K2 Concordia trek

with the Gondogoro La, if conditions are good

"The world's greatest museum of shape and form" is how Italian mountaineer/author Fosco Maraini described Concordia in his book, Karakoram. Galen Rowell called it the "Throne of the Mountain Gods". In Concordia, four peaks over 8000m, including the horrifying K2 and countless other spectacular peaks leave you breathless.

After completing formalities in Islamabad, we fly/drive to Skardu and then drive to the trail head and meet our expedition porters. As we trek up to this other-worldly place we enter a remarkable wilderness of ice, rock and sky. By the time we reach Paiju Camp at the foot of the Baltoro Glacier, we begin to feel the pulse of creation: the ice melts the rocks roll, and the glacier creaks and groans, rearranging its icy rivers. At Concordia we are rewarded with the most incredible mountain views in the world, virtually surrounded by K2, Broad Peak (8051m), Gasherbrum IV (7925m), and razor-edged Mitre Peak. Naturally we have extra time here, to visit Gasherbrum Base Camp then we take the adventurous route out to Hushe, conditions permitting, for the best possible itinerary.

Outline itinerary

For some more photos read Jamie's 2004 Broad Peak dispatches and the 2007 Gasherbrum dispatches.. The itinerary is approximate, and dependent on trail and weather conditions.

Security

Islamabad and Rawalpindi are safe for tourists, yes, even Americans and Brits. Skardu and the trek are also safe, as long as you are not a Bush voter; many Pakistanis don't like their leader either and will sympathize! Driving to/from Skardu is OK but we don't want to run over a chicken; anything could happen! I can discuss more.

Security warning

Pakistan has a strongman ruler that the West favours, because he is in general a moderate. However political tensions are growing. Lets see what happens. 

I have backup plans a good trek, regardless. This would give you the choice of canceling or changing your plans. It would be prudent for you to take out insurance that includes cancellation insurance for your air tickets.

Crossing the Gondogoro La

Spectacular! This is one morning of real climbing, although with assistance from the rope fixing team from the nearest village. It is challenging terrain and requires the use of harness, crampons and an ice axe. A helmet is also useful as there can be rock fall. We only cross in good conditions, and if you are particularly intimidated, it may be possible to trek back the normal Askhole route.

Read a Pakistan trekking company's description and also read The Mountain Company's advice (PDF format: Roland is a good friend of mine).

So you will need a harness set, some sort of helmet, ice axe and crampons. Note that crampons are not recommended with normal trekking shoes, but in this case if the crampons have plastic straps front and back (not clips) then they are fine for the few hours you are suing them. Don't bring plastic boots for this pass crossing.

Detailed itinerary

The trekking up to Concordia is TOUGH, with some very hot days when the sun shines, and if it isn't hot, expect rain or snow (bring an umbrella).

Early arrival

If you haven't been to Pakistan before, I suggest arriving a couple of days early; I will arrive around a week earlier and spend some time exploring.

Day 1 - arrive Rawalpindi

We meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel. Please look for a signboard with your name on it at the airport.

2 - Rawalpindi

There is still some compulsory trekking paperwork that we have to take part in, we might be able to mix this with seeing a little of Rawalpindi and Islamabad too.

3 - travel to Skardu

Lets see how lucky we are. We aim to fly one way and bus the other; if our flight is canceled then we start driving immediately, and overnight at Chilas.

The proud owner of a beautiful truck

4 - Skardu / drive Skardu

We are now in Baltistan, sometimes called little Tibet due to its geographic location and historic links with Tibet and Ladakh. If we are driving up then we arrive in the early evening.

5 - rest Skardu

6 - drive to Askhole (Thongol / Askoli)

We leave early for the jeep drive to the end of the road, and camp here. Lets hope the road is in good condition. This is the last village in the valley and has around 50 houses.

7 - trek to Jhola camp ~3200m

The morning is spent sorting out loads while we can explore around the end of the Biafo glacier, a tortured sea of ice and rocks two kilometers wide at this point. It takes around two hours to cross the glacier on a established trail, walking most of the time on moraine stone and occasionally on ice. Once across the glacier it is twenty minutes to Jhola Camp, close to Korofan.

