K2 ITALIAN BASECAMP TREK
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DAYS 1 & 2 KASHGAR
WE MEET AND GET OUR FEET ON THE GROUND IN KASHGAR, THE CENTRAL ASIAN TRADING HUB AS LIVELY NOW AS IT HAS BEEN FOR 2000 YEARS. THE CITY IS A MIX OF OLD STREETS AND BAZAARS, MODERN BUSINESS AND DUSTY TRADE. THE FOOD IS GOOD AND IF IT’S YOUR FIRST TRIP TO CENTRAL ASIA THE GENERAL AMBIENCE IS EXOTIC AND EVOCATIVE WITH GREAT GAME RESIDENCES, VISITORS FROM THE ‘STANS AND GLIMPSES OF THE DESERT. THIS IS NOT THE CHINA YOU SEE ON THE NIGHTLY NEWS.
DAYS 3 – 5 KASHGAR TO THE LAST TOWNS
ONCE ROADS OUT OF KASHGAR MEANT LONELY, SLOW HOURS INTO THE DESERT, BUT NOW IT’S FAST NEW HIGHWAYS VIA GREENED DESERT AND OASIS TOWNS. IT’S STILL A TRIP DEEP INTO OTHER CULTURES, AND DEPENDING ON THE ROUTE WE USE EITHER HIGH INTO THE PAMIR OR ALONG THE SOUTHERN TAKLAMAKAN. WE ARRIVE IN EITHER TASHKORGHAN OR HOTAN, PLACES EVEN MORE EXOTIC THAN KASHGAR, FOR A FINAL FARWELL TO CIVILIZATION BEFORE HEADING OUT TO THE MOUNTAINS.
DAYS 6 – 12 THE APPROACH
THESE DAYS THERE’S TWO WAYS IN TO K2, THE CHOICE MADE FOR US BY THE AUTHORITIES DUE TO HIGHER LEVEL PROCESSES. BOTH ARE EXTRAORDINARY AND IT’S HERE YOU BEGIN TO REALIZE YOU’RE NOT HEADED ON A REGULAR 8000m TRIP. UNLIKE THE BUZZ AND SWATHES OF HUMANITY FOUND AROUND OTHER 8000m PEAKS, LEAVING THE ROAD HEAD IT WILL BE JUST CLIMBERS, THE SMALL SUPPORT CREW AND A CARAVAN OF CAMELS. THE TRAIL IS FAINT, NIGHTLY CAMPS STUNNINGLY REMOTE, THE RIVERS WIDE AS WE PASS DOWN THE MASSIVELY ERODED VALLEYS.
DAY 13 SUGHET JANGAL
THIS DAY IS TO REST & ABSORB THE GREEN PASTURE THAT ARE AS CLOSE AS THE CAMELS CAN GET TO THE BASE OF K2. UNIQUE AMONG KARAKORUM CAMPS, SUGHET JANGAL IS CLEAN, TEMPERATE & RELAXING. WE SPEND THIS TIME WITH CAMP FIRES, ENJOYING THE SOLITUDE & PREPARING FOR OUR FIRST FORAY ONTO GLACIER.
DAYS 14 – 17 K2 NORTH GLACIER & ITALIAN BASECAMP
THESE DAYS ARE THE HIGH GLACIER TRAVEL WE CAME FOR, STRAIGHT UP THE APPROACH TO K2. ONCE THE KINK AT THE MIDWAY POINT IN THE GLACIER IS ROUNDED, THE GREAT PEAK FILLS THE SKY LINE WITH THE NORTH RIDGE CLEARLY UP THE CENTRE. HARDENED ALPINISTS HAVE BEEN LOST TO EMOTION AT THEIR FIRST TRUE SIGHT OF THIS REMOTE SIGHT, AND WE AIM TO SPEND THE FIRST NIGHT POSITIONED TO TAKE IT IN. WE KEEP ONE FULL DAY AT ITALIAN BASECAMP TO GATHER THE FULL GRAVITY OF THE LOCATION.
DAYS 18 – 21 RETURN TO ROAD HEAD
SO LONG AS THERE’S NO ISSUES WITH RIVER CROSSINGS, COMING DOWN IS MUCH FASTER THAN GOING IN WAS. THE VALLEYS ARE NOTICEABLY GREENER, SOMETIMES WITH ANIMALS AND HERDERS IN THEM, AND MOST PEOPLE FEEL STRONG WITH THE HARD WORK BEHIND THEM.
DAYS 22 & 23 RETURN TO KASHGAR
WITH NO SUPPLIES TO BUY, REDTAPE TO FINALIZE OR LOGISTICS TO ADJUST, WE DON’T LINGER BETWEEN THE ROAD HEAD AND KASHGAR. STOPS ENROUTE ARE FUNCTIONAL AND MINIMAL WITH PLENTY OF TIME TO SLEEP IN THE VEHICLES.
DAYS 24 FAREWELL
FOR MOST CLIMBERS IT WILL BE A LONG TRIP HOME, AND THE LAST VIEWS OF WESTERN CHINA AS YOU TAKE OFF OUT OVER THE DESERT ARE MEMORABLE AND DEPENDING ON YOUR FLIGHT PATH YOU’LL SEE OTHER DISTANT RANGES. THIS IS OFTEN WHERE THE NEXT TRIP STARTS TO FORM.
