Trip Report
2018 Biafo/Latok trek...a pictorial
Thursday September 13, 2018 9:29pm
|
|
We pulled it off...a double black diamond trek for sure. No groomed trails and tea houses here.
Up the Biafo glacier to Snow Lake then over Sim La Pass to the unparalleled Latok/Ogre cirque
The road to Askole often needs work to clear frequent landslides.
Askole, the jumping off point at 10,000 ft. still has a middle age feel.
The scenery on the Biafo is stunning.
And the camping is okay.
Horses need shoeing.
The crew
A little cricket
And some dancing
Looking down the Biafo
And up
Heading to the ice
A peak I tried in 1993 with Jack Tackle
Needs climbing
Snow Lake
The ice is 4,000 ft. thick here
Moose with his umbrella
Camping on the ice
Heading to Sim La Pass
Sim La Pass 17,700 ft.
Getting down wasn’t trivial
Moving on, my wife and Moose
Heading to the Choktoi
Huber basecamp at last
I suppose the following views make it all worthwhile
Stay tuned for info. on 2019 trek!
donini
|
|
About the Author donini is a trad climber from Ouray, Colorado. |
Comments
i-b-goB
Big Wall climber
Nutty
|
|
|
Sep 13, 2018 - 09:40pm PT
|
Stellar, Jim!
|
|
hellroaring
Trad climber
San Francisco
|
|
|
Sep 13, 2018 - 09:42pm PT
|
Damn! That's some gorgeous & wild looking country...
|
|
Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
|
|
|
Sep 13, 2018 - 09:51pm PT
|
Yeah baby!
Beautiful.
That 'Tackle' peak looks absofukinglootly amazing!
|
|
johntp
Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
|
|
|
Sep 13, 2018 - 09:51pm PT
|
Thanks! Knew the TR would come along. TFPU!
The photos are stunning; can only imagine what that scenery is like live and in person.
|
|
EdBannister
Mountain climber
13,000 feet
|
|
|
Sep 13, 2018 - 09:52pm PT
|
Outstanding Jim!!
Gorgeous photos.
Thank you very much for posting!!
|
|
ionlyski
Trad climber
Polebridge, Montana
|
|
|
Sep 13, 2018 - 10:51pm PT
|
My God Donini! You have certainly lived the dream Jim, so many times over. Those are fantastic photos of what must have been surreal vantage points. I can't believe the eye candy. What's the deal on that granite spire you & Jack attempted? That thing is compact.
Arne
2019-Sign me up Jim, seriously.
|
|
EdwardT
Trad climber
Retired
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 04:27am PT
|
Incredible!
Thanks for posting.
|
|
ECF
Big Wall climber
Ridgway CO
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 05:46am PT
|
You’ve got some mad photoshop skill there, old bro.
I mean, that can’t be a real place...
No wonder you are never home.
|
|
Don Paul
Social climber
Washington DC
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 06:15am PT
|
Wow I want to go there. Please keep a rope on the Moose lol.
|
|
little Z
Trad climber
un cafetal en Naranjo
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 06:22am PT
|
wow, what a lift to the spirit. this is where my mind will be wandering to all day today. I can only imagine the boost you all got from being there. The real fountain of youth!
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
Author's Reply
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 06:27am PT
|
Chairs....yep, we had chairs.
|
|
yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 06:31am PT
|
Excellent awesomeness! A couple of photos of you and Moose dinning in Pakistan actually showed up on my FB feed. To quote David Bowie: "Golden years, gold whop whop whop".
|
|
Contractor
Boulder climber
CA
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 06:32am PT
|
A post card, every last one of those...amazing!
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 06:58am PT
|
WOW!!!
Thanks Jim, looking forward to more!
|
|
mcreel
climber
Barcelona
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 07:45am PT
|
Wow, amazing!
|
|
Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 07:48am PT
|
Stunning!
|
|
FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 08:38am PT
|
Brilliant TFPU
|
|
skywalker1
Trad climber
co
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 09:33am PT
|
Amazing scenery! Inspiring and gets my wanderlust going.
Thanks for the posting!
Dan
|
|
Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 08:46am PT
|
Beautiful, thanks for sharing.
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 09:10am PT
|
Amazing......
|
|
Ney Grant
Trad climber
Pollock Pines
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 09:40am PT
|
Stunningly beautiful. Wow.
|
|
Jim Clipper
climber
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 09:54am PT
|
It's nice that they keep the ice all filled in. I imagine the valley would be different if empty.
#moosegroan
|
|
Larry Nelson
Social climber
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 12:08pm PT
|
Dayum...living the dream.
much respect
|
|
Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 01:24pm PT
|
Wow.
Wow wow wow.
Great TR!
|
|
norm larson
climber
wilson, wyoming
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 02:53pm PT
|
Thanks Jim. Long way to go to go camping. Beautiful pictures.
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
Author's Reply
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 05:00pm PT
|
Soft beauty as well
|
|
Grippa
Trad climber
Salt Lake City, UT
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 07:24pm PT
|
holy f*#king shit! Donini and Moose 2020!
|
|
Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
moving thru
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 07:50pm PT
|
Now we just need...."the story behind the pictures". Awesomeness Angela and Jim!
|
|
Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 08:09pm PT
|
Thanks Jim (and Moose).
|
|
Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
|
|
|
Sep 14, 2018 - 10:44pm PT
|
Lovely.
|
|
SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, Bozeman, the ocean, or ?
|
|
|
Sep 15, 2018 - 07:01am PT
|
The BEST!
Susan
|
|
Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
|
|
|
Sep 15, 2018 - 08:35am PT
|
Stout adventuring & awesome photos lads! You've done well.
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Sep 15, 2018 - 09:34pm PT
|
FANTASTIC TR!
