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Published: October 21st 2009
Treking Team
Dean, Dawa Sherpa, Kaji Sherpa, and Cath. Dawa isn't joining us but he was super helpful.We are no longer doing to do the Dhaulagiri Circuit. The weather has been unsual this year and the recent unexpected snowfall covered up a lot of the crevasses along the glacier making it quite treacherous to cross. We couldn't find that many guides who were willing to take us.
Thanks to Google, Cath came up with an excellent alternative: The Nar and Phu valley followed by climb up Chulu Far East (6059m) and a side trip to Tilico lake. It will be a similar trek to the Annapurna circuit but in more isolated Tibetan valleys (permits required) so we can avoid the crowds in Annapurna. There are big crowds on Annapurna believe us! The whole trek will involve mostly camping, but there will be a few tea houses and should take about 20 days. Once we get our permits (Oct 21st), we will take the bus to Khudi (or another village close by) and start trekking.
The Nar and Phu valleys are newly opened, spectacular regions of ethnically Tibetan inhabitants This is a trek that combines high snow-peaks, ancient villages and high altitude grazing settlements (we hope to see some yaks). We will be taking one guide and
Chulu Far East
6059 meters. I'm not sure if this picture is accurate. a porter. Magnus, the porter will be necessary to carry the 12kg tent (it's the only one we could find). The guide will carry the other one. We will need quite a bit of mountaineering gear as well. We will be aclimatizing and moving safely up the mountain to avoid AMS.
We got a lot of help from a contact we made here (courtesy of Chris Goodman (Dean's boss)). The company is owned by Dawa Sherpa and he has been very helpful. He has set us up with Kaji Sherpa and another porter. Dawa is a veteren of in the expedition field here. It seems like a tighter group amoung the guide companies, sort of like our AR scene back home, everyone knows everyone. Dawa was actually asked to be a guide with Scott Fischer's team in the tragic 1996 Everest attempt that went horibily wrong. The book 'Into Thin Air' tells the story. He has also come 38 metres from the top of Everest.
We are really looking for to this trek - it will be a definite highlight of our trip. Being able to climb over 6000 metres (close to 20,000 ft) is something Dean has wanted to challenge himself with ever since his last trip here 10 years ago (Cath's arm only had to twisted a tiny bit)
We are so happy to be getting out of Kathmandu. Dean got a sore throat from all the gas fumes, and pollution plus he ate something bad so he's a little sick. Cath was sick a few days ago. We are both being careful now especailly since we start treking tomorrow.
PARENTS AND SIBLINGS: Please NO NOT worry, we will take every precaution and we have a great guide who has summited this peak before.
There will be no blogging until we get back!!!!
Dean and Cath
Some details of our trek:
Bus to Besisahar tomorrow
Start trek Oct 23
3 days on Annapurna circuit then diverting off in to the Phu and Nar Valley
6-7 days in the Phu and Nar Valleys (high pass Kangla pass 5306 metres)
5 days summit attempt to Chulu Far East 6059m or Chulu East (6429m)
5 days through the Tilico Lake area (high pass 5340m and highest lake in the world, unverified!)
Nov 12th - end trek
Nov 13th - fly from Jomsom to Pokhara
Nov 14th - bus from Pokhara back to Kathmandu
Adventure onward to India
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Erin
non-member comment
wow!
Sounds like an amazing adventure you two. Be safe and have a great time.