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Chhutanga
3050 m
- Chetera La / Zatrwal La
4580 m
- Thuli Kharka
4300 m
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day
5 : 22 october 2003
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alpine
glow @ chhutangga |
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viewed
from the higher elevation at Chhutangga, the
majestic Kwangde range stands out even more |
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setting
off |
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the
team is ready for another day of relentless climbing over our first pass |
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leaving
chhutangga |
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crossing
the stream that passes through Chhutangga and thence the trail gains elevation
quickly |
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looking
back |
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the
view back towards Lukla with an endless stream of planes landing and taking
off; towering beyond is the impressive Kariolung
(6511 m) and Kwangde (6187 m) Peaks |
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only
the beginning |
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stopping
to catch his breadth, the thinning atmospheric pressure makes the climb
even harder |
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shutterbugs |
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the
breadth-taking views deserves to have more permanence than just our memories |
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GPSing |
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trying
out a GPS for the first time, Anthony struggles with this new unfamiliar
gadget |
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thin
forest |
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the
forest here is unhealthy, being exploited to the fullest with many of the
bigger trees having been felled |
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ridiculous
load |
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tables
and chairs tops my list as one of the most ridiculous things that a porter
has to carry |
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above
the treeline |
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soon
the trail climbs beyond the treelines and the panoramic mountain views open
even more |
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lonesome
trekker |
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one
can never feel lonely while trekking in Nepal, as there are hoards of other
trekkers on the trail accompanied by an even bigger hoard of support crew...
their guides, kitchen crew and porters |
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chilling
out |
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at
the high camp just below Zatrwal La, from here is a steep relentless ascend
to pass top |
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just
stunning |
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here
at the high camp, the bright red vegetation contrasts against the gray rocks
and monolith beyond |
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feels
like in heaven |
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way
above cloud 9, Anthony feels like in heaven |
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what's
in the drum? |
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its
bewildering to see the amount of load the porters have to lug up the mountain
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looking
back |
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taking
a breather, David looks back towards the high camp, below is a long train
of other climbers inching their way up the mountain side |
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pass
@ last |
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prayer
flags flutter in the high winds at the pass to bless each and every climber |
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no
network? |
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Anthony
meddling with the GPS again as he marks the pass |
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also
human |
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even
porters need to take a break every so often, a short distance behind him
is the pass Zatrwal La |
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downhill |
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crossing
over Zatrwal La, it was a steep down climb all the way to Thuli Kharka some
280 metres below |
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destination
in sight |
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David
on the numerous switchbacks leading down to Thuli Kharka; most of our support
crew have already arrived, made so obvious with our green dining tent standing |
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twilight |
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misty
clouds carpets the valley below as the sky above turns a fiery orange, this
was the twilight view at Thuli Kharka |
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