IT’S NO SECRET THE ROUTES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 HAVE LEGEND AROUND THEM, WITH EVEN THE MOST ACCESSIBLE ROUTE – THE NORTH RIDGE – HAVING A PROMINENT PLACE IN 8000m HISTORY
IF YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF 8000m PEAKS COMES FROM THE KHUMBU & BALTORO, THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE KARAKORUM CAN APPEAR DAUNTING. NEXT-LEVEL REMOTENESS AND WITH NO STEADY CHAIN OF HUMAN ACTOVITY RUNNING UP & DOWN IT THROUGH THE VALLEYS & PASSES OF IT’S LENGTH, MOST OF THE NORTH SIDE GOES 365 DAYS A YEAR WITH NO HUMAN PRESENCE. INDEED EAST OF THE BORDER OUTPOSTS WATCHING THE ENTRY POINTS TO PAKISTAN, K2 BASECAMP ITSELF IS THE MOST INHABITED PLACE BEYOND THE YARKHAND RIVER – AND EVEN IT CAN GO YEARS WITHOUT BEING VISITED.
THE NORTH SIDE HAS A FEARSOME REPUTATION FOR BEING INHOSPITABLE BUT THE OPPOSITE IS THE REALITY. OUR TRIPS OUT THERE OVER THE LAST +20 YEARS HAVE FOUND IT TO BE MUCH MORE HABITABLE THAN MANY 8000m PEAK BASECAMPS, WITH PASTURE & CLEAN RUNNING WATER DESCRIBED BY RALF DUJMOVITZ AS ‘PARADISICAL’ BY COMPARISON. BEYOND THE MAIN BASECAMP IT’S TRUE THINGS GET MORE RUGGED FAST, WITH NO FREQUENTLY USED CAMPS OR LINES, BUT WITH THAT COMES A MORE STABLE ENVIRONMENT BOTH COOLER & WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL RISKS FROM SHARING IT WITH OTHER GROUPS; TIME ON THE MOUNTAIN IS PRISTINE & FOCUSED RATHER THAN STARK & TRIBAL.
REASONS TO FEAR THE NORTH SIDE OF K2
XINJIANG
BY ANY NAME – FAR WESTERN CHINA, EAST TURKISTAN, UYGHERSTAN OR XINJIANG – CHINA’S WESTERN FRONTIER PROVINCE CAN BE A BIG DEAL TO VISIT. THIS IS NOT THE CHINA YOU SEE IN THE NEWS AND IS CLOSER TO VISITING THE CENTRAL ASIAN STATES. SECURITY IS HIGHER, DISTANCES ARE LARGER, THE ENVIRONMENT IS HARSHER & MANY OF THE ESTABLISHED WAYS OF CENTRAL CHINA ARE DIFFERENT HERE. FOR THOSE FAMILIAR WITH THE BIG COASTAL CITIES OR EVEN TIBET, XINJIANG REQUIRES A NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS
THE APPROACH
COMPARED WITH EVEN TIBETAN APPROACHES, GETTING FROM TOWN TO BASECAMP IN THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KARAKORUM IS AN EXPEDITION IN IT’S OWN RIGHT. IT STARTS WITH DAYS ACROSS DESERT OASES TO LONELY SEMI-NOMADIC VILLAGES WHERE TEAMS OF CLIMBERS STILL BRING THE LOCALS TO A HALT IN THE STREETS. THERE’S NO SIGNS POINTING THE WAY OR EVIDENCE OF PREVIOUS TRIPS, NO TREKKERS COMING BACK DOWN TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT OR THE TELL TALE SIGNS OF YELLOW TENTS & ECO-TOILETS. OF COURSE THERE’S THE FAMOUS RIVER CROSSINGS, RIDING CAMELS THROUGH ICY WAIST DEEP WATER, AND THE HIGH PASSES THAT MAKE YOU REALIZE YOU’RE THE ONLY PEOPLE FOR A LONG WAY IN ANY DIRECTION. THE APPROACH TO THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 FEELS VERY MUCH LIKE A TRIP OUT INTO NOWHERE.
THE LOGISTICS
THERE’S NO CONSTANT SEASONAL HUMAN CHAIN BETWEEN THE LAST TOWNS & BASECAMP LIKE THERE IS UP THE BALTORO, WHICH MEANS SADDLING UP A CARAVAN OF DOZENS OF PEOPLE, CAMELS & DONKEYS TO MAKE ONE TRIP OUT THERE AND ANOTHER TO PICK IT ALL UP AGAIN FOR THE TRIP OUT. FROM THE LAST TOWN OUT, THIS IS LOGISTICS 1920-STYLE – THERE WON’T BE TENTS CONVENIENTLY ERECTED FOR YOUR ARRIVAL, OR PERSONAL PORTERS SHOWING YOU TO YOUR GEAR – ORGANIZING THE LOGISTICS IS A SERIOUS BUSINESS BECAUSE IF YOU LEFT SOMETHING BEHIND IT’S NOT A QUICK TRIP OUT WITH THE NEXT PORTERS TO SORT IT OUT.
