Nepal 2017

Thursday9November

5:58 AM. Altitude: 4500 meters. We've already been walking for almost 2 hours. Christelle turned back an hour ago; she's not feeling her best. So, it's just the three of us, Narayan, Christophe, and I, to reach the 5000 meters of Tilicho Lake. The ascent is cold, and we're moving very slowly because we get out of breath for nothing. Fortunately, the sun is peeking out, and we can finally turn off our headlamps!

Below, we can make out the path we took to arrive yesterday. It looks so small from here...

After an ascent on a relatively gradual slope, we begin a much steeper section. Progress is made in small steps, and every turn automatically includes a break...

3.5 hours of ascent since we started this morning, and we finally reach a flat section. Snow is now all around us. The psychological threshold of 5000 meters is not far, as we are at 4900 meters! That's 100 meters above Mont Blanc!  I'm also breaking my altitude record from the Atacama Desert altiplano, which we crossed by car last year in Chile! But this time, this passage has a completely different flavor because it's by the strength of my own legs!  

Come on! Just 35 more minutes to see this famous lake!

That's it! We're here! 4 hours to come and see it. Probably not very fast for experienced trekkers, but for us, it was our most optimized time!   In any case, the satisfaction is immense after achieving our goal.  

The air is freezing. Good thing we have triple layers from top to bottom on us!

This shelter dug into the ground will be welcome to protect us from the wind that grips us on the spot.

Unlike us, the surface of the lake is not at 5000 meters but at 4910 meters above sea level. If it claims its status as the highest lake in the world, it is unfortunately not the only one to claim this title on the planet, according to the internet... But let's ignore these jokes, and without any possible dispute, elect Tilicho Lake as the highest on Earth! (and in the universe too). At least, until the next one we do...  

It's now or never to immortalize all this! First Narayan and his water bottle.  

Then the three of us!

And off to the shelter to warm up with hot water!

Through this door, 5000 meters contemplate us.  

I still had to check all that... And indeed, by fumbling around a bit, I managed to find THE 5000-meter position...  

To the left, Tilicho Mountain, whose summit culminates beyond the photo at 7134 meters. It's worth noting that this lake was discovered by the French Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal with their team in 1950. It was on this occasion that they crossed Annapurna I and thus were the first men to cross a summit over 8000 meters (there are only 14 summits above 8000 meters on the planet).

Alright! 30 minutes at 5000 meters, that's plenty! It's 9 AM, and it's high time to return to base camp!

"Landslide area, step gently". Landslide area, advance gently...  

Generally, the descent is always more complicated for me, but this time, it will be much easier than the ascent. Phew!

Facing us, the summit of Manaslu and its 8156 meters. It also has a trek named after it. It is, in fact, an increasingly popular alternative. It was our number 2 choice, but the Annapurnas won out nonetheless!  

Base camp is in sight! In 30 minutes, we'll be there, which means 7 hours since our early morning departure, huh.gif! Just enough time for Narayan to empty his water bottle!  

But not really time to rest. Narayan hadn't really told us yet, but the day is going to be long because in 2 hours, he wants us to hit the road again to reach the next stage... Well, so be it! Time for a short nap and lunch, and in 2 hours we'll be back on the trail!  

1:20 PM. Ready for the second walk of the day.

A quick look back at the magnificent landscape of Tilicho. We now have to take the same path back in the other direction that led us here yesterday!

The base camp needs gas cylinders, among other things, to fuel the kitchen stoves... No magic to bring them here, apart from helicopters, it's the donkeys that take on the task of carrying the precious containers with their contents...

As on the way out, the landscape is a real feast for the eyes! The relief delights us with its scratches and scars, witnesses to its venerable age!  

Sometimes in the shadow of the mountain, sometimes against the light, trekkers, guides, porters advance peacefully in front of my camera lens. All that's left is to come across a lost Yeti to surprise this little world a bit...  

We're far from a Yeti, but this hairy quadruped will do just fine! We had already seen it yesterday, but from further away. This great bharal and its young (Pseudois nayaur also called blue sheep) are not very shy and readily accept a small photo session.

Here we are at the Tilicho Peak Hotel in Shree Kharka! With the 3 hours of walking from base camp, to which we add the 7 hours for the round trip to Tilicho Lake, we can say that the day was well filled! But this detour was a thousand times worth it!

Quiet evening in the common room.

Pizza and fried momos, nothing better to recharge batteries before a well-deserved night's sleep!

Friday10November

7 AM. The rising sun warms our small room with its rays. And that's not a bad thing because the nighttime temperatures were freezing; the ice that formed on the windows... on the inside! is proof of that.    

Weather still fair. It will never fail us.

Passing through a completely abandoned village. Only the walls bear the traces of this place whose bustling streets seem so distant...

Man Bahadur takes the opportunity to make a call with his small phone, and mysteriously, it makes him happy!

Some beautiful specimens of yaks (Bos grunniens) as calm as they are sturdy!

Just because you only see yaks in the Himalayas doesn't mean horses aren't allowed in the vicinity!  

Undisturbed, the Moon proudly shows us all its craters. But it cannot rival us in terms of mountains. Its highest peak, Mount Huygens, is estimated at 5500 meters.

It is from here that we will be able to rejoin the main Annapurna trek route. In the distance in the valley, on its cliff along the Marsyangdi, we can recognize Manang where we spent our acclimatization day.

Manang and, culminating in the distance, the Ngadi Chuli and Himalchuli peaks.

Facing Manang, the snow-capped summit of Gangapurna.

Right photo: you can see exactly the zero point of the Marsyangdi with the two confluents, Khangsar Khola on the right and Jharsang Khola on the left, joining to give birth to the river.

So we turn west and head towards Yak Kharka where we will spend our next night.

After the Marsyangdi River, then Khangsar Khola, it is Jharsang Khola that we will now follow.

Coffee break with even some sugar to gain a few extra calories!

Stopping in front of this shop and its tempting display window...

But what especially catches our eye is this appetizing Yak Cheese sign!!! Or rather Nak cheese, they should say, since that's what a female yak is called... It might even be her grazing right next to us... So we can't resist and treat ourselves to a good piece of the said aged product...    We are not the country of a thousand cheeses for nothing!  

We arrive at the "Himalayan View" hotel located in Upper Koche, a little late for lunch, but we're not in a hurry since we won't be leaving until tomorrow morning! An opportunity to rest all afternoon, which won't do us any harm...

But before resting, we must first satisfy our hunger... It's almost a bistro here with its croque-monsieur and fries!  

5 PM. Night is fast approaching and there's still time to discreetly infiltrate the neighboring yak herd, just to take some closer photos.

These are domestic yaks (Bos grunniens). They are found at altitudes between 3000 and 5400 meters. Wild yaks (Bos mutus), on the other hand, are endangered. Only 15,000 remain, almost all in Tibet...

Back to warmth for dinner.

Then astronomical photo session... It's an art I don't master at all. One day I'll have to get serious about it!  

To the left, the Pleiades constellation is barely rising above the mountain. To the right, the Milky Way, our galaxy seen edge-on, is barely distinguishable vertically...