2022 - Pakistan: K2 Base Camp

A trek up the Baltoro Glacier towards K2 base camp

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In July 2022 we aimed to trek to the K2 Base Camp. The plan was a 14 day, 90km each way, round trip trek from Askole up the Baltoro Glacier to the K2 base camp at 5,200m. Unfortunately the night before we were due to drive from Shigar to Askole there was a massive localised rainstorm over the mountains which resulted in flash floods that washed out the road and bridges in five places along the road. In the end we took 2 days instead of 6 hours to reach Askole and therefore had to modify our schedule somewhat. In the end we made it to Concordia, a campsite on the Baltoro Glacier at 4,800m, penultimate to K2 base camp. It is overlooked by four of the world's 14 peaks over 8,000m: K2 (8,611m), Gasherbrum I (8,080m) & II (8,035m), Gasherbrum I (8,080m) and Broad Peak (8,047m). However, although our trek started and ended in clear skies and sunshine, the weather during our arrival and departure from Concordia was characterised by low clouds and all the mountains in the amphitheatre were mostly hidden. Broad Peak and, very briefly, K2 did make an appearance, but the rest remained obscured. No matter, the trek up the Baltoro though hard work was entirely worth it - just being out in such environments is and end in itself.

Thanks to Hussain Balti of K2 Treks and Tours, Pakistan and his wonderful team of guides, cooks and porters who organised the trek for us, and to Rashida, my wife, who organised everything else.

I can't not mention the horrific flooding experienced by Pakistan in the summer of 2022. Such storm events that affected our trek are becoming more common in the region and in 2022, coupled with higher than normal snow and ice melt due to unseasonably high temperatures and an abnormal monsoon, they resulted in devastating flooding across much of Pakistan. One third of the country was inundated and millions of people were displaced. Please check the links to the right for more information.