2002
PEACE CLIMB TO PAKISTAN'S KARAKORUM
RANGE
Dispatch
Two: Skardu,
June 14, 2002
I think the most
dangerous part of the expedition is over, the
two day drive from Islamabad to Skardu,
well......full of all sorts of emotion. Our
driver Haled should probably be driving for
F-1 instead of a micro-bus. The drive from
Islamabad through the Karakoram Highway is an
incredible journey, the scenery goes from a
complete desert environment with temperatures of
41 degrees centigrade to a much more relaxed and
greener scenery at Skardu. The first day we
leave at 5:30 am and traveled towards the Indus
valley to catch the karakoram highway, and
incredible work of engineering, although more of
the likes of a any road, it twists back and
forth following the incredibly large river. At
the point where we met the river it must be at
least 250 feet wide all of a murky gray color.
The Karakoram Range begins to grow higher and
higher, and the views get more and more
stunning. We stop for lunch at Besham, and then
continue towards Chilas. Before arriving in
Chilas at 8:30pm we encounter one of the 5,
8000mt of Pakistan, the Nanga Parbat. We had a
wonderful view, very few clouds and a little
orange color from the sunset. A Magnificent
sight!
The following day
was another very strenuous day in our
micro-bus. Although this time the drive was
only 8 and half hours, the road was very windy
and not paved in all parts. Our kidneys and
lower backs have taken a good beating. But the
views this time are even more wonderful, we
are very sorry that we could not take many
pictures our driver was way to interested in
getting to our destination than anything else.
Today in Skardu we
went on an acclimatization trek on the Satpara
Lake, it was a wonderful sight it was
surrounded by very large ranges of brown color
and the lake was a turquoise green at the end a
very lush green oasis. We got some good
exercise finally after all the traveling we have
had.
Tomorrow we leave
for Askole, a 6 hour drive on a very windy road
that gets flooded continuously, so we have to
leave very early before the snow begins to
melt. The following day the Amical Alpin group
organizes the balti porters and we are on a 7
day hike though the baltoro glacier. So we will
be out of reach for some time until we get
organized at base camp.
Tunc and Fercho
are doing well, their health is good and ready
to go.
 Dispatches
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