Siachen Glacier

Feeding several of the Rivers & Lakes of Jammu and Kashmir, the Siachen Glacier is a very important geographical location of the state. It is falls in the eastern side of the Karakoram ranges of the great Himalayas. The geographical location of Siachen Glacier is between north latitude 35º5' and east longitude 77º0.

The Siachen Glacier is situated at an altitude of 5,573 meters above sea level. Located at the southern part of the great watershed, the area is so glaciated that it has earned the name 'Third Pole'. The Siachen Glacier in Jammu and Kashmir has an approximate length of seventy-two Kilometers, starting from the northern Karakoram Range. It lies near the Indo-Tibetan border of north-central portion of the state.

The Siachen Glacier is the prime source of rivers like Shaksgam and Mutzgah. The Siachen Glacier has joined some tributary glaciers. Some of the tributaries are:

• Mamostang
• Shelkar Chorten

With a massive snowfield at the center, the sides of the great Siachen Glacier is full of scattered rocks and huge boulders. During the winter, the glacier occupies a large area, thanks to the continuous snowfall in the area. Due to the extreme chilling weather and high altitude, there is practically no sign of vegetation in the area.

The Siachen Glacier has been the subject of controversy and conflict, as the place is claimed by both the countries, India and Pakistan.