Pass day

So we did it. The hike over the pass was cold and uphill. We got an early start as we heard that the winds can pick up around 11. We woke up 4 breakfast at 4:30 and we were on the trail at 5. The sunrise was beautiful. And the scenery was incredible on the way up. We had to hike by headlamp for the first couple of hours. It felt great to get to the pass which I believe is the biggest pass in the world. At least so I was told. 

I am glad to be coming down some and getting rid of some of the altitude. We shouldn't have to really worry about it for the rest of the trip. 

Sunrise on sumit day

Climbing toward the pass

Heading down

Descending 

Looking up at what we just came down. Denmark is the guy in the photo. 

Muktinah

So the descent was really brutal. It felt like three hours of sliding down snowy slopes. I didn't have waterproof pants but finally decided that it would be easier to slide down. It was quite treacherous at times. 

Well we made it to Muktinath. It was a long day and it feels good to be the place we are going to be staying for the night. We started at 5 and we just got into our room at 3. We gained almost 600 metered before dropping 1700m after the pass. It was a tough day. Very beautiful though. We are staying at the Bob Marley hotel tonight. 

We joined a group of 11 people. They are from all over the world. No one really has a name just a place they are from. I am the only one from the US but I am Utah. It's a really fun group of people. They made it interesting for sure. 

St. Patricks dinner with the group we hiked with. It was a really fun group that included a Hungarian, a Danish guy, 3 Canadians, an Irish guy, a Swede, a guy from London, a Whelsh guy, and an Italian. 

Getting higher

4000m tea stop

We started towards the pass and stopped for a tea break at just shy of 4000m. I am still in a T-shirt and it is quite warm. The climb has gone really well. With a short day we really aren't trying to hurry to much. 

Prayer wheels

Warming a kettle

We ran into some younger girls in one of the villages that offered marriage and to give us a kiss and told us they loved us. It was probably the most we have have heard from the locals. Typically it's just namaste. 

They use a big satellite looking dish to heat the kettle here. It reflects light toward a center point.  

It's nice to be on the the move today. After resting it was really nice having the break day to acclimatize. 

Porters

Lunch break in yak kharka. We are now at 4050 meters. We will climb another 200 or so to where we will stay. We will be done hiking today by 3:30 or 4. 

Our hotel resturuant. 

View from the resturuant. 

We just got to Ledar which sits at 4200m. It was a pretty easy 4 hours of hiking today. Tomorrow is a bit shorter in distance and time. 

The blister on my toe that's been there since the second day. 

We ended the day on a acclimatization hike were you hike up a hill to get some altitude above where you sleep. 

A lazy day

So we ate breakfast. Porridge again. Which I am growing quite fond of and set out. We are planning on having a 20km day which will be a nice laid back day. I am hiking with an Irish guy who requires tea breaks pretty regularly. I really don't mind the rest. The views as you get higher change. You get glimpses of the incredible mountain peaks. This trek is a popular one but we typically hike alone and pass mostly locals. They are often carrying wood or herding animals. We walk through the different towns all on the way and there are shops and hotels lining cobblestone roadways. 

Nepalese special forces. They are aomehow tied to brittish special forces. 

City entrance to chame

Pack horses

Suspension bridge

Crossing a bridge

Deklan coming into Pisang 

We hiked 13km til lunch in bhratang. I opted for the traditional Dal Bat meal. Today is going to be a much more relaxed day than yesterday. We could push to make it further but there's not much of a point since we want to make to Manang the following day and we should be able to make it quite easily. 

Another 6km down and another tea break. It's not yet high enough to worry about altitude sickness but it does feel like you have to work a bit harder now than before.

We made it to upper Pisang which puts is at 20.5km on the day. We could have gone further but we need to end up in Manang tomorrow and it will only be about five hours of trekking from where we are now. There was a fork in the road today and we took the one that will take us higher and should have better views. We got here about 4:45 today so it was a short and early day. We are above 3000m now which is where they say you have to worry about altitude sickness. 

Upper Pisang

Upper Pisang

Our room

Balcony in front of our room

It was a good day. Parts of it felt a bit tedious but there are some really beautiful areas we passed and we are starting to get close to some of the real climbing. 

Accommodations are $1 plus we will eat at the place. Foods about $2-$5 per meal. We haven't yet experienced it but some places charge to take hot showers or to charge a phone. Rooms are just beds with the toilet and shower separate. Toilets are all squatters. Most places provide blankets but a sleeping bag is necessary. It's starting to get pretty cold. Pants and beanie are a must. We walked through some snow today and are starting to get into more and more as we continue. They say this is one of the colder seasons in a while so the snow is much lower than it would typically be. 

In the shadows of giants

We are our daily porridge and headed out. We started out day with a bear of a climb. It was probably close to 500m up steep switchbacks. There was a fork on the trail and we took the upper route to ghyaru. Right as we were leaving we saw a woman who had to be at least 70 carrying a wicker basket completely full of hay. It was really impressive. I have noticed woman work very hard here and to an old age. 

Annapurna 2 in the morning. Just shy of 8k km. 

We walked next to peaks that come up on 8000m. 

On the trail 

One of many shrines passed through the day. 

The climb up the hill

Top of the upper route

Nepali woman who ran the shop. 

So we are currently at 3700m. It's good that we came this high as we will stay at lower height tonight. We will lose another 300m and then add 200m to get to Manang. Manang seems to be a staging place for pass. Some even come to Manang and then will head down the way we have come. The views of Annapurna 2 are stunning from here. There are some accommodations and a small village. 

So I have now had yak meat. We were told it's for Nepali people and I know why. It wasn't really good. Maybe better to say it's an acquired taste. 3-4 hours to Manang which should be the largest town or village so far. 

Taking the upper route was a good choice. It had really incredible views and today has been so clear so the views have been really good. 

A quick tea break in Mungje about an hour outside of Manang. We should get there at a reasonable hour. It's impressive all the shrines they build here. We saw a number of them at 3700m.

Mural in an entry to the city. 

Nepali woman headed out to work. 

Yak meat. Not my favorite. 

There are flags everywhere

So we made it to Manang. We left at 8ish and got into Manang at 5:30. Our room tonight is $1.50 per night. It's big and actually has 3 beds in it. They really make all their money off of their food. Our room has a really nice view of the mountains and is up on the 3rd floor of the hotel. Manang is just about half way kilometer wise but is really where people get ready to go over the pass. It's a much larger village than the others we have passed through. 

From the roof of our hotel

Manang nearing sunset