Advertisement
High Camp
Shortly after leaving High Camp The big day is here. I slept fairly well and woke up feeling pretty good. I will ascend to High Camp and make a decision from there. Darren, myself and Peter had breakfast at 0430, porridge and tea for me, 2 boiled eggs for Dazza. The weather is great, clear blue skies and no wind. We began to ascend at 0515 just after first light up the steep scree slope. All the other trekkers went flying off whilst I pigeon stepped my way up the mountain with trusty Hari right behind mewilling me upwards. It took me 90 minutes to reach high camp, slow but more importantly I wasn't completely wasted and would be able to push on for the pass without the assistance of a horse. After a lemon tea at high camp we left at 0710 destination high camp 2. The trail gradually ascended along a ridge with a fairly steep drop to the right. Snow capped peaks and hanging cloud are now at eye level. Magnificent views all around. I am still literally ascending with pigeon steps. Darren is a way in front but waits for me to catch up at strategic points. Camp 2 is a tiny
Super Hari
Hari doing his thing. hut which is not even manned so no chance of a hot drink. A Nepali is sitting on a rock with a donkey just above high camp 2 and has watched me inch my way upwards. On arrival at the 'donkey taxi' rank he tells me '3000NR for the pass'. Fractionally tempting but no thanks I'll crack on unaided. He reduced it to 2000NR but I believe I can do this and politely decline.
I stopped with Hari some 200m below the pass and enjoyed a Mars bar and some water and concentrated on getting my breathing together. Everyone would be short of breath at this altitude so I was actually pretty pleased with myself that I was in such good shape. I took a moment to enjoy the magnificnt scenery in still crisp blue skies. At this point I realised I would make it. Adrenaline alone would now carry me to the pass. I just needed to keep enough in the tank for the knee jarring descent of 1600m to Muktinath.
Just after 10am I turned a corner to see Darren standing there and I could see a mas of prayer flags ahead. Finally! This was Thorung
La Pass at 17,769 ft. Looking to the west was a mass of white cloud hanging way below us. Hari is as delighted as I am. This is his 30th Thorung La Pass crossing and he gives it large posing for photo's by the prayer flags. Hari has been a Godsend, he has literally pushed me up and over the pass, carrying my 17kg pack as well as his own 6-7kg bag. He said to me on the way up, 'I always pray to the one God before every Thorung La crossing but this time I prayed the hardest ever'. What a superstar! Darren also is in good shape and after his heavy cold has done very well to make the pass. The long descent to Muktinath was difficult on the knees but not the heart. Every step down seemed to inject extra oxygen into the lungs, a blessed relief.
We made Muktinath at 3pm just as rain started to fall, we have been on the trail for 10 hours. I am elated and relieved to have conquered the pass under my own steam without any serious problems. We have had a meal and a couple of beers with
Hari holding us all up :)
Somehow I got in front of Hari Hari tonight and now it's 7pm and time to sleep. What an incredible day.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.129s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 7; qc: 51; dbt: 0.0612s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
john
non-member comment
Hari
Can see why the little fella was feeling a little worse for ware, the pints are bigger than him.....