Khumbu valley

                      

The khumbu valley sweeps toward pheriche between the towering shape of taboche and insignificant- looking pokalde. It’s a broad valley gently tilted with poor stunted vegetation, but as you progress through it, so its character changes. Instead of continuing in a northwesterly direction, it’s necessary to veer right and climb northeast towards the khumbu glacier. The glacier is not properly seen, but the bulldozed moraines that line it become a prominent feature of the landscape. Some way above Duglha you enter a stony section with pumori lingtren and khumbutse blocking the valley head. Along the crest that unites them runs the border with Tibet. All around huge mountains soar in a crescent of rock snow and ice. Yet mount Everest remains elusive despite its close proximity. Effectively hidden by Nuptse’s south- west face it will not be seen until you climb above Gorak shep to kala patter.

  

Safety on Thorung la pass

                                         Safety on Thorung la pass

 Thorung la is a high pass and crossing it is potentially dangerous. It is easiest and safest to cross thorung la from east to west as in this rote description. If you travel from west to east there are no camp sites or water sources on the west side of the pass from a meadow above Muktinath at 4100m, to a spot two to three hours past the pass on the manang side at 4510m. This means that you have to make a 1300m climb plus at least a 900m descent in a single day. This is a difficult feat for most people specially those who have not yet acclimatize to high altitude. The trails are less steep on the manang side of the pass and in the event of a problem you can call on the resources of the Himalayan Rescue relationship post in Manang.

From manang to muktinath the pass is not difficult, but it is still a long trek and the high elevation can cause problems particularly for those without previous high- altitude incident. You might have to return to besi sahar if it is impossible or dangerous to cross thorung la because of snow or altitude sickness. It’s not possible to define exact dates but thorung la is usually snowbound and closed from mid December to late February. There are years when the weather allows it to stay open throughout the winter, and other times when unseasonable storms close it in October or April. Be sure to read the Altitude Sickness section in the Health & safety chapter (p126) so that you are aware of the symptoms. Trekkers died on thorung la because of altitude sickness exposure, cold and avalanche.

   

The windswept thorung la can create altitude problem for Around Annapurna trekking. At 5416m it is one of the world’s highest trekking goals.

Tilicho lake From khangdar

                                   Tilicho lake From khangdar

 This high lake filled saddle offers a little used route to jomsom that avoids the thorong la, but the risk of avalanche and frequently bitter weather dampen most notions of taking it for the recreational trekker. Crossing to jomsom this way is really the domin of well equipped mountaineers. However, it is not such an ordeal for trekkers to reach the lake from khangsar. Check that the lodges and trail options en route are open.

 During the season, while good weather continues two lodges are open at tilicho base camp , making an attempt on tilicho lake feasible for wellacclimatised trekker. ( One very fit trekker did it all one day from khangsar, but normal trekkers dhould plan three orbetter four extra days for a return trip from manang.) stay in khangsar to acclimatize and then head to tilicho base camp passing there Gompa. The high trail to Tilicho can be closed by dangerous landslides. The spectacular lower trail is hard loose underfoot, unstable and potentially dangerous, especially crossing sands where oddly designed pinnacles stand like sentinels. Allow 6-9 hrs for this walk.

 From Tilicho basecamp it’s an arduously steep climb much on loose moraine to a chorten (5000m ) and on to the viewpoint. Tilicho lake (4920m/16,140ft ) is a fabulous spectacle with its deep blue waters, tumbling glaciers and the great fluted icy wall of the glistening grand barrier. Return to base camp and the next day head back to khangsar and or manang.

      

Foothills of Lamjung Himal

                           Foothills of Lamjung Himal
Bound by the marsyangdi River and stretching west towards pokhara is the Lamjung District, a major new area for trekking within the Annapurna region. New routes ( and dirt roads ) are being rapidly developed type of visitor. Through home stay programmers modest trekking is being combined with cultural interaction   village development. Hikers looking for a more authentic intimate experience of traditional rural Nepal will want to check out these new routes Home stays with local families are being encouraged in order to spread the visitor’s dollars into areas where until now only subsistence agriculture has sustained has way of life.
 These new trails do not require quite such a high level of fitness and enable visitors to enjoy perhaps a more comfortable trekkers ghettos of the main trails. Bizarrers ghettos of the main trails. Bizarrely this latest almost fashionable initiative is a kind of reinvention of the good old days of early trekking 40 years ago. Note also that when you travel back in time you can’t expect the level of luxury lodges provide on the main trails. There trails offer fine scenery tranquility and equally spectacular view.
                     

Above base camp

                                            Above base camp

 The Rongbuk base camp is usually much less busy than the Nepalese equivalent on the khumbu glacier, and while from the latter base camp Everest cannot be seen at all at rongbuk the view of the world’s highest mountain is simply stunning . The North face where all the pre-war attempts took place- can be seen rising majestically out of the Rongbuk glacier. Behind changtse ( the north peak now named bei peak) now named bei peak) lies the North col, with the north Ridge rising from that to the summit ridge ( North –East Ridge).

Writing in 1998 of the view of Everest Bill Tilman said seen from Rongbuk it looms up magnificently filling the head of the valley. The final pyramid with or without its streaming banner is a glorious thing. Basecamp is located on the flat moraine at the tired of the Rongbuk (Rongpu) glacier, and about halfway