Thursday, November 29, 2007
A Trek of the Annapurna Curcuit
This October, Berkeley Ironworks Performance Cycling instructor Jen Worth spent a month of October in Nepal, a country she had wanted to visit for several years. Here is her story:
I trekked the Annapurna Circuit, a classic trek that circles the Annapurna massif and stretches about 220km (137 miles). The Circuit begins at low elevations, where it was downright tropical, and climbs in altitude until crossing the Thorung La pass at 5416 meters (17,769 feet). Along the way, it passes through lowland villages amidst terraced rice fields, villages valleys along a river, and barren mountain villages with prayer flags whipping in the wind.
It is a tea-house style trek, meaning one eats and sleeps in basic lodges while passing through villages along the Circuit. Dal bhat tarkari (lentil soup, rice and vegetables) is the standard Nepali meal, eaten twice a day. I chose to eat like a local as much as possible, except when I simply needed calories and had to down a Snickers and Coke (and I don't even like Coke!). Along the most of the trail, there are no roads (didn't see a car for 10 days!) so all supplies must be carried in on mules or on the backs of porters. To see a small, elderly woman carrying cages full of chickens five deep for hours on end is beyond humbling.
Speaking of humbling, the most spectacular scenery in the world is on display day after day. Rounding the corner in Upper Pisang and having Annapurna 2 staring squarely at me was a moment that took my breath away; I simply couldn't believe I was in the Himalayas looking at the mountains I'd read about for years. Along the Circuit, Nature continually reminds me that I am to be humbled. Landslides show their effect by having taken away parts of the trail, either forcing a delicate negotiation to pick one's way along a narrow path, or to be completely stopped while the army carves a new pathway where one stood the day before. The powerful rivers and many waterfalls are a stunning reminder of Nepal's abundance of water.
Crossing the Thorung La pass was a day I will never forget. We were about to embark on a day starting at 14,600 and ascend to the pass elevation of 17,769 then descend to finish the day at 12,465. I was one of many people to take a 4:30am departure...with snow falling. Perhaps we believed it was just a flurry, or perhaps we all felt safety in numbers. Regardless, it was an eerily beautiful sight to watch the snaking lights of headlamps in a slow processional up the switchbacks. People moved slowly, sucking in the thin, dry air. As daylight showed itself, two things were apparent: there was no end in sight to the snowfall, and many people were showing signs of altitude illness. These two realities were not a good combination. I saw many sick people I wanted to help (as a Wilderness First Responder, I carried extra Diamox), but could not, because I had to keep moving so I would not lose the small group I was crossing with, and because the snow was now joined by whipping winds. The top of the pass snuck up on me, since I was worried about all these sick people! I stopped very briefly to take the obligatory photo at the cairns and prayer flags, and to buy a sick porter a cup of tea.(Amazingly, there's a tea shop at the top of the pass, with the most expensive tea in all of Nepal!) The descent was a tricky one, narrow scree paths were now covered with inches of snow. People slowly tiptoed through the narrow paths that were on the edge of hundred foot drops. Many people, including me, fell several times along these icy ledges. I travelled closely with a Finnish guy, and we joked as we looked out for each other, both of us exhausted but determined to get to Muktinath safely. Nine hours after starting out, we were searching for guesthouses with available rooms. I was never so grateful for taking off my boots!
It wasn't all challenging. This side of the pass was more "luxurious", meaning better lodges with more food options, and hot showers! The village of Tatopani has natural hot springs along the river....a well-deserved soak was never enjoyed so much! It was exactly what was needed, since the next day was a 6000 ft climb up granite steps over 7 miles. The views of Dhaulagiri were our reward at Ghorepani. Sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the surrounding peaks were breathtaking.
I finished the trek on the most important day of the most important Nepali holiday, Dasain. People travel far to be with family, and everyone is dressed in their finest clothing and adorned with tikkas on their foreheads. It was a lovely sight as I caught a ride to Pokhara, a mellow lakeside town Where one typically decompresses after the trek. Many who craved a steak got their fix here, as for me, I just wanted some strong coffee! After chilling out here for a few days, I returned to Kathmandu to do more sightseeing before returning home. The giant Buddhist stupa at Boudha, the funereal pyres at Pashupatinath (the Varanasi of Nepal) and the monkeys at Swayambhunath (aka Monkey Temple) were all stunningly impressive places to visit.
All too soon it was time to leave. The people of Nepal, the mountain scenery and tiny villages, the simplicity, the beauty amidst the chaos all leave a special place in my heart and I know I'll be back.
