The southern Rupalface of Nanga Parbat (Page 5 of 5)

Picture-gallery of the Mazeno Pass towards Diamilface of Nanga Parbat (click to enlarge the pictures)

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Once that the Mazeno-Pass (5.377m) is reached, it is a 300m decent to the upper Loiba-Glacier. Depending on weather-situations this side of the pass is snow-covered, which makes sometimes the use of ropes and crampons necessary, at least to make the route save for the porters. We have done the crossing of Mazeno-Pass several times in all possible weather conditions, ranging from deep snowfall to nearly snow-free conditions. The complicated part is the upper and specially the lower end of the descent, when one has to climb for about 30m from the stone-area to the glacier. The picture below (taken with a 50mm lens), right, shows this part which is regualry ice-covered.

Upper part of descenting Mazeno Pass; right: complicated lower-part of descent (click to see enlarged details)

Lower part of descent; whole descent-route; walking out on Loiba-glacier (click to see enlarged details)

The pictures below were taken during the descent on the Loiba-glacier, showing the whole wall of the Mazeno-Pass. The pictures left and in the middle were taken in late August during two of several crossings in differnt years. It is astonishing, how the snow-conditions can change. If you reach the Mazeno-Pass and are unsure, wether you can make the way down, please have in mind the equipment of the porters - they have no trekking shoes, no crampons, no rope - and carry loads of 20kg. You are responsible for them!

Back-view to Mazeno Pass from Loiba: snowcoverd, snowfree; leaving the Loiba-glacier

Once having ended the 300m descent one reaches the Loiba-glacier and walks there for about 3hours to reach the camp Upper Loiba (4.200m). To this campsite it is about 9hours total walk from Mazeno-highcamp.

"Karo-Pass" from Loiba to the Diamer-face of Nanga-Parbat; crossing Diamer-glacier from south to north

On the route down to the Upper-Loiba-Campsite one comes along the Karo-pass (Karo=circle) which leads directly to the shepherd-settlement Seri Gali Bond on the south-moraine of the Diamer-glacier - a spectacular shortcut if one plans to reach the Diamer-face-Basecamp. This pass is exposed to stone-fall and by going over this pass you will make your local porters unhappy, because by going down to Loiba they will reach their homes and could rest with their families.