Below the Telamkanli Peak (7.441 meters) in the Karakorum Range,the Telamkanli Glacier extends for over 28 kilometers,covering an area of 124.53 square kilometers. Its leading edge is 4.520 meters above sea level and the snowline is at 5,390 meters. Its net ice reserve is 26.774 cubic kilometers,equivalent to a water reserve of 2,2758 billion cubic meters,a veritable solid "water tower".
The most remarkable and attractive sight on the Telamkanli Glacier is its serac forest,with pinnacles dozens of meters high. This extends for some 11 kilometers. starting at 5200 meters above sea level and descending towards the glacier's terminus.The connecting pinnacles on the glacier join up to form magnificent ice peak after ice peak, often accompanied by crystal clear ice lakes below. Further down are countless inter-connecting "ice alleys" that turn the serac forest a glacial labyrinth. Most of the stand-alone pinnacles are pyramid-shaped,their point:thrusting into the sky like sharp swords crystalline and pure,like hand-carved jade. In the serac forest,one can also see glacial karst landscape-ice caves,big high ice tables,ice bridges,ice mushrooms and ice shoots,creating a unique glacier garden. |