Land of Alpine Dreams going way back.
|
|
Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
|
|
|
Sep 16, 2018 - 02:10am PT
|
Wow Jim, Latok sure is one hell of a proud line 👍👍
Stellar photography,
Cheers
|
|
climbski2
Mountain climber
The Ocean
|
|
|
Sep 16, 2018 - 04:52am PT
|
Wow...Thanks for the share!
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Sep 16, 2018 - 05:11am PT
|
Wow!
|
|
Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
|
|
|
Sep 16, 2018 - 07:13am PT
|
Keep this baby bumped. Amazing.
BAd
|
|
steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
|
|
|
Sep 16, 2018 - 10:44am PT
|
WOW!
I bet you will get plenty of request for the next trip. Always wanted to see that part of the world.
|
|
Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
|
|
|
Sep 16, 2018 - 12:21pm PT
|
Kudos to the Kudos!
What's the per person cost of this trip?
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
Author's Reply
|
Sep 16, 2018 - 08:26pm PT
|
Tim Kudo loving life.
Trip cost for 22 days including hotels in Islamabad and Skardu. Jet travel from Islamabad to Skardu. Jeeps to Askole and all porters and horses for 16 days trekking including all food and 55 lbs. personal baggage to be portered. Food is excellent and plentiful and meals are eaten in a large tent with table and chairs.
It’s a strenuous trek but accommodations are oretty sweet...you even can exoect excellent pizza and desserts.
Cost is $3,450 or about $150 a day.
|
|
Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
|
|
|
Sep 16, 2018 - 08:46pm PT
|
Nice work Jim. Looks like very much fun.
That river of ice is something to see. Now I understand the forces that carved the valley of the upper Kern river in the Sierra. The ice just flows down for a long long way.
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
Author's Reply
|
Sep 19, 2018 - 07:25am PT
|
A picture bump for people who missed it.
|
|
stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
|
|
|
Sep 19, 2018 - 09:33am PT
|
Very nice Jim, and that price seems very reasonable for that trip. I'm definitely tempted.
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
|
|
|
Sep 19, 2018 - 03:12pm PT
|
Jim
Can I go next year????
REALLY!!!
|
|
mike m
Trad climber
black hills
|
|
|
Sep 19, 2018 - 03:42pm PT
|
Wow great shots Jim.
|
|
micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
|
|
|
Sep 19, 2018 - 03:55pm PT
|
This thread has too much beauty to just scroll over. I hope to find some time soon to take my time with each image and soak them in. Welcome home gents.
Scott
|
|
kaholatingtong
Trad climber
The fake McCoy from nevernever land.
|
|
|
Sep 19, 2018 - 04:06pm PT
|
Absolutely beautiful. Cheers!
|
|
Shipman
Ice climber
Wenatchee, WA
|
|
|
Sep 21, 2018 - 11:54am PT
|
Thanks, Jim, for all your work creating this trek!
|
|
Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
|
|
|
Sep 21, 2018 - 03:02pm PT
|
Great photography, thank you for sharing!
|
|
Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado & Nepal
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2018 - 12:02pm PT
|
I just saw this. Great selection of photos to show the reality of the trip. Great trip too. thanks for sharing!
|
|
Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2018 - 12:07pm PT
|
Doninincredible photography above...
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
Author's Reply
|
Nov 15, 2018 - 12:15am PT
|
Sure did happen Moose.
Angela and I arrived in New Zealand five hours ago...let the games begin!
|
|
Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
|
|
|
Nov 15, 2018 - 02:14am PT
|
Dude you do realize I'm sure that you're living a charmed life...right?
You've managed to gain some good karma to live the life you're living.
NZ is another sweet spot on this little green and blue planet. Hope you have a wonderful time there.
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Nov 15, 2018 - 03:23am PT
|
Cool. I read Andrew Lindblades book and he certainly makes new Zeland sound like it has some serious alpine climbing.
|
|
ionlyski
Trad climber
Polebridge, Montana
|
|
|
Nov 15, 2018 - 08:16am PT
|
When I grow up I wanna be just like Jim. Maybe at the end of it all you could just write a trip report of your entire life, then all people would have to do is repeat your "route". Course, there might not be anybody left here on earth by that time; last man standing:)
Arne
|
|
|
|
|
Recent Trip Reports
- The Kohala Ditch Trail: 36ish hrs on foot... to and from the headwaters. [5 of 5]
May 31, 2019; 11:57pm
- A Winter Traverse of the California section of the PCT Part 8
May 31, 2019; 11:18pm
- Supertopo,A trip report for posterity
May 31, 2019; 11:00pm
- Balch Fest 2013. Two Days in and Around and On The Flake. The Official Trip Report
May 31, 2019; 10:57pm
- TR: My visit to the Canoe
May 31, 2019; 10:24pm
- Death, Alpine Climbing, The Shield on El Cap
May 31, 2019; 4:07pm
- Andy Nisbet (1953-2019)
May 31, 2019; 2:11pm
- Drama on Baboquivari Peak
May 31, 2019; 1:19pm
- Joffre + The Aemmer Couloir: ski descents come unexpected catharsis [part 2]
May 31, 2019; 7:45am
- Lost To The Sea, by Disaster Master
May 30, 2019; 5:36am
- My Up And Down Life, Disaster Master
May 29, 2019; 11:44pm
- Halibut Hats and Climbers-What Gives?
May 29, 2019; 7:24pm
- G Rubberfat Overhang-First Ascent 1961
May 29, 2019; 12:28pm
- Coonyard Pinnacle 50 Years Later
May 29, 2019; 12:24pm
- Great Pumpkin with Mr Kamps and McClinsky- 1971
May 29, 2019; 12:02pm
- View more trip reports >
|