Intro/route photo

Photo gallery of the trip

Trek timeline

1:Four beautiful words

2:The high Sahara-->

3:Base Camp at last

4:First foray on the mountain

5:A summit, finally

6:Well, here we are, then

7:Reflections

Dispatch #2: The High Sahara

The jeep drive to Skardu was uneventful. We had an open-top jeep and I was able to stand up much of the trip, saving my butt and kidneys from a pounding. But it's always a relief to arrive in Askole. I didn't bother to walk around in the village, as I still had to pack for the porters. Each load has to be less than 25 kg (55 lbs). A porter earns 4000 rupees (about $66) for the seven-day trip to Base Camp.

The first day's trek is fairly flat but long. We arrived at the lunch spot, which has some trees, and waited and waited for the lunch supplies to arrive. Finally we find out that there had been some fights among potential porters for our loads, and our guide had to spend several hours sorting things out. Apparently the number of trekkers is way down this year, so there is not enough work.

Future dinners forage at Korophon, day one of the Baltoro trek.

After arriving at Jhula, the trip almost ended for me. We were standing around talking, and all of a sudden somebody said "Look out!". With my catlike reflexes I instinctively jumped to the side as two donkeys came racing through. I turned around to joke that I wanted more warning the next time, and then I heard "Look out!" and I jumped again as they raced back through again. Apparently the male donkey was lonely and his lady friend was not interested. Getting mowed down by an amorous donkey would have been an ignoble end to my trip!

Day two saw a very hot trudge through the sandy river bottom (hence the title of the dispatch). We took a little under 6 hours to get to Paiju, a forest hillside that is a haven from the sun. There is water, clean toilets, and a magnificant view. At night the porters danced and sang (and we danced some too). I recorded some of their folk music on my trusty digital recorder.

Solar panels-the lifeblood of the expedition.

Tomorrow we move onto the glacier (which is completely covered by rocks, so we don't walk on ice). I've feeling fine except for some cracked skin on my heels, which I've dressed with a bandage. We have 3 Italians, 3 Americans (including me), and one Nepali, Dutch, and Dane in our group. We are getting along fine. I will post the next dispatch after we get to Base Camp (probably next Monday).
Mike