The Karakoram Mountain Range in Pakistan, adjacent to the borders of China and Afghanistan, covers over 300 miles. Some of the wildest and most dramatic landscapes on earth are found in the vast, rugged Karakorum Range, the range is highly glaciated; a vast expanse of mountain desert and crumbling rock, drained and gouged by swift flowing rivers fed by melting snows the Karakoram contains the greatest concentration of the world’s highest peaks. No less than four of the fourteen 8000 metre summits are situated round the central Baltoro Glacier, this ice stream, some 62km long, includes within its basin 10 of the world’s 30 highest mountains. The Karakoram also contains some of the greatest glacier systems outside the Polar Regions.
This is considered to be one of the world's greatest treks with breathtaking scenery unsurpassed anywhere else in the high mountains. At 8,611m, K2 is the second highest peak on Earth. Locally known by the name of "Chogo Ri", which means "The Great Mountain", The walk to her base camp is an absolute classic, encompassing what is arguably the most extraordinary display of alpine scenery on the planet. It is a must do trek for mountain connoisseurs, and rightly listed as one of the world's Top 5 mountain walks. Concordia, the description defying amphitheatre at the head of the Baltoro Glacier, surrounded by 8000m peaks, has been described as the single most scenic place you can stand on planet Earth, it is also extremely isolated . The cluster of 8000m peaks around Concordia (K2, Broad Peak, and the Gasherbrums) are not only the most heavily concentrated high peaks on the planet, they are also the most remote - being the only 8k peaks not visible from any inhabited place on Earth. The highest point reached on this trek is the summit of the Ghondogoro La, just under 6000m. This is a challenging and technical route, which links the high glacial basin of the upper Baltoro with the green Hushe valley to the south. The view from the summit is one of the most overwhelming mountain panoramas in the world.
Completion of the road up the Braldu Valley to Thungol in 1992 and to Askole in 1993, both results of the Pakistan Army’s year-round deployment along the glacier, have shortened this trek by more than a week from its original length as at one time this 175km had to be covered on foot before even getting into the Mountains. The trek is in a restricted zone, permits and licensed guides are required before a travel pass is granted. Porters are also required due to the remoteness and length of time spent in the area. Porters are treated a lot better than in the Nepal region, the government sets a load limit of 25kg below 5000m and 20kg between 5001 and 6000, not including the porters personal gear and food. Above 6000m and you need "high altitude porters". The daily pay rate is $10 US dollars, this is the equivalent to a months pay in one of the local villages. Guides get about $20 a day upwards depending on their altitude experience, plus of course both Guides and Porters receive tips on top of this wage.
Gondogoro La
In 1986 a route was established that connects Concordia and the Upper Baltoro Glacier to the Hushe Valley over the Gondogoro La (5940m). Since then this challenging and technical pass has attracted trekkers and climbers alike. It involves class 4 climbing, the north side being a 50-degree slope with avalanche danger and requiring fixed ropes, the south side is a continuous 60 degree slope with rock fall and avalanche danger that requires fixing as much as 300m of rope. Teams should be on top of the Gondogoro La at sunrise to minimise exposure to the objective dangers. The Pass is easier to cross earlier in the season and can be attempted as early as the last three or four days in June. Any earlier and you are likely to be the first part of the season to break trail. By August, objective dangers from crevasses, avalanches and rock fall increase substantially as the snow cover begins to melt.