Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Hispar Pass

Hispar Pass

Hispar Pass (or Hispar La) (el. 5,128 m./16,824 ft.) is a high-altitude, non-technical mountain pass in the Karakoram Range in Pakistan.The crossing point between  Hunza valley and Baltistan is the Hispar pass which is at the elevation of 5151 meters.


At the pass, the Biafo Glacier (63 km. long) and Hispar Glacier (49 km long) meet to form the world's longest glacial traverse outside of the polar regions, 100 kilometers in length.


Hispar Pass is surrounded by  nameless and unclimbed peaks.  One of the highest peak in east is the Baintha Brak 7285 meters high. In the west the Hispar glacier forceful and snow covered stretches down as far as the eye can see, Separating the Hispar Muztag range on the right from the Rakaposhi and Balchish range.At the base of Hispar Pass on its eastern flank rests Snow Lake, a basin of ice (16 km. wide) surrounded by granite pinnacles yet to be climbed.


Hispar Glacier

Hispar Glacier  is situated on the southern slopes of the Karakoram Range in the Baltistan area of Ladakh of Pakistan. Hispar Glacier is a 49 km (30 mi) long glacier and is the third largest glacier in the Himalayan region.

It  meet the 63 km (39 mi) long Biafo Glacier at the Hispar La (Pass) at an altitude of 5,128 m (16,824 ft) to create the world's longest glacial system outside of the polar regions. This 100 km (62 mi) highway of ice connects two ancient mountain kingdoms, Nagar (immediately south of Hunza) in the west with Baltistan in the east.

Numerous smaller glaciers join the main glacier  The central portion of this glacier is a vast snowfield while its sides contain debris eroded by the huge body of moving ice. The entire tract is completely lacking in vegetation of any kind.

The extreme steepness of the hillsides and strenuous nature of the boulder hopping on the lateral moraines and hillsides make this route's upper half the most difficult part of the Biafo - Hispar traverse. Only the Hispar La day includes walking on the Hispar Glacier. The crossing of four major tributary glaciers from the north is most taxing, and potentially high nullah crossings can be dangerous.

The views of 7,800-metre (25,600 ft) peaks and of the snow covered cliffs and mountains on the south side of the glacier are particularly impressive.


The Hispar River, a tributary of the Hunza River, rises from the meltwater of the glacier.A very large glacier feeding the main stream of the Shigar River, which in turn drains into the Indus River.


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