Expedition 2015 : Upper Bashkaro An (4864m)
THREAD COMPLETED
A real Challenge: Flushing rivers, singing streams, colorful lakes, enchanting flowers, eye catching peaks, heavenly meadows, sky touching ascend and an ENDLESS BOULDERISTAN. This trek tested our limits and shows many a disguised faces to us everywhere.
We can group our trek into four stages
- Stage Zero(preparation). Basic technical discussion and a little bit practical work.(Page 2)
- Stage one(The Beauty): From Mahodand Lake to Raj Makan camp site which is considered to be the base camp of Bashkaro An.(Page 3)
- Stage Two(The Challenge): Raj Makan to Bashkaro An Top. (Page 21)
- Stage Three(The Fatigue): From Top to Camp site of last lake of Kukush) (Page 25)
- Stage Four(ytuaeB: Beauty in reverse order): Last lake to Langhar (Page 32)
Bashkaro An or Kukush Pass: One of our team members Mr Adeel Athar name this expedition as Expedition Red Fox?Bashkaro An" . Might he have the forecast that we will be vulnerable between the Boulders of RED CLEVERERS, SO. It is is a high mountain pass about 4864 m that connects Swat valley via Langhar to Ghizer valley. Swat has three high altitude passes which connects Sawat to Chitral/Giligit sides. These passes are Dadreli Pass, Kachikhani pass and Bashkaro/Kukush pass.
A few words from the pen of my team mate Mr Adeel ?The Bashkaro pass is a rarely attempted one and more challenging. The pass has two different points for crossing, the right one from Swat side is comparatively gentle on ascend side due to gentle snowy slopes whereas descend is really tough and challenging due to sheer drop on icy glacier, whereas the left one that we attempted is extremely challenging on climbing side due to very delicate scree and steep gradient on exposed mass, but gets gentle after 50 meters of drop on boulders at the descend side due to presence of snow on relatively easier slopes.
Weather conditions may demand proper mountaineering equipment be engaged including ice-axes, crampons, harnesses, ropes and carabineers etc.
The pass is remote, challenging, requires adequate fitness and commitment to climb and lands in the "BOULDERISTAN" on Ghizer side.?
Itinerary:
Day 1: From different destinations to Islamabad and then via public coaster to Mingora.
Day 2: Mingora to Kalam and Kalam to Mataltan (Page 3)
Day 3: Matltan to Mahodand and then trek till Dwangar(3200m: 6 Hours Trek) (Page 3)
Day 4: Dwangar to Blue Lake(3500m: 9 Hours Trek)(Page 10)
Day 5: Blue Lake to Green Lake and then to Raj Makan(3700m: 3 Hours Trek) (Page 17)
Day 6: Crossed Bashkaro An and camped into the glacier(4850m: 15 Hours Trek) (Page 21)
Day 7: Camp at Last Kukush Lake(first from Langhar side)(4000m: 13 Hours Trek) (Page 28)
Day 8: Kukush Lake to Langhar. Then Langhar to Giligit(5 Hours Trek) (Page 33)
Day9,10: Gilgit to Home sweet Homes.
The Team:
- Faraz Azam @faraz74
- Tauqeer @Huazifa
- Rashid @emmaar
- Irfan Ul Haq (Our Team Leader)
- Adeel Athar
- Suhail Maqsood
Helping Hands
- KAmeen Gul
- Muhammad Ullah
- Behroz Khan
- Behroz Khan2
- Munir Khan
- Muhammad Akram
Recommendations: Every one must do stage 1 & 4 which were extremely beautiful and present all the colors of natural life.
Crossing the pass only recommended to those hard core trekkers who love to be a part of FATIGUE and objective point to cross it.
It is better to attempt it from Langhar side as it caters the gradual progress and at the end reward is much more in scenes of Sawat side.
Will add some more points with the progress of the thread
Right now some teasers before formal start
Regards
emmaar
Struggle very near to top
DSC_1636 by hmrashid, on Flickr