The Karakoram

Colin Prior's The Karakoram beautifully captures the breathtaking landscapes of one of the world's most stunning mountain ranges through stunning photography and personal narratives.

The ice mountains of the Karakoram are a stunning testament to nature's grandeur, featuring K2, the second tallest mountain on Earth at 8,611 meters. This majestic range is characterized by its steep vertical faces that quickly shed snow, leaving behind striking silhouettes of black granite that shimmer under the sun. Alongside K2, the Karakoram boasts three other peaks exceeding 8,000 meters: Gasherbrum I, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum II, as well as over 60 additional summits above 7,000 meters. The range stretches from the northeastern tip of Afghanistan, crossing into Pakistan, India, and China, forming a complex of mountain ranges that includes the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas.

What sets the Karakoram apart is its status as the most glaciated region outside the polar areas. While many of the world's renowned peaks are enveloped in snow, the unique geography of the Karakoram allows for rapid snow shedding. The name 'Karakoram' itself is derived from a Turkic word meaning 'black rock,' aptly describing the rugged terrain. Colin Prior, a well-respected landscape photographer, found his inspiration to explore this region through the captivating imagery in Galen Rowell's book, In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods.

In The Karakoram, Prior shares the fruits of six expeditions to the remote Gilgit-Baltistan region over the last six years. Each journey required meticulous planning and navigation through challenging landscapes, including rock falls and snow-covered crevasses. The book features approximately 130 duotone and color photographs that capture the breathtaking beauty of the mountains, arranged to reflect Prior's route up the glaciers. Accompanying quotes from historical expedition accounts enrich the narrative, while a selection of behind-the-scenes images at the book's conclusion illustrates the difficulties of documenting this extraordinary mountain range.