Bara Brook, part of the Ganche district of Gilgit-Baltistan, towers high above the world in the mountains of Northern Pakistan. Here, livestock is one of the primary resources for the hardy villagers. Sheep, cows, yaks and especially goats, are the primary species. The size of herds, and type of livestock, depend on the size of the grazing areas, the number of households and the local climate conditions.

Every year in June, these animals are led to the high pastures as the snowy blanket of the long winter gives way to the summer vegetation for just a few short months. This set of photos depict a typical daily scene where lactating cows, yaks and crossbreds are allowed to free roam, and herdsmen watch over goats and other smaller ruminants. At night the animals are secured to protect them from predators such as lynx and snow leopards looking for their next meal. The milk from these animals is turned into several traditional dairy products such as lassi, butter and yogurt. The younger villagers carry these down into the towns of Bara, whilst the veteran shepherds spend the whole Summer tending to their flocks up in the mountains. At the end of September, as the cold weather rolls back in, the shepherds return to their villages with their flock, storing them in their houses until next year.

Independent, isolated, and illiterate, the pastoralists of Gilgit-Baltistan face an uncertain future. Historically, Balti people have proven themselves adaptable to new situations; as long as the environment is spacious and rural, they can do well. However, climate change and socioeconomic development bring new challenges and even tougher conditions. Can these rugged mountain people, with faces weathered from a tough life, adjust to the new social and environmental landscape that now confronts them?