Karakorum – Pakistan Julio 2024, por Juan Gomis Ferraz  

Arrival and acclimation

Text and photos by Juan Gomis Ferraz

After a long journey and several plane transfers, we finally arrived in Skardu, the gateway to Pakistan’s Karakorum. During the flight from Islamabad to Skardu we could see the impressive 8,125m Nanga Parbat at close range.

After a while we landed between mountains. We were at 2230 meters where the landscape is arid despite being on the banks of one of the most imposing rivers on the planet, the Indus. In the morning we set off in a few 4x4s towards Askole.

Approach

During the first three days we will go up the Braldu river, sleeping and resting in successive camps: Jhola, Paiju and Khorburtse.

As we ascend, on our left, the magnificent and impressive Torres del Trango appear: El Gran Trango, the Nameless Tower, and beyond and separated by the lonely Dunge Glacier, appears the wall of Cathedral Peak with its 6,247 meters.

We continue along the side of the glacier and reach the camp called Urdukas.

From now on all our activity will be on glaciers with the exception of some rocky climbing. The Baltoro Glacier is about 60 kilometers long and up to 3 kilometers wide in some places. At the same time, several glaciers flow into the Baltoro: the Godwin-Austen, which flows from the south of K2; Abruzzo and several Gasherbrum glaciers. The confluence of the Baltoro with the Godwin-Austen glacier is known as Concordia. Walking on these glaciers is a continuous up and down, dodging lakes, rivers, crevasses and falling rocks. The terrain you walk on is mostly rocks and granite stones washed up on the glacier, but also ice that appears everywhere. We reach the field called Gore-II after 12 km.

We wake up freezing cold and after breakfast we continue our journey. Walking and walking, and after 6 hours and some technical stops we arrive at Concordia (35.746253, 76.520402). In the distance we already see yellow and red colored tents, and in the background, like a gigantic statue, the Gasherbrum IV, imposing master and lord of the area, flanked on both sides by the Miter peak on the right, and on the left the Marble peak .

Dusk cleared enough to make out towering K2 and Broad Peak in the distance. Simply wonderful.

The eighth day of the approach crossing begins. We leave for our destination, the Pastore Peak base camp. We cross the succession of moraines and cracks. They have even installed a section of rope to be able to progress. We enter the Godwin-Austen Glacier, coming from K2, and advance to about the height of Broad Peak base camp. That’s when we turn west to enter the Khal khal glacier. Finally we arrive at the place where the Pastore Peak base camp is usually established (35.788314, 76.501641).

Ascension

Day 9. The day has come. The Pastore peak (6,210m.) awaits us. It’s 2 a.m. and after a short snack we set off across the Khal Khal glacier.

Crossing snow bridges and avoiding large crevasses, we plant ourselves at the rocky base of the summit and begin to climb.

We save the rocky slope and quickly pass under a menacing cascade of seracs. We stand on the actual glacier of Pico Pastore which has two peaks with a summit ridge that connects them. We decide to access the ridge by going up in a zig-zag route. It is daylight and we contemplate the wonderful image with the glacier cracked in the valley and in front of the recently snow-capped Marbre peak. We keep moving forward and we reach a point where, stepping on the hard layer of snow, we sink. We make three or four more passes and see that everything is just as rotten under the first layer. A stony and inconsistent snow. We decide to change route and turn to look for a route with better snow. We are at 5,800m.

Suddenly we hear a big crash about 200 meters above our heads and a big plate avalanche drags us down the slope.

It drags us into the valley without giving us a chance to do anything. When it finally stops, we are all buried to a greater or lesser extent. Little by little, together, we are digging and after finding and removing the last component of the group that we needed to locate, we decided to end the adventure. Two-thirds of the side of the glacier had fallen on top of us, which had broken off into a slab nearly 6,000 meters below the ledge. This July 17, 2024, we were born again. We lost part of the equipment, ice axes, poles, photo cameras and other things that will remain forever in this glacier, but we all got out of there whole.

Our ascent ended in those first hours of a beautiful day with blue skies and almost no cold at 5,800 meters.

Pastore Peak Base Camp above the Khal Khal Glacier. In the background, Glacier Godwin-Austen, Broad Peak on the left and Gasherbrum IV on the right

The next day is a bad day with wind and continuous snow. We begin the 12 km climb to the K2 base camp. For hours we climb the Godwin-Austen glacier and in the middle of the morning we arrive at the memorial to the fallen on the mountain located at the base of K2. Before us appear dozens and dozens of plaques placed in memory of mountaineers who died on K2, Broad Peak and other peaks, of all ages, nationalities and eras.

