Tingri to Everest Base Camp trek
On Thursday (12 October) morning Ben and I had breakfast and then went to stock up on supplies for the trek. We really should have taken the time to buy more provisions in Lhasa, because there wasn't much to be had in Tingri. We managed some peanuts, Chinese chocolate bars, biscuits, and instant noodles. That, along with what I had picked up in Lhasa, didn't seem completely appealing as our only food for a long and hike trek. But we left Tingri nonetheless around noon that day.
About 4 hours and 15 km later we found a pleasant campsite by the river up the main valley that leads from Tingri to Cho Oyu. It wasn't particularily cold that night, maybe just below freezing. We had decided to just take Ben's 4-season 2-person tent which ended up being the right decision.
The next morning (Friday, 13 October) we waited until the sun hit our tent before continueing on. The coldest part of the day aroung here is from about 7 to 8 am, just as the sun is rising. We hiked about 20 km that day. First further south along the main valley and then turning east into a side valley. The tip of Everest that had been visible from Tingri disappeared the first day so we could see nothing of it the entire second day. The winds had been in our faces, strong but warm the first day and this day they were strong and cooler. We were stopped that afternoon by elevation. Tingri was at 4400 meters, our camp the first night was at 4600 meters. We were now at 4900 meters and to properly acclimatize we needed to spend the night there. So after setting up the tent in a large, flat, tundra-plated valley we went for a short hike. It was definitely colder that night, around -8 C I think.
The following morning (Saturday, 14 October) we again waited for the sun to hit our tent before venturing out. Luckily the winds don't start until the afternoon so we had a few hours of calm that morning. This day was more of the same, but we ascended towards the pass, Lamna-la at around 5150 meters. After crossing the pass we traversed for probably 5 km over tundra without loosing much elevation. Finally we saw a ridge that looked like it would save a lot of kilometers over hiking around it. So we spent a good deal of effort to ascend to the top of the ridge. Once at the top we were simply blown away by the view. The view gave me goose bumps. There before us was Qomolungma, Everest. What a sight!! The view was so fine we decided to stay the night there. We found a flat spot in a bouldery slopping field protected from the wind and with the best view I've ever had from a camp site. We ate dinner while staring at Everest and watching a storm move in over the mountains. That night it was colder still, around -10 C. I think the elevation of that camp was 5100 meters. Everest looked so big and close it was hard to believe it was still ~30 km up valley!!
On Sunday (15 October) morning we actually got up before the sun to watch the sunrise. We decided that sunset was much more impressive but it was still a beautiful sight. We hiked down to the road where we realized that we should have taken a different pass and valley but we had somewhat blindly followed a dirt road into a different valley. It turned out to be a very pleasant mistake. If we had followed the correct route our first view of Everest would have been at Rongphu monastery which was about 8-10 km down the road from where we gained the road. Rongphu enjoys a fine view of Everest still 8 km down valley from Everest Base Camp. Rongphu (4900 meters) is where most tourists spend the night. There are a couple of guest houses there. So we happily relaxed in the warm and windless restaurant that afternoon. We later discovered one of the most rancid toilets ever. And later still, Brian and Rob showed up, completely unexpectedly to Ben and me.
On Monday (16 October) morning we all made the hike up to Everest Base Camp proper. We went on a hike that afternoon up valley and hiked around the moraines below the Rongphu glacier. The scale of the place is so huge its still hard to grasp. We didn't have time to go all the way to the glacier which is a good ways from base camp. Everest Base Camp would be a crazy site in full season. At 5200 meters there is actually a post office and a bunch of tents set up that double as restaurants and beds for tourists. Ben and I camped in the climbers camp sites though. A space about a kilometer wide by a kilometer long was dotted with tent sights. Our tent was the only one there. That night it got down to -12 C in our tent's vestibule but I think we were beginning to get use to the cold.
On Tuesday (17 October) morning we made our way back to Rongphu where we decided to spend another night being in no particular hurry. We didn't do much that afternoon at Rongphu. I slept in the guesthouse again, while Ben decided to tent it, and had my first really good night's sleep in a while.
