Walking Downhill

It began about ten days ago, when we started walking downhill from Annapurna Base Camp.  As we hiked through Himalayan villages, caught our last close glimpses of their ice-shrouded guardians, and navigated our final ridges, we both knew that we had started down a long but inevitable path back. First back to Pokhara, then Kathmandu, then the airport and the strange limbo of international transit, finally arriving again on US soil after nearly eleven months away. It was then, during those first steps downhill, that we began to feel a sense of ending.

It's strange and hard to explain, ending.  This year we've seen amazing things, met great (and horrible) people, had adventures, gotten lost, gotten found, drank too much wine then not nearly enough, climbed things, lost things, found things, and have if anything grown to love and appreciate each other all the more for having experienced it all together.  And we don't really want it to end when we board our flight home tomorrow.

At the same time we miss everyone back home. This year we've really missed friends, family, and being part of life events and celebrations, big (congrats, Emily!) or small (go Pats!).  We also miss decent sandwiches, good beer, laundry machines, BBQ, paychecks, and the comfort of sleeping in the same place more than a few nights at a stretch.  But we don't miss the office or vacation parceled out a few days at a time.  

So it's going to be a balancing act.  Between restarting careers we both enjoy and carving out a life that lets us keep adventuring.  Between the comforts of home and the challenge of exploring. We're looking forward to the next stage, and to seeing all of you again and sharing a year's worth of stories over a beer or three.  Just as soon as we survive our three-flight, four-nation, 45-hour trip home.  See you Tuesday.

Nepal Part 3: Route finding in the Annapurnas

Two days ago we wrapped up a 13-day trek in the Annapurnas, and it was a very different experience than the Manaslu region.  While the Manaslu and Tsum trek was largely a matter of following large river valleys, the Annapurna sanctuary is a gnarled area of ridges, gorges, and minor peaks. And this time we went out on our own, with no guide or porter, intending to explore some more remote areas on less popular trails.

Over thirteen days, we did manage to find wonderful, off-the-beaten-track areas.  With much of the main Annapurna circuit and sanctuary area under development with (very bad) roads and power lines, there are new trekking routes springing up that use local trails and visit more remote areas. We linked two of these areas, the Mohare Danda and Koprah Danda (danda meaning ridge), both of which have newer community-run lodges, with proceeds going to local schools. They also have amazing views. Here's the view from Mohare Danda, where we spent our second night:

From left to right, you can see Fang, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, and Machhapuchhre, ranging from 7647 to 6441 meters high.  

The major trekking routes tend to follow old trails that sprang up ages ago as transit routes between villages. But these often follow rivers or valleys, avoiding unnecessary climbing but also missing out on views. By contrast, the newer ridge line hikes are more spectacular, more remote, and much less heavily travelled. During our day and night at the Mohare Danda lodge, which we found with the help of a local man hired as a guide for the day, we saw only two other trekkers, but plenty of peaks and stars.

While remote and exciting, these treks do necessitate some route finding, and have plenty of hard climbs and descents. We did pretty well over six days, then found a nice quiet spot for a rest day before pushing on up the main trail to Annapurna Base Camp.  Appropriately enough, it was called Little Paradise and again, we saw few trekkers but did make friends with a girl from Colorado and a group of Nepali guys up for a few days from Kathmandu. Here's our rest-day spot, with a good view of Annapurna South and it's fortress-like ridge:

From there we pushed up to Machhapuchhre Base Camp in two days, and the next day had a short one-hour hike up to Annapurna Base Camp (usually just called ABC) at 4,130 meters (13,500 feet or so)  At that point, we'd been trekking for about 30 days, with over 10 of those spent between 3,000 and 3,600 meters (roughly 10,000-12,500 ft.). It was gratifying to take advantage of our acclimatization and cruise uphill during the last stretches, not feeling the altitude, and enjoying a mostly sunny day rambling around ABC. It's a beautiful mountain sanctuary, where you're completely surrounded by huge mountains towering well over 25,000 feet, with hanging glaciers, and a real sense of the size and majesty of the Himalayas.  We got up at dawn for a last look at the mountains:

Then we had a knee-crushing 10,000 foot descent over three days, a short taxi ride, and a pizza dinner back in town.  It was a fun trek, and we really enjoyed being on our own, making decisions daily and not bound by a guide or itinerary.  

