| exploration source of the oxus |

This expanse of glacial moraine was fearsome. There were boulders up to five metres high piled up everywhere and no obvious path through area of map

C H I N A

P

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T A T A T A T AA T A T A T AA T A T A T A J II J I J I J I K II K II K I K I K II K I K S

T A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A N A NN A N A N A

m i

Langar

Langaar

W

W idor

PanjRiver

Lake Syr Kul

Koh-e-Pamir 320m320m h W a k h a n R a g e

R a

K 6363

Koh-e-Pamir 6320m hh gg e er Lake Chakmaktin

P er Lit

P er l e eWakhjir River rr i AksuRiver l e P a m i r

C H I C H I C H C H I C H I C H I C HH C H I C H C HH I C H C I C H C N A N A N A N A N AA N A N AA N AA N AA

C H C H C H C H C HH II H I C H C N Wajkir Pass W

Saa

SSarhadrhad h dd

Ishaksem m

AFGHANISTAN

STAN

Wakhan C Wakhan/PanjRiver

Qala

Qala Panj

Panannanjjnjnjnj

Wakhan Corridor

WakhanRiver

K

d u

H i n d u K u h u

L

P A P A P A P A P A P A P A P A P AA P A P AA P A P AA P A P A P A P A K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K I K II S T S T S TT S T S TT S TT S T S T S T S T S T S T S T S T S T A N A NN A N A N A N A NN A N A N A N A N A N A N A NN A N A NN A N A N A

IrrsIrI

Irshad Pass

Ice cave

Author’s route

Sad Istragh 7367m i SaS737

nor th

100 km

100 miles

PREVIOUS PAGE: one of the many peaks of the Hindu Kush, as seen from the Wakhan Corridor; ABOVE: the team approaches the Pamir Knot, the area where the Himalaya, Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush mountain ranges come together. The area in which they hoped to find the ice cave is located at the top right of this image; ABOVE LEFT: guides work to rescue a pack horse that has fallen into the river january 2011 www.geographical.co.uk 47