GLACIER AND SNOWFIELD

    GLACIERS AND SNOWFIELDS:-

Andrew Wilson described Lahoul as a ' valley of glaciers'. He said, " This was the Abode of Snow, and the great ice -serpents crept over into this dread valley as if they were living monsters". In Lahoul, particularly between the two rivers of Chandra and Bhaga, there is one solid mass of mountains or one great ice - bed broken here and thereby lofty peaks. There are several glaciers in the Lahoul region such as the Gangstan,  sonapani, Perad and Bara shigri. The Gangstang glacier is situated at the western border of the Lahoul region at an altitude of about 5,480 m streaming into Shansha nullah which joins the Chandra Bhaga river at about 13 km to the south. Sonapani glacier is located in the western region of Lahoul and it can be seen from the Rohtang Pass. It is about 11 km long and originates from an ice cave situated towards the western path of the ice cliff. Perad glacier is small one and is easily accessible. It is between Sonapani and Shigri glacier ice fields and snow capped peaks are there all around. Bara Shigri glacier emerges from the mountains on the left bank of the river Chandra and striken right up to the road which passes through Kullu. The glacier is above 3,960 m altitude and extends beyond 4,570 m, 11 km length of which has been recently surveyed and mapped. The breadth of the glacier is more than a kilometer. Travellers and explorers like Captain Harcourt, Andrew Wilson and Huge Whisller in 19th and 20th century have all praise for the Bara Shigri glacier. After independence this glacier has turned to be a great attraction for the mountaineers and explorers.