On Wednesday (18 October) morning we got started just after sunrise. We hike the 10 km back down the road to the turnoff where we started hiking up the correct valley this time. The 10 km, 700-meter elevation gain, valley was fairly difficult. After arriving at the (correct) pass Nam-la (5350 meters) we dropped over and headed another 10 km on descending terrain back to our camp in the tundra-plated valley. We took the same spot we used on the second night on the hike in. That evening as we were cooking dinner, 3 yak herders came by the tent. We offered them a seat on the tundra around the tent and then some tea and biscuits. The female herder asked if she could take the entire package of biscuits. Of course we agreed. They probably don't get much sweets up there! The didn't speak any english so we just sat there smiling at each other. It was about -5 C and windy at this point. While Ben and I sat in the tent and vestibule the 3 herders sat there in the wind with no hats or gloves just smiling away thinking nothing of the cold. What hearty, strong people they are!! Made us look like wimps with our down jackets and tents!! That night was the coldest yet. In the morning we checked the thermometer in the vestibule and it read -15 C. But honestly it didn't feel that cold. I think we were just use to it by this point.
That morning (Thursday, 19 October) we woke up early and made a break for the last long stretch back to Tingri. That was a tough day. It was cold that morning and we had a tricky (i.e. icy) creek crossing. I spent a good 30 minutes suring up the rocky damn before making dash over the icy rocks to the other side where Ben had been waiting. I really didn't like the idea of falling in or getting my feet wet. Water freezes quickly at those temps. Although there was no up hill, the 30 km seemed to go on and on. The wind had been consistent the entire hike but luckily now it was at our backs. As we passed through the last town before Tingri (still 15 km away) a truck stopped and offered us a ride. I righteously refused while Ben refused less willingly. My feet had killed me on that stretch. When we arrived back in Tingri I discovered some huge and grotesque blisters on my small toes. We stayed the night inTingri recovering.
The next morning (Friday, 20 October) we woke up early to hitch to the Nepalese border. I was really looking forward to the luxuries of Kathmandu; hot water, warmer temps, clean toilets and sheets, laundry, sundries, a shave, a tailor, books, internet access, food, humidity.... Kathmandu sounded like Paris to us.
About 4 hours and 15 km later we found a pleasant campsite by the river up the main valley that leads from Tingri to Cho Oyu. It wasn't particularily cold that night, maybe just below freezing. We had decided to just take Ben's 4-season 2-person tent which ended up being the right decision.
The next morning (Friday, 13 October) we waited until the sun hit our tent before continueing on. The coldest part of the day aroung here is from about 7 to 8 am, just as the sun is rising. We hiked about 20 km that day. First further south along the main valley and then turning east into a side valley. The tip of Everest that had been visible from Tingri disappeared the first day so we could see nothing of it the entire second day. The winds had been in our faces, strong but warm the first day and this day they were strong and cooler. We were stopped that afternoon by elevation. Tingri was at 4400 meters, our camp the first night was at 4600 meters. We were now at 4900 meters and to properly acclimatize we needed to spend the night there. So after setting up the tent in a large, flat, tundra-plated valley we went for a short hike. It was definitely colder that night, around -8 C I think.
The following morning (Saturday, 14 October) we again waited for the sun to hit our tent before venturing out. Luckily the winds don't start until the afternoon so we had a few hours of calm that morning. This day was more of the same, but we ascended towards the pass, Lamna-la at around 5150 meters. After crossing the pass we traversed for probably 5 km over tundra without loosing much elevation. Finally we saw a ridge that looked like it would save a lot of kilometers over hiking around it. So we spent a good deal of effort to ascend to the top of the ridge. Once at the top we were simply blown away by the view. The view gave me goose bumps. There before us was Qomolungma, Everest. What a sight!! The view was so fine we decided to stay the night there. We found a flat spot in a bouldery slopping field protected from the wind and with the best view I've ever had from a camp site. We ate dinner while staring at Everest and watching a storm move in over the mountains. That night it was colder still, around -10 C. I think the elevation of that camp was 5100 meters. Everest looked so big and close it was hard to believe it was still ~30 km up valley!!
