Through centuries these majestic and mysterious mountains have lured nature lovers, adventurers and empire builders alike. In fact, Pakistan is the only country where all the three world-famous mountain ranges meet — the Karakorams, the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush.
In comparison to the Himalayas and the Karakorams, the Hindu Kush is a smaller range of the three. Before feeling tempted to dismiss the Hindu Kush lightly, one should have a look at the vast area it covers — 640 km long, 400 km broad looming with its own giants, its own wonders. It has several smaller peaks most of them less than 7,500m high above sea level. Others — with heights of 21,000 feet — are too many to deserve proper names and proper mention. The highest in the range, however, is Trichmir (7,690m). Called as the Queen of Chitral, Trichmir along with other peaks turns Chitral into a veritable fairy land of Pakistan.
The Karakorams are unique range of mountains in more than one respect. They possess the loftiest peaks in the world within the smallest area. Within a radius of 160 km of the towns of Gilgit and Skardu there are as many as 100 peaks ranging from 5,500 m to the world's second highest peak, K-2 (8,611 m).
The Karakoram area is also the most glaciated area outside the Polar region containing some of the longest glaciers in the world, such as Siachen which is about 74 km long. There are other large glaciers, including Batura, Godwin, Austen, Baltoro, Biafo, Chogolisa, Gondokhoro, Hispar and Yazgil etc.
There is also uniqueness in the incomparable boldness of the silhouette of the Karakoram peaks. At the beginning of the colossal mass on the western side is the Nanga Parbat, which rising 8,126 m on the bend of the Indus, stands in almost majestic isolation like a powerful pillar sustaining the long chain.
Nanga Parbat has long been regarded as the most treacherous mountain peak. Many legends have been spun around this peak and one hears many tales from the local people and porters. Tales based on superstitions and the many mysterious events recounted by various expeditions that failed to conquer it and also by those who finally conquered it.
Herman Buhl, a German mountaineer who was the first to conquer Nanga Parbat in 1953, claimed that while descending from the peak he felt that someone was following him. He turned around several times to see who was there only to discover that there was no one. On several occasions he heard unexplained noises and echoes. Local people believe that a snowman inhabits this mountain, although nobody has ever seen him so far.
Beyond the Nanga Parbat, the higher summits are all found grouped together into the Central Sector of the chain. A second chain also runs along the side of the principal chain, which after a while dips down and then gathers height again. Between the two chains there is a deep valley, almost entirely occupied by long glaciers. It is, however, generally claimed that the deep valley of the Indus separates the chains of the Karakorams from the western Himalayas.
The great range of Himalayas spreads over 2400 km across Pakistan, India and Nepal. The world's highest summit, Mount Everest (8,848 m), is in Nepal.
The most majestic peak of the Karakoram, K-2 (Chogori in Balti language), is located near the Baltoro glacier in the extreme North of Baltistan, just on the China-Pakistan borders, with the boundary between the two countries passing over the K-2. In height, K-2 stands second only to Mount Everest, rising 8611m above sea level.
This peak is known not only because it is the second highest peak of the world but also for the large number of attempts that were made for its conquest by various mountaineering expeditions from various parts of the world during the past hundred years or so.
After many unsuccessful attempts by many expeditions from various countries, this king of the mountains was, however, conquered on July 31, 1954 by two Italians, Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagonno.
Mountains will continue to beckon mountaineers, promising a never-ending source of mountaineering pleasure full of thrills, excitement and the challenge of an adventure as limitless as the many mountains of Pakistan.
