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| Day 6 |
Day 6 – It’s recommended that once you reach Manang that a
day is taken to rest and acclimatize to the elevation. Since I made it here in
five days, one day ahead of the guidebooks I probably shouldn’t have left at
seven in the morning to take on the most difficult and dangerous side trek on
the Annapurna circuit. They also recommend not trekking this section by
yourself. Since I happened to meet another group of seven trekkers who were
going in the morning, I had two choices. Skip acclimatization or trek by myself
the following day, so off I went.
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| Kids of Khangsar |
Before
the most strenuous part of the day, we had stopped in the small village of
Khangsar for a quick snack break, all craving for a snickers. Once we left, it
was almost constant climbing on a hard to decipher path until we reached the
landslide crossing. This said to be the most dangerous section of the trek. It
was a potential death trap where one slip or accidental waver with the weight
on your back sending you off balance to a gravelly doom. The gravel slipping
beneath my feet to the abyss below, threatening to take me with it if I didn’t
keep moving forward. The path at points only as wide as my foot having to place
one directly in front of the other. If there wasn’t enough to worry about even
though it was an adrenaline rush, a constant eye and ear had to be aware of the
potential of falling rocks from above. Making it safely across, a reasonably
smooth path led us into the Tilicho Base Camp for the night.
Day 7 –
Sleeping in slightly for the first time since setting out, it was a ten o’clock
start for an eight hundred meter climb. The steepest and most constant ascent,
trekking only uphill for three hours with about one hour worth of breaks. The
air becoming so thin, the lack of oxygen kicking me in the chest today. I’d
never seen my chest heave up and down so much and rapidly attempting to catch
my breath but never quite succeeding. It was a demoralizing climb at points,
thinking you’ve been climbing forever and gone so far when around every bend it
just got steeper. A pounding headache came on quick, but luckily with the help
of a couple peracytamols, it faded just as fast. This is clearly why
acclimatization is important. Finally flat land was under my feet and Tilicho
Lake (one of the highest lakes in the world, 4950m) appeared before my eyes.
The turquoise pool fed by a glacier, surrounded by snow-capped mountains was
one of the most beautiful and rewarding sights I’ve ever embraced with my own
two eyes. Truly seemed like the home of a mythical being where one would
pilgrimage to.
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| Inuksuk at Tilicho Lake |
A plan
to light a fire and cook some instant noodles for lunch was put out by the wind
and the light drizzle of wet snow that was beginning to fall. In the meantime
while everyone made their attempts at lighting one, I built an Inuksuk and
decorated it with some prayer flags. A little bit of Canada left behind mixed
with Nepal and Tibet. Once the idea of lunch had been forgotten, we made haste
back down to our lodging as the rain was picking up. Strolling back into base
camp was a relieving feeling after such a demanding and rewarding day. Dinner
and the warmth from an actual fire was in order. It would have been an
extremely trying day had I been by myself. Sometimes the helpful push from your
group is needed besides my own drive and stubbornness.
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| Crossing the land |
Day 8 –
It was time to get back on the initial Annapurna circuit via the side trail
leading up to Yak Karka. First things first was to follow our way back and over
the landslide area again. This time it seemed a lot less daunting. Once across
the path forked, one going back where we had come, the other heading up and
around the side of a mountain. Randomly there was what seemed like an abandoned
village, run down and lifeless except for a few livestock that were still
residing in the barns. Over the last peak for the day, and I began to descend
through a forested section with a scent at first I could not decipher.
Constantly inhaling deeply through my nose, I realized it to be the aroma of
apples and cinnamon baking. Odd but pleasant.
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| Seemingly abandoned village |
At the
bottom of the valley I crossed over the Thorong River with only the last
stretch along the road to Yak Karka ahead of me. I met a local from Kathmandu
who was sitting on the bridge with a notebook. At first I thought maybe he was
an artist, but as we made the last hour hike together he explained his job,
which had me a little jealous. He would spend about 15 days each month trekking
from Besi Sahar to the last town before the Thorong-La Pass inspecting the
bridges and reporting back if maintenance was needed. Once I reached town and
slipped off my boots it was relaxing to see a group of locals crowded around
the television trying to keep up to date with the FIFA World Cup, a great way
to end the Tilicho Lake Side Trek.
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