A Journey of K2 , Concordia track via Gondogoro la
We started our journey on 16th of JULY 2016 from ISB to Skardu.
Day 01- Started our trek from Askolay to Jhola Campsite (via Korofon) , trek time 6 Hours depends on your fitness. Distance almost 16 km.
Day 02- Jhola to Payo (via Bardomal) Campsite. Trek time 7 hours . distance 17 km.
Day 03- Rest day at Payo
Day 04- Payo to Khubarsay (tough terrain ) , difficulty level changes every year due to Snowfall. Baltoro starts after you left Payo.
Day 05-Khubarsay to Urdukus ...great walk . 2 hours trekking . Urdukus is the campsite where you can witness the beauty of GIV mountain
Day 06- Urdukus to Goray 2 (mixed terrain ) , Goray 2 is the most coldest campsite.
Day 07- Goray 2 to Concordia .
Day 07. Concordia to Ali Camp ..( Night spent in ascending the Gondogoro La)
Day 08- Khuspang
Day 09- Khuspang to Sachio (K6 , K7 can be seen from here). Beautiful campsite.
Day 10-Sachio to Hushe Valley
Day 11- Hushe to Skardu via Khuplo fort.
Day 12- back to ISB
TEAM Members.
Mirza Asim (me)
Iftikhar Khaleeq Mirza (USA)
Kashif Rafique (Multan)
Nauman Ahmad (Punjab University, LHR)
Nauman Khan (LHR)
Salman Zakir (LHR)
Ehtisham ...Shami (Burewalla)
and Saad Munwar
DAY 00...Skardu to Askolay
We were group of eight trekkers started our journey from skardu to Askolay . We were divided in different jeeps heading towards askolay (last village of civilization). This journey almost took 6 hours and we reached to Askolay , our tents were fixed by our porters. So we were very much comfortable of this feeling of tenting and kitchen stuff.
individual luggage (Ruksack 15 Kg) was supposed to be carried by our porters and it was distributed among them . We just supposed to take care of our day pack which comprises of snacks , camers , and personal stuff.
We made sure before sleeping that we really need for our first day track like
snack , water bottle , sun burn cream , Palestinain romal , hat , poles and parka.
DAY 01-
We headed towards our first campsite Jhola around 7:00 A.M. Passing out the different fields we realized that indeed its a very beautiful valley . Before Jhola we were supposed to stop at mid point known as KOROFON. After a hike of 3 and half hours we reached there and further we have to move on so didn't spent much time there . After 5 hours of walk from askolay we started seeing the Jhola campsite . we were glad that we are here but one of our porter told that you can not go straight because in middle there is river (Braldu river) and you have to go around and pass the bridge. This took another one hour to reach campsite.
About JHOLLA Campsite:
There is little greenery and you can see Bakhoor peak from there.
there are washrooms in series (most of them not functional) so you have to hit the functional to save your time :).
NOTE : Normally 6 / 7 hours of hike means you are going to do 15 to 17 km of distance for average trekker.
DAY 02-
For a trekker first two days are important because it tells you that how you are doing in the trek. We all were good enough to proceed so started our hike around 7.AM after breakfast.
Kashif , Ifti , Saad and Nauman were very good . They reached us before in all our day hikes.
Payuo is almost 15 to 20 km away from Jholla and it also takes 5 to 6 hours. magical beauty of mountains starts here .when you reach there you are in the middle of mountains and a river flowing like a snake.
Here ports demands BAKRA and a rest day . that's why teams stays one extra day here.
DAY 03- Rest Day
Played Cards ( Bluff) Jhoot pay Jhoot
, explore Payo
DAY 04-
Baltoro Glacier starts from here , when you move towards Khabursay there are unexpected terrain and tough hikes sometimes . You have to be very friendly with the black Giant (Baltoro) , You might slip so check your security (boots , poles , balance and moderate walk).
Porters says that hike towards Khubursay changes every year depends on the amount snow fallen.
