Nepal Day 17 - Gokyo to Lungden via Renjo La

 7.24 miles, 3013’ climbing

Renjo La: 17,790’

Renzo Pass Support Guest House: 14,357’

Note: many place names are spelled multiple ways, thus Renzo or Renjo, Dragnag or Thaknak. These are transliterations from the Nepali alphabet.

After an early breakfast, we headed up a gradually climbing trail next to Gokyo Lake. 

The lake was 2/3 ice yesterday but only 1/2 ice this morning. We were in the sun, and it was very pleasant. Our itinerary had us staying 2 nights in Gokyo, but the weather is so good and the views so clear that Bire suggested continuing onwards today. We can add an overnight in another small town, and if weather arrives, it won’t matter so much at the lower elevations.

At the end of the lake, steeper climbing began, but it was never slippery or exposed where a fall would be a very bad idea with a potentially bad outcome (unlike the prior two days). We eventually emerged on the side of a large snowy bowl where we put on our microspikes and continued up the packed snow trail. Near the top, we were back on rock and dirt, and then we arrived. This was another pass with solar panels and electric outlets on a post. After some high fives and photos with perfectly clear views, we headed down the west side of the pass, easy walking on packed snow in our microspikes. We passed some trekkers heading up and offered encouragement. 

Near a glacial lake where the trail flattened out, we stopped to eat our packed lunches. We continued down valley, eventually reaching soft mossy dirt where we took off our microspikes. The character of the valley changed completely. It was steep downhill at times, then we reached Lungden, a pretty village on a plateau with lots of rock walls. We were happy to have internet access for the first time in a couple days, and we hope to spend some time catching up with people at home.

Bire’s brother whom he hasn’t seen in 5 years lives in this village. We hope he will get to see him.

Nepal Day 16 - Dragnag to Gokyo plus ascent of Gokyo Ri

 2.8 miles, 1500’ elevation gain estimated between villages

Namaste Lodge, 15,721’ elevation

Gokyo Ri: 17,583’ at the top, 1.3 miles from Gokyo, 2000’ elevation gain, steep in both directions!

After a good breakfast, we headed out for Gokyo. We knew it would be a shortish walk but with some strenuous walking on the glacier. A large group of Kongma were hanging around the village; maybe they get fed? We watched them a little, then started with an easy walk in the sunshine. Most of our walk was on the glacier, going up and around piles of rocks and snow. Some parts were slippery in snow or mud and exposed, places where it would be a really bad idea to fall, but Bire and Deepak were there to give a hand on the tricky parts. The track wasn’t always clear since it changes every year as the glacier moves and changes. We could see and hear chunks of ice and snow falling intermittently. There were some beautiful glacial lakes and snow and ice features. We passed a few groups of trekkers going in the opposite direction, and some people we’ve been seeing on a similar route to ours passed us.

Near the end of our route, we needed to ascend a long, steep hill off of the glacier. It was muddy, steep, narrow, and exposed. A large group was descending very slowly.  We waited for them out of the line of rock fall since it was too narrow to safely pass. As trekkers came up behind us, rocks and boulders intermittently came rolling and bouncing down the steep hill, some came close to trekkers behind us crossing the fall line . People yelled “Patthar!” (Rocks!) to warn them. This is the downside of a warm day. We headed up the narrow muddy path as soon as it was clear. Uphill was clearly safer (less slippery) than downhill. 

Soon we were rounding a hill for our first view of the colorful village of Gokyo, situated on a blue, partially iced-over lake, with its  large lodges with solar panels. Bire says 5 of them are owned by the same person. We checked into the Namaste Lodge and had lunch.

The weather was so good that we decided to go up Gokyo Ri, originally planned for tomorrow. We want to take advantage of clear skies since weather can change quickly. The climb up Gokyo Ri was very slow due to the steepness a high elevation. Finally we reached the top with its prayer flags. Some clouds had formed, but we had good views of Cho Oyu, Everest, Nuptse, Cholatse. 

On our way down, we again saw a large group of Kongmas. These were digging in the dirt and making a variety of sounds. Such cool birds! After a slow descent, we were back in Gokyo. We saw a pair of to-be-identified ducks near the inlet. We rewarded ourself with hot showers and felt positively human. The water was hot, and there was even a hair dryer available for those with a need.