This October, Berkeley Ironworks Performance Cycling instructor Jen Worth spent a month of October in Nepal, a country she had wanted to visit for several years. Here is her story:
I trekked the Annapurna Circuit, a classic trek that circles the Annapurna massif and stretches about 220km (137 miles). The Circuit begins at low elevations, where it was downright tropical, and climbs in altitude until crossing the Thorung La pass at 5416 meters (17,769 feet). Along the way, it passes through lowland villages amidst terraced rice fields, villages valleys along a river, and barren mountain villages with prayer flags whipping in the wind.
It is a tea-house style trek, meaning one eats and sleeps in basic lodges while passing through villages along the Circuit. Dal bhat tarkari (lentil soup, rice and vegetables) is the standard Nepali meal, eaten twice a day. I chose to eat like a local as much as possible, except when I simply needed calories and had to down a Snickers and Coke (and I don't even like Coke!). Along the most of the trail, there are no roads (didn't see a car for 10 days!) so all supplies must be carried in on mules or on the backs of porters. To see a small, elderly woman carrying cages full of chickens five deep for hours on end is beyond humbling.
Speaking of humbling, the most spectacular scenery in the world is on display day after day. Rounding the corner in Upper Pisang and having Annapurna 2 staring squarely at me was a moment that took my breath away; I simply couldn't believe I was in the Himalayas looking at the mountains I'd read about for years. Along the Circuit, Nature continually reminds me that I am to be humbled. Landslides show their effect by having taken away parts of the trail, either forcing a delicate negotiation to pick one's way along a narrow path, or to be completely stopped while the army carves a new pathway where one stood the day before. The powerful rivers and many waterfalls are a stunning reminder of Nepal's abundance of water.
Crossing the Thorung La pass was a day I will never forget. We were about to embark on a day starting at 14,600 and ascend to the pass elevation of 17,769 then descend to finish the day at 12,465. I was one of many people to take a 4:30am departure...with snow falling. Perhaps we believed it was just a flurry, or perhaps we all felt safety in numbers. Regardless, it was an eerily beautiful sight to watch the snaking lights of headlamps in a slow processional up the switchbacks. People moved slowly, sucking in the thin, dry air. As daylight showed itself, two things were apparent: there was no end in sight to the snowfall, and many people were showing signs of altitude illness. These two realities were not a good combination. I saw many sick people I wanted to help (as a Wilderness First Responder, I carried extra Diamox), but could not, because I had to keep moving so I would not lose the small group I was crossing with, and because the snow was now joined by whipping winds. The top of the pass snuck up on me, since I was worried about all these sick people! I stopped very briefly to take the obligatory photo at the cairns and prayer flags, and to buy a sick porter a cup of tea.(Amazingly, there's a tea shop at the top of the pass, with the most expensive tea in all of Nepal!) The descent was a tricky one, narrow scree paths were now covered with inches of snow. People slowly tiptoed through the narrow paths that were on the edge of hundred foot drops. Many people, including me, fell several times along these icy ledges. I travelled closely with a Finnish guy, and we joked as we looked out for each other, both of us exhausted but determined to get to Muktinath safely. Nine hours after starting out, we were searching for guesthouses with available rooms. I was never so grateful for taking off my boots!
It wasn't all challenging. This side of the pass was more "luxurious", meaning better lodges with more food options, and hot showers! The village of Tatopani has natural hot springs along the river....a well-deserved soak was never enjoyed so much! It was exactly what was needed, since the next day was a 6000 ft climb up granite steps over 7 miles. The views of Dhaulagiri were our reward at Ghorepani. Sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the surrounding peaks were breathtaking.
I finished the trek on the most important day of the most important Nepali holiday, Dasain. People travel far to be with family, and everyone is dressed in their finest clothing and adorned with tikkas on their foreheads. It was a lovely sight as I caught a ride to Pokhara, a mellow lakeside town Where one typically decompresses after the trek. Many who craved a steak got their fix here, as for me, I just wanted some strong coffee! After chilling out here for a few days, I returned to Kathmandu to do more sightseeing before returning home. The giant Buddhist stupa at Boudha, the funereal pyres at Pashupatinath (the Varanasi of Nepal) and the monkeys at Swayambhunath (aka Monkey Temple) were all stunningly impressive places to visit.
All too soon it was time to leave. The people of Nepal, the mountain scenery and tiny villages, the simplicity, the beauty amidst the chaos all leave a special place in my heart and I know I'll be back.
Labels: Berkeley Ironworks, staff
¶ Thursday, November 29, 2007