Between the Manaslu-Tsum valley trek (22 days) and our Annapurna trek (13 days), we spent five solid weeks on the trail.  We spent this morning putting some numbers together, so here they are:

Manaslu-Tsum Valley, over 22 days: 308 km (191 miles); 6,490 meters of climbing and the same descent (21,287 feet each way).

Annapurna, over 13 days (including a rest day): 160km (99 miles); 7960 of climbing and about the same descent (26,109 feet each way)

Total distance hiked: 468km, or 290 miles. Total elevation gained: 14450 meters, or 47,396 feet. Plus another 47,396 feet downhill.  Our knees feel it, and we're both a couple pounds lighter, but otherwise we feel surprisingly good. 

We're headed to Kathmandu tomorrow, where we have a few days before flying back to the US on December 1, landing in Miami on December 2. We're looking forward to getting back and seeing everyone, but also dreading the 40-hour trip and feeling a bit sad that our travels are nearly over. But more on all that later. Right now we've got to get back to the hard work of relaxing in Pokhara...

Nepal: Part 2, in which we traverse the Manaslu and Tsum Valleys

We just wrapped up a 22 day trek up (and down) the Manaslu and Tsum valleys, in central Nepal. Both run up to the Tibetan border, and are populated by Tibetans at the upper ends. Tsum runs through the Gamesh Himal, and Manaslu the eponymous Manaslu Himal. Both have many 7,000 meter peaks, while Manaslu itself tops 8,100m, or about 25,000 feet. But the highest we got was 14,000 feet or so at a monestary at the top of the Tsum; most of the trek was in the 6,000-12,000 foot range. 

It's surprising how subtropical it is in the Himalayas. For days we walked up a hot river valley (well, more like a gorge), surrounded by rice paddies and banana trees. It wasn't until about 8,000 feet that it started to feel alpine, and even then there were thick forests and monkeys all the way up to 12,000 ft. Watching the landscape and scenery shift is one of the weird things about hiking here. You can literally spend weeks approaching and climbing a single hill or pass, moving from jungle to forest to subalpine to alpine. Along the way, the people shift as well, from Indian-Nepali to Tibetan, with commensurate changes in architecture, food, agriculture, and customs.

When we set out, we had intended to cross the Larkye La pass into the Annapurna region. But a few days before we started, a massive, unseasonal typhoon dropped a few meters of snow up high. Scores of trekkers and locals were killed by avalanches and blizzard conditions in the northern regions.  Two weeks later, as we approached the pass, we learned it was still icy and dangerous. So we turned back after getting some great views of the Manaslu range from the ancient village of Samagoan. 

A week later, we're now relaxing in Nepal's original capital of Gorkha, a very pleasant town, and headed to the resort town of Pokhara tomorrow. After a few days there, we're hoping to set off on an independent (no guide, no porter) trek through the Annapurna sanctuary (which involves no high, icy passes).

Having a guide for three weeks was more challenging than expected. Language and customs prevented effective communication at times, and there were some very frustrating moments. But all was well in the end, although we're still not sold on the value-add provided by a guide in an age of maps, compasses, and GPS. Our porter Surya, though, was invaluable for our knees and sanity. He would gladly share a beer or rakshi (local rice wine) with us and patiently taught us some Nepali, helping to remind us that we're all just people, cultural frustrations aside. Surya is 26, and earns $10/day for waking up mountains with someone else's kit on his back.  But he's always smiling.

We have also realized that Nepali food is singularly well suited for trekking. Most days included at least one meal of dahl baht - lentil soup, rice, veggie curry, and often sautéed greens (although those stopped at the higher elevations) -- served in all-you-can-eat portions. The guides would pack away 3 plates each night, Brook 2, and Erin at least 1. The lodging was also surprisingly civilized: we had beds all but two nights, in private rooms at small lodges. There's even hot showers at a few places, or at least a way to take a cold wash-up. Our only real issues were a 5-day stomach bug (Erin) and week-long mild cold (Brook). But no altitude problems or even serious blisters. 

After a year of this, our major problem is probably Brook's boots. First, the almost complete lack of tread remaining. Secondly, and arguably more important, the smell. But with only a few weeks left, we'll somehow muddle through...

After 10 months away, even here in the Himalayas, we're starting to itch for home. Our own bathroom would be nice for starters, along with decent beer, wine, and a burger you can trust. We miss you, dear reader, and following this final jaunt in the mountains, we look forward to catching up.  In person.

p.s. No photos for now. Internet in Nepal is way too slow for that... But we'll post albums from the trek when we get a chance.