Mountain Pass : The Karakoram Pass

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Posted on : 19 Oct 2020

Sitting between boundaries of India and China in the famous Karakoram Ranges is the Karakoram pass. It is ancient crucial silk route pass. though it is not in use currently, it wasn't so always. here is some interesting info about this mountain pass: 

(The carcasses of animals symbolises inhospitable conditions)

The Karakoram Pass is a 5,540 m mountain pass between India and China in the Karakoram Range.It is the highest pass on the ancient caravan route between Leh in Ladakh and Yarkand in the Tarim Basin. 'Karakoram' literally means 'Black Gravel' in Mongolic. Historically, the high altitude of the pass and the lack of fodder were responsible for the deaths of countless pack animals while the route was notorious for the trail of bones strewn along the way.

There is an almost total absence of vegetation on the approaches to the pass. Travelling south from the pass involved three days' march across the barren Depsang Plains at about 5,300 m (17,400 ft). To the north, the country was somewhat less desolate and involved travellers crossing the relatively easy and lower Suget Dawan (or Suget Pass) before reaching the lush grazing grounds around Shahidullah or Xaidulla in the upper valley of the Karakash River. 

(Indian Army visits Karakoram pass)

The pass is in a saddle between two mountains and about 45 metres (148 ft) wide. There is no vegetation or icecap and it is generally free of snow due to the winds. Temperatures are low, there are often very high winds, blizzards are frequent, and the extreme altitude often took its toll. In spite of all this, the Karakoram Pass was considered a relatively easy pass due to the gradual ascent on both sides, and lack of summer snow and ice much of the year. Consequently, the pass was open throughout most of the year. There is no motorable road across the pass, and the pass currently remains closed to all traffic.

About the Karakoram Ranges

The Karakoram is a Mountain range in Asia. The name is from a Turkic word meaning back gravel. It is mainly located in China, India, and Pakistan. Parts of the range extend into Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan. Many of its mountains are in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan, Ladakh, and Xinjiang. It is the second highest mountain range in the world. The Karakoram is part of a complex of mountain ranges that also includes the Himalaya, Hindu Kush, and Pamir ranges. 

(View from K2)

The range has eight mountains with tops over 7,500 metres (24,600 ft) high. Four of these are higher than 8,000 metres (26,000 ft).They are K2, Gasherbrum I, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum II. K2 is the world's second highest peak.The range is about 500 km  long and it covers a tract about 48 km broad. Karakoram separates the State of Kashmir from China, and South-central Asian States. It also protects Kashmir from the extreme cold winds of Siberia. 

There are over 300 peaks with an elevation between 1,480 metres (4,860 ft) and 8,611 metres (28,251 ft) high. Karakoram is the most glaciated part of the world outside the polar regions. Glaciers cover about 28-50% of the mountains in the range. This is much higher than the Himalayan average of 8-12%.Some of the famous glaciers are the Siachen Glacier (76 kilometres long) and Biafo Glacier (63 kilometres long). These are the second and third longest glaciers in the world, outside the polar region. Many hilly lakes and hot-water springs are also located in Karakoram. The valleys are sources to many rivers and streams which drain in the Indus River. The 5,540 metres (18,180 ft) high Karakoram Pass connects Kashmir with the Central Asian states. It is considered to be a historical route.Shaksgam Pass, Aghil Pass, and Khunjerab Pass are also in this range of mountains.



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Posted on : 19 Oct 2020