Glacier growing

[2] The use of glacier grafting is an old skill of the mountain farmers of Baltistan and Gilgit, where it is used for irrigation purposes since at least the 19th century.

The preferred terrain, according to glacier growers in Baltistan and Gilgit, is in shadowed scree-slopes overlooked by steep headwalls.

Such locations are susceptible to snowfall and avalanches during winter and spring, creating an environment conducive to the accumulation of ice.

This usually involves ascents from lower lying valleys (around 2,000-3,000 metres above sea level) up to the site selected for the glacier growing.

Similar efforts are being carried out by the noted engineer Chewang Norphel, in the adjacent Ladakh region.