Category: alpine

by site editor Rick McCharles

Farewell Marpha.

I’d loved the previous day, cycling down the world’s “deepest” gorge, the Kali Gandaki.

Sure you face the odd traffic jam in the Himalaya. 🙂

But cycling was better than walking.

Unfortunately, as you descend it’s difficult to avoid the dusty, busy road.

I detoured off it whenever I could.

All was well … until this.

I replaced the tube in the flat tire. But it wouldn’t hold air.

I spent 90min trying to repair that flat. In frustration, I finally decided to wave down the next passing vehicle.

It was a bus. And refused to stop.

Right behind the bus arrived … Reto Brunner.

He’d been on the road with his bike for 2 1/2 years. About 10 flats himself over that time.

But at one stint he worked in bicycle repair in Oman. He quickly detected a leak in my new replacement tube, patched it. And we rolled on down the mountain together.

In payment, I paid for lunch. We talked of his upcoming cycling trip the length of Baja, California with a Mexican girlfriend. Reto planned to add Spanish to the many languages he already spoke.

Reto had cycled the entire Annapurna Circuit to and from Pokhara.

I’d crossed the high Thorung Pass alongside a Nepali cycling guide and his German client.

It was easy for the Guide. But the German fell 3 times on the descent, nearly breaking his wrist on one fall.

It was mid-afternoon before Reto and I got serious about getting back on the bikes.

Our best section of single track was getting lost on the wrong side of the river.
The road got worse and worse. One of the worst rides of my life.

Ruts , dust and traffic.

Finally, a crash. Luckily I suffered only minor scrapes and bruises. Another reminder to have travel insurance that covers cycling. World Nomads is probably the most popular company with the hikers I spoke with.

It was dark by the time we climbed into the hotsprings at Tatopani.

Glorious. 🙂

Next morning I waved goodbye to Reto. He was cycling on to a Yoga Retreat.

I headed to Pokhara by motor vehicle. My 17 days on Manaslu and Annapurna were over. A great trip.

Leaving mid-day turned out to be a mistake. Most vehicles depart in the morning.

It took 2 taxis to get there.

see high resolution photos from this day on flickr

day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | info

by site editor Rick McCharles

My guesthouse hosts had advised me that breakfast would be served 6am.

It was election day. They wanted to rush as early as possible to the voting station at Manang.

That was fine with me. The earlier I got to Manang today, the better.

At first light the road was already busy. Election turn-out was high. This was only the second National election ever.

The highlight of the morning was  Bhraka Gompa at dawn. Ancient looking … but with satellite dishes.

The smell of burning juniper in the morning brought back memories of past hikes in Tibetan lands.

Things were looking decidedly more Tibetan as I climbed.

I passed one of two schools in Manang where people could vote.

Manang … 3,519 metres (11,545 ft). … population of 2863 people … To the north there is the Chulu East peak of 6,584 meters. …

The village is situated on the northern slope, which gets the most sunlight and the least snow cover in the winter. …

I arrived early in Manang with a long list of chores to accomplish.

#1 was machine wash of my stinky clothing

I’m not sure I’ve ever carries such toxic gear, one plastic bag full of wet clothes reeked of ammonia.

I took an acclimatization hike up to Gangapurna Glacier.

It was oddly hazy.

Almost everyone stays 2 nights in Manang. Since I was already acclimatized, I’d spend only one.

The Manang Museum is very interesting, in particular one exhibit showing some of the first photos taken of Manang. And the reactions of locals in those photos when shown them decades later. 🙂

At 3pm every day volunteers from the USA, Canada and the UK put on an Altitude Sickness presentation.

I learned that acclimatization is partially genetic.

After the talk I asked one lady Doctor her advice regarding me crossing via Tilicho Lake rather than the normal route.

She had been to the Lake but not across. Her opinion was that one landslide section was a bit dangerous to cross. That it would be better to go as a group with a guide. With tent and stove.

I was convinced to save Tilicho for another day. Perhaps a Nar Phu to Tilicho itinerary.

One big difference from Manaslu is the number of young men hanging around motor bikes on the Annapurna Circuit, smoking, with not much to do. If trekking tourism continues to decline they’ll have to move to Kathmandu or India for work.

