Chhutanga 3050 m - Chetera La / Zatrwal La 4580 m - Thuli Kharka 4300 m
day 5 : 22 october 2003
  
  alpine glow @ chhutangga  
  viewed from the higher elevation at Chhutangga, the majestic Kwangde range stands out even more  
  
  
  setting off  
  the team is ready for another day of relentless climbing over our first pass  
  
  
   
  leaving chhutangga  
  crossing the stream that passes through Chhutangga and thence the trail gains elevation quickly  
  
  
  looking back  
  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  
  
  
   
  only the beginning  
  stopping to catch his breadth, the thinning atmospheric pressure makes the climb even harder  
  
  
   
  shutterbugs  
  the breadth-taking views deserves to have more permanence than just our memories  
  
  
  GPSing  
  trying out a GPS for the first time, Anthony struggles with this new unfamiliar gadget  
  
  
   
  thin forest  
  the forest here is unhealthy, being exploited to the fullest with many of the bigger trees having been felled  
  
  
   
  ridiculous load  
  tables and chairs tops my list as one of the most ridiculous things that a porter has to carry  
  
  
   
  above the treeline  
  soon the trail climbs beyond the treelines and the panoramic mountain views open even more  
  
  
   
  lonesome trekker  
  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  
  
  
   
  chilling out  
  at the high camp just below Zatrwal La, from here is a steep relentless ascend to pass top  
  
  
   
  just stunning  
  here at the high camp, the bright red vegetation contrasts against the gray rocks and monolith beyond  
  
  
   
  feels like in heaven  
  way above cloud 9, Anthony feels like in heaven  
  
  
   
  what's in the drum?  
  its bewildering to see the amount of load the porters have to lug up the mountain  
  
  
   
  looking back  
  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  
  
  
   
  pass @ last  
  prayer flags flutter in the high winds at the pass to bless each and every climber  
  
  
   
  no network?  
  Anthony meddling with the GPS again as he marks the pass  
  
  
   
  also human  
  even porters need to take a break every so often, a short distance behind him is the pass Zatrwal La  
  
  
   
  downhill  
  crossing over Zatrwal La, it was a steep down climb all the way to Thuli Kharka some 280 metres below  
  
  
   
  destination in sight  
  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  
  
  
   
  twilight  
  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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