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Day 12 - Thorung La - Muktnath / Ranipauwa (3700m/12139ft) November 10, 2001
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The best staff any trekking group could hope for. |
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Bhola demonstrating another feat of strength |
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Tying a patch of Midori's fur to the prayer flags on the summit |
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Getting to the summit, as hard as it was, was only half the job. Around 11:30am the last of us began the big descent to Muktinath/Ranipauwa Now we have crossed over from Manang district to Mustang district |
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It's over a vertical MILE - 1716m/ 5630ft down to Ranipauwa, site of our campsite wayyyy down below |
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Taking a break on the way down |
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Around 16,000ft Chris once again took us off the beaten trail onto a west spur ridge to have lunch while enjoying a spetacular Himalayan panoramic view... |
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...featuring the 7th highest mountain in the world - Dhauligiri 8167m / 26,795ft (top left of photo) |
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Besides dealing with very steep terrain on the way down we had to tread carefully across snow and ice lest a misstep sent us hurtling down the side of the mountain. Later on we'd have to deal with dirt and mud |
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Taking another of many breaks on the way down |
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Over 4 knee-popping hours after leaving the summit we reached Muktinath/Ranipauwa, home of the Hotel Bob Marley. In the Annapurna region there's a fascination with legendary singers like Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix as demonstrated in lodge names. |
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As if lugging all our supplies up and down one of the highest mountain passess in the world wasn't enough our kitchen staff (directed by our head cook Battam) found time to bake me a birthday cake!! Bravo guys!! |
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