14 Miles / 10,400>10,600 ft
My appetite is back! I know so because I woke up to my stomach growling and was craving a big breakfast burrito. Unfortunately for me, I’m in the middle of Pakistan, so I’m going to have to take whatever I can get but hopefully it isn’t the herd of goats that are trekking in with us! FYI, the goats are for the sherpas and porters because apparently that’s a big part of their diet. The climbers get chicken and buffalo, the first of which will be led up the trail a few days behind us but those are just for lunch and dinner. For breakfast, I ate my share and then some of bacon, eggs, and toast.
Team break on our way to Paiju
We hit the trail and almost every member of the team made a point to ask how I was feeling. I told them that I was about 75% because my gut was feeling great but my energy was still slightly drained from the 2 days of only eating a single meal and some small snacks. Regardless, I was psyched and I galloped up the trail with Jesse and Geoff, while we rocked out to the stereo that was clipped to my pack.
Despite being incredibly dusty, the terrain was very enjoyable with very few loose rocks and solid dirt. We cruised up the valley alongside the river, which was displaying far more rapids, until we came to a nice open area for a rest break. We consumed some soup, candy, tea, cheese and dates, then hit the trail again. As we gained elevation, we finally caught our first glimpse of the famous Baltoro Glacier, which we would begin navigating the following day. It’s leading edge was massive with a 75 ft vertical wall of dirty ice from thousands of years of accumulation.
Soon we caught sight of the Paiju Camp perched on the Northern side of the valley amongst a grove of trees. The last half hour of hiking was HOT but I refused to shed my long sleeve shirt and pants because I preferred sweating over being caked in dust. When we finally reached camp, we could see that it was a multi-terraced campsite that was surrounded by large cottonwoods, who were being watered by streams flowing off the side of the mountain. We made quick work of the tents to avoid the incoming dust storm but before hopping into our tent, I purchased a Coke for $1,000 Pakistani Ruppes ($10 USD) from a porter. It was my little reward for my recovery and I enjoyed every sip. Yes, Mom, I flossed and brushed my teeth before bed! It was an early night for everyone because we knew that our toughest day of the trek to K2BC was just a few hours away.
Paiju Camp