Slowly, Slowly (What's Urdu for That?)... Goro I, Pakistan

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Sleeping at:Goro I

Sleeping Altitude: 4160m

Trekking Distance: 16.5km

Day: 15

Our planned easy day of 6km to Urdukas has been reworked to try and make up time lost with the rains at Paiju. The new plan is to walk through Urdukas and aim for Goro I, a 360m altitude gain. It is quite a spectacular walk along rocky/sandy undulating trail on the side of the Baltoro Glacier. Two feeder glaciers to cross as well, ice is on the ground for the first time. Make quite good time having left at 06:30ish and arriving at Urdukas around 08:15. The hike into Urdukas is very steep but sandy and switch backed. Really out of puff by the time I reach the others (fighting the seeds of doubt!). Urdukas is a bit of an oasis- a big campsite, terraced tent platforms and stainless steel sinks. Running water! Not today though- not sure why, was looking forward to washing my hands in something other than hand gel. Looks to be a very nice rest stop, there are lots of porters sitting around chatting and taking in the sun. We take a longish break (coffee for me plus some left over breakfast chappati- love my thermos) and lots of photos - on a clear day Broad Peak (8050m) and Gasherbrum IV (7930m) are on display.

Head off past the resident army camp and down the hill only to stop for lunch 45 mins later. Our first glacier picnic lunch with the now very familiar, but still welcome, 2 min noodle soup. Stay for the obligatory hour before an afternoon of rugged glacier terrain, glacial lakes, crevasses, rock and scree. Very stunning. I have attached lots of photos to show the beauty and starkness (it's hard to limit the photos). That electrical cable - it's not active- there are parts that have been completely severed. So, what is the point of it? Reach camp at 13:20, not so many tents here (we score a non-pooh one- hooray!). Overall not as hard a day as I was anticipating.

Chilly night! We are now camped on ice. Glad to have a pee bag - getting up and out of the tent at night here could be pretty sketchy. The plastic vomit bags (V bags) from work come into their own out here- a rigid plastic ring at the top, a 2L capacity and they can be twisted and secured for discrete emptying in the morning. The vestibule of the tent becomes our temp toilet and no one is any the wiser (until now I guess).

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Photos

Morning Departure from Khoburche
If you look really closely on the LHS of the pic you can see porters, it puts the sheer scale of the landscape into context

Anthony- Typical Pose
The tracks off the glacier were generally pretty easy- dusty, sandy soil with climbs and dips

Leaving Urdukas
The Pakistani Army huts are the white domed structures, the soldiers were very relaxed

Lunch
We actually were there not long after the porters so waited for lunch, this is just our group

Our Kitchen Porters
Ashan was the head cook, he is in brown, Zaman, his 2IC is in blue- great guys with a fantastic repertoire of food

Comments

[Dancing Dave]

Made it
Another for the pool room! Your exhilaration and joy of achievement is palpable in the pic. Another for Magnificent Mountains thread in the Photography Forum. Check it out and please post some of your favourites on the thread.

[gillg]

Thanks Dave
Shall have a look at the thread- got a lot of mountain pics!!