The Complete Guide to Base Camp Treks in the Himalayas of China and Pakistan, from Shishapangma to K2!

Trekking in remote Himalayan regions requires even more thorough prior knowledge and information to minimize isolation and risk.
So, if you are planning or dreaming of trekking in the Karakoram Himalayas, I highly recommend this book.
- Hong Seong-taek, mountaineer and explorer

Perhaps because I am known to be obsessed with the Himalayas, people often ask me about trekking in the Himalayas.
In such cases, I recommend 『14 Himalayan Peaks for Ordinary People』 without any detailed explanation.
This book contains more detailed and accurate information about trekking because it was written by the author, a married couple, while personally visiting the base camps of the 14 peaks of the Himalayas.
- Mountaineer Kim Mi-gon

The Himalayas have 14 peaks over 8,000 meters.
Of those 14 peaks, 8 are located in Nepal and India, and trekking information for them is covered in Ordinary People's 14 Himalayan Peaks.
This book records the base camp treks to Shishapangma in China, and Broad Peak, K2, Gasherbrum 1, Gasherbrum 2, and Nanga Parbat in Pakistan.


It has been difficult to find accurate information on how to visit Shishapangma Base Camp, but readers of this book will be able to learn in detail how to trek to Shishapangma Base Camp in China and what to be careful of when entering China.
This book will provide you with all the information you need to know about trekking in the Karakoram Mountains in Pakistan, including how to do it, what challenges await you, and what to prepare for.


There is ample information on trekking to Annapurna and Everest Base Camp in Nepal, as many Koreans have done so, but information on the Pakistani side is not easy to obtain.
Unlike Nepal, it is difficult to trek alone and requires a team, and the difficulties and challenges of the course are explained in detail, making it an invaluable resource for those who enjoy snowy mountains.

I lay comfortably all day and thought about the route I would take tomorrow.
Tomorrow, as soon as we leave camp, we cross a small hill and enter the perennial snow zone of the Baltoro Glacier, which has been frozen for hundreds of millions of years.
As the glacier melts, it bursts out through a small hole, becoming the source of the Braldo River.
The Braldu River flows downstream and joins the Indus River, becoming as large and wide as the sea, watering the land and flowing into the Arabian Sea.
After several days of climbing the glacier and passing through rocky and ice fields, we reach Concordia and encounter the great mountains we have longed to see: K2, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum 1-2.
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149

Leaving the Payu Camp and climbing the hill, there was a sign on a rock indicating the way to Great Trango Towers (6,286m) among the Trango Mountains.
But because of the rain, it was foggy and I couldn't see anything.
This mountain is the dream of rock climbers.
After climbing the rocky path for a while, I suddenly looked back and saw the Payu Camp nestled in a small green forest for the last time.
Now the green forest ends here, and hot heat and a rough road await us.
From here, the Baltoro Glacier (63 km) begins.
Swiss Mountaineering Research Foundation (Swiss)
According to the Karakoram map from the Foundation for Alpine Research, this glacier is one of the longest in the world outside the Antarctic and Arctic.
Other long glacier chains include the Fedchenko Glacier (77 km) in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan, the Siachen Glacier (70 km) southeast of Baltoro, Pakistan, and the Biafo Glacier (67 km) northwest of Baltoro.
As glaciers melt every year, their length increases.
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155

On K2, both nature and people are harsh on those who fail to meet the mountain's exacting demands.
Nature doesn't even provide an easy way down, and people often charge a significant additional fee.
The stories of those who failed at mountaineering are not well known.
It's because people don't want to talk about their failures or only want to remember the good things.
However, many disputes arose over additional payment issues when settling with the team later because they were unaware of these unfair conditions.
Stories of failure have the effect of preventing those who follow from repeating the same mistakes.
In some ways, it's more helpful than success stories.
Our team carefully selected the agencies by looking at reviews online and listening to stories from people who had actually gone trekking through those agencies.
While we respected the customs here, we objected to many of the additional options in the contract, eliminating the risky parts and adding many safety measures.
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172

It snowed all night, but in the morning we were able to briefly see K2 and Broad Peak shining brightly.
However, many teams were stranded in Concordia.
Today, there were people who just descended, people who waited, and even teams who hoped that other teams would open the way first.
What everyone had in common was for the snow to stop falling and melt.
The weather was bad last night, and it snowed all night and into the morning, so I was worried.
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205

I liked it when the guide shouted loudly at dawn.
I went outside to see what was going on, and there before us stood K2, a gigantic diamond pillar jutting into the sky, its frost-cold appearance showing us all the way to the summit.
Surrounding the Emperor K2 are the prime minister's Broad Peak, the highest mountain in the world, and the highest officials' mountains, including Gasherbrum and Angel Peak, and six glaciers and hundreds of mountains serve as vassals.
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215

The clear, cool water from Nanga Parbat flowing through the middle of the campsite and the base camp covered in green grass were surreal.
It is the perfect place to rest your tired body after passing through snow, hail, glaciers, and countless hills between sharp mountains.
Since the restaurant tent and our tent had not yet arrived, we sat on the grass and rested while looking out at the foggy mountains.
At Herlikofer Base Camp, there were people pitching tents and selling goods throughout the season.
I bought and drank a cold cola soaked in a stream.

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293