Mountain Madness Gasherbrum II 2005: Islamabad

Dispatch: This is Charlie Fowler reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan. On July 29 Megan, Nick and Joe flew from Skardu to Islamabad. Some of our gear had not been delivered from basecamp, so I waited in Skardu an extra day for it to arrive. When the gear did arrive, I was unable to fly to Islamabad, so I traveled overland back down the Karakoram Highway, a bumpy two-day trip.

Joe took off for home yesterday evening, while Nick and Megan checked into a nice hotel and will be relaxing there a few days before traveling on. Today I will be finishing up expedition business, including a de-briefing at the Ministry Of Tourism. Tomorrow morning I begin the long flight home to Colorado. It will be good to be home, but already I am thinking of returning soon to Pakistan.

Cheers, Charlie

Earlier Dispatch: This is Charlie Fowler reporting from Skardu. We arrive here yesterday afternoon after a long jeep ride from the trailhead at Askole. We left basecamp on July 24, intent on going over the pass of Gondogora La to the village of Hushe, but bad weather thwarted our plans. Instead we had to hike back down the Baltoro Glacier, a trek we accomplished in 3 longs days with 10 to 12 hours of hiking each day.

Hot showers, clean clothes and relaxing in a real bed were the highlights of yesterday afternoon and evening. Today team members went hiking and sightseeing while I took care of some expedition business with our Liaison Officer, Capt. Asif. We are scheduled to fly to Islamabad tomorrow morning and from there back home in a few more days. Cheers, Charlie

Updates

Millet One Sport Everest Boot  has made some minor changes by adding more Kevlar. USES Expeditions / High altitude / Mountaineering in extremely cold conditions / Isothermal to -75°F Gore-Tex® Top dry / Evazote Reinforcements with aramid threads. Avg. Weight: 5 lbs 13 oz Sizes: 5 - 14 DESCRIPTION Boot with semi-rigid shell and built-in Gore-Tex® gaiter reinforced by aramid threads, and removable inner slipper Automatic crampon attachment Non-compressive fastening Double zip, so easier to put on Microcellular midsole to increase insulation Removable inner slipper in aluminized alveolate Fiberglass and carbon footbed Cordura + Evazote upper Elasticated collar. Expedition footwear for mountaineering in conditions of extreme cold.  NOTE US SIZES LISTED. See more here.

A cold weather, high altitude double boot for extreme conditions The Olympus Mons is the perfect choice for 8000-meter peaks. This super lightweight double boot has a PE thermal insulating inner boot that is coupled with a thermo-reflective outer boot with an integrated gaiter. We used a super insulating lightweight PE outsole to keep the weight down and the TPU midsole is excellent for crampon compatibility and stability on steep terrain. WEIGHT: 39.86 oz • 1130 g LAST: Olympus Mons CONSTRUCTION: Inner: Slip lasted Outer: Board Lasted OUTER BOOT: Cordura® upper lined with dual-density PE micro-cellular thermal insulating closed cell foam and thermo-reflective aluminium facing/ Insulated removable footbed/ Vibram® rubber rand See more here.

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