Photos

The region of Lahoul in Himachal Pradesh is the meeting place of three great mountain ranges: the Zanskar, Pir Panjal and Great Himalaya. From among the host of peaks that result from this crush many are unclimbed and untouched. So numerous are these mountains that the majority are named simply by their place in a particular chain: hence CB1 to CB5 are the first five peaks in the Chandra Bhaga series. Reaching a height of 6430m, this particular massive, is, I believe called Kao Rang.

The river of ice that snakes down from the snow field between the peaks is, like the other glaciers of the Himalaya, slowly melting. Worldwide, the retreat of glaciers is a recognised phenomenon. Caused by global warming it is likely to have a major effect on agriculture and the environment in places far distant. Instead of falling as snow and being released slowly over the course of a year, precipitation will run quickly off the mountain sides resulting in irregular water flows and, more dangerously, a severe risk of flash flooding downstream.