Cybercast

Return to Islamabad

Hi Friends,

We have made it back to Islamabad last night by 10pm. We had a couple of tricky spots on the drive that could have gone either way. We were fortunate to make it back in time for the folks flying at 3:30am to get showers and clean up a bit after the 17 hour drive via Babusar pass.
Driving the mountain roads in Pakistan is no joke. Due to the difficulties with weather and flight cancellations we logged over 1,500km on this journey from Islamabad to near the Chinese border and back. We have seen a lot of the countryside of Northern Pakistan.

It’s really unfortunate that Pakistan gets such a negative view in the eyes of many Westerners. We found the country to be nothing short of amazing and it’s people generally very welcoming, kind and hospitable. The North especially holds an unreal mix of cultural, tribal, historical depth/complexity unmatched by any region of the world I have spent time. Truly amazing.
My heart goes out to the Pakistani people who are experiencing huge loss and grief in the historic monsoon floods occurring this year. Over 15% of Pakistans 250+ million people have been displaced. Imagine if that happened in the States.

My Thanks to a wonderful team of people on this journey and to all of their hard work and patience to make it a great experience for the TEAM!

Lastly – but certainly not least I would be remiss to not give thanks to our amazing Pakistani driver Rafeek and our wonderful guide Momin who ensured our well-being and helped to provide an in depth cultural experience in the beautiful Hunza Valley of Northern Pakistan.

Thanks for following along!

Eric Murphy

Team doing well at Gilgit

Hi friends,

We all had a great journey up to Fairy Meadows on the Southern side of Nanga Parbat, the worlds 9th highest mountain.
Yesterday we descended down the wild jeep road back the the KKH and to the lovely Serena hotel in Gilgit.
Today we were scheduled to fly back to Islamabad, however our flight has been cancelled.
You may have seen some of the international news of the monsoon flooding here in Pakistan. Rest assured we are all doing fine, just experiencing travel delays. We will see what options present today!
Thanks for following along.

Eric and the team

Thanks
Eric Murphy

Fairy Meadows

Hi Friends we are all up at Fairy Meadows on south side of Nanga Parbat, 9th highest mountain at 8126m. Team is doing great.

Some relaxed exploring!

Day hiking today and enjoying the area.

Down from Rakaposhi

Hi everyone,

We are down from a wet but fun adventure up to Rakaposhi base camp. Our 1st day up we got hit with a big rainstorm, enough to get everyone soaked. We were all a bit cold for a while but once shelter was up we’re able to get dry and comfortable. On our rest day we walked in the glacier and explored the moraine ridges surrounding base camp. Today we walked down to Minapin village and got cleaned up, enjoying lunch and dinner here at Osho Thang. We celebrated Jessica’s birthday with a local cake!
Tomorrow we are off to Fairy Meadows on the Southern side of Nanga Parbat the 9th highest mountain in the world at 8123 meters.
We will be up exploring that area for 3 days and offline. Back down to Gilgit on Friday.

Thanks for following along

Eric and the team

Thanks
Eric Murphy

From Kilimanjaro: t was without a doubt the most enjoyable expedition I have been a part of. From the beginning to end, the level of competency, attention to detail, knowledge base, and guideship was top notch. Not only was Eric Murphy a pillar of knowledge, the Tanzanian crew were clearly a cut above the other outfits crews.

ALPINE ASCENTS BLOG

  • So you’re thinking about applying to the BIPOC Guide Development Program?

    By Sof Petros (she/they) So you’re thinking about applying to the 2024 Alpine Ascents x Edgeworks BIPOC Guide Development Program? My name is Sof Petros (she/they), I’m a rock climbing guide and instructor based in Snohomish, WA and a graduate of the inaugural 2023 cohort of this BIPOC Guide Development Program. I was truly so […]

  • Top 5 Questions: Mexico Volcanoes

    With our first Mexico Volcanoes trip of the winter season fast approaching, we sat down with guide Hannah McGowan for her words of wisdom when it comes to this iconic climbing trip. Mexico Volcanoes:  Top 5 Questions What’s the food like? Simply put, the food on this expedition is awesome! We eat at a variety […]

  • Reading the Weather: How to Use History, Experience, and Forecasting to your Advantage

    by Elias Zane-Holt Weather! What a dynamic and ethereal thing. As I sat down to share my thoughts with you all, I had two key epiphanies. First, I think we tend to underestimate the impact of weather on our daily lives. Weather is constantly affecting our mood, and swaying our critical choice making each day– […]

Partners & Accreditations

Alpine Ascents International is an authorized mountain guide service of Denali National Park and Preserve and Mount Rainier National Park.
© Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved. Alpine Ascents International