Chapter 2: A WALK IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW
This chapter explains why I was in Pakistan - to say goodbye to my brother Peter, who died of altitude sickness on Broad Peak in 1983.
The photographs of the 1983 expedition are reproduced by kind permission of Greg Child.
Most of the photographs of the 1986 expedition were taken by me, with some contributed by other expedition members.
My brother, Pete Thexton, at a base camp somewhere in the Himalayas
Pete doing the expedition doctor thing – the backside probably belongs to Al Rouse, who died in Pakistan while I was there in 1986
Selecting porters in Skardu for the 1983 expedition
Pete leading a pitch high on Lobsang Spire – one sort of mountaineering
Portaledge bivouac on Lobsang Spire – looking down the cliff from which the portaledges are hanging
On Lobsang Spire – another hippy man
Another sort of mountaineering – Pete (just visible) ascending Broad Peak near the high camp The Baltoro Glacier is in the background, running down towards Urdukas
The last descent: Pete returning along the summit ridge of Broad Peak, K2 in the background
Map of the main mountains around the Baltoro glacier
Misunderstanding the national religion of Pakistan
1986: Greg Child was on his way out of the mountains as we were going in – we met in Skardu at the K2 Motel
A local porter carrying a load in the Braldu gorge
Urdukas
Base Camp Manager
Ghulam the cook things about the menu
Chicken dinner for fourteen
The goat, Stew
Standard expedition food
Rachel with one of the lip-sucking machines (see page 20) – try getting that through airport security today
Lip-sucking at high altitude
Count the bruises
Masherbrum by night
Gasherbrum IV
Lobsang Spire
At Urdukas
World’s coldest bath