Review Snow Lake Trek

Review: The Biafo-Hispar Glaciers Traverse (Snow Lake Trek)

Jin Wang August 2023 snow lake trek

So what’s next after K2 BC? A challenging but unique rewording choice is the Biafo-Hispar Glaciers traverse, simply known as the Snow Lake trek. This epic adventure traverses the Biafo- Hispar glacier system of 100km, the longest “Highway of Ice” outside the Polar Regions, without requirements of prior climbing experience. The 100km traverse is composed of 51km on the Biafo Glacier and 49km on the Hispar Glacier, with Hispar La (pass) at 5,150m connecting the two.

Snow Lake, a high-elevation glacier basin also known as Lukpe Lawo, lies just below the east side of Hispar La. Four tributary glaciers make up its core area: Lukpe Lawo Glacier, Tahu Rutum Glacier, upper Biafo Glacier, and Sim Gang Glacier. It is one of the largest glacial basins outside the Polar Regions.

In addition to the legendary 100km length, three aspects make the journey epic and truly unique for a well-prepared trekker.

First, the traverse involves ascending the HEAD of the Biafo Glacier to reach Hispar La at 5,150m. Most trekkers may only see the head of a glacier from the distance and never have a chance to put a foot on it.

Second, it crosses an Ice Divide that separates the ice/snow flow of the Biafo Glacier from that of the Hispar Glacier. Hispar La @ 5,150m lies on this Biafo- Hispar Ice Divide. Again, while most trekkers may step on and even walk along a Continent Divide or two, they won’t have a chance to cross an ice divide separating legendary glaciers in their lifetime.

Finally, it descends the HEAD of the Hispar Glacier from the Ice Divide before reaching Hispar village, the first human settlement since the trek departure from Askoli 13 days ago, where the 100km traverse ends.

To show what this epic Snow Lake trek journey can offer when the weather cooperates, I’ve attached 17 photos, below, taken by a top-of-the-line Canon EOS camera during the trek.

The snow lake trek is, however, challenging and strenuous in several ways, so it’s not for everyone even after he/she has completed the K2 Base Camp Trek or Everest BC trek:

• Miles and miles of walking are over off-trail moraines, which can be very taxing.
• Most of the walk is off-grid and very remote. Karfogoro camp, for example, is 6 days away from the nearest human settlements (Askoli and Hispar village) in either direction.
• Mountain weather is unpredictable, so adding buffer day(s) to wait out bad weather is an important part of the trip itinerary planning. This may be difficult for those who are already short on time. While there are only about 200 people a year making the traverse, the rugged and glaciated landform of the Karakorum is one of the few remote corners of the world that remain wild without human intervention. In comparison, even K2 nowadays has set up fixed ropes. Trango Adventure is an excellent choice for this trek. My trek was well organized end-to-end. My Balti guides and porter chief were very experienced, and they were eager to share with me a deep love of their Karakorum backyard. My cook and porters were strong, experienced, and hard-working, appreciating the flow of the trekking economy to their remote villages and families. A satellite phone for emergency use was provided. The company was flexible, happy to customize my itinerary, and willing to step in and do the best for clients. In summary, the Biafo-Hispar Glaciers traverse is rewarding, and it is truly unique in several ways that may not be apparent at first look. Trango Adventure provides excellent guiding services and all the logistics end-to-end and delivers better values than Western-based travel agencies that subcontract to local agents.

Snow Lake Trek Review with GPS Tracks

Review Snow Lake Trek with 17 Photos and Caption Text: