Samaya x Pica Herry x Sam Favret
STEEP SLOPES AT BALTORO
Pica Herry and Sam Favret, professional snowboarder and skier respectively, set off for Pakistan in May 2023. Accompanied by a team of local friends, their ambition is to explore new faces, to draw new lines in ever steeper playgrounds. Pica recounts this expedition, alone in the heart of the Baltoro glacier.
On Wednesday May 17, 2023, we set foot on the immense Baltoro glacier for the first time. We reached our third base camp on the third day of the trek, at 4100 metres on the north side of the Baltoro glacier. After a long 60-kilometer traverse from Askole, we take time to rest.
On May 20, we slowly made our way to Lobsang Point, where we spotted a couloir that looked neither too dry nor too far away. After 2 hours' walking on moraines and glacier, we reached the bottom of the couloir, switching from approach boots to snowboard boots. The snow quality doesn't seem optimal, with lots of relief and debris, but the atmosphere is incredible. After 3 hours of hard work, we reach the pass at around 5150 meters. The density of the surrounding mountains is simply magical. The first few turns are pleasant, even if the snow quickly turns.
The next day, we go climbing in the surrounding area, to take the strain off my knees and Sam's back. The weather forecast is bad for the next two weeks, and there are big discussions with the team to make the best decision. After so much preparation, it's hard to imagine going back. We decide to continue by going higher up the glacier.
The approach tests our bodies, but the views are insane. After a few hours' work, our camp is set up on a flat spot. We thank the porters, who turn back and leave us alone on the Baltoro.
At 5am, we set off to explore the Biarchedi glacier. The approach proves difficult. We cross rivers, skirt crevasses and regularly have to take off our skis.
We discover a 200-metre couloir facing west, with a beautiful approach to a smaller, safer glacier. We make good progress, but soon realize that the couloir is three times longer than we expected. The clouds play with the sun and the storm is never far away, but the snow looks nice and soft and the top of the couloir is getting closer. We carry on.
Unfortunately, a dozen meters from the pass, the weather deteriorates and it starts to snow. We switch to ski mode as quickly as possible and both descend, enjoying the pleasantly steep spring snow.
Over the next 5 days, the weather remained stormy and snowy. We spend a lot of time in the tent, and make the most of short breaks of sunshine to train in avalanche rescue and ice climbing.
A two-day weather window opens up and we plan to ride one of the twin couloirs on the north-east face of the Biarchedi towers: two 800-metre couloirs culminating at 5200 metres in the middle of a wide, complex, steep and rocky face. We have breakfast at 11.30pm and leave the camp under the light of the moon. We spot a pair of eyes on the glacier at night and think of a snow leopard. A little frightened, we regularly look behind us, sensing that the beast is following us into the night.
The first light of day allows us to see the majestic K2 rising above all the other mountains. The atmosphere is simply incredible! The walls around us are immense, filled with snow mushrooms of all sizes. After 20 minutes in the sun, we descend fairly quickly, hypnotized by our surroundings.
With a few more days at base camp, our goal now is to share a great day of splitboarding with the whole team. One morning, the weather looked good enough to try our luck on the west face of the Nudig peaks. As we reach the bottom of the couloir, it starts to snow, and we make the prudent decision to head for the opposite mountain to reach a nice, gently sloping descent line, with no danger of avalanche or exposure to sharp ice.
Back at camp, we decide to call an end to our trip due to the weather conditions. After a full day's trek across moraines, rivers, pebble fields and glaciers, we finally reach the Shigar valley, happy and satisfied to have skied amidst these awe-inspiring mountains.
This trip to the Karakoram was a memorable experience for the whole team. Despite the challenging weather and snow conditions, we were able to enjoy the incredible beauty of the mountains, the Baltoro glacier and the unique atmosphere of this region of Pakistan. The images and memories we shared will stay with us forever.
Photo credits Zom Connection
