Pangong Tso

The Pangong Tso (lake) is about two and a half miles distant from the low ridge of the Surtokh La, or more properly speaking, its natural bar or bund, but the level of the old lake bed extends up to within a very short distance of the pass. A rise of 150 feet in the waters of the present lake would find them again an exit down the valley to Tanksè. A Trigonometrical station lies close to the water's edge, it bears east-south-east from a rock, a quarter mile distant out in the lake, and is marked with a stone having the usual dot and circle cut on it; its height has been determined trigonometrically to be 13,931 feet above the sea. From this mark-stone, a fine view of the first long reach of this elevated and interesting piece of water is obtained. Its colour is of an intense blue, the water as clear as crystal, but far too saline to be drinkable ; there was quite a true salt water feel in the air as the wind blew off it.