On the Siachen Glacier, 1998

by Harish Kapadia

Part 7: History of Siachen Glacier » The Workman Expeditions

The Workman Expeditions, 1911 and 1912

The next most important explorers to the Siachen glacier were the famous Workman couple, in 1911-12. Fanny Bullock-Workman and William Hunter Workman were Americans who had special interest in the exploration of the Karakorams. They focused their attention on the exploration of the Siachen glacier.

They entered the glacier crossing over the Bilafond la and camped on the glacier with a large entourage of porters and two Alpine guides. They climbed many peaks and visited almost all the corners of the upper Siachen. Grant Peterkin was a surveyor attached to this expedition. He surveyed the glacier thoroughly and named a few peaks, particularly Teram Kangri, Apsarasas and Ghent. This expedition spent more than two months on the glacier and they visited almost all the major side valleys. Names like Sia la, Junction Peak, Hawk, Tawiz and few others were given by this expedition. They also visited and named Indira Col, after Goddess Laxmi.