K2 Trek Day 3: Jola (3200m) to Paiyu (3450m)

Hot and difficult day

07 September 2023

We follow the Braidu and the Biaho rivers to Paiyu. We cross the Domurda River from the Ghoktoi and Panmah Glaciers. We see the Masherbrum Group up the Xiangang Valley, but only the tips.

This is a hot and diffcult day.

Sunrise. Our tent and the cook tent. The yellow tents are another group. And the orange tarp in the back is where porters sleep: stack stones up as walls and cover with a tarp.

Our assistant cook and only porter, Hussain. He typically passes us about an hour into the day hike and is the first to reach camp. No keeping up with him. He carries the stove, solar panel and other things that might get damaged trying to tie them on a mule.

Sometimes the trail climbs up into cliffs.

A couple of guys relaxing at a pretty rough looking hut near a camping area.

The mules carry between 75 to 100kg. A human porter carries 25kg, plus his own gear.

Most porters wear plastic Chinese shoes. We guess this is how most of the shoes end up.

Some sections of the trail go below unstable looking clifs. Muhammad says that they would not go this way in rainy weather, instead climbing up and over areas like this. Now we just need to keep moving.

The peaks of the Cathedral group becomes visible.

Along the Braldu River. The peaks ahead are the Trango and the Cathedral Groups.

The army is working on pushing the road all the way to Paiyu where there is a large military base. Some sections are done, other sections seem impossible.

The Baltoro Glacier comes into view. The river flowing out of it is the Braldu River.

Muhammad helps Rachel through a tricky section.

We think the peak still catching the sun is the summit of K2

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Angela NaefAmazing photos!
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1 year ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensTo Angela NaefThanks Angela, this was an awesome experience
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1 year ago