Karakoram

The Karakoram is one of the great mountain ranges of the Himalayas, with many of the Himalaya's highest and most daunting peaks. It is located on the border of Pakistan and India with China, about 500 km (300 mi) in length, and is the most heavily glaciated part of the world outside of the polar regions.

Because of its altitude and ruggedness, the Karakoram is much less inhabited than the parts of the Himilayas further east. European explorers first visited early in the 19th century, followed by British surveyors starting in 1856. The Muztagh pass was crossed in 1887 by the expedition of Colonel Francis Younghusband and the valleys above the Hunza River[?] were explored by George Cockerill[?] in 1892. Explorations in the 1910s and 1920s established most of the geography of the region.

Highest peaks

The Karakoram's highest peaks include, among others:

• K2 (8,611 m)
• Gasherbrum I[?] (8,068 m)
• Broad Peak[?] (8,047 m)
• Gasherbrum II[?] (8,035 m)
• Masherbrum[?] (7,821 m)
• Rakaposhi[?] (7,788 m)
• Kanjut Sar[?] (7,761 m)
• Saser Kangri[?] (7,672 m)
• Haramosh Peak[?] (7,397 m)
• Muztagh Tower (7,273 m)

External links

• http://www.karakorams.com
• http://climbing.highalpex.com/mountain_ranges/karakoram/