Tangnang...
Staring up at Mera's West Face, I contemplate the
remaining 7000ft(approx. 2130m) we need to ascend to reach the summit.
Piece o' cake. =^)
The west face of Mera as seen from near Tangnang
We are in the tiny town of Tangnang...14 little structures...most of which are primitive guest houses...nestled into some ancient lateral moraine at around 14000ft(approx 4200m). I'm sipping lemon tea while tap typing on the Ipaq. I had a decent amount of sleep last night...despite getting out of my warm sleeping bag at 3am to call the Loose Cannons.
Bajee Namgel and friend relax in Tangnang
Today we'll move up to Khare(approx. 5000m/16400ft)...then Mera La(approx. 5400m/17700ft)...then High Camp(approx. 5800m/19000ft)...and thence to the summit(6476m/21241ft). It will be a few days before we (hopefully) cast our eyes upon a panoramic view of this end of the Himalayas. We should be able to see five of the tallest 8000m+(26240m+) peaks...including Everest. Joy! B^)
Where have we been since leaving our 14000ft camp of October 21st!? Up and down...up and down!
We climbed out of camp on October 21st with vigor. I was still wearing my Crocs and feeling fine. After gaining a few hundred vertical feet, we 'sidehilled' our way across countless slopes. Every corner revealed another corner...but we were content.
Bajee Namgel continually chanted prayers mixed with the comment, 'Soon go down.'
The descent to our lunch spot was lovely and slippery. Gone were the steps...present was the mud. My worn out Crocs were no match for the terrain and I basically sandal skied and swung through the trailside trees like a monkey. A creek side lunch, right next to a beautiful punchbowl waterfall, was welcome...as was a brief nap.
Dawa and I hung around the fire (our porters had made) until about 4pm...then made our way towards Kothe(12000ft/approx. 3600m). We talked politics and economics as we neared the 'junction' town. Dawa warned me that we were now moving into well trodden country and that we would see many Westerners...daily. It was to be true.
We spent the next three nights and two days watching hundreds of people stream through Kothe...most of whom were coming from Lukla. They were all 'gunning' for Mera peak...then heading back the same way. We only met a small group of five who were planning to do the same route as us...over the near 20000ft(approx. 6000m) Amphu Laptse La Pass...and onto the Everest circuit.
There was a monster porter/Sherpa party on night #2 in Kothe. It was continuously louder than a major sports event...and went into the wee hours. I've also described it as a Lord of the Rings Orc party. There wasn't too much sleep to be had that night. %^}
Yesterday we enjoyed a leisurely stroll up a wide creek bed to where I sit now. I think we gained about 2000 vertical feet(approx. 600 vertical metres)...but it didn't feel like it.
Cruising up the creek from Kothe to Tangnang
We are acclimatizing well. B^)
The warm clothes are finally out...and the heat of the Arun Valley seems like a lifetime ago. We aren't even half way through our Tilman Trek yet...and that makes me smile. =^)
Physically disconnecting from modern conveniences for a month(or so) is good for the soul. Wholesome food and tons of exercise at altitude doesn't hurt either...=^]
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
SecretSpot.NET
SecretSpot7Summits.com
SecretSpotEverest.com
Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com
The west face of Mera as seen from near Tangnang
We are in the tiny town of Tangnang...14 little structures...most of which are primitive guest houses...nestled into some ancient lateral moraine at around 14000ft(approx 4200m). I'm sipping lemon tea while tap typing on the Ipaq. I had a decent amount of sleep last night...despite getting out of my warm sleeping bag at 3am to call the Loose Cannons.
Bajee Namgel and friend relax in Tangnang
Today we'll move up to Khare(approx. 5000m/16400ft)...then Mera La(approx. 5400m/17700ft)...then High Camp(approx. 5800m/19000ft)...and thence to the summit(6476m/21241ft). It will be a few days before we (hopefully) cast our eyes upon a panoramic view of this end of the Himalayas. We should be able to see five of the tallest 8000m+(26240m+) peaks...including Everest. Joy! B^)
Where have we been since leaving our 14000ft camp of October 21st!? Up and down...up and down!
We climbed out of camp on October 21st with vigor. I was still wearing my Crocs and feeling fine. After gaining a few hundred vertical feet, we 'sidehilled' our way across countless slopes. Every corner revealed another corner...but we were content.
Bajee Namgel continually chanted prayers mixed with the comment, 'Soon go down.'
The descent to our lunch spot was lovely and slippery. Gone were the steps...present was the mud. My worn out Crocs were no match for the terrain and I basically sandal skied and swung through the trailside trees like a monkey. A creek side lunch, right next to a beautiful punchbowl waterfall, was welcome...as was a brief nap.
Dawa and I hung around the fire (our porters had made) until about 4pm...then made our way towards Kothe(12000ft/approx. 3600m). We talked politics and economics as we neared the 'junction' town. Dawa warned me that we were now moving into well trodden country and that we would see many Westerners...daily. It was to be true.
We spent the next three nights and two days watching hundreds of people stream through Kothe...most of whom were coming from Lukla. They were all 'gunning' for Mera peak...then heading back the same way. We only met a small group of five who were planning to do the same route as us...over the near 20000ft(approx. 6000m) Amphu Laptse La Pass...and onto the Everest circuit.
There was a monster porter/Sherpa party on night #2 in Kothe. It was continuously louder than a major sports event...and went into the wee hours. I've also described it as a Lord of the Rings Orc party. There wasn't too much sleep to be had that night. %^}
Yesterday we enjoyed a leisurely stroll up a wide creek bed to where I sit now. I think we gained about 2000 vertical feet(approx. 600 vertical metres)...but it didn't feel like it.
Cruising up the creek from Kothe to Tangnang
We are acclimatizing well. B^)
The warm clothes are finally out...and the heat of the Arun Valley seems like a lifetime ago. We aren't even half way through our Tilman Trek yet...and that makes me smile. =^)
Physically disconnecting from modern conveniences for a month(or so) is good for the soul. Wholesome food and tons of exercise at altitude doesn't hurt either...=^]
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
SecretSpot.NET
SecretSpot7Summits.com
SecretSpotEverest.com
Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com
Posted by Phill Michael at 10/26/2008 12:45 PM 
Categories: SecretSpot.TV, Frick, secretspot7summits.com, Phill Michael, Everest, Sherpa, Nepal, Medtronic, tibet, Surefire, Seven Summits, Tilman Trek, SecretSpot.NET, SecretSpotEverest.com
Categories: SecretSpot.TV, Frick, secretspot7summits.com, Phill Michael, Everest, Sherpa, Nepal, Medtronic, tibet, Surefire, Seven Summits, Tilman Trek, SecretSpot.NET, SecretSpotEverest.com
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