Tangnang - Tilman Trek Reloaded
11 Nov, 09 - 23:03
Bajee Namgel and friend relax in Tangnang
The Leonid Meteor shower is happening next week. It peaks on November 17th/18th. I'll be checking it out. Will YOU?! I recommend it! B^]
My memory wanders back to the skies of Tangnang in late-October 2008...while we were exploring Nepal on our first Secret Spot Tilman Trek. There were brilliantly clear night skies...
**********
October 26th, 2008
The west face of Mera as seen from near 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. =^)
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.
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!
Sidehilling from 14000ft camp
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.'
Punchbowl falls at our lunch stop
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.
A typical lunch with the porters
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.
A lone tree just before Kothe
We spent the next three nights and two days watching hundreds of people stream through Kothe...most of whom were coming from Lukla.
Kothe, Nepal
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.
The porters like to drink and dance
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
PhillMichael.COM
SherpaSchool.ORG
SecretSpotStore.COM
Bajee Namgel and friend relax in Tangnang
The Leonid Meteor shower is happening next week. It peaks on November 17th/18th. I'll be checking it out. Will YOU?! I recommend it! B^]
My memory wanders back to the skies of Tangnang in late-October 2008...while we were exploring Nepal on our first Secret Spot Tilman Trek. There were brilliantly clear night skies...
**********
October 26th, 2008
The west face of Mera as seen from near 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. =^)
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.
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!
Sidehilling from 14000ft camp
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.'
Punchbowl falls at our lunch stop
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.
A typical lunch with the porters
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.
A lone tree just before Kothe
We spent the next three nights and two days watching hundreds of people stream through Kothe...most of whom were coming from Lukla.
Kothe, Nepal
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.
The porters like to drink and dance
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
PhillMichael.COM
SherpaSchool.ORG
SecretSpotStore.COM
Posted by Phill Michael at 11/12/2009 1:06 AM 
Categories: Oakley, SecretSpotStore.COM, SecretSpot.TV, tibet, Everest, Sherpa, HumanEdgeTech.com, Kathmandu, SkypeVidCon, SatellitePhoneStore.com, SecretSpotAfrica, SecretSpotEverest.com, SecretSpotStore, Mustang, Tilman Trek Reloaded, BGAN, Frick, Nepal, Phill Michael, Podcast, SherpaSchool.ORG, Kathmandu Guest House, secretspot7summits.com, Kilimanjaro, SecretSpotAlaska, phillmichael.com, Alberta, SecretSpot.NET, Email, Video Conferencing, Surefire, Buddhist Tankas, Inmarsat, Tilman Trek, Medtronic, Loose Cannons, Satellite Phone Store, Seven Summits
Tags: Oakley SecretSpotStore.COM SecretSpot.TV tibet Everest Sherpa HumanEdgeTech.com Kathmandu SkypeVidCon SatellitePhoneStore.com SecretSpotAfrica SecretSpotStore Buddhist Tankas Mustang Tilman Trek Reloaded BGAN Frick Nepal Phill Michael Podcast SherpaSchool.ORG Kathmandu Guest House secretspot7summits.com Kilimanjaro SecretSpotAlaska phillmichael.com Alberta SecretSpot.NET Email Video Conferencing Surefire SecretSpotEverest.com Inmarsat Tilman Trek Medtronic Loose Cannons Satellite Phone Store Seven Summits
Categories: Oakley, SecretSpotStore.COM, SecretSpot.TV, tibet, Everest, Sherpa, HumanEdgeTech.com, Kathmandu, SkypeVidCon, SatellitePhoneStore.com, SecretSpotAfrica, SecretSpotEverest.com, SecretSpotStore, Mustang, Tilman Trek Reloaded, BGAN, Frick, Nepal, Phill Michael, Podcast, SherpaSchool.ORG, Kathmandu Guest House, secretspot7summits.com, Kilimanjaro, SecretSpotAlaska, phillmichael.com, Alberta, SecretSpot.NET, Email, Video Conferencing, Surefire, Buddhist Tankas, Inmarsat, Tilman Trek, Medtronic, Loose Cannons, Satellite Phone Store, Seven Summits
Tags: Oakley SecretSpotStore.COM SecretSpot.TV tibet Everest Sherpa HumanEdgeTech.com Kathmandu SkypeVidCon SatellitePhoneStore.com SecretSpotAfrica SecretSpotStore Buddhist Tankas Mustang Tilman Trek Reloaded BGAN Frick Nepal Phill Michael Podcast SherpaSchool.ORG Kathmandu Guest House secretspot7summits.com Kilimanjaro SecretSpotAlaska phillmichael.com Alberta SecretSpot.NET Email Video Conferencing Surefire SecretSpotEverest.com Inmarsat Tilman Trek Medtronic Loose Cannons Satellite Phone Store Seven Summits
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