Gokyo 4750 m - Renjo La 5417 m - Langden 4300 m
day 33 : 19 november 2003
  
  operation renjo  
  the trail to Renjo Pass cuts across the southern slope of Gokyo Ri, giving an excellent view of Dudh Pokhari  
  
  
   
  eagle's beak  
  the rock outcrops along the trail have very sharp and pointed summits  
  
  
   
  snow basin  
  at 5200 m, just below the pass is a large flat snow basin  
  
  
   
  rock crawling  
  the trail becomes indistinct after crossing the snow basin, following one of many vaguely used trails to reach the pass top  
  
  
   
  pathfinding  
  looking for a safe and easy way up to the pass  
  
  
   
  final scramble  
  the final stretch of rock scramble before reach the pass top  
  
  
   
  view back  
  the view from the pass looking back towards Gokyo, with Dudh Pokhari in the foreground and Everest in the background  
  
  
   
  the other side  
  looking down the other side of the pass is a world of sharp pointed rocky peaks; Angladumba Tsho is the lake in the foreground  
  
  
   
  going down  
  from the pass top it was initially a steep descent on loose rocks and snow, but soon flattening out to a gradual trail that was most enjoyable to walk  
  
  
   
  racers  
  the Everest Sky Race 2003 was a 10-day high altitude running race taking competitors from Lukla to Everest Base Camp and Kala Pattar, and then to Gokyo and back to Lukla... on this day we met the racers as they run from Gokyo to Thame via the Renjo Pass  
  
  
   
  more racers  
  the competitors have a