In Sikkim, Kumaun and Spiti the glaciers of our time rarely descend to 11000 feet :
Ai^^ ^ ^ 1.. 1. , . A A indeed it may be questioned whether any instance of a

Aititiides to wnicti glaciers descend. ^ ^ *>

descent to 11000 feet has been discovered in those
regions. But in the Karakoram the glaciers frequently descend to 10000 feet. This
difEerence is without doubt partially due to the higher latitude of the Karakoram,
but other causes for it exist, and these may possibly be producing even greater effect*
than the difEerence in latitude. The great peaks and high snow-clad ridges rise from
the glaciers more abruptly in the Karakoram than in the Himalaya, and the horizontal
distances between the valleys and the snow-fields which feed them from either side,
are less ; the slopes are consequently steeper and the glaciers are able to descend to
lower altitudes, before their ice is melted.
The longitudinal glaciers of the Karakoram flow, it is true, down gentle gradients,
and at 10000 feet portions of their ice are still surviving the attacks of heat. It is
because they possess such immense volumes of ice, that these glaciers are able to reach
low altitudes.