This hike took us around 6 hours . This is the place that you can see Cathederals peak there . The most astonishing scene
DAY 05-
Hike towards Urduks is really marvellous , you can see the series of Cathederals peaks and up and downs of white carpeted glaciers. Its hardly 2 to 3 hours hike with scenic beauty . You can see the Trango towers from there . This is the last place that you can see the Italian govt supported Washrooms rest you are in sheer wilderness.
Washroom are just ahead of camping site , requires 10 minutes hike and what you see an army post and GIV peak . Indeed a marvelous beauty , One of my trekker fellow Nauman khan asked me to take his photo with his fiance (mangater) . I asked where is she , He abruptly said look at the beauty of GIV. I just gave him a laughter.
DAY 06-
Standing with Pakistani flag , we argued where exactly should be the Goray II campsite , but we can only see the Black Giant and nothing else . So started our hike . Baltaro is one of the biggest glacier and a hike on a sheer glacier really tied you up sometimes. That took us again 5 hours to reach there and it is really magical because you are now in the middle of white mountains . coldest place of this track but i was sure that my Techno world sleeping bag wont betray me so i was relaxed.
DAY 07- At Concordia
Concordia requires further 3 to 4 hours hike . Once you are in Concordia , King of NORTH (K2) is there and its neighbor is pretty much beautiful with crown on her head (Broad Peak). Here we took a lot of pics and were happy that we are one of those in this world who at least knows what is K2 and how it look like in reality . A rest day is preferred here because some wanted to go Base camp of K2 and some wanted to go to Broad peak but our Guide told us that we have to cross the Gondogoro La next day because weather is getting worst. So we didn't rest there for one day which was due
Next day
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<p>DAY 08-<br/>We started our journey towards Ali Camp, the most beautiful hike of my tracks. I did a lot of track and this one i should categorically say is most beautiful. You walk on motorway of Glaciers ( really motorway) and on your left and right are big white mountains. Carefully crossing the crevasses , we reached Ali Camp in 3 to 4 hours . Now this is the time of Pray and we prayed a lot because this could have bee the tough day of our track , we were supposed to start ascending the Gondogoro la pass around 11 pm. <br/>We left Ali camp around 11. pm and it took us 1 hour to reach to Munir camp where we had to start the ascending . There was a rope and you have to set the your gear , harness with rope. A long line of trekkers was already leaning around that rope . This is the moment when one says " YA ALLAH" i will pray 20 Nafal, please grant me success with any trouble.
A lot of things happened there and i can't describe here. At last we reached at Summit around 5:00 A.M.
Gondogoro La is around 5600 Meter ( approximately 19/20 thousand feet) and from here we can see the King in the middle of the clouds.
Some clicks are absurd so apology from my side .
Day 09-
All night ascending and descending on the same day is like seems to be a nightmare and it WAS.
We were very much tired of ascending and we were short of our sleep but we have to reach to the next camping site KHUSPANG but before this we have to descend with the rope. Please see the pics of ascending and descending the GGLA pass
After descending from GGLA , a hike of 5 hours is required to get to khuspang campsite. During descending , there was load of jokes and stories :). mesmerizing time though.
DAY 10
We were tired enough to take rest of 11 hours. and next day our hike started on Gondogoro glaciers in the middle of clouds. We wish to spend sometime on Laila basecamp but weather didn't allow us.
Sachio was our next campsite and we were happy that we are getting closer to Civilization world.
Unfortunately, I didn't have Saicho campsite pics in my laptop right now.
DAY 11- Saicho
DAY 12-
A beautiful and easy walk towards beautiful valley of north HUSHE. Little Karim belong to this place. We met him there and he also invited us to his home. He showed us his albums. He told us alot of his stories to Broadpeak , K2 etc.
DAY 13-
We tried making calls to some specific area (signal issue ) of HUSHE to our homes, telling them that we are alive and will be soon there. We wrapped up our ruksacks and loaded into our Jeeps. Its time to go to Skardu . A feeling of returning to home and a feeling that we are going far from these mountains.
One time with different feelings.
