EX59 - The Highlights

Here the path is just built on the rock face. It's disconcerting as gravel you knock off the path tumbles down the cliff to the river below. On the way back down, the part shown here had collapsed down the hillsideand we had to take a steeper trail higher up.

Looking back across the tributary, an awesome vertical band of rock. Note the trail we had just taken, at the bottom of the picture for scale.

Another scramble across a scree field. This hillside is basically just sand and small rocks, and a 6 inch wide path has been compressed into the side. Dig in with your toes and go across carefully.

The view back down the valley.

Feeder glacier from a rest break.

Porters congregate after a day's hike and enjoy the view in the wrong direction. Apparently a bunch of Americans and Europeans trying to pitch camp are more interesting to them than their mountain surroundings.

Anisa and Burraf, the inseperable pair, making their way up the glacier.

While we were catching our breath, Ibrahim got bored and climbed this large boulder for a better view. K2 in the background.

The view back down the valley toward Concordia (camp) and Chogolisa (mountain). Vigne Glacier goes to the right, Baltoro Glacier continues to the left.

The group following the path, K2 and Angel Peak in the background.

Monsoon clouds force the truckers to pull up the tarpaulins.

Rawalpindi airport. We were now getting efficient at this check-in business.

Approach into Skardu airport. The plane banked and turned with wingtips almost scraping the sides of the valley. A nice piece of flying.

Skardu airport.

This is the extent of the Skardu terminal.

Zahoor is on top trying the catch the bags as they got tossed up. It turned into quite the game. Ignacio was really good at it.

The view from the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) K2 Hotel. It had an amazing location on a bluff overlooking the Indus.

Ignacio looks over the surroundings. The K2 museum built by the Italians is in the background. It used to be at Concordia but moved to Skardu to get more traffic.

Looking towards the road we would take the next day.

Trail mix being prepared.

A geological map of Northern Pakistan.

The gardens at paths at the PTDC. The outside was really much nicer than the inside though.

Breakfast before we hit the jeeps.

The mountains beckon.

Sunrise over Skardu valley.

Driving through the sand dunes.

We pulled over at the start of the valley because the view was gorgeous.

Now this is a loaded jeep. I would hate to image an mechanical breakage.

More of Shigar.

Apricots on the roofs. The nuts are greatly sought after for facial cream.

Good kids and the bad kids. The ones on the right are undergoing the standard punishment in Pakistani Schools. The kukar position, which is literally like a rooster. You have to grab your ears while squatting. The proper way is to have your arms go under your knees. I wonder what they did!

Crossing a stream. These bridges had a disconcerting habit of undulating and swaying freely as you crossed.

The road to Dassu. Ignacio dangles his legs off the side. I was always worried he would hit on of the boundary walls.

The line of jeeps and Land Cruisers backed up.

The river that caused the problem.

A long leap

The scenic valley at the first break.

Our assitant cook, Ibrahim was tireless. He was like an energizer bunny.

A good lever arm and you can move anything.

Getting the boulders to the right place. The water was so cold they could only be in there for a few minutes before having to come out.

Dashing through the water.

On the other side.

On the road again. Murad hanging over the side.

Every crossing entailed a handshake and a chat between the drivers.

The first jeep crossed the bridge.