Biafo Glacier

The Biafo Glacier is a 63 km long glacier in the mountains of the Karakoram. He is after the Siachen Glacier and the Fedchenko the third longest glaciers outside the polar region.

Location and characteristics

It is located in Gilgit -Baltistan in Pakistan and, together with the 49 km long Hispar glacier, to which it is connected through the 5,128 meter-high Hispar La Pass, the longest ice system outside the polar region. The glacier connects the two ancient mountain kingdoms, Nagar in the west with Baltistan in the east.

The Biafo glacier is east of La Hispar of two glaciers nourished, the coming of the East Sim Gear Glacier and the influent from the north Lukpe Lawo, which is also called Snow Lake.

The Biafo glacier penetrates to the valley of the Braldu flowing from the Baltoro Glacier in the east to the Indus.

Northeast of Biafo glacier lie the mountains of Panmah Muztagh, including the Ogre and Latok group, west of the glacier the Sosbun Brakk, Eastern namesake of Spantik - Sosbun Mountains.

Pass crossings

In addition to the Hispar La pass, there are other transitions from Biafo system to the north and east.

The Khurdopin Pass is located in the north of Snow Lake, east of Lukpe Lawo Brakk and offers a high-alpine transition to the eastern Khurdopin Glacier, which flows via the Khurdopin Glacier to the Shimshal Valley. This valley drains the north side of the Hispar Muztagh, the Shimshal River flows west to the Hunza Valley.

The Sim -La Hotel, situated in the north of the Ogre and connects the southern arm of the Sim -speed Glacier with the abließenden southeast Choktoi Glacier.

The Skam -La is located in the east of the northern arm of the Sim -speed Glacier and provides a transition to flowing to the southeast Nobande - Sobande Glacier. This and the Choktoi Glacier unite to Panmah Glacier, continues to flow to the south and the drain empties a few kilometers above the Biafo glacier in the Braldu river.

The Lukpe -La is located in the north of the northern arm of the Sim -speed glacier and connects it with the Braldu glacier, whose runoff also Braldu means ( not to be confused with the above Braldu River ) to the north and east to Shaksgam Valley flows. Between Lukpe -La and Skam -La is the Hill Lukpe Brakk. ( Lukpe La and Lukpe Brakk are not to be confused with Lukpe Lawo Lawo and Lukpe Brakk. )

Tourism

Along the lateral moraine of the Biafo there are several campsites. The first three are managed by the thousand year old village Askole and have running water. These serve as the starting point for guided trekking on the slopes of high mountains surrounding area.

External links and sources

Glaciers of the Western Karakoram

35.84215875.757278Koordinaten: 35 ° 51 ' N, 75 ° 45 ' E

• Glaciers in Asia
• Karakorum ( Mountains)
• Indus River System