Nepal 2017

Saturday11November

Eleventh day of our 15-day trek! We are also on the eve of our crossing of the Thorong La pass! The ultimate difficulty will therefore happen today. If we reach the Thorong La base camp at 4840 meters without headaches, then we will be practically certain to pass the maximum planned altitude, which is 5416 meters!

So we'll have to climb the slopes again and again to get closer to 5000 meters.

We are in negative temperatures, the frozen water in the bowls is there to remind us...

We move forward, leaving Annapurna III behind us.

The waterfalls freeze to the rhythm of the stalactites.

Short stop at 4360 meters where the itinerant vendor, now sedentary, sells all sorts of junk.  

As if going to Tilicho Lake, the paths narrow on the slippery slopes of the bare mountains.

4500 meters altitude. We have only one kilometer left to reach base camp. In other words, we're almost there... except that we'll have to climb almost 400 meters at the same time. The slope will therefore be steep and with our 10 days of hiking under our belts, the effort will be intense!  

Despite his apparent hesitation, he stubbornly refused to offer his services... So we'll have to go with our own legs...  

No way for us to falter when Man Bahadur, with our bag on his back, advances without flinching, although for the first time, I feel him drawing on his reserves.

Finally, I reach the end, turn around and already guess that the landscape will not disappoint us. From here, we will have a beautiful view of the roofs of the world...  

25. That's the number of our room where we will spend this night at 4840 meters altitude!

And while the Sun radiates all the photons it can...

...my travel companions finally arrive. Yes, during this trek, I can say that I was in good shape compared to other years. No colds or backaches to hinder my walk in the mountains. What a joy!

Well-deserved lunch around a dal bhat, a few pieces of chicken lost in its vegetables, and a "good" coffee.  

As if that weren't enough, a small peak beckons us to add an extra ascent to the day.

From this peak, the view opens up to the surrounding summits.

To the left, Chulu East peak. In front, Annapurna III, and right next to it, Gangapurna.

All the way down, the buildings where we started our last kilometer.

A lhapsa, the Tibetan name for stone mounds, tops the peak.

Another more modest lhapsa, however, defies the 7455 meters of Gangapurna!  

In the extension of the small summit we climbed, a thin rocky peak ends in a precipice. Between the two, strings of prayer flags are carried by the wind.

So I descend from my small summit, checking that Christophe and Christelle are still on their two feet... 

Then I decide to reach as far as possible the end of this rocky peak, in order to measure myself against these mineral heights that play with the void that surrounds them...

My path passes by this young tourist in a yellow parka who seems to be seeking total communion with Mother Nature. But, it is quite different (although) since she is playing the Jew's harp in a tone reminiscent of some Tibetan music.

As I take my cautious steps, the rocky peak transforms into an increasingly thin ridge... But the grail is approaching, and those returning from it make me unequivocally understand that I should not turn back yet...

The stone throne is already occupied. Is the kingdom of the Annapurnas governed from here? This king with the red hat seems in any case satisfied to be able to embrace his entire empire with a single glance.

I keep moving forward. Am I going to dethrone such a peaceful sovereign?... The rock is brittle and the debris falling into the void with each of my steps makes my brain regain control of the situation and I decide to stop here, in a place where, finally, adrenaline will not disturb the superb vision offered to me...  

Back to camp. The sun soon disappears behind the 8000-meter granite peaks surrounding us, plunging us into their shadows at the same time.

Himalayan snowcocks (Tetraogallus himalayensis) take the opportunity to come out for some fresh air...

End of the evening in the common room around a hot meal and some card games. We don't linger because tomorrow is the big day... Departure is scheduled for 5 AM, for the final ascent that will take us over the Thorong La pass at 5416 meters altitude...

Sunday12November

4:00 AM. Time to get out of the sleeping bag. 4:30 AM. Quick breakfast. 4:58 AM. Quick photo of the Orion constellation which didn't wait for us to begin its ascent...

6:00 AM. We've already been walking for 1 hour by the light of our headlamps. We are 40 meters above 5000 meters. A short break (5 minutes) is necessary.

And off we go again.

The Annapurna circuit can also be done by bike. Very enjoyable on descents, more cumbersome on ascents...  

I walk alone but not really, because Narayan is right behind me! The others surely won't be long.

It's not hot, so I'm back on the road without waiting, just to keep my little muscles from getting cold...

7:00 AM. The sun is already high in the sky, and we are not yet high enough. I am at 5336 meters, the pass must not be far!

I'll do the last few meters with Man Bahadou. At the end of the path, after 12 days of waiting, Thorong La is here!

Thousands of prayer flags mark the Thorong La Pass, facing the summit of Khatung Kang.

When you walk eleven days with a simple passage stuck between 2 mountains in your sights, emotion hides itself. Then it emerges at just the right moment, when we are at the zenith of the journey! Or more precisely at 5416 meters!    So, naturally, we are happy to immortalize this moment with all our travel companions in front of the official trophy!  

On site, a very small refuge. Enough to take shelter if necessary.

It will take us 1h30 on site to savor the moment. But the day obviously doesn't end here. It's only 8:30 AM and just behind the pass, several more hours of walking await us, and not the easiest for me because we will have to descend continuously with an altitude difference of 1700 meters in a single day...

The landscape will change again. We leave behind the Manang district, to enter that of Mustang and its wide open spaces.

4 hours after crossing the pass, we have in sight the small village of Ranipauwa where we will spend the night.

In the distance, the superb summit of Dhaulagiri and its 8167 meters!

The village still resists asphalt paving and barely accepts the passage of electricity.  

The view from our room in the Potala Guesthouse hotel.