Uttarakhand Glaciers

Uttarakhand is also known for its glaciers.  The Uttarakhand glaciers are the main source of some of the most important river system of India.  A glacier is a large and slow moving mass of ice.  It is made due to compacting of the layers of snow.  The glacial movement is directed by gravity and high pressure.  For those people who are not aware of the fact that the glacial ice is the largest source of fresh water on Earth.  Glaciers are very much popular among trekkers & tourists because of their beauty and magnificent example of nature.  There are many glaciers found in Uttarakhand and they are listed below in alphabetical order.

1. Athasi-Balati Glacier:  This glacier is also known as Meola Glacier.  This glacier is located at the base of five peaks Panchchuli in the Lassar Yankti valley.  This Himalayan glacier is situated at the height of 3600 meters.  This glacier combines with the Sona Glacier and forms the famous Panchchli Glacier.

2. Banderpoonch Glacier: This glacier is situated at the height of over 6,000 meters above the sea level.  It is the most important glacier of Yamuna basin.  Banderpoonch glacier is 12 km long and located at the northern slopes of Banderpoonch peak.  This glacier lies in the district of Uttarkashi within the hill state of  Uttarakhand.

3. Chorabari Glacier: This glacier is at the height of 3,800 meters above the sea level.  Chrabari glacier starts from its accumulation zone (6,000 meters) and ends at 3,800 meters.

4. Dokriani Glacier:  This glacier is also located in the district of Uttarkashi within the hill state of Uttarakhand.  Dokriani Glacier is also called Dokhriani Bamak.  Locally, bamak means glacier.  This glacier is situated at the height of 3,800 meters above the sea level.  The Dokriani glacier is 5 km long and it flows in the northwest direction.  This glacier originate from northern slope of Draupadi –ka-Danda & Jaonli peak.

5. Doongiri Glacier: Doongiri glacier is located in the district of Almora within the hill state of Uttarakhand in India.  Doongiri glacier is 5 km long extending at the height of 5,150 meters to 4,240 meters forms Dhauli Ganga.  Doongiri is an important glacier of Dhauli Ganga system of glaciers.

6. Gangotri Glacier: This glacier glacier is located in the district of Uttarkashi within the hill state of Uttarakhand in India.  Gangotri glacier is the combination of several glaciers that are fed to it and form a huge mass of ice.  It is is one of the most important glaciers in Garhwal region and it is responsible for feeding the head stream of Hindu’s holy river Ganga.  Bhrigupanth, Kirti Stambh, Sumeru Parbat, Ratavana Bamak, Chaturangi Bamak and Swachand Bamak lie on the northeast slope of srikailash, Mana Parbat, Satopnath and an un-named group of peaks. The glacier lies within a span of 28 km and terminates at Gaumukh (3,892 mtrs).

7. Gomukh or Gaumukh Glacier: This glacier is located about 18 km away from the town of Gangotri.  This glacier is the precise source of the Bhagirathi River which is an important tributary of the Ganges.  The terminus of the Gangotri Glacier is said to resemble a cow’s mouth, which means Gomukh in hindi language.  This is the reason this glacier is called Gomukh Glacier.

8. Kafni Glacier: This glacier is located in the district of Bageshwar within the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand state.  Kafni glacier is known for its scenic beauty with peaceful environment and it gives rise to Kafni River, which is a tributary of the Pindar River.  Kafni is situated left of Pindar valley and below the famous peak of Nandkot and to the southwest of Nanda Devi peak.

9. Kalabaland Glacier:  This glacier is located in the eastern Kumaon of the Pithoragarh District within the hill state of Uttarakhand.  This glacier is a Himalayan glacier and it is situated to the north of the west of the Darma Valley.  The length of this glacier is 15 km.  The Ralam Gad River originates from the Kalabaland , Yangchar & Sankalp glaciers.

10. Khatling Glacier: This glacier is located in the district of Tehri in the hill state of Uttarakhand.  Khatling is the source of river Bhilangna and it is an important glacier of Garhwal Himalayas.

11. Milam: This glacier is situated at the elevation ranging from 5,500-3,870 meters above the sea level.  Miliam glacier is located in Munsiyari tehsil of Pithoragarh district within the hill state of Uttarakhand.  It is also a major Himalayan glacier and located about 15 km northeast of Nanda Devi.

12. Namik Glacier:  This glacier is located in the district of Pithoragarh within the hill state of Uttarakhand.  The word “Namik” means a place where you can find saline water springs.  It is a beautiful and fascinating glacier originates in the pristine environment of Kumaon Himalayas.  This glacier is the source of the Ram Ganga River.

13. Panchchuli Glacier:  This glacier form with the combination of the four other glaciers.  These glaciers are Meola Glacier, Sona Glacier, Uttari Balati and Dakshini Balati.  Panchchuli Glacier is a Himalayan glacier that is located in the district of Pithoragarh within the hill state of Uttarakhand.  It is situated in the easternmost part of Kumaon Division.  This glacier is in the peaks of Panchchuli on the Johar Valley and Darma Velley.  Uttari Balati glacier is situated north to it.

14. Pindari Glacier: Pindari Glacier is one of the famous Uttrakhand Glaciers. This glacier is located in the district of Bageshwar within the hill state of Uttarakhand.  Pindari is a major kumaon Himalayan glacier and it lies between the famous peaks of Nanda Devi and Nandkot.   This glacier ends at an altitude of 3,627 meters above the sea level.

15. Ralam Glacier: This beayytiful glacier is located in Munsiyari tehsil of Pithoragarh district within the Kumaon region of the hill state of Uttarakhand.  This incredible glacier is situated at 2,290 meters above the sea level.  It is located near Ram Dhura at Ralam Khal.

16. Satopanth Glacier: This glacier lies on the northwest side of Nilkantha, a major peak of the Garhwal division in the hill state of Uttarakhand.  The word Satopanth is derived from two words Sato & Panth.  Sato means heaven and Panth means path.  The word Satopanth literally means path to heaven.  This glacier spreads over a vast expanse of 13 km originating from at the height of 7,000 meters at the peak of Chaukhamba and Badrinath.

17. Sona Glacier:  This glacier is situated in the eastern part of Uttarakhand in the district of Pithoragarh.  This glacier is located north to Meola Glacier.  It is situated just below peaks like Ngalaphu (6,410 meters) Punchchuli.
18. Sunderdhunga Glacier:  This glacier is located in the district of Bageshwar within the hill state of Uttarakhand.  The meaning of Sunderdhunga is valley of beautiful stones.