The Karakoram Porters – a Hope for Earthquake Survivors

The only window of hope for the survivors of the earthquake are the Karakoram porters, who can keep the supply lines open during these harsh conditions.. Most of the trekking and mountaineering porters in Pakistan hail from Baltistan and Upper Hunza and they frequently have to carry heavy loads in remote areas, sometimes higher than many base camps (well over 5000 metres), in severe weather. Like their counterparts, the Sherpas, the Balti porters originate from Tibet from where they migrated to the Karakoram around six hundred years ago. These agile, tireless, hardworking porters are the backbones of most climbing expeditions ferrying massive loads.