The storm grows and the cold becomes intense. We begin the descent of 13 kilometers, which seem eternal to us, and we arrive well into the evening already to have dinner and a good night’s sleep in the crowded and renewed Concordia.

Return

It has been snowing all night with wind and continues until mid-morning when the weather finally improves and we set off. We ascend the Upper Baltoro Glacier to the southeast and later turn south and enter the Vinge Glacier. We walk for hours and hours on a vast clean plain of stones, smooth and pleasant.

Concord with K2 and Broad Peak in the background

On a cliff is Ali camp (35.664918, 76.512073) at 4,940 meters, the last shelter where you rest before attacking the Gondogoro Pass at night. At 11 pm we start the march.

We ascend the West Vinge glacier on the left orographic slope in groups with frontals until it is time to cross it transversely. A fearsome kilometer and a half, as it is full of crevasses covered with flimsy snow bridges, soft snow and spring. It’s not cold in the valley and the snow is very bad. They have marked the route with flags. We follow them in silence until we reach the other side. The slope begins to gain height progressively and soon exceeds 40º. We get to a point where it gets really vertical. The first fixed rope appears and we anchor to it. The weather worsens and it starts snowing with a strong wind. It gets clearer and we see what really surrounds us.

Impressive wall with seracs, cracks, unevenness and ledges. At dawn we are at the pass at 5,636 m. where a strong wind blows that freezes our hands and face.

We quickly pass the pass. The first climbs down the fixed ropes are dizzying. In front of an impressive succession of glaciers that descend in defiance of gravity.

We have been walking for many hours without eating or sleeping. We continue the march more and more dispersed and in the end already alone, one hour after another for the moraine monotone. After about 10 hours of walking, some green meadows full of edelweiss appear at the end. An hour later we finally arrive at Khuspang camp (35.629034, 76.434206) at 4,714 meters.

We rested for a whole day, and continued to descend along the Gondogoro glacier. We pass by Laila Peak which rises slender, imposing and elegant in front of us.

We press the pass and arrive at Saicho Camp at 3,428 m after almost 1,300 meters of descent and 8 hours (35.516719, 76.401607).

The next morning, through a sandy road surrounded by sagebrush, we walk for three or four hours until we reach Hushe and from there, the next day we return to Skardu by 4×4.

We thus complete one of the most impressive trekking and expeditions on the planet. Unspoilt environment, rarely frequented with an unsurpassed team of colleagues and an extraordinary staff and porters. From here I want to recognize and praise their work. What selfless and helpful people!! My respects

Material

The footwear used in this expedition has been Bestard in all variants as on other occasions.

Camí model trekking shoes: A great multi-purpose shoe, comfortable, resistant and waterproof. Ideal for resting your feet after many hours in rigid boots. Despite the time I’ve had them and the use they’ve received, they’re still as good as day one.

Advanced trekking boots model Phantom: used during all days of trekking and approach. Good grip with very good breathability and waterproof. Very similar to the model I used before, the Advance K Pro, but in my opinion, and maybe it’s a subjective thing, a little stiffer and of course more durable due to the quality of the leather and the few seams. Despite having them for a few months, they have been very comfortable and adaptable. Perfect both in the hot desert terrain of the first days and in the frozen days at high altitude. Sand, rocks, ice, rivers… Feet always dry and protected, including on rainy days. Cramponable heel bag (semi-automatic) with which I accessed all the base camps. Also used in the Pyrenees in winter and in the Moroccan Atlas in April. Perfect result with ascents to the Ras, Timezguida and Jabel Toubkal at -22ºC.

Rigid boots model Top Extreme Lite: Definitely the great success of the whole journey. A product of high quality, light at the same time warm and resistant. The lightness, despite being a double boot, and adaptability are surprising. Suitable for big ascents but so adaptable and comfortable that it allows long crossings almost as if it were a trekking boot. It offers great freedom of movement despite being rigid. With them I made the attempt at Pico Pastore, endured an avalanche, crossed the Gondogoro pass and completed the crossing for hours and hours without any discomfort or chafing. I have used them with identical results this winter in the Pyrenees with many ascents on really cold days. Also used in winter crossings in the mountains of Teruel.

A great product with an excellent quality/price ratio. Without a doubt, a product to consider for winters in the Pyrenees and all weather in the rest of the mountain ranges.

Juan Gomis Ferraz