THE REMOTENESS
THIS CAN REALLY GET TO SOME PEOPLE. ON A TRIP TO K2’S NORTH SIDE THE CLOSEST OTHER PEOPLE ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN IN PAKISTAN. UNLIKE THE BALTORO, THERE’S NO STRING OF ILLUMINATED CAMPS DOWN THE GLACIERS AT NIGHT OR FOLKS WANDERING IN & OUT EACH DAY, THE CLOSEST RELIABLE HABITATION IS EITHER THE HERDERS VILLAGES OR MILITARY OUTPOSTS 2 DAYS AND SEVERAL RIVER CROSSINGS AWAY. DESPITE 2 DAYS NOT BEING A LOT ON THE SCALE OF THINGS – OUR TIBETS TRIPS ARE OVER FURTHER OUT THAN THAT – ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KARAKORUM THAT DISTANCE HOLDS NO TRACE OF HUMAN ACTIVITY; NO BUILDINGS, NO SHRINES, NO 4WD TRACKS.
THE CLIMBING ROUTES
IT’S NO SECRET THE ROUTES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 HAVE LEGEND AROUND THEM, WITH EVEN THE MOST ACCESSIBLE ROUTE – THE NORTH RIDGE – HAVING A PROMINENT PLACE IN 8000m HISTORY. TAKING ON ANY ROUTE ON THE NORTH SIDE GETS A REACTION FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT. CONSISTENTLY STEEPER, LEANER & MORE TECHNICAL, THERE ARE NO COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES MAXIMIZING YOUR SUMMIT CHANCES OR OPTIMIZING THEIR SCHEDULING HERE. CLIMBERS NEED TO KNOW HOW TO CLIMB BIG TECHNICAL ROUTES, HOW TO PLAN THE STRATEGIES & HOW TO KEEP THEMSELVES ON THE MOUNTAIN FOR IT ALL.
THE ETHIC
THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 IS THE FINAL PLACE WHERE THE IDEALS OF 8000m ALPINISM ARE KING, AND FOR THE COMMUNITY OF 8000m CLIMBERS THAT’S A DAUNTING THING. IT’S ONE THING TO ATTEMPT AN ‘O-LESS’ ASCENT IN A PLACE WHERE EVERYTHING AROUND YOU IS ESTABLISHED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN, AND OXYGEN SETS ARE NEVER TOO FAR AWAY SHOULD THEY BE NEEDED – BUT WHEN THE NEAREST SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN IS IN ANOTHER COUNTRY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RANGE, THE ETHICS AROUND IT’S USE (OR NOT USE) CAN BE CONFRONTING AS IT UNDOES MANY OF THE CONTEMPORARY NORMS AROUND 8000m CLIMBING.
ASIDE THE SUBJECT OF SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN, THE NORTH SIDE ALSO HAS A REPUTATION FOR ETHICS AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT BOTH ON THE MOUNTAIN AND OFF. UNLIKE MORE POPULAR 8000m ROUTES WHERE DECADES OF DEBRIS – HUMAN & INDUSTRIAL – MAKE THE IDEA OF ‘ZERO TRACE’ REDUNDANT, THE NORTH SIDE HAS A LEVEL OF UNTOUCHEDNESS THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. THE INFREQUENCY OF TEAMS OUT THERE MAKES IDENTIFYING THE ORIGINS OF BAD BEHAVIOUR EASILY TRACEABLE, BOTH WITHIN A SMALL COMMUNITY & BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THAT TAKE THAT SORT OF THING SERIOUSLY.
THE WORK LOAD
THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KARAKORUM SIMPLY DEMANDS MORE WORK FROM THE TEAM. WITH NO RELIABLE EMPLOYMENT OF LOCAL PEOPLE TO CARRY, MOVING ANYTHING AROUND BEYOND THE REACH OF THE PACK ANIMALS MEANS THE TEAM MEMBERS HAVE TO DO IT. IF 8000m CLIMBING MEANS TO YOU ONLY NEEDING TO CLIMB WITH YOUR OWN PERSONAL GEAR, FERRYING EVERYTHING NEEDED UP & DOWN HIGH ALTITUDE TERRAIN CAN BE A RUDE AWAKENING. MANY CLIMBERS THINK THEY ARE IN CONDITION FOR COMMERCIAL 8000m CLIMBING, BUT THE IDEA OF THE BASIC LOAD CARRYING TO EVEN HIGHER CAMPS ON THE GLACIER RAISES DOUBTS.
