Mountain Ranges

Shiwalik range (Jammu Hills)

• The outermost and youngest range, of sandstone and conglomerate.
• Height: 600 to 1,500 m. It continues east into Himachal Pradesh and west into Pakistan.
• Contains the Trikuta Hills, where the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is located (near Katra).
• Duns (long valleys): Jammu Dun and Udhampur Dun.

Pir Panjal range

• The largest range of the Lower Himalaya in J&K. It runs north-west to south-east from the Beas valley (Himachal Pradesh) toward the Jhelum, forming the southern and western wall of the Kashmir Valley.
• Highest peaks: Tatakooti (about 4,742 m), Sunset Peak (about 4,700 m).
• Passes: Banihal, Pir Panjal Pass (Pir Ki Gali), Sinthan Top and Razdan Pass.
• Rivers: The Chenab cuts through it near Kishtwar, and the Jhelum through the Baramulla gorge.
• The road tunnels at Banihal link Jammu and Kashmir.
• Panjal Traps (lava of the Permian) form the rock.

Great Himalaya and Zanskar Range

• The main axis of the Himalaya, lying north-east of the Kashmir Valley.
• Peaks: Nun (7,135 m) and Kun (7,077 m), Kolahoi (5,425 m), Haramukh (5,142 m), Brammah and Kishtwar Kailash.
• Passes: Zojila and the high passes of Kishtwar.
• The Zanskar Range forms the boundary between Kashmir and Ladakh and runs between the Suru and Zanskar valleys.
• Amarnath cave lies on this range.

Ladakh Range

• Lies north of the Indus, running north-west to south-east for about 300 km. It is a granite range (Ladakh Batholith).
• Khardung La and Chang La cross it. Few peaks exceed 6,000 m.
• It separates the Indus valley from the Shyok and Nubra valleys.

Karakoram Range

• The second highest mountain system after the Himalaya and the most heavily glaciated outside the Poles.
• Peaks: K2 (8,611 m), Gasherbrum I (8,080 m), Broad Peak, Gasherbrum II, Masherbrum. Most lie in Gilgit-Baltistan.
• In the Indian-administered part: Saser Kangri, Rimo, Teram Kangri (Siachen) and Mamostong Kangri.
• Glaciers: Siachen, Baltoro, Biafo and Hispar.
• Karakoram Pass (5,540 m) on the old trade route to Yarkand.

Other ranges

• Kailas Range (Gangdise) lies partly in Ladakh and Tibet and feeds the upper Indus.
• Deosai Mountains lie in Gilgit-Baltistan.