Hispar La

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Hispar La
On the Hispar La, looking east to the Latok group with the Ogre

On the Hispar La, looking east to the Latok group with the Ogre

Pass height 5128  m
region Gilgit-Baltistan , Pakistan
Watershed Hispar Glacier , Hispar , Hunza , Gilgit , Indus Biafo Glacier , Braldu , Shigar , Indus
expansion Trekking path
Mountains Hispar Muztagh , Spantik Sosbun Mountains ( Karakoram )
particularities Two glaciers are connected by the fully glaciated Hispar Pass to form one of the longest ice stretches on earth outside the polar regions; the world's highest ice layer outside the polar regions
map
Hispar La (Karakoram)
Hispar La
Coordinates 36 ° 1 '9 "  N , 75 ° 32' 45"  E Coordinates: 36 ° 1 '9 "  N , 75 ° 32' 45"  E
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The Hispar La , in German Hispar Pass , is a high mountain pass with an apex at 5128  m above sea level in the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan . The pass is named after the village of Hispar , which lies at the end of the Hispar glacier .

From the Hispar Pass the Hispar Glacier flows to the west and the Biafo Glacier to the southeast, so that the pass can be crossed over these two glaciers. This glacier traverse is one of the longest outside the polar regions . To the east of the Hispar Pass is the so-called Lukpe Lawo (Snow Lake) , which is not a lake, but a 1,600 meter deep and approximately 16 kilometer long glacier basin. The depth of this ice layer is said to be unique outside the polar region.

Location of the pass

Hispar (left) and Biafo glaciers (bottom right), between the Hispar La. Image taken from the International Space Station.

The pass can only be reached after several days of walking. At the pass, the 63 km long Biafo Glacier connects with the 49 km long Hispar Glacier for over 100 km. The glaciers also connect the two ancient mountain kingdoms of Nagar in the west and Baltistan in the east.

The fully glaciated Hispar Pass is located in the northwestern part of the Karakoram and connects the Hispar Muztagh , part of the Karakoram main chain, in the north with the Spantik-Sosbun Mountains in the south. The Hispar glacier bordering to the west feeds the Hispar (river) , which flows westwards towards the Hunza valley. The Hunza Valley borders the Hispar Muztagh in the west and north and is accessed by the Karakoram Highway . To the east of Hispar Muztagh and beyond the Biafo Glacier lies the Panmah Muztagh mountain range .

The pass was conquered since time immemorial by the two mountain kingdoms either with warlike intent or for sporting encounters in the polo game . The deserted region of Biafo-Hispar is the refuge for wildlife such as the Himalayan bear , screw goat and snow leopard .

Bill Tilman , an English mountaineer and sailor, is said to have discovered the footprints of the legendary Yeti in this area on his expedition to the highest glaciers in the world in 1937 .

Surrounding mountains

Most of the surrounding mountains at the Hispar Pass reach a height of over 7,000 m: Not far from the Hispar Glacier is the Distaghil Sar ( 7885  m ); Kunyang Chhish , ( 7852  m ), whose unclimbed south face is one of the last problems in high-altitude mountaineering; Kanjut Sar ( 7760  m ); Trivor ( 7577  m ); Pumari Chhish ( 7492  m ) and the Yutmaru Sar ( 7330  m ).

In the vicinity of the Biafo glacier are the mountains Baintha Brakk (Ogre) ( 7285  m ), those of the Latok group ( 7145  m ), Lukpe Lawo Brakk ( 6593  m ) and Uzun Brakk ( 6422  m ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ information on wondersofpakistan.wordpress.com , accessed on 8 January 2010
  2. ^ Information on concordiaexpeditions.com , accessed January 8, 2010
  3. ↑ Snow Lake Biafo-Hispar Traverse on concordiaexpeditions.com , accessed on December 19, 2009 (English)
  4. ↑ Information with a picture of the Yeti's footprint on blankonthemap.free.fr , accessed on December 27, 2009 (English)
  5. ↑ Information on himalaya-info-org , accessed on December 19, 2009