Gilgit and Rakaposhi Base Camp

---

As we leave the Hunza Valley and head into Gilgit, the scenery and atmosphere changes drastically. There is a big military presence, as Gilgit is the military and administrative headquarters for the Northern Area - most notably, there are guns all over and there are no women on the streets.

As we get off of our bus, the place is a little overwhelming. We walk around looking for our hotel. Our first choice was either 1) full, 2) closed, or 3) now a girls' hostel. You could imagine our confusion by this conflicting information, but somehow we got all three explanations from the same man in the same conversation. Anyway, somehow we ended up in the Madina. It was a Westerners’ oasis - BBC, the first white people we’ve seen in a long time, and uncovered women making eye contact with men!

While we’re psyched for the locals' experience, this detour and respite from the loud, smoggy, chaotic environment is really welcome. We meet some great Australians (with whom we swap some books, including Andrew Mueller's I Wouldn't Start From Here, which I would recommend), bikers we’d met along the way down the KKH, a couple we met all of the way back in Bishkek. This place quickly began to feel like home.

We decided to trek to Rakaposhi Base Camp for a few days. As we made our plans in the hotel, we met up with a British guy named Carl who was making similar plans. Energized by a new travel buddy, we head to Minapin (great guest house there, if you're in the area) and then up the trail to Rakaposhi - just a single day's walking in each direction.

The day we left for the Base Camp was the first day of Ramadan and Carl’s guide was beginning his month-long daily fast. Most people sleep a lot during the day… this guy heads out trekking!

Rakaposhi didn’t disappoint - giving us great views of Ultar and Lady Finger (our previous trek), Rakaposhi’s east peak and seracs, and a glacial valley 16 km wide. We spent a day there hiking on the glacier and around the base camp. In the afternoons, we leaned our thermarests on a rock and walked the avalanche channel; making guesses at which pieces would fall off or slide next.

Instead of writing more, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!

Enjoy!

rachel and philippe

---

Photos

Camping in Rakaposhi Base Camp
Thanks to our friend Carl, we can prove that we were actually here together! We're eating dinner - the mac and cheese we've mastered thanks to 'Happy Cow' (which we think is a solid form of that powder that comes in the Kraft box). We're only a day away from mastering the Banana Custard that has been perplexing us for the last two treks (needless to say, we'll probably keep this around for ski tours).

Rakaposhi Hike
As we hiked up to Rakaposhi, Ultar and Lady Finger were in the background.... our Canadian friends were preparing for their expedition there as we watched from afar.

Cool air and fall colors
As we climbed onto the glacier's morraine, the cold wind picked up and we got a great view of the leaves changing color on the other side of the glacier.

Sunset on Ultar
As we watched the sun set throughout the valley, we wondered how our friends were doing (you can see Lady Finger... the rock in the foreground of this formation)

Watching the Avalanche Channel
We bet on which seracs would be the next to go. Sad thing is, these seracs will not reform any time soon.

Hiking across a glacial valley
This valley - a merging point for too many glaciers to count - stretches for 16km. We walked partway across, but opted out of the glacial river crossing (what do you think we are, crazy??).

What exactly IS a Glacial Valley?
If you're wondering what we mean when we say glacial valley, perhaps this picture helps explain it a little better.

Comments

[Maj]

Amazing Pictures, I've been to these mountains once, long ago. Now seeing you guys having a great time makes me sad and jealous. Keep it up. Safe

[Shujaat Ali]

Rakaposhi Base Camp Trek
Dear Rachel Mueller and Philippe Wheelock, Nice to read your post & i missed the time that i did the same trek that you ppl did & by the way i did that trek in June 2008. Below is the link of my post http://www.naqoosh.com/rakaposhi-base-camp-trek/