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THE KARAKORUM NORTH SIDE GRAND CIRCUIT
K2, BROAD PEAK & GASHERBRUM BASECAMPS
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DAYS 1 – 17 FOLLOW THE SAME ITINERARY FROM KASHGAR TO THE RETURN TO SUGHET JANGAL FROM K2’S ITALIAN BASECAMP
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DAYS 18 – 20 TREK TO BOTTOM OF THE BROAD PEAK GLACIER
DROPPING BACK TO THE SHAKSGAM RIVER VALLEY FLOOR WE TREK THE 50kms OVER TO THE BASE OF BROAD PEAKS GLACIER AT A PACE MADE EASY AFTER THE ALTITUDE OF K2’S ITALIAN CAMP. UNLIKE THE PASTURE OF SUGHET JANGAL, THE BOTTOM OF BROAD PEAK’S GLACIER IS STARK & MARTIAN LIKE, ACROSS MASSIVE FLOOD PLAINS. WITH OUR GEAR READY FROM THE ITALIAN CAMP FORAY, WE NEED ONLY MINIMAL REORGANIZATION TO PREPARE FOR THE TRIP UP THE BROAD PEAK GLACIER.
WE USE THE SAME CAMP TO ACCESS BOTH BRAOD PEAK & GASHERBRUM I, SO WE SPEND THE TIME MAKING IT COMFORTABLE.
DAYS 21 – 23 BROAD PEAK BASE CAMP
HIGHER VOLUME THAN K2’S, THE BROAD PEAK GLACIER TAKES IN A HUGE REDIRECTION SWITCHING 90o TO THE SHAKSGAM RIVER WHICH SQUEEZES IT’S FLOW INTO A CONCERTINA OF INCREDIBLE PRESSURE, PRODUCING A BIZARRE ICE-SCAPE OF ICE & MORRAINE. WE SKIRT THE SOUTHERN SIDE, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE BASE OF THE SURROUNDING PEAKS TILL WE ARE ACROSS FROM BROAD PEAK ITSELF. UNLIKE THE STRAIGHTFORWARD ASCENT FROM THE PAKISTAN SIDE, THE CHINA SIDE OF BROAD PEAK IS COMPLEX, SITTING PARALLEL TO THE MAIN GLACIER WITH SMALLER GLACIERS CHANNELLING INTO AROUND THREE HUGE RIDGES.
DAYS 24 TREK TO BOTTOM OF THE GASHERBRUM GLACIER
RETURNING TO THE SHAKGAM VALLEY ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE AN EASY DAY IN CAMP BEFORE MAKING THE SHORT HOP AROUND THE RIDGE TO THE START OF THE GASHERBRUM GLACIER,
DAYS 25 – 27 GASHERBRUM BASECAMP
THIS TIME FOLLOWING THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ICE FLOW, WE SKIRT THE 6000m PEAK THAT DIVIDES THE TWO APPROACHES TO THE MOUNTAIN TILL WE ARE RIGHT BENEATH THE MAIN FACE. DIFFERENT TO THE COMPLEX RIDGES OF BROEAD PEAK OR THE ELEGANT LINE OF K2’S NORTH RIDGE, THE WEST FACE OF GASHERBRUM I IS A SINGLE ENORMOUS WALL OF ICE, COMPARABLE TO THE NUPTSE FACE IN NEPAL IN SCALE – MINUS ANY HUMAN ACTIVITY. FOLLOWING A DAY TO BE OVERWHELMED BY BY THE SIGHT, WE RETURN TO THE SHAKSGAM VALLEY FOR THE LAST TIME, WELL ACCLIMATED FOR AN EASY RETURN TO THE ROAD.
DAYS 28 – 32 RETURN TO ROAD HEAD
SO LONG AS THERE’S NO ISSUES WITH RIVER CROSSINGS, COMING DOWN IS MUCH FASTER THAN GOING IN WAS. THE VALLEYS ARE NOTICEABLY GREENER, SOMETIMES WITH ANIMALS AND HERDERS IN THEM, AND MOST PEOPLE FEEL STRONG WITH THE HARD WORK BEHIND THEM.
DAYS 33 – 34 RETURN TO KASHGAR
WITH NO SUPPLIES TO BUY, REDTAPE TO FINALIZE OR LOGISTICS TO ADJUST, WE DON’T LINGER BETWEEN THE ROAD HEAD AND KASHGAR. STOPS ENROUTE ARE FUNCTIONAL AND MINIMAL WITH PLENTY OF TIME TO SLEEP IN THE VEHICLES.
DAYS 35 FAREWELL
FOR MOST CLIMBERS IT WILL BE A LONG TRIP HOME, AND THE LAST VIEWS OF WESTERN CHINA AS YOU TAKE OFF OUT OVER THE DESERT ARE MEMORABLE AND DEPENDING ON YOUR FLIGHT PATH YOU’LL SEE OTHER DISTANT RANGES. THIS IS OFTEN WHERE THE NEXT TRIP STARTS TO FORM.