I couldn’t resist relaxing at a film. Luxury.

I chose Seven Years in Tibet. An awful film in almost every way. But it does have stunning Tibetan cinematography. And no Annapurna hiker can complain about pains after watching what Heinrich and Peter went through.

Good night.

see high resolution photos from this day on flickr

day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | info

by site editor Rick McCharles

I slept long and well again, still catching up from the short night crossing Larkya Pass on the Manaslu Circuit.

Breakfast was omelet $2, pot of milk coffee $4.50, room $1.50 and $1 for recharging batteries. Annapurna is a little less expensive than the Manaslu Circuit.

Chame did not look quite so ugly in the morning light.

Still, I was keen to get high as quickly as possible. I planned another long hiking day.

Winter was coming. People were collecting deadfall.

There is a “road” on this side of the Annapurna Circuit, but it wasn’t all that busy when I was there.

Again today no motor vehicle carrying hikers passed me. It’s possible to hire a motorcycle driver, but I never once saw a hiker on one.

The Annapurna Circuit is sometimes called the Apple Pie trek. For good reason.

This was the second construction site stopping 4-wheel drive vehicles. There’s no bridge across this river.

Local tractors could get through.

I did have a long, leisurely lunch with new friends I’d met the night before. One  already with seriously huge blisters. He switched out of new hiking boots and into his sandals.

Most hikers leaving Chame, including that British couple, were heading to Pisang. Upper Pisang if they could find space in a lodge. I took a sidetrip across the river to check out the pretty hillside village.

With daylight remaining, I pushed on to the mountain airport town, Humde, arriving at dark.

It was empty of tourists. With no flights the next day, no tourists were in town. Except me. This hike was starting to feel a little lonely,.

I ate meals in the family kitchen, lit & warmed by wood fire. Two fuel stoves sat unused. Wood is cheaper, obviously.

I did get the best room in the house.

The airport was still locked next morning. I’d been considering a loop over Thorang Pass, back to this airport via Tilicho Lake, then flying out to Pokhara …

I decided against.

see high resolution photos from this day on flickr

day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | info

by site editor Rick McCharles

I was up early for breakfast. And to say goodbye to the friends I’d spent the past 10 days with … hiking the Manaslu Circuit. Our 3 guides departed with them, dashing down the Annapurna Circuit. Back to civilization.

I enjoyed a bit of solitude for the fist time in 2 weeks. Drank coffee. Read.

Finally I had to psych-up to start climbing again. Alone this time.

I was in Dharapani, where the Manaslu Circuit and the Annapurna Circuit intersect.

Already acclimatized from 10 days trekking up and over a 5000m Pass, my thinking was:

• I’m here.
• I’ve got time.
• I’ve got the required permits.
• Why NOT continue on the Annapurna Circuit? 🙂

I recalled famed mountaineer Anatoli Boukreev after the brutal 1996 Everest disaster (where no client of his expedition died). He soloed  8,516 metres (27,940 ft) Lhotse the next day.

He was acclimatized. The weather was good.

Why not?

… On the other hand, Boukreev was killed in an avalanche on Annapurna Christmas day 1997.

I started up towards Manang.

My plan was to flag down a passing jeep or bus. None passed. So I walked 7hrs without a major break.

My stomach was still bad from Manaslu, so I didn’t eat much.

To boost my energy level I listened to Game of Thrones on an iPod.

It was a relaxed and pretty day. My most mellow in weeks in Nepal

So far Annapurna felt less crowded than Manaslu.

Chame was the end of the road for 4 wheel vehicles. Only motor bikes could get past this construction.

Chame is the headquarters of Manang District in the Gandaki Zone of northern Nepal. At the time of the 2001 Nepal census it had a population of 1204 people … Manang District is the lowest populated district in Nepal …

There was some excitement in town, however. People had to register for the upcoming National election.

Alone for the first time, I got to know some new hikers in my guesthouse. A young guy from Barcelona — his first day hiking in the Himalaya — was quite worried about whether or not he would freeze on the Thorung Pass. 🙂

I went to sleep early.

see high resolution photos from this day on flickr

day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | info