Sorry for the delay friends my machine crashed. I will continue from day 03.
Day 02
We woke up to a beautiful morning next day, I had paratha anda in breakfast and started packing up the stuff.By 6.30 we were on our way. Today was our full time trekking and it was exciting as well because soon we were to meet Biafo Glacier. Kaiser campsite is just opposite to Korophone campsite en route to K2 base camp , the 2 campsites are separated by Braldu river. After few meters we turn left, those traveling for Concordia keep moving straight.
Nothing comes for free, so Biafo glacier ke pehle deedaar mein we had to climb on a very steep ridge full off rocks and boulders. After crossing this part you land on the other side of ridge connecting to biafo glacier?s horizontal moraine which is all creviced and covered with slit, sand and rocks. We will walk...rest... rest... walk and walk again? this was tiring but we continued.
a view on the way..
Almost after 2 hours we came to a small crossing where there was no way literally. I looked at my guide in awe who had crossed the way already and he laughed at me in return. He used his ice axe to make small steps for my feet to be held along the mountain and I was asked to cross. I was really not sure if I can do it but I tried, pushing all my weight on the mountain I walked slowly. Pul e Sirat I had crossed and I was feeling so much better.. this brought back all the energy I had lost in last 2 hours and I was fresh again.
Now we were walking on the glacier but it was completely covered with rocks, at 11.30 we saw Namla campsite on our left but it was not our destination. At this point the rocks started to increase size and reduce in number and we could see ice covered with black sand. It was a good sign that soon we will be walking on hard ice. On the way we were greeted by rain and clouds that covered everything. There was a nice French couple who was coming from Hispar side and we 2 talked about the trek ahead.
At 2.30 we had Mango campsite on our left, here our porters suggested us to keep moving and instead of camping on left go a little further and camp at Shafung campsite on right. The even showed some green patches on right of glacier that was the campsite. I was a little tired by agreed as it was too early to camp at Mango. Well it was a big mistake we realized later. First of all sights are totally misleading for distance calculation? I thought of being at campsite by 5? but there were no such sign. .. a long straight walk on glacier and biafo vertical morain were waiting to greet us. Besides by this time I had started feeling pain in back of my head (an indication of AMS), also I was feeling exhausted. This slowed us down, me, Waheed ( guide) and Hyder (cook) were the last ones and porters were far far ahead. Even at 6 I saw my porters moving straight on the glacier and not turning right? this turned me off. I was tired and exhausted besides AMS effects started to grow and we were still very far from our campsite. Sun was soon to be disappeared behind unknown peaks. It was 6.15? and same scene? then 6.30 same story, then 6.50 still we were walking straight.. then the trek started testing my patience as the pain was getting unbearable. But all we could do is to walk more and reach campsite as soon as possible. I was badly needing rest, Waheed and Hyder were motivating me but they had already lost me by this time. My balance was out which is another symptom of AMS and thinking of this was even more exhaustive. We walked on the glacier till 7.30 and then were given good news of turning right for Shafung, although it was encouraging but there was no energy left and I was feeling tired like I had never felt before. It was one of the toughest times during the trek, all I knew I was to walk, I was sitting/resting after every few minutes . It was a long ?one? hour that we spent in dark on the moraines of Biafo glacier, my guide shouted in excitement that this was it. We are almost on the camp. At that it seemed to me like a politician?s statement, I could see camp or light nowhere around. They showed me a steep ridge to climb and a little more walk to the campsite, I said sorry and lay down over the mat. It was a dark and unhappy moment. Thoughts of AMS were killing me even more than the pain itself. What if I have to go back down, what if this worsened, what would happen at Snowlake and Hispar La if I am already suffering on a lower height? All these ?what ifs? made me half unconscious; I took 2 panadols and slept there for 10-15 minutes. This made me gather whatever little energy left in me and we walked/climbed for another 15 minutes. The cook had prepared quick soup and was in a rush to prepare dinner looking at my situation. I preferred soup only, didn?t have enough energy to wait till dinner, I fell asleep.
