Baltoro Glacier, the second largest glacier in the
Himalayan Region, is located on the southern slopes of the central
Karakoram Range in the Baltistan area of
Jammu and Kashmir. With a maximum length of 62 km, it is in a huge amphitheater bordered by high peaks.
Shigar River, a tributary of the Indus River, originates from this glacier. Baltoro Glacier has carved striations on the surrounding country rocks. This wide glacier’s central part is a vast snowfield. The moving ice has formed depressions, which serve as basins for many glacial lakes.
Baltoro Glacier can be accessed via Skardu in Ladakh.