"Up onto the Glacier!" Top 5 Page for this destination Skardu Travelogue by lachydragon

Skardu Travel Guide: 54 reviews and 132 photos

The Baltoro Glacier near Khoburtse Camp - Skardu

No pristine white glacier here....

This photo shows just how much material these mammoth glaciers carry! While your impression of a glacier may be a blinding white ice chunk, the reality looks something like this. The glacier is constantly moving - even without wind there were constantly small streams of rubble flowing off the high points into the water below.

We got some bad weather and a bit of rain and snow here. This is a short lunch break that we spend huddled under the tarpaulin for warmth. It was amazing to see the porters using this kind of shelter for their sleeping overnight!

Khoburtse Camp

While we were setting up camp here in the afternoon we saw an avalanche come down the peak behind. It sounded like a rifle crack and then a rumbling roar as the rocky debris came down in a small plume. It was pretty small on the scale of things but a humbling reminder of the force of this landscape!

Emerging from the tents at Khoburtse.

Looking across the glacier from the tents at Khoburtse. Not a bad view to wake up to!

View across Khoburtse Camp

The view of the campsite the next morning as teh weater starts to clear. The mountains in the background are either Trango Group, Cathedral Peak or the Nameless Tower....not sure which of the 3 it is now.

White Glacier

Trekking on white glacier...

We finally come across a zone of white glacier and stop for a few more pics!

Stopping beside and elaborate track marker on the trail. It was a sobering thought here to see a woman being carried back down the mountain on the back of a porter after coming down with the early warning signs of altitude sickess. Altitude is a fickle foe in the mountains that can leave you feeling fine after one trip to high altitude but strike you down for days on a return visit at much lower altitudes, there seems no rhyme or reason to its occurrence and does not seem to differentiate between sex or age... We were starting to reach altitudes above 4000m now and it was feeling a bit harder going...
** If you are planning to travel to altitude you should make sure you discuss the ramifications with a specialist travel medical centre of your local doctor before departure **

The Bridges...

THere were so many variations on the theme (being, something to get you from one side of the crevasse, stream, raging glacial torrent...etc, to the other) the number of ways that the people have adapted these to suit the available building materials and purpose is wonderful. Here we cross a small glacial stream by way of bamboo poles lashed together, in the earlier travelogue there is the photo of the crossing of the Braldu River which features in any account of a trek up the Baltoro Glacier.

Page Updated Jul 25, 2003
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

More Travelogues (4)

1 - 4 of 4

Reviews (14)

Comments (19)

Fudge Aug 10, 2007 at 7:07 AM Report Abuse

So nice Skardu :) I only managed to do the flight this time... and plane had to turn back. Dang. Will be back one day! Have you read Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea, set in Baltistan?
TONY786 Jun 2, 2007 at 12:59 PM Report Abuse

Going sept 07 , love your page and pics..Pakistan is an amazing place
shadan Sep 17, 2006 at 7:40 AM Report Abuse

Very good work. Very neatly written. Love your pages!
Saagar Jan 10, 2006 at 4:01 PM Report Abuse

That's a great travelogue from your trek, good photos too!
PTSD Aug 12, 2005 at 5:56 AM Report Abuse

The one place im DYING to see in Pakistan is K2 !!! - Hope i get to see it someday ! -:)-Helpful tips on Skardu!-From Pakistan ITSELF ! :)
Laurina Aug 13, 2004 at 11:10 PM Report Abuse

Great tip about tipping the porters etc.... :o) I hope I get to go to Skardu before winter sets in!
WAHEEDASLAM May 18, 2004 at 3:35 AM Report Abuse

Very informative page...Two weeks ago I was reading a travel book of Skardu...It was amazing your pictures gave life to the words that I've read....Very beautiful pictures...
queenp May 15, 2004 at 12:48 PM Report Abuse

Okay Drag, It sounds like you and your gang were starting to get a bit punchy at this point (Coffe tin gals). I haven't been in the middle of nowhere and can still appreciate the humour. What does thay say? Shukria!
nox Apr 27, 2004 at 4:48 AM Report Abuse

Thanks for the great tips, I will be heading off to Skardu in mid may. The pictures were great and the tip of taking a polarizing filter for my camera will be helpful.
Brendulichka Mar 28, 2004 at 5:10 AM Report Abuse

Great pages! I'm leaving for Skardu and roof of the world tomorrow and very excited! Thanks for doing all these pages!