This is a very esoteric part of the Karakoram that I visited in 1991. The team members of the Masherbrum Two Expedition had dispersed, most of them taking the bus to Islamabad and onwards by plane back to Britain. I had more time on my hands and so escaped northwards instead. The peaks of the Batura Group held my interest because they were hidden from view on the Karakoram Highway, but not so distant from it that I couldn`t backpack alone with a tent and five days supply of food in order to get right amongst them.
The Batura Wall is a 10 km long and imposing ridge above 7000 metres that periodically sends down enormous avalanches to the glacier some 4000 vertical metres below, itself one of the longest outside the polar regions. To the north and to the west of Batura One, 7,795 metres, there is no higher point on the Earth.

Sub-peaks of Nanga Parbat
from Fairy Meadows

Nanga Parbat from
Fairy Meadows

Ultar from
Karimabad

Batura Peaks from Kukhil

Karakoram Highway

Phuparash peaks from Dache

Disteghil Sar range from Zagakpert

Kuk Sar range from Kukhil

Seiri Parkush from Gutchisham

Disteghil Sar range from Zagakpert

Nanga Parbat

Near Passu on the Karakoram Highway

Muchhu Chhish

Batura sub-peaks

Muchhu Chhish and Batura peaks

Disteghil Sar from Batura Glacier

Sani Parkush and Seiri Parkush

Haramosh from above Iskere

Noukarsich Peak, Batura group

Nanga Parbat from Fairy Meadows

Bus by Indus River

Kuk Sar from Gutchisham

Indus River, Skardu-Gilgit Road

On the road from Skardu to Gilgit

Baltit Fort, Karimabad

Hunza Valley from Karimabad

Tupopdan Peaks

Peaks north of Zagakpert

Snout of Batura Glacier

Passu Diar and Noukarsich Peak

Ultar peaks from Aliabad

Indus River, Skardu-Gilgit Road

Indus River, Skardu-Gilgit Road

Ultar peaks from Aliabad

Irrigated land on Skardu-Gilgit Road

Peaks above Passu

Peaks above Passu,
Karakoram Highway

Avalanche on
Passu Peak

Avalanche on Passu Peak,
2 minutes later

Avalanche on Passu Peak,
5 minutes later

Avalanche on Passu Peak,
nearly 10 minutes later

Batura Peaks from the
Lower Batura Glacier

Disused buildings near Passu

Disteghil Sar group from Batura Glacier

Looking up the Batura Glacier

Lower Batura Glacier

Batura Peaks from Kukhil

Sani Parkush from above Gutchisham


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