Khumbu Trekking part 2: Gorak Shep - Gokyo - Lukla
Trip Start
Feb 19, 2008
1
6
Trip End
Apr 22, 2008
Loading Map
Kathmandu,
Nepal
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The trip down to Dzonglha (4850m) via. Lobuche felt like a different route altogether from the one taken on the way up. Whereas before the poor weather obscured any views, the clear weather for the trip down made the walk enjoyable. After lunch at Lobuche we took a different trail in order to reach Dzonglha, situated down a side-valley. Tricky walking high up on the top of windswept valley sides on slippery mud and slushy snow. The lodge at Dzonglha (one of only two) was pretty basic (the trip to the outside long drop was not pleasant in the chilly temperatures!) and surrounded by deep snow; one could easily imagine being snowed in here in the winter months. Once again we hoped for continued good weather for the following days' crossing of the Cho La Pass. The stark warnings in our trekking book against attempting it in anything but clear weather was enough to plant a few seeds of worry in our minds regarding the Pass' difficulty!
A 6.30 start in (as you guessed!) clear weather, with Cholatse (6440m) looming behind. After an easy 40mins walking on fairly flat snowy ground we reached the start of the Pass proper. The path more-or-less disappeared and walking became more of a scramble up a very steep ridge, pushing ourselves over large boulders and squeezing in between gaps in the rocks with heavy snow and lots of ice underfoot. After a couple of hours of this slow and difficult progress we arrived at a flat snowy area littered with cairns from where we could rest and enjoy the view. Soon we reached the high-point of the Pass at 5400m after a 600m scramble. Thankfully the path(such as it was!) began to drop, crossing a deep and expansive snow field, perfectly pristine apart from the narrow trail of compacted snow meandering through its middle. After a hard trudge we reached the other side and refuelled near a glacier before embarking on the even steeper and more difficult scramble down the other side.
The trail fell steeply and the melting snow, ice, and slippery scree made the descent pretty treacherous. Eventually we reached the bottom and found ourselves in a huge boulder field of glacial moraine where we followed cairns, hopping from one boulder to another. After another hour or so walking on a more conventional path we reached Thangnak at the Western end of the Cho La after a 700m descent. A truly memorable day and the first (and only!) one of the trek that took us off the more heavily beaten track and on to some more unusual terrain. A great adventure!
The stunning region of Gokyo, with its crystal clear lakes, glaciers and mountains was a short walk away the next morning. With the sun beating down, the village itself felt like some kind of high-altitude lakeside resort, perched idyllically on the edge of a turquoise lake encircled by mountains. However, with plenty of the day left there was little time for relaxation as we set off to the peak of the nearby Gokyo Ri, 600m above the village, at around 5400m altitude. After a relatively quick and breathless 90min ascent we we reached the top to absorb the stunning view. Perhaps even topping that at Kala Pattar, with a better view of the dark blue Everest and a 360 degree panorama that included great sights of Nuptse (7861m), the brown peak of Lhotse (8414), the treacherous Cho Oyo (8168), all seemingly within touching distance! Together with the view down on Gokyo's colourful lakes, the Ngozumba glacier (Nepal's longest) sprawled behind, and the impressive Gyuzumba glacier feeding down from Cho Oyo, the sight was quite magnificent. Half an hour was spent at the windy summit, watching a the clouds dramatically roll in over the peaks to the South-West. Elated, our guide Mohan and I sped back down to Gokyo in a meager 35 minutes and I spent the rest of the day relaxing in the quiet, friendly and cosy lodge with a large portion of Dal Bhat in my belly.
The trip back down to Lukla was done in only three days, first following the thunderous Dudh Kosi river before entering a beautiful and lush alpine environment, in sheltered surroundings of rhododendron, pine, silver birch, and a surprising amount of (apparently endangered) juniper forest. Even caught a glimpse of the -definitely endangered!- musk deer gamboling at a waterfall. Continuing down the valley we passed through the relatively prosperous town of Khumjung populated by trekking lodge owners, local mountaineers and trekking company bosses, and the location of the Edmund Hillary school (established by the great man himself!). Soon we had passed back through the trekking hub of Namche and after a night at the lovely village of Monjo (where we stayed at a spectacularly good lodge with incredible solar showers and great organic food) before we knew it we were back in the rather drab Lukla with a beer in the hand and hailstones battering down on the tin roof above. We stayed in a lodge almost literally on top of the airport runway ensuring only a hop-skip-and-jump to check in the next morning. Unfortunately we still had to wait another couple of hours before the plane actually arrived. A short but turbulent flight later we were back in the stifling heat and pollution of Kathmandu...a bit of a culture shock but the luxuries of urban living (beer, steak, unlimited showers...!) were most welcome after a memorable time in the Khumbu!
Comments
Missing
The Everest area trek seems to have only one thing missing that would make it even closer to heaven - the deep fried snicker roll, that boon to the Himalyan traveller.
Re: Missing
Yes! Loved by trekkers in other regions, the Snickers Roll was pretty scarce in the Everest area. Did manage to get one in the trekking hub of Namche though!