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17-417: Historically, the high altitude of the pass and the lack of fodder were responsible for the deaths of countless pack animals while the route was notorious for the trail of bones strewn along the way. There is an almost total absence of vegetation on the approaches to the pass. Travelling south from the pass involved three days' march across the barren Depsang Plains at about 5,300 m (17,400 ft). To

34-573: A handlebar bag and other bicycle luggage that he manufactured and sold under the Touring Cyclist brand in the 1970s until his retirement in 1984. Bicycle panniers are usually made of nylon or other synthetic fabric that can be stitched, or, in the case of waterproof panniers, welded together. As bicycles are often ridden in the rain, many panniers are built to be water-repellent or waterproof by themselves. Others include built-in rain-covers, or rain-covers are offered as accessories. The shape of

51-413: A load of up to 360 kilograms (800 lb). In India, the prevention of cruelty rules (1965) limit mules to 200 kilograms (440 lb) and ponies to 70 kilograms (150 lb). Reindeer can carry up to 40 kg (88 lb) for a prolonged period in mountains . Pannier A pannier / ˈ p æ n i ər / is a basket , bag, box , or similar container, carried in pairs either slung over

68-482: Is a working animal used to transport goods or materials by carrying them, usually on its back. Domestic animals of many species are used in this way, among them alpacas , Bactrian camels , donkeys , dromedaries , gayal , goats , horses , llamas , mules , reindeer , water buffaloes and yaks . Traditional pack animals include ungulates such as camels , the domestic yak , reindeer , goats , water buffaloes , and llama , and domesticated members of

85-454: Is carried by the heaviest steers for short periods. Llamas can carry roughly a quarter of their body weight, so an adult male of 200 kilograms (440 lb) can carry some 50 kilograms (110 lb). Loads for equids are disputed. The US Army specifies a maximum of 20 percent of body weight for mules walking up to 32 km (20 mi) a day in mountains, giving a load of up to about 91 kilograms (200 lb). However an 1867 text mentioned

102-519: Is declining, a new market is growing in the tourist expeditions industry in regions such as the High Atlas mountains of Morocco, allowing visitors the comfort of backpacking with animals . The use of pack animals "is considered a valid means of viewing and experiencing" some National Parks in America, subject to guidelines and closed areas. In the 21st century, special forces have received guidance on

119-539: Is to use a pair of smaller panniers (10 to 15 liters each) mounted on a low rider and a pair of larger ones on the rear carrier (20 to 30 liters each). Commuters who bicycle have pannier options designed to hold laptop computers, files and folders, changes of clothes or shoes and lunches. There are also panniers that convert to backpacks or shoulder bags for easier carrying when not on a bicycle. Panniers designed specifically for bicycles were patented by John B. Wood of Camden, New Jersey , in 1884. Hartley Alley designed

136-599: The Trans-Karakoram Tract , but India was not party to that treaty nor any tripoint agreement. The current de facto tripoint is about 100 km west of the pass near Indira Col in the Siachen Muztagh , where the Actual Ground Position Line between Indian and Pakistani forces meets the border with China. Pack animal A pack animal , also known as a sumpter animal or beast of burden ,

153-588: The horse family including horses , donkeys , and mules . Occasionally, dogs can be used to carry small loads. Hauling of goods in wagons with horses and oxen gradually displaced the use of packhorses, which had been important until the Middle Ages , by the sixteenth century. Pack animals may be fitted with pack saddles and may also carry saddlebags . Alternatively, a pair of weighted materials (often placed symmetrically) are called panniers . While traditional usage of pack animals by nomadic tribespeople

170-478: The animal. For horse packing , and when carrying particularly heavy loads on other animals they are supported by a pack saddle to distribute weight more evenly across the back of the animal. In some cases, additional items are placed on the back of the animal, between the panniers. There are many styles of bicycle panniers. Touring panniers are usually sold in pairs, intended to hold enough equipment for self-sustained tours over days or weeks. The most common setup

187-500: The back of a beast of burden , or attached to the sides of a bicycle or motorcycle . The term derives from a Middle English borrowing of the Old French panier , meaning 'bread basket'. Traditional panniers for animal transport are typically made of canvas , leather , or wicker . Modern panniers may be rectangular boxes of hard-sided plastic. Panniers are loaded in such a manner as to distribute weight evenly on either side of

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204-479: The north, the country was somewhat less desolate and involved travellers crossing the relatively easy and lower Suget Dawan (or Suget Pass) before reaching the lush grazing grounds around Shahidullah or Xaidulla in the upper valley of the Karakash River . The pass is in a saddle between two mountains and about 45 metres (148 ft) wide. There is no vegetation or icecap and it is generally free of snow due to

221-505: The pannier may be enforced by a frame or stiffening panel made of plastic or metal to help keep it in place and prevent it from contacting a wheel. Panniers are usually built to attach to a rear rack or front rack already fitted to the bicycle. Removable panniers hook onto the top edge of the rack and are often held in place by a latch or elastic mechanism. Motorcycle panniers are generally hard box containers with lids, made of metal or hard plastic. The panniers may be permanently fixed to

238-495: The pass, and the pass currently remains closed to all traffic. The Karakoram pass falls on the boundary between India's union territory of Ladakh and China's Xinjiang autonomous region. It also plays a major geographic role in the dispute between Pakistan and India over control of the Siachen Glacier area immediately to the southwest of the pass. This area has been under control of India (currently administered as part of

255-544: The union territory of Ladakh ) since 1984. This situation arose from the Simla Agreement , signed in 1972 between India and Pakistan, when the treaty failed to specify the last 100 km (60 mi) or so of the cease-fire line from the end of the Line of Control to the border with China. A potential China-India-Pakistan tripoint at Karakoram Pass is referenced in a 1963 boundary treaty between China and Pakistan concerning

272-451: The use of horses, mules, llamas, camels, dogs, and elephants as pack animals. The maximum load for a camel is roughly 300 kg (660 lb). Yaks are loaded differently according to region. In Sichuan, 75 kilograms (165 lb) is carried for 30 km (19 mi) in 6 hours. In Qinghai, at 4,100 m (13,500 ft) altitude, packs of up to 300 kilograms (660 lb) are routinely carried, while up to 390 kilograms (860 lb)

289-458: The winds. Temperatures are low, there are often very high winds, blizzards are frequent, and the extreme altitude often took its toll. In spite of all this, the Karakoram Pass was considered a relatively easy pass due to the gradual ascent on both sides, and lack of summer snow and ice much of the year. Consequently, the pass was open throughout most of the year. There is no motorable road across

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