Nepal Day 15 - Dzongla to Dragnag via Cho La

 5.6 miles, 3477’ climbing

Tashi Friendship Lodge, 15,397’ elevation

Cho La elevation: 17,800’

It was snowing when we went to bed. We set our alarms for a 5:30 breakfast and 6:00am departure, but Bire warned us that we would check conditions in the morning. If too much snow had fallen or weather was bad, we would stay an extra night in Dzongla and reassess. In the morning Bire said the weather was good, and we were on. For a couple of desert dwellers, the weather seemed questionable: cold, trail covered with snow, low clouds reducing visibility.

The route was marked with yellow pickets. We quickly lost sight of Dzongla in the clouds as we headed up the valley. In places you could see where the trail was under the newly fallen snow, but in some places you could not. A few other trekking groups were behind us, but for the most part we led the way.

The clouds lifted, and we had some beautiful views behind us as we continued through the snow. We put on our microspikes since Bire spotted blue ice lurking beneath the snow. As we approached the pass, only snow pickets were visible to indicate the route. Three young men passed us, but soon they floundered wondering whether to go left or right. Bire led the way up the steep final snowfield, carefully probing the snow. I think the independent trekkers and even the other guided groups were holding back to let him do the hard work of locating a safe trail. We traversed up some rock and then grabbed a fixed cable up to the actual pass. The cable ended before the last slippery, rounded step, but Bire was there to give a hand. Cho La pass was a small area with prayer flags and, strangely, an electric outlet and usb charging port mounted on a post with a small table. A few trekkers reached the pass from the other direction and few came up behind us. We joked about having tequila shots at the small table. 

After high fives and a couple of photos, we headed down the west side of the pass. There was a long section of cables with a few slippery gaps. We carefully passed those ascending. Finally we reached the rocky shoulder of the hill where we could walk more easily, winding around some boulder strewn canyons. We stopped for our box lunch: Tibetan bread, nak cheese, a hard boiled egg, and a small snickers bar. Microspikes came off, and we continued the long walk to Dragnak. 

We had to climb a couple of ridges, fairly tiring. We saw a bunch of Kongma on the hillside. Finally we walked down a rocky path next to a rushing creek, and we had our first view of Dragnag where the canyon opened up. Impressively long strings of prayer flags were strung across the village. We saw even more Kongma here, squawking and chirping and flapping their tails.

The Tashi Friendship Lodge had a comfy dining room, toilets that actually flush as opposed to requiring a scoop of water from a bucket. It’s somewhat off the main routes and a charming place to stay. We saw no yak trains, no ponies, no helicopters, no porters that weren’t part of a trekking group. It’s such a contrast to the Khumbu valley with its expeditions gearing up.

Nepal Day 14 - Lobouche to Dzongla

4.2 miles, 627’ climbing

Hotel Zongla Inn, 15,846’ current elevation

Today was a short trek, a semi-recovery day. After breakfast in Lobouche, we headed down the main Everest Base Camp trail, probably the busiest trail in the region. Helicopters were up and flying. Bire told us that a lot of people hike up and book a flight back when they don’t have time for a full trek. Flying up and hiking back isn’t a viable option because of the risk of altitude sickness. 

A rider on a horse with bells galloped past us dressed in traditional clothing. We saw a pair of Kongma fly past (Tibetan Woodcock). Before we reached Thugla, we turned west off the “Everest Highway” and headed west towards Cho La, a pass connecting the Khumbu Valley (east most of the 3 valleys coming north from Namche Bazaar) to the Gokyo Valley (center valley from Namche). We will head over the pass and stay in Gokyo in a couple days. 

Although the Cho La pass and trail are pretty heavily trekked, there were only a few other trekking groups. We’ve been told that 80% of treks were cancelled due to the Iran war. It’s particularly difficult for trekkers from Europe to reach Nepal since transit would typically go through the Middle East.

The trail was quiet away from the hubbub of trekkers, yaks, helicopters in the Khumbu Valley. The trail was narrow, and in some places exposed. A stumble would be a bad idea. As we contoured around the hill, gradually gaining elevation, the trail had slippery spots with melting snow and mud, requiring some attention. Thus we only looked around during breaks. As usual, the scenery was stunning. Bire spotted a pair of climbers descending the snow field near the top of Lobuche Peak, one of the trekking peaks (under 8000 meters). Some of the trekking peaks are quite technical even though their peaks are lower than the biggest peaks here. 

