IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Southern Tibet : vol.7 |
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Citation Information
THE K2.
473
From his Camp VI, 18,602 feet, the Duke examined the eastern slopes and region of K 2. From some objects left at camp X of Guillarmod seven years before, one could argue an average yearly speed of 702 feet for the glacier.
From the east, K 2 proved to be a mountain of ice. On June 22nd SELLA took a panorama from a point near the Sella Pass and got a general aspect of the region east of the Baltoro Basin, »a region into which but one single explorer, Sir FRANCES YOUNGHUSBAND, has ever penetrated, and he only for a short distance, in 1889. As far as the eye can see, there is a succession of glacier-filled valleys and rocky and snowy chains.»
On June I 4th they started to the camp of Windy Gap, VII, at the beginning of the Godwin-Austen Glacier.
Windy Gap, 20,449 feet, is the limit in the direction of the hydrographic system of the Baltoro basin and of the Indus. From this side the K 2 »looked like another 'mountain entirely; and of all the manifold aspects of the colossus this is certainly the most imposing, the richest and boldest in design». N. E. of Windy Gap they could see a chain running N. W.—S. E., and beyond it still another chain, higher and more important.
From a point 21,65o feet high, near Staircase Peak, the Duke took a good photo of K 2.
Having explored the K 2, its glaciers and surrounding ranges on the S., W. and E., the DUKE summarizes his observations thus.
He found K 2 to form a
quadrangular pyramid, the corners being formed by four main crests meeting at right angles the south-west and north-east, the north-west and south-east. The first two are prolonged in long and powerful buttresses, proportionate in size to the mass which they sustain. The other two are cut off short and precipitously ....
K 2 has only one peak. It is not to be climbed.
On June 3oth they went south, walking on the moraines of the Godwin-Austen Glacier.
Up to nearly 18,000 feet some alpine plants were found in sheltered places.
On July 6th they started southwards on the Upper Baltoro. At the foot of the Golden Throne, Camp XI, 16,637 feet, was chosen as base camp for a new campaign. Magnificent photos were taken of the Mustagh Tower, which seems to be a monolith, »a rocky mass of a single formation, without traces of breaks or divisional planes — no other, of any comparable size, is known to exist on the globe».
The limit of the eternal snow is, in the Western Kara-korum, put at 18,000 feet by DREW and BURRARD.
From the base Camp at the foot of the Golden Throne, the Duke began his operations upon Bride Peak.
6o. VII.
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