The trail gets dodgy. Women are NOT allowed to wear shorts on our trek.

8 - trek to Paiju camp ~3600m

Gasherbrum 4 greets us near Paiju. From here are occasional scrambles across the rock. Three hours walk brings us to the point where waters from the Paiju Peak divide into four rushing streams, that we jump over and wade thru, or pay a bridge fee. In the east dominating the horizon are the towering summits of Gasherbrum 4, Cathedral Towers and Broad Peak. After negotiating scree and sand walk along the river we arrive at Paiju, a campsite situated in a grove of willow and popular trees with a fresh water stream running through it.

9 - Paiju camp / Urdukas

Either we rest here or trek to the next camp and rest there. Amazing views, whatever!

10 - Urdukas ~4200m

An hour out of camp we climb onto the snout of the Baltoro glacier, a vast, turbulent sea of rocks and ice more than two miles wide and nearly forty miles long. The first stretch winds around dodging gray crevasses and cross to the eastern side, dropping off into the ablation valley. The view is magnificent: the range of Cathedral and Trango towers, rising to 6000m+, on our left. The managed camp offers great panoramas.

11 - Goro II ~4500m

We head back onto the glacier that has its own surprises for us, small streams of water rushing over clear blue ice, and mushroom like huge ice towers rising from the glacier. As we proceed Gasherbrum 2 peeps from the right shoulder of Gasherbrum 4 in the east. As we camp on thin layer of moraine stones on glacial ice, the night could be cold.

12 - Concordia ~4700m

Initially we trek on the medial moraine of the glacier to the incredible junction of Concordia. As we make our approach, Gasherbrum IV stands guard in the east. On our left we have magnificent views of Muztagh Tower on the border between Pakistan and China. Excitement mounts and paces quicken as we arrive at Concordia, lured by the classic views of K2 (8611m), the second highest mountain of the world. Concordia, the meeting place of five glaciers is named after "Place de la Concorde" in Paris. Within an radius of 15kms are 41 peaks above 6,500 metres, almost half of them still virgin and unnamed.

13 - day trip to K2 Base Camp

This is a strenuous ten hour round-trip trek over snow, rock and ice. As we start, we cross crevasses of Baltoro glacier, then walk on the lateral moraine of the Godwin Austin glacier to the base camp of Broad Peak. Chogolisa (25,110ft) now appears on the scene, standing guard in the south and hinting at the new crossing from Concordia to the Hushe valley. As we proceed towards base camp, now we walk on the medial moraine of Godwin Austin glacier; ice with thin layer of soft snow. Walking here is much more easier than first two hours' stretch on rocks. When we arrive at K2 base camp at 16,500 ft, which is normally occupied by five mountaineering expeditions during climbing season each year, we are overwhelmed by the sheer size of K2. Return to Concordia for overnight.

14 - trek Shagring

15 - trek Gasherbrum Base Camp

16 - rest Gasherbrum Base Camp

A rest day amid the glorious mountains!

17 - Ali Camp

18 - Khuispan

19 - Saicho

20 - trek Hushe 

Reach the road head village of Hushe.

21 - drive Skardu

We say Khuda Hafiz to our trek crew and ride soft top 4x4 jeeps for a bumpy ride through Karakoram. This part of Baltistan appears greener and more prosperous than on our drive to Thongol. Meals and overnight and shower at resort/motel. 5/6 hours jeep ride.

22 - towards Rawalpindi/Islamabad

Inshah Allah the Skardu flight operates otherwise we drive to Gilgit and the KKH then to Islamabad, a two day drive in total.

23 - Rawalpindi 

We could be finishing the drive, or with luck we flew and have some free time to explore the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. It is also possible to fly out this

24 - Rawalpindi 

This is a spare day. At least one person should visit the Ministry of Tourism for a debrief to satisfy the paperwork. It is also possible to fly out LATE this evening.

Day 25 - depart

Transfer to airport for international departure flight.

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