Concordiaplatz
As Concordiaplatz (also Konkordiaplatz or Concordia / Konkordia ) the place in the central is Karakorum referred to which the Baltoro Glacier and Godwin Austen glacial flow together. This place is also known as the heart of the Karakoram . It has a diameter of over three kilometers and is located at an altitude of about 4600 m above sea level. It belongs to the Pakistani northern regions. The border to the Chinese-controlled Shaksgam Valley runs across the mountains to the east of the square, which are among the highest in the world, including four eight-thousanders .
Surname
The name of the square comes from William Martin Conway , who during his Karakoram expedition in 1892 was reminded of the Konkordiaplatz in the Swiss Alps , where several ice streams also meet. But there is also another derivation. After that, the researcher was reminded of the Place de la Concorde in Paris. In both cases, however, the name of the place goes back to Conway.
Contributing glaciers
Upper Baltoro Glacier
The nutrient area of the Baltoro Glacier is located between the Chogolisa and Baltoro Kangri mountains . From there, the ice current , which is often referred to here as the Upper Baltoro Glacier , flows about two kilometers wide with a slight gradient 15 kilometers in a northwesterly direction. Shortly before Concordiaplatz, it widens through the tributary of the Vigne Glacier , which flows from the northwest side of the Chogolisa in a north-northeast direction.
Godwin Austen Glacier
The Godwin Austen Glacier has its accumulation area between the Saddle of the Winds (also Windy Gap or Skyang-La ) and the Skyang Kangri northeast of the K2 , flows along the southeast side of the second highest mountain on earth ten kilometers in a southwest direction and then bends exactly South, and flows as an approximately 1.5 km wide valley glacier west of Broad Peak for a length of nine kilometers towards Concordiaplatz.
More glaciers
Some small glaciers also open at the Place de la Concorde in the Baltoro: From the west side of Gasherbrum IV comes Western Gasherbrumgletscher . A few 100 meters north, the Falchan Glacier, which feeds on the southwest side of Broadpeaks, flows into Concordiaplatz.
Baltoro Glacier
The combined ice (and debris) flow as the Baltoro Glacier for about 35 km to the west.
Drain
The Braldu rises at the glacier tongue of the Baltoros , which shortly afterwards also absorbs the meltwater from the Biafo Glacier and later flows into the Shigar , which finally drains into the Indus at Skardu .
mountains
Even when approaching over the Baltoro Glacier, you can see the west face of Gasherbrum IV , which towers over the east side of Concordiaplatz. In the northeast corner - between the Baltoro and Godwin Austen glaciers - is the 6256 m high Marble Peak . Opposite it, framed by the Baltoro-Oberer-Baltoro and Vigne glaciers, lies the 6010 m high Miter Peak as the "valley guard over the Concordiaplatz".
Numerous mountains can be seen from Concordiaplatz. The view to the north up the Godwin-Austen glacier falls inevitably on the 8,611 m high pyramid of K2, from there clockwise to the summit of Broad Peak and the western mountains of the Gasherbrum group (G IV, GV, G VI and G VII), behind which the eight-thousanders Gasherbrum II and Gasherbrum I are hidden. The 7,312 m Baltoro Kangri towers over the Upper Baltoro Glacier in the south and the numerous six-thousanders between the Upper Baltoro and Vignegletscher are dominated by the 7,665 m high Chogolisa with its horizontal summit ridge. The view to the west down the Baltoro meets Miter Peak, Masherbrum , the Trango Group, the Muztagh Tower , Marble Peak and finally the mountains west of the Godwin-Austen Glacier, which include the Skil Brum .
Mountains at Concordiaplatz
Eight-thousander:
- K2 , 8,611 m
- Gasherbrum I , 8,080 m
- Broad Peak , 8,051 m
- Gasherbrum II , 8,034 m
Other mountains:
- Gasherbrum III , 7,952 m
- Gasherbrum IV , 7,925 m
- Masherbrum (K1), 7,821 m
- Chogolisa , 7,665 m
- Muztagh Tower , 7,273 m
- Snow Dome , 7,160 m
- Biarchedi , 6,781 m
- Marble Peak , 6,256 m
- Miter Peak , 6,010 m
Tourist importance
While the Concordiaplatz represents the last stopover for mountaineers before the respective base camps on the eight-thousanders, it is already the destination of the trip for the numerous trekking tourists, where they usually spend two nights and a day tour e.g. B. undertake to the K2 base camp before making their way back. This takes place either like the way there over the Baltoro to Askole, or over the Vigne glacier and the 5940 m high Gondoghoro pass to Hushe.
Problems
The large warehouse on Concordiaplatz is now causing logistical problems. The supply of drinking water in particular is difficult because the ice cream is not recommended for consumption due to the ubiquitous contamination of faeces.
Panoramic picture
swell
- ↑ http://www.broadpeak.at/broad_peak.php
- ^ William Martin Conway: Climbing and Exploration in the Karakoram Himalayas, p. 317. (Google Books)
- ^ Roberto Mantovani, Kurt Diemberger: K2 - Himalaya. The big challenge. Page 34
literature
- Roberto Mantovani, Kurt Diemberger: K2 - Himalaya. The big challenge. Gondrom Verlag, Bindlach 2004
- Rollo Steffens: Fascination Karakoram. The wild mountains of Asia . Bruckmann, Munich 2000, ISBN 3-7654-3593-7 .
Coordinates: 35 ° 44 ′ 40 ″ N , 76 ° 31 ′ 30 ″ E