On Sunday (15 October) morning we actually got up before the sun to watch the sunrise. We decided that sunset was much more impressive but it was still a beautiful sight. We hiked down to the road where we realized that we should have taken a different pass and valley but we had somewhat blindly followed a dirt road into a different valley. It turned out to be a very pleasant mistake. If we had followed the correct route our first view of Everest would have been at Rongphu monastery which was about 8-10 km down the road from where we gained the road. Rongphu enjoys a fine view of Everest still 8 km down valley from Everest Base Camp. Rongphu (4900 meters) is where most tourists spend the night. There are a couple of guest houses there. So we happily relaxed in the warm and windless restaurant that afternoon. We later discovered one of the most rancid toilets ever. And later still, Brian and Rob showed up, completely unexpectedly to Ben and me.
On Monday (16 October) morning we all made the hike up to Everest Base Camp proper. We went on a hike that afternoon up valley and hiked around the moraines below the Rongphu glacier. The scale of the place is so huge its still hard to grasp. We didn't have time to go all the way to the glacier which is a good ways from base camp. Everest Base Camp would be a crazy site in full season. At 5200 meters there is actually a post office and a bunch of tents set up that double as restaurants and beds for tourists. Ben and I camped in the climbers camp sites though. A space about a kilometer wide by a kilometer long was dotted with tent sights. Our tent was the only one there. That night it got down to -12 C in our tent's vestibule but I think we were beginning to get use to the cold.
On Tuesday (17 October) morning we made our way back to Rongphu where we decided to spend another night being in no particular hurry. We didn't do much that afternoon at Rongphu. I slept in the guesthouse again, while Ben decided to tent it, and had my first really good night's sleep in a while.
On Wednesday (18 October) morning we got started just after sunrise. We hike the 10 km back down the road to the turnoff where we started hiking up the correct valley this time. The 10 km, 700-meter elevation gain, valley was fairly difficult. After arriving at the (correct) pass Nam-la (5350 meters) we dropped over and headed another 10 km on descending terrain back to our camp in the tundra-plated valley. We took the same spot we used on the second night on the hike in. That evening as we were cooking dinner, 3 yak herders came by the tent. We offered them a seat on the tundra around the tent and then some tea and biscuits. The female herder asked if she could take the entire package of biscuits. Of course we agreed. They probably don't get much sweets up there! The didn't speak any english so we just sat there smiling at each other. It was about -5 C and windy at this point. While Ben and I sat in the tent and vestibule the 3 herders sat there in the wind with no hats or gloves just smiling away thinking nothing of the cold. What hearty, strong people they are!! Made us look like wimps with our down jackets and tents!! That night was the coldest yet. In the morning we checked the thermometer in the vestibule and it read -15 C. But honestly it didn't feel that cold. I think we were just use to it by this point.
That morning (Thursday, 19 October) we woke up early and made a break for the last long stretch back to Tingri. That was a tough day. It was cold that morning and we had a tricky (i.e. icy) creek crossing. I spent a good 30 minutes suring up the rocky damn before making dash over the icy rocks to the other side where Ben had been waiting. I really didn't like the idea of falling in or getting my feet wet. Water freezes quickly at those temps. Although there was no up hill, the 30 km seemed to go on and on. The wind had been consistent the entire hike but luckily now it was at our backs. As we passed through the last town before Tingri (still 15 km away) a truck stopped and offered us a ride. I righteously refused while Ben refused less willingly. My feet had killed me on that stretch. When we arrived back in Tingri I discovered some huge and grotesque blisters on my small toes. We stayed the night inTingri recovering.
The next morning (Friday, 20 October) we woke up early to hitch to the Nepalese border. I was really looking forward to the luxuries of Kathmandu; hot water, warmer temps, clean toilets and sheets, laundry, sundries, a shave, a tailor, books, internet access, food, humidity.... Kathmandu sounded like Paris to us.
posted by Dustin at 3:24 AM
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