In reply to beckycoles:
several trips there. lots of possibilities.
infrastructure-wise tajikistan ranks just short of the moon, tho its improving. permits for gorno-badakhstan (GB) are now usually available with the visa so you can enter from kyrgyzstan, saving a fair amount of hassle coming thru dushanbe (flights to khorog can be delayed by weeks, and its a long drive otherwise, plus dushanbe is a pain in the ass to fly too, tho transits thru istanbul are becoming better).
beyond the military highway the pamir has been scantily penetrated. anything too near china is restricted. the pamir alay can be accessed from an alternative route to kyrgyzstan, but is in a state of obscure restriction.
first ascents are very possible, particularly in the alay. deeper into the pamir opens up more possibility but is really hard to access. the porter system as it exists in nepal/pakistan doesnt so much here, making getting gear into bc harder as you need to track it all down yourself (no eager crowds waiting).
a good idea would be to base a few ascents out of a central bc.
most of the main pamir is very dry with high snow lines and little vegetation. most water is variable over the day.
tips; total self sufficiency and no strict time-line. tajikistan is a hard place but awesome.
there are operators in the country (as in climbing, not just as in blackwater).
security is ok nowdays.
i will pm you some more details.
