Concordia Karakoram Range Camp in Pakistan Latest Photos 2012

Concordia Karakoram Range Top Best Places to See In Pakistan Concordia & Baltoro Glacier latest info 2012
http://20best.blogspot.com/2011/06/concordia-karakoram-camp-in-pakistan.html
Concordia is the most beautiful place on the planet, lies in the heart of the Karakoram range in Pakistan. Concordia offers the region’s best place to camp for mountain enthusiasts not involved in climbing. This is also called the “throne of the mountain gods”.
Here is Latest Photos of Concordia Karakoram 2012.

Concordia & Baltoro Glacier Range Top 1 Rank in the world
These are from our K2 Concordia trek and Gasherbrum II expedition, June-August 2007.

All these were taken on Our treks - join us for the experience of a lifetime.

After a harrowing all-day 4-wheel-drive jeep ride from Skarku, we were happy to get on the trail and feel the solid earth under our feet. With majestic mountains of the Karakoram beckonning in the distance, we hiked eastward along the river (Biaho Lungma) flowing out of the Baltaro glacier. Occasionally we had to cross the river, using the suspension bridges provided.

Concordia Karakoram Range Camp in Pakistan Latest Pictures 2012

Concordia Karakoram in Pakistan Latest image 2012

Concordia Karakoram Range Top Best Places to See In Pakistan Concordia & Baltoro Glacier latest info 2012

Unexpectedly, the air temperature was an exhausting 105-degrees (F), and there was precious little shade along the way. Fortunately, the scenery was getting more spectacular as we approached the glacier, and occasionally there was a cool breeze coming across the glacier that provided momentary relief. Campgrounds were selected primarily by their proximity to fresh water, inasmuch as the water of the glacial melt was too full of silt for drinking or cooking purposes, even with proper treatment for contamination.

It quickly became obvious that the porters were providing a much-needed service by carrying all of the equipment and supplies needed for the journey. We carried only our own personal gear, which for me meant 20 pounds of camera equipment in addition to water, raingear, snacks, sunblock, etc. We left Askole with 63 porters, gradually dismissing them one by one as supplies were consumed. By the time we reached Hushe at the end of the trek, we had only 25 porters.

One of the formulas for successful acclimatization to high elevations is the practice of “Climbing high, sleeping low.” After a day's walk, and setting up camp, we frequently attempted to climb an additional 600-feet or so in elevation as an afternoon stroll. In addition to improving the adjustment to altitude, the views were spectacular, providing glimpses of worldclasss peaks as well as the route for the following day's journey.

The geology of the Karakoram is unique in the world, the result of the focusing of the tectonic collision between the Indian and Asian plates. The Himalayas are the result of the general upthrusting of the edges of the plates as they collided some 80 million years ago. But the region of the Karakoram is associated with the remnants of the up-ended plate bearing the offshore volcanic island chain, and is now referred to as the Kohistan-Ladakh Island Arc. The features associated with this dramatic event are evident everywhere, not only in the sheer near-vertical faces of many of the mountains on either side of the valley, but in the rock formations along the trail. I thought this rock formation was illustrative of the process.

Finally the Baltoro Glacier comes into view, and we are anticipating cooler temperatures once we climb up onto the glacier. Most of the remaining trek will consist of walking on glaciers. The Biaho Lungma River was coming right out of the nose of the glacier, and it appeared that the walking was suddenly going to get tougher as we negotiated the ups and downs of the uneven surface.

From the camp at Liligo, the last outpost harboring vegetation, we had dramatic views of the mountains on the north side of the glacier. The most impressive (photo) was Cathedral (5828 meters), although the Trango Towers were a close second (below photo).

My friend (and tentmate) John took this photo of the Trango Towers on his return trip down the Baltoro Glacier. Compare it with the photo I took earlier in the trip in the middle of the night. It looks like we stood at the same spot!

This is a 180-degree panorama taken from Liligo camp. The massive mountain to the right of center is Cathedral, while the Trango Towers are to the left of center. To see a QTVR movie of this panorama, click on the photograph.
There is an optical illusion going on in this photograph, but it is simply two porters crossing one of many small bridges erected over small streams flowing on the surface of the glacier. We seldom walked directly on the ice, since slow movement of the glacier assures the grinding and mixing up of rock on adjacent sides of the glacier, resulting in a thick mixture of rock and ice.