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REASONS TO LOVE THE NORTH SIDE OF K2
XINJIANG
XINJIANG IS A REFRESHING CHANGE FROM THE PLACES WHERE 8000m TRIPS USUALLY OCCUR. THE STANDARDS OF INFRASTRUCTURE ARE MUCH HIGHER, THE CULTURES LESS WESTERNIZED & THE WILDERNESS MORE VAST, ALL WHICH MAKE FOR A RETAKE ON THE TIRED OLD IDEAS OF HOW A BIG CLIMBING TRIP SHOULD WORK. XINJIANG IS THE LOCATION FOR SOME OF THE OLDEST TALES OF EXPLORATION TO THE BIG RANGES, WITH EVIDENCE OF EVERYONE FROM XUANG ZANG TO SHIPTON & THE GREAT GAME PUNDITS EVERYWHERE. AS MODERN AS THE CITIES LIKE URUMQI ARE, OUT INTO THE DESERTS THINGS ARE STILL VERY TRADITIONAL, WITH NO ADULTERATION TO WESTERN TOURISTS CREATING A CULTURAL BUBBLE OR ECONOMIC DEPENDANCY THAT COLOURS INTERACTION.
THE APPROACH
FOR MANY THE APPROACH IS THE BEST PART OF THE TRIP BECAUSE IT’S THE LEAST LIKE ANY OTHER VERSION ELSEWHERE. TRAVELLING WITH THE CAMELS, NIGHTS IN THE DESERT, UNIQUE LANDSCAPES, THE RIVER CROSSINGS, THE NEW CULTURES, SIMPLY GOING SOMEWHERE EVEN 99% OF 8000m CLIMBERS NEVER WILL – THE PROCESS OF APPROACHING K2’S NORTH SIDE IS FAR FROM THE JADED COMMERCIAL PROCESS IT IS ELSEWHERE.
THE LOGISTICS
IF YOU HAVE A HEAD FOR PLANNING & ORGANIZING THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 IS A DREAM COME TRUE. WHERE ELSE CAN YOU HAVE SPREAD SHEETS FOR CAMEL LOADS, STOCKING ADVANCED BASECAMPS & THE DETAILS OF CAPSULE-STYLE CLIMBING AND THEN ACTUALLY USE THEM? SMALL TEAMS IN ISOLATED PLACES WITHOUT AN ARMY OF LOCALS TO SUPPORTED THEM CREATES NEW WAYS TO SOLVE OLD PROBLEMS, AND AS ACCESS TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KARAKORUM EVOLVES WE KEEP FINDING BETTER WAYS TO DO IT THAT RESULT IN VERY DIFFERENT STYLES OF TRIPS.
THE REMOTENESS
THE BALTORO IS NOT REMOTE. IT’S CERTAINLY WILDER THAN THE KHUMBU, BUT WHEN YOU CAN SEE BASECAMPS WITH OVER 100 RESIDENTS DOWN THE VALLEY AT NIGHT, HELICOPTERS REFUEL ON THE GLACIER & CONSTANT TRAFFIC CAN BRING OUT ANYTHING FROM SKARDU IN 2 OR 3 DAYS ‘REMOTE’ NO LONGER FITS. CONVERSELY, THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 IS SO WILD & REMOTE IT INVIGORATES THE SENSES. WALK 5 MINUTES OUT OF CAMP AND YOU CAN FIND BEAR PRINTS, DRINK THE WATER & NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT STUMBLING INTO LAST YEARS TOILET SITE. THERE’S NO TRASH ALONG THE RIVER EDGE, NO SOUND OF HELICOPTERS, NO HUSTLE ABOUT NEW ARRIVALS FROM DOWN THE VALLEY. WATCHING THE CAMELS LEAVE DOWN TO CROSS THE RIVER, THEN WAITING FOR THEM TO ARRIVE AGAIN 6 WEEKS LATER ARE THINGS YOU SIMPLY CANNOT KNOW ALMOST ANYWHERE ELSE.
THE CLIMBING ROUTES
K2’S NORTH RIDGE IS THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF ACCESSIBLE ALPINISM ON ANY 8000m PEAK. THERE ARE GREATER ROUTES THAT REQUIRE MORE ADVANCED METHODS, AND FINER ROUTES THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN REPEATED – BUT FOR SUSTAINED, QUALITY, TECHNICAL CLIMBING ON A NATURAL & PROMINENT FEATURE WITH NO NEED FOR CONTRIVED ADDITIONS THIS IS IT. THE ENTIRE NORTH RIDGE IS OBSERVABLE FROM THE GLACIER FOR KEEPING MORALE, AND THE VERY REALITY OF CLIMBING A MAJOR LINE MOSTLY DEVOID OF THE JUNK OF PREVIOUS DECADES IS RARER THAN ALMOST ANY BIG MOUNTAIN GOAL. THAT THE POTENTIAL TO BE ON THIS ROUTE EVEN EXISTS IS REMARKABLE.