We slowly picked our way through rolling hills strewn with boulders. The plants were low grasses and the fragrant suunpati. We arrived around lunch time. There are only a few lodges here. Clouds descended and it started snowing after lunch. It was pretty cold until the lodge proprietor lit the stove. 

Nepal Day 13 - Round trip from Gorak Shep to EBC plus descent to Lobouche

 8.42 miles, 1599’ climbing

Hotel New EBC, Lobuche, 16,210’ elevation

High Point: EBC 17,598’

A lot of people have trouble sleeping at Gorak Shep because of the elevation. It’s also noisy with people coming and going. We even heard a yak train pass at 2am. It’s cold, too. Like all of these lodges, the rooms are unheated and windows have gaps. Warm quilts keep you cozy and also reluctant to get out of bed. Ed slept like a baby while Sarah was awake from 2am onwards. 

A little after 7am, we started our walk to Everest Base Camp (EBC). The trail was a little rougher than most of what we’ve been on with loose rocks, small boulders to negotiate, snow, mud. 

We passed a huge number of yak trains going in both directions. We usually get off trail on the uphill side, behind a rock, when yaks pass. Today part of the trail was on a narrow ridge which made it trickier. Yaks have big horns. When loaded, they could easily knock you over. Most seem docile, but once in a while, one ventures off the track in our direction. Bire yells and waves his arms to shoo them away. They aren’t tied together. Their handler typically walks behind them, shouting, if needed, and waving a stick. They are currently making two round trips a day, 4.25 miles each time.

We also yield the trail to porters going in both directions to be considerate and to respect the incredibly hard work they are doing. A lot of porters here are making two round trips a day at this time of year, carrying expedition gear to EBC, up to 100kgs per load (220 lbs), balanced on their backs and held with a wide band across their foreheads. Besides being incredibly heavy, a lot of the loads look awkward: sheets of plywood with blue plastic barrels tied on one side, long metal frames that will be assembled into something, lopsided mixed bundles that are so wide that they catch on rocks. This is the tradition in this region, and it’s the available work, but it’s still kind of painful to see.

Everest base camp was a hive of activity when we arrived. Bright colored tents were scattered over a few square miles. Areas were roped off with rope and fabric signs where different expeditions were reserving space. Bire told us that in about 15 days, there will be no space left between the tents as mountaineering season goes into full swing. Today, yaks and porters were dropping off loads. Workers in different camps were preparing sites for tents (tricky on a melting glacier). Some larger cooking and dining tents were up. There was a hum from all the work in progress.

We stopped at the trekkers endpoint (not allowed in the  expeditions area), snapped some pictures with Everest and the khumbu ice fall which Bire has been through many times. Bire showed us where an avalanche across the valley in 2015 caused such a shock wave that tents and ropes were found all the way up at the ice fall; a lot of people died.

We headed back to Gorak Shep, again dodging yaks and porters. Clouds were coming in. We were incredibly fortunate to get clear skies for both our days around Gorak Shep.

On a ridge, a pair of Tibetan Woodcock, locally called Kongma, walked towards us. They were unafraid and as large as chickens, beautiful birds.

Back at Gorak Shep we had lunch, then walked slowly back to Lobuche. Where it was slippery packed snow from yesterday, it was now mud or wet dirt. The day was growing cold and windy, but we could feel the difference the loss of 700-800’ makes.  

Nepal Day 12 - Lobuche to Gorak Shep plus hike up Kala Patthar

5 miles, 2514‘ climbing, (approximated)

Buddha Lodge, elevation 17,032’

Highest elevation: Kala Patthar 18,502’

We were a little slow getting started in the morning. Our distance to Gorak Shep isn’t that long, but due to some landslides in years past, there’s some up and down. The sun was out and it wasn’t windy, a pattern we’ve been fortunate to enjoy on many mornings. Some yaks were being loaded, and we even say one standing in an ice topped puddle. Clearly yaks don’t get cold ankles. 

There were a lot of trekkers making their way up and down the path, yak trains and horses too, sometimes slowing us down. We reached an icy section where we donned our microspikes. We spotted a LBB (little brown bird) for possible future identification. Helicopters were flying up and down the valley. The sky was stunningly clear.

