SAFED KOH MOUNTAIN RANGE
(Spin Ghar Mountains Range)
SAFED KOH is a mountain range in eastern Afghanistan and expanding to North-Western Pakistan. which covers Khyber Agency and Kurram Valley of Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan.
Safed Koh means " white mountain". It is also known as Spin Ghar. It form a natural frontier between Pakistan and Afghanistan, extending westward for 100 miles (160 km) from the Vale of Peshāwar (Pakistan) to the Lowrah Valley (Afghanistan.
Mount Sikaram it is
the highest peak of the Safed Koh Range. It is at an elevation of 4,761 m
(15,620 ft) above mean sea level. It has a prominence of 2,295 m. It lies on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border south of the
Kabul River and Khyber Pass. It is a straight and rigid peak, towers above all
surrounding hills.
Safed Koh is not an
isolated range, It parallels the Kabul River.The Kabul River cuts a narrow
trough through the Safēd Kōh mountains to flow eastward into the Indus River;
otherwise, the range connects directly with the Shandur Top off shoot of the
Hindu Kush mountain system The Khyber Pass crosses a spur of the Safed Koh
range.The closest city near the Safed Koh is Parachinar of Pakistan.
The lower slopes are nearly barren forests of pine and deodar cedar thrived on the main range
Strategically it is
an important topographical feature, for it divides the basin of the Kabul river
and the Khyber route from the valley of Kurram, leaving no practicable pass
across its rugged crest to connect the two.
Its western slopes, where it abuts on the mountain masses which dominate the Kabul plain, are forest-covered and picturesque, with deep glens intersecting them, and bold craggy ridges; the same may be said of the northern spurs which reach downward through the Shinwari country towards Gandamak and Jalalabad. Here the snow lies late and moisture is abundant - but on the southern sun-scorched cliffs but little vegetation is to be seen. Approaching the Peshawar plains the Safed Koh throws off long spurs eastward, and amongst the foothills of eastern spurs.
Its western slopes, where it abuts on the mountain masses which dominate the Kabul plain, are forest-covered and picturesque, with deep glens intersecting them, and bold craggy ridges; the same may be said of the northern spurs which reach downward through the Shinwari country towards Gandamak and Jalalabad. Here the snow lies late and moisture is abundant - but on the southern sun-scorched cliffs but little vegetation is to be seen. Approaching the Peshawar plains the Safed Koh throws off long spurs eastward, and amongst the foothills of eastern spurs.
*************************************************************************