THE ETHIC
WE LIVE IN A WORLD EVER MORE RUN BY ETHICS. THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN GOOD AND BAD ETHICS GETS CLEARER ALL THE TIME, INCREASING THE VALUE OF APPLYING THE BEST ETHICS POSSIBLE TO ANY THING. PEOPLE WANTING THAT WITH 8000m CLIMBING COME TO THE NORTH SIDE OF K2. RATHER THAN CHOOSING THE EASIEST OR QUICKEST MEANS TO CLIMB K2, THE REASONS TO COME TO THE NORTH SIDE ARE TO DO IN THE BEST STYLE, WHERE YOU CLIMB FOR THE CLIMBING & EXPERIENCE IT WITH THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF BUFFER BETWEEN YOU AND WHAT’S THERE. THESE DAYS INDUSTRIALIZED ASCENTS OF THE GREAT PEAKS ARE CONSIDERED THE NORM & IT’S TAKEN FOR GRANTED EVERY TRICK WAS USED TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE. THE ETHICS INVOLVED RELATE TO CONTAINING & SUSTAINING THE COMMERCIAL PRODUCTIVITY OF CLIMBING – NOT CLIMBING AS A SPORT. AND THAT’S FINE. BUT SOME CLIMBERS LIKE IT THAT SOMEWHERE EXISTS WHERE THAT PARADIGM GOES THE OTHER WAY. EXPEDITIONS TO THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 HAVE THE HIGHEST OPERATING AND CLIMBING ETHICS AVAILABLE BECAUSE A BREED OF CLIMBER VALUES THAT. THEY KNOW THAT AN ASCENT WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTRY OXYGEN, PRESET CAMPS & ON-MOUNTAIN WORK TEAMS HAS DIFFERENT CURRENCY TO ONE THAT DOES. THEY KNOW THAT TO THE GENERAL WORLD IT DOESN’T MATTER, BUT THAT TO THE SMALL COMMUNITY THAT DOESN’T DEFAULT TO THE EASIEST COMMERCIAL OPTION, IT DOES.
THE WORK LOAD
AT THE END OF THE TRIP, WHEN YOU ARRIVE HOME AND ARE ASKED HOW IT WENT, YOU GET TO ANSWER YOU DID IT YOURSELF. YOU CARRIED ALL YOUR OWN GEAR ON THE CLIMBING, YOU CHOPPED YOUR OWN TENT LEDGES, YOU PUT UP YOUR OWN ROPES, YOU LOOKED FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION. WHETHER YOU SUMMITED OR NOT, WHEREVER YOU GOT TO WAS UNDER YOUR OWN STEAM. THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 HAS CONSIDERABLY MORE WORK TO BE DONE THAN A PRE-FIXED, PRE-ESTABLISHED, PORTERED & GUIDED TRIP ON OTHER 8000m PEAKS. THERE’S NOT SPECIFICALLY MORE WORK TO BE DONE OVERALL, BUT THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS DONE BY THE CLIMBING TEAM & FOR SOME CLIMBERS THAT IS THE ATTRACTION. THE WORK IS ALL DOABLE, AND WE SCHEDULE IT AS PART OF THE GENERAL PREPARATION, AND BY DOING THE WORK OURSELVES WE GET TO MAKE EACH TRIP UNIQUE. UNLIKE BIG COMMERCIAL TRIPS WHERE THINGS FOLLOW VERY SIMILAR OUTLINES EVERY YEAR FOR THE SAKE OF COMMERCIAL EFFICIENCY, WE ADAPT EACH TRIP TO OPTIMIZE ON THE ADVANTAGES WE CAN FIND. ON THE NORTH SIDE THE WORK LOAD GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE TEAMS IDEAS & INSPIRATION, THE RESULT BEING WHAT TRUE EXPEDITIONS ARE MADE OF.
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ALL SAID, THE PERCEPTION OF THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, WHETHER THESE FACTORS ARE CONFRONTING OR COMFORTING, WORRYING OR MOTIVATING, DEPENDS ON WHAT A CLIMBER VALUES FOR THE 8000m CLIMBING EXPERIENCE. NOT EVERYONE WANTS 2 MONTHS GETTING INTIMATE WITH A LEVEL OF WILDERNESS UNKNOWN TO 99% OF THE 8000m CLIMBING COMMUNITY, BUT FOR THOSE WHO DO THE UNIQUE POSSIBILITY IS AVAILABLE
