Siachen Glacier, Disputed glacier in Karakoram Range, India.
Siachen Glacier stretches 75 kilometers through the Karakoram mountains, forming a natural barrier between India and Pakistan at elevations reaching 6,115 meters (20,100 feet). The ice field feeds several rivers and sits within a zone that has been militarily occupied by both countries for decades.
British explorer Henry Strachey documented the first detailed report of the glacier in 1848, leading to subsequent mapping expeditions in the early 1900s. Since 1984, the area has been the site of a prolonged standoff between Indian and Pakistani forces.
The name comes from Balti words, combining sia for wild roses with chen meaning abundance, pointing to the land where these flowers grow. Military personnel on both sides view service here as one of the most demanding tests soldiers can face in extreme altitude and cold.
The area remains closed to civilian visitors and is accessible only to military personnel with specialized equipment for temperatures dropping to minus 50 degrees Celsius (minus 58 Fahrenheit) and altitudes exceeding 16,400 feet (5,000 meters). Any activity requires acclimatization and strict medical monitoring due to life-threatening conditions.
The ice field is recognized as the highest battlefield on Earth, where environmental conditions have caused more casualties than direct military confrontations since 1984. Helicopters can land here only on a handful of days each year because thin air and fierce winds make flight operations nearly impossible.
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