Saltoro Mountains

The Saltoro Mountains are a subrange of the Karakoram Range.^[1] They are located in the heart of the Karakoram, on the southwest side of the Siachen Glacier, one of the two longest glaciers outside of the polar regions. The name given to this range is shared with the Saltoro Valley which is located to the west of this range, downslope on the Pakistan side of the Actual Ground Position Line.

The Saltoro Mountains are part of the Lesser Karakorams on the southern and western side of the large Karakoram-glaciers (Siachen, Baltoro, Biafo and Hispar Glacier from east to west) while the main ridge of the Karakorams lies north resp. east of these glaciers. The subranges of the main ridges are called Muztagh whereas the mountain groups of the Lesser Karakorams are denominated as Mountains, Ranges or Groups.^[2]

They are claimed as part of Jammu and Kashmir by India and as part of Gilgit–Baltistan by Pakistan. Between 1984 and 1987, India assumed military control of the main peaks and passes of the range, with Pakistani forces holding the glacial valleys just to the west. Hence, despite high peaks and dramatic climbing opportunities, they are little visited except by military forces due to the ongoing Siachen Conflict.

On the southwest side, the Saltoro Mountains drop steeply to the valleys of the Kondus and Dansam Rivers, which join to form the Saltoro River, a tributary of the Shyok River. This in turn flows into the Indus River. To the northwest, the Kondus Glacier separates the range from the neighboring Masherbrum Mountains, while on the southeast, the Gyong River, Glacier, and Pass (Gyong La) separate the northern Saltoro Mountains from the southern Saltoro Mountains or "Kailas Mountains" (not to be confused with Tibet's sacred Mount Kailash).

Selected peaks

The following is a table of the peaks in the Saltoro Mountains which are over 7,200 metres (23,622 ft) in elevation and have over 500 metres (1,640 ft) of topographic prominence. (This is a common criterion for peaks of this stature to be independent.)

See also

• Saltoro Kangri
• Sia Kangri
• Indira Col
• Chumik Glacier
• Baltoro Glacier
• Actual Ground Position Line
• List of highest mountains

References

Source

• Jerzy Wala, Orographical Sketch Map of the Karakoram, Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research, Zurich, 1990.