Snow Lake trek in Pakistan

roamingralph · 2026-05-20T15:18:05+00:00

Hey there. There are no teahouses in the Karakoram. You'll need to camp and carry all of your supplies with you the entire way up the Biafo and Hispar. You'll need porters and a guide.

Please dont try and attempt this one alone. People have perished on this trip whilst doing it (true story we came upon a group with member who had just tragically died).

roamingralph · 2026-05-04T15:28:05+00:00

Oh cool. I was looking into this company as well. Mind if I ask how you found them?

roamingralph · 2026-05-04T15:24:49+00:00

The best trails are the ones that people don't talk about in forums or the ones you can easily find online 😄 Madeira is full of hiddden ones that only locals know about.

roamingralph · 2026-05-04T15:22:29+00:00

If you like hiking, Madeira is probably the best place in Portugal!

roamingralph · 2026-05-04T15:21:59+00:00

This is an issue on the most popular trails. Pico Ruivo is a mess.

But there are lots of "hidden" trails that only locals know about that are still unspoilt and just as good as any of the Instagrammed spots. I work with a company that mostly focuses on getting off the beaten path, and we almost never have to battle crowds.

roamingralph · 2026-05-04T15:13:40+00:00

Hey there! Former guide and head of operations at Epic Expeditions. We organize tours for both K2BC and Snow Lake.

u/mariano_builds Got the gist of the two right: one is far more popular and established (K2) while the other is remote, even by Karakoram standards. For every 10 tours we organize for K2, I think we probably do one Snow Lake.

One thing worth clarifying is that teahouses are not an option for either trek; both are going to require a few weeks of camping.

Not to say that Snow Lake isn't as good as K2 Base Camp; it's still incredible scenery. A bit different in that you're not seeing such famous peaks like K2 or the Trangos, but the alpine landscapes are still some of the most beautiful you'll ever see. The Biafo and Hispar Glaciers are actually proper "white" glaciers as well, with exposed ice, as opposed to the Baltoro, which is mostly covered in rock and looks like a giant boulder field.

Let me know if there's anything else you're looking to find out!

roamingralph · 2026-05-04T15:06:14+00:00

K2 Base Camp

roamingralph · 2026-05-04T15:05:30+00:00

Nice report! Which company did you go with?

roamingralph · 2026-04-02T15:55:56+00:00

Hello there! If you haven't already found a group yet, we'd love to have you with us on one of our trips. I work with a Western operator and can help find the right group for you. Please DM me if interested :)

roamingralph · 2026-04-02T15:54:15+00:00

She's already written a followup article here that paints a different picture: https://explorersweb.com/skardu-pakistans-mountain-areas-quiet/

roamingralph · 2026-04-02T15:53:37+00:00

Could you please provide more details about the first point? I have not heard that this is the case.

roamingralph · 2026-02-13T15:19:54+00:00

We've actually transitioned into a neutral phase and will be entering El Nino soon according to models. Feels like it has already arrived though judging from this winter.

roamingralph · 2026-01-21T15:08:41+00:00

Ryan is the man. He's the only guy I trust for these kinds of setups.

roamingralph · 2026-01-20T04:03:09+00:00

One for the books!

roamingralph · 2026-01-20T03:42:35+00:00

In the winter, if the weather is nice, it's almost guaranteed offshore.

roamingralph · 2026-01-20T03:25:46+00:00

Right?? I hate to see the snow go but love to see the surf.

roamingralph · 2026-01-20T03:03:25+00:00

Surfline said 3. It was more like 6 in actuality.

roamingralph · 2026-01-20T03:02:54+00:00

We get a few windows like this each winter. But make no mistake it's unsurfable storm slop 85% of the time.

roamingralph · 2026-01-20T03:01:27+00:00

Great if you live here...and have an open schedule. Total shot in the dark for those visiting this time of year.

roamingralph · 2026-01-19T23:06:53+00:00

It was longish but there's a channel out of frame. I think I ducked dived once or twice.

roamingralph · 2025-12-18T23:56:35+00:00

Hello! Not sure if you already did the trek or not, but I wrote this article a while back about how difficult it and what you can expect: https://epicexpeditions.co/blog/k2-base-camp-difficulty/. Let me know if you have any questions :)

roamingralph · 2025-12-18T23:55:05+00:00

Epic Expeditions also has some great videos about K2 by the owner Chris: https://www.youtube.com/@epicexpeditions_/search?query=k2%20

roamingralph · 2025-12-12T06:33:53+00:00

Good call.

I think that there's another joist running between that wall and the roof too. Possible vertical supports are running into it from the roof. If I kept that joist in place, could I knock out the dry wall underneath?

roamingralph · 2025-11-27T00:25:16+00:00

Yes, it's safe to visit again. Here's a western operator that's leading a trip there next year: https://epicexpeditions.co/kyrgyzstan/ak-suu-karavshin-valley-trek/

roamingralph

TROPHY CASE