Pakistan > Hike on the Rakaposhi Glacier

The night in the tent went well. It wasn’t very cold, so it was quite comfortable in the sleeping bag. I did have to shift up a bit occasionally. The tent is on a slanted plateau, so I slowly slid down. Inside the tent is a double sleeping mat—not very thick, but good enough to sleep on. After breakfast, the climb to the glacier began. As soon as I left the campsite, the path went steeply upward. I climbed steadily. The muscles in my calves still needed to warm up. The incline in the loose sand was steep. I would have to come back down this way later today. Hopefully, it wouldn’t turn into sliding! The weather today was beautiful. With rain, this route would be nearly impassable. I climbed in rhythm with my breathing—a left step on the inhale, a right step on the exhale. Although I felt like I was moving painfully slowly, I could maintain this pace for a long time. After more than half an hour of hard climbing, the route on the mountainside became a bit flatter.

Pakistan - I climb calmly to the viewpoint over the glacier

Behind me, I saw the Hapakun tent camp getting smaller. After two hours, I reached the mountain ridge. I was rewarded with a magnificent view of the Rakaposhi glacier and the snow-covered Rakaposhi and Diran peaks beyond. This was indescribably beautiful. I sat on a rock to enjoy the view for a moment. The Rakaposhi base camp lay a little further on. We walked there along a narrow path next to the glacier. The view remained stunning. Travelers also stayed overnight at the base camp. I met a Dutch guy who told me you could negotiate the price for staying overnight, but that wouldn’t be necessary since we were sleeping lower tonight. Just above the camp is a viewpoint over the glacier. From here, too, the glacier and snowy mountains were magnificent.

Pakistan - The glacier with the Rakaposhi and Diran peaks in the background

A small group and I continued on toward the glacier ice. The path ran over boulders, sometimes requiring crawling with hands and feet. Eventually, we reached the ice. Carefully, I walked over the slippery ice mass. I didn’t want to slip. Around me, I heard the ice creak and meltwater flowing beneath it. The return route also went over the rocks. The last climb to the viewpoint was especially tough. My energy was running low. Fortunately, a simple lunch awaited at the base camp—bread, eggs, jam, and soup. A good base for the descent. At a slow pace, I walked back to the Hapakun tent camp.

Pakistan - A special experience to be on the Rakaposhi glacier

I used a wooden stick to take some pressure off my knee, though I did feel some pain. Without too much trouble, I arrived back at the camp. A fellow traveler kindly offered me some tea. While we sat there, a strong wind suddenly picked up. Chairs blew over and the tents flapped in the wind. It also became chilly. Good thing everyone had already descended. I lay down in the tent for a while. In the evening, the meal was surprisingly ready early. By half past six, the table was set. Even before the soup was finished, the main course was already on the table. It seemed the crew was in a hurry. After dinner, we were invited to sit around the campfire so another travel group could eat in the tent—hence the rush.

Pakistan - Food is ready in a tent at the campsite