We rounded a corner and suddenly had a stunning view of Nuptse and we stopped for a few photos. Pumo Riwas to our left. We had walked adjacent to the Khumbu Glacier, hidden behind a moraine, all the way. We could see Gorak Shep, a small and lively village, just down the hill. It’s the last stopping point for expeditions to nearby mountains, and large tents and packaged piles of gear were tucked around the buildings. There’s a heli pad.

It was still early, so we had a quick lunch at the Buddha Lodge and headed up Kala Patthar to see the views while the sky was so exceptionally clear. We put on our microspikes which were perfect for traction on the trail. 

At first the trail was mud, then slush, then packed snow. It was unrelentingly uphill, and we trudged with only a few breaks, Bire leading the way followed by the two of us, and Deepak bringing up the rear. We heard the rumble of a distant avalanche. We didn’t see too many people on the trail but exchanged greetings with Jarod from Melbourne who we met last night. At one point we saw a helicopter land in a snowy plateau about half way up, passengers discharged then reloaded after a few minutes, and it took off again. Must be a sightseeing tour.

At a saddle near the top we had an excellent view of Pumori and glacial lakes. We put on wind protection for the push to the top and picked our way through snow and rocks to the view point. We high-fived each other and took a lot of pictures after putting on wooly hats and down jackets. The sky was perfectly clear except some snow blowing off the top of Everest. We could see Lhotse and Nuptse and Lho La and other mountains. The orange tents of Everest Base Camp were visible on the Khumbu glacier as was the lumpy and forbidding Ice Fall. Bire pointed our locations of camps I, II, III, and IV. It’s hard to describe the drama of the rock faces, snows, just everything, but it certainly made the difficult climb worthwhile. 

We trudged back down to our lodge for tea and snacks and relaxation. We sat around a warm stove next to a local dog while people trickled in. We were pleasantly tired. Kala Patthar is the highest point planned on our trek.

Our lodge was full of porters who are setting up camps for expeditions. 

Nepal Day 11 - Chukhung to Lobouche

 8.58 miles, 2459’ climbing

Hotel New EBC, Lobouche, Nepal

16,210’ current elevation

It was snowing lightly when we went to bed. We had heard from a party who had arrived from the other direction that the pass was in good condition. We woke early, had extra water and boxed lunches ready, dressed in extra layers, waterproof pants and jackets and overmitts — ready to set out over Kongma La. Then Bire heard from the other guides that conditions were iffy up top. One group had set out, but they were really athletic ( this message conveyed by a gesture indicating muscles). Everybody else was going back down valley and up the main Everest highway. Outside there were low clouds and a few inches of snow covering the trail — we were the first to head down valley.

It was serene in the snow. We saw small animal tracks and could trace them to their homes. Intermittent sun and clouds and no wind made it a quick and pleasant walk down to Dingboche. We angled up the ridge and turned towards EBC (everest base camp) on a high plateau with fairly easy walking thru shallow snow, slush, and mud, gradually ascending. After a few hours, we approached our lunch spot, the village of Thugla. Here the low trail merged with the high trail, and trekker traffic became thick. We descended to a bridge, crossed, then had a short, steep walk up to an outdoor terrace where we ordered tea and ate our boxed lunches (Tibetan bread, hard boiled egg, some mild cheese, KitKat bars).

It was cold and windy and steep and busy on the long climb out of Thugla. We trudged slowly up the hill, yielding the path to porters carrying heavy loads. When we reached the top of Thugla pass, we found ourselves in an area covered with chortens, many bearing brass plaques with dedications to mountaineers who died in Nepal. I looked at a couple and happened to see Scott Fischer’s name from the 1996 Everest disaster. 

On we walked, along a snowy trail, more mud, more boulders, more horses and yaks. More huge mountains were visible in front of us. Bire pointed out Lobouche Peak, the route to the top of it, where camp 1 was usually placed. He said that for Everest, all the expeditions who have permits generally pitch in together for route fixers who will put ladders and ropes thru the Khumbu ice fall, then fixed lines to the the top. This all starts long before the expeditions arrive; he estimated they would have already fixed lines up to camp II by now.

We saw the north side of Kongma La where we had planned to descend today. It looked snowy and challenging. We were happy with the decision to bypass. 

Our lodge, the Hotel New EBC, is cute and busy, full of many nationalities. We had hot showers though we didn’t wash our hair since there’s no way to dry it. It used an on-demand gas heater, and it felt great. We chatted with Bire and others before, during, and after dinner.