| Gondogoro Pass | |
|---|---|
| གོནྡོ་གོརོ་ལ། (Balti) | |
 View of Hushe Valley from Gondogoro Pass | |
| Elevation | 5,585 metres (18,323 ft)(5585 on SRTM 30 meter); the climbing route crosses not at the low point of the pass, but higher and just to the west (at 5618m based on numerous GPS calculations [1] |
| Location |  Pakistan (Hushe, in Ghanche District, is 25 km to the southwest) |
| Range | Karakoram |
| Coordinates | 35°39′9″N 76°28′28″E / 35.65250°N 76.47444°E |
  Gondogoro Pass Location of the Biarchedi Glacier within the greater Karakoram region  Gondogoro Pass Gondogoro Pass (Gilgit Baltistan) | |
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Gondogoro Pass (Balti: གོནྡོ་གོརོ་ལ།, romanized: Gondo goro la; Urdu: گوندوگرو) is a mountain pass that stands at an elevation of 5585 meters. It is located in the Baltistan region of Pakistan, approximately 25 km south of the world's second-highest peak, K2. This pass serves as a connection between the Gondogoro Glacier to the southwest and the Vigne Glacier to the northeast.
On the southwest side of the pass, the route descends into the Hushe village, which contains the highest settlements in the Ghangche District. Most climbers and trekkers approach Gondogoro Pass from the northeast side. In 1986, a route was established that connects Concordia in the upper Baltoro Glacier to the Hushe Valley by crossing the Gondogoro Pass. Since then, the pass has become a popular destination for trekkers and climbers. It offers views of the Karakoram's 8000m peaks.
The Gondogoro La, while a popular trekking route, presents challenging conditions. It involves Class 4 climbing that necessitates the use of crampons. On the northeast side, there are steep snow slopes with angles of up to 50 degrees, which pose avalanche risks and often require the use of fixed ropes. The southwest side presents a longer and continuous 50-degree slope, accompanied by potential rockfall and avalanche hazards, which may require the installation of up to 300 meters of fixed ropes.
On 17 July 2021, Yahya Aziz, a 10-year-old from Lahore, Pakistan, achieved the remarkable feat of crossing the Gondogoro La, becoming the youngest person to do so.[2]
- ^ Bernhard Krainer (1 July 2008). "Hushe-Gondogoro La". Pacasa. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "10-year-old becomes youngest Pakistani to reach K2 base camp". Daily Pakistan Global. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2024.