Lucie MacArthur, one of our accountants, spent June trekking into the Karakoram towards K2 Basecamp. Deep snow stopped the group short of basecamp itself, but not before they reached Concordia and the mountain came into view. This is her account of the trip.
In June I had the opportunity to do a trek to K2 Basecamp. It is considered a strenuous trek and it certainly was although it is difficult to explain exactly why. The walking isn’t fast allowing for proper acclimatisation, It is not that hilly either although every incline is felt because of the high altitude. Walking on loose moraine and ice requires more energy than expected so the frequent breaks were welcomed. For the duration of the trek, camping is the only option so that perhaps adds to the challenge as does the lack of any washing facilities other than a plastic bowl provided by the porters. Not to mention the rather basic toilets (which on the glacier is just a dug up hole).
Looked after by the porters
Throughout the trek we were very well looked after by our porters. But the hostile environment, water that is not safe for the visiting trekkers unless correctly purified and the change in diet means that it does not always agree with the human body. This I discovered myself on the penultimate day of the trek when I became increasingly unwell during the day until I could barely put one foot in front of the other. Eventually I reached the camp site with the help of others and collapsed in the tent. I think I will remember this day for a long time.
Getting to the start
Karakoram mountain range is very remote and to access the start of the trek we first had to complete a 6 to 8 hour jeep drive from Skardu to Askole, a village high in the mountains where the first camp was set up. The jeep drive itself is quite an adventure as most of it is along a rough gravel track. Further into the mountains it is often narrow and windy with a raging river on one side and a possibility of falling rocks on the other. Not for the faint hearted.
Onto the Baltoro Glacier
The first two days of the trek was walking along the Braldu River valley. Two long days made tough thanks to a heat wave. After that we reached the Baltoro Glaciers and the temperatures became more pleasant and comfortable. The following days were spent crisscrossing the glacier but camping was on solid ground until we reached Goro 1 camp site. From here until reaching Concordia the camps were set up on ice. This was felt at night when temperatures dropped to below freezing and we were grateful for the four season sleeping bags.
Waist-high snow, and a first sight of K2
June is the start of the season in Karakoram and it is rare for the snow to interfere with the trekkers’ plans. Not this year. When we reached Goro 2 camp site, the moraine was replaced by waist high snow and our progress slowed down dramatically. We were not able to camp in Concordia as planned nor could we continue to K2 basecamp and cross the Gondogoro La pass. The only way back was to retrace our steps down the Baltoro Glacier to Askole village. But not before we visited Concordia to see the mighty K2. Which for me was the highlight of the trip. Since my teenage years I have been interested in climbing and to see K2, the world’s second tallest mountain (often nicknamed ‘The Killer Mountain’) was always on my wish list. Never in a million years have I imagined that I would actually achieve it.
Lucie MacArthur is an accountant at Willis Cooper. You can meet the rest of the team, or take a look at our current vacancies if you would like to join us.
