Who are High Altitude Porters?
These are Pakistani climbers who work on the 8,000m mountains in the Karakorum each year. Similar to Sherpas in Nepal, they carry loads and sometimes (rarely) fix ropes. However, they have a different work ethic than the Sherpas you hear about, It is not uncommon for HAP to refuse to climb in bad weather or above certain altitudes. This means you have to be prepared to be self-sufficient on the climbs. That said, there are exceptional Pakistani climbers out there. The basic issue is a lack of training. There are serious efforts underway to im0rove their overall skills.
