China – Pamir, Mustagh Ata, 2004
After crossing the Pakistani - Chinese border on Khunjerab Pass (4 934 m) we continued North along the Karakoram Highway for another 200 km in China.
Approximately 20 km before reaching the Karakul Lake we turned to Subashi village (3 800 m), which is to be found just a few kilometers North East from the Karakoram Highway. We travelled on a truck to Qultumak, a Kirghiz yurt vilage (4 070 m). We continued on foot with our load carried by donkeys to Mustagh Ata base camp at 4 450 m.
We have built three high camps along the climbing route: C1 at 5 400 m, C2 at 6 100 m and C3 at 6 900 m.
We have spent only ten days on the mountain. The temparatures ranged from 22 oC in Qultumak village to minus 25 oC in C2 and minus 30 oC in C3. The weather was not favourable, it snowed most of the time from our first day in base camp. Over the ten days we have spent there a meter of new snow fell above 6 000 m. Despite these difficult conditions three climbers from our expedition reached the summit at 7 546 m.
Back from Qultumak village to Subashi and to the Karakul Lake we travelled on a truck with all our gear. We continued North over the last part of Karakoram Highway by bus up to Kashgar, a Chinese city with a million inhabitants.
We stayed in Kashgar for a few days, went for a trip to Taklamakan Dessert, which lies 250 km North East from Kashgar. We rode on camels for half a day through the dessert, then returned back to the city.
From Kashgar we chose a faster and more comfortable way to Islamabad by airplane, then flew back to Europe from Islamabad.
