2. K2 Trek in Pakistan
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Day 3 - Thungol to Korophon

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In the morning, Ayub and Khalil take charge of hiring porters to carry our things. With the flooding, and recent instability in Pakistan, treks have been fewer this year, so work in the area is scarce. Order begins to dissolve as desperate porters grab bags and run off with them, just to be assured they will be porters on our expedition and get some pay. Khalil tries to run them off with his pickax, but isn't entirely successful. Nothing is lost, but a couple of porters get their jobs this way.
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In the morning, Ayub and Khalil take charge of hiring porters to carry our things. With the flooding, and recent instability in Pakistan, treks have been fewer this year, so work in the area is scarce. Order begins to dissolve as desperate porters grab bags and run off with them, just to be assured they will be porters on our expedition and get some pay. Khalil tries to run them off with his pickax, but isn't entirely successful. Nothing is lost, but a couple of porters get their jobs this way.

Day 3 Thungol KorophonExpedition 592010Expedition0213

  • In the morning, Ayub and Khalil take charge of hiring porters to carry our things. With the flooding, and recent instability in Pakistan, treks have been fewer this year, so work in the area is scarce. Order begins to dissolve as desperate porters grab bags and run off with them, just to be assured they will be porters on our expedition and get some pay. Khalil tries to run them off with his pickax, but isn't entirely successful. Nothing is lost, but a couple of porters get their jobs this way.
  • In addition to porters, there are a number of donkeys, ponies, and mules that have been carrying cargo up the trail in recent years. We get ourselves three of these also.
  • We head out of Thungol towards Askoli as Ayub and Khalil keep working on the porters.
  • A home and a pony outside.
  • This first part of the trail is really part of the jeep trail. The jeeps are supposed to go from Skardu all the way to Askoli, but there were more landslides and floods that have knocked out the road between our campsite, Thungol, and Askoli. So jeeps can't cross, but we can walk.
  • The path follows the river for the first half, as you walk by a seriously raging river. The rapids throw spray twenty feet in the air, and as you're walking you can hear the boulders being dragged along the river-bottom by the current, a rumbling undertone like thunder.
  • Again, there is no sense of scale, up the Braldu River is here a crazy sight.
  • There are a number of flowers that line the path, including these weird ball things.
  • Ignacio and Dad walking up the trail.
  • Dad outfitted in his trekking gear. He bought a special camera bag and harness specifically for the hike so he could have quick and easy access to his camera at all times.
  • Adil and Erin hiking in the sun.
  • The path heading up the valley towards Askoli, the last village, the last piece of civilization, before heading into the wilderness of the Karakoram.
  • Iza and Misha investigate plants.
  • Mom trekking.
  • Rich, our mountain rescue expert and emergency medic, following the group up.
  • A number of small wooden bridges span the massive river. Here you can see one in the lower right corner that gives some sense of scale.
  • Romantic getaway.
  • The group takes shelter in the shade of a ravine.
  • We make our way across one of the three breaks in the jeep trail.
  • Ibrahim. one of our cooks, was always excited and full of energy. He would chat with us and encourage us along as he passed us, going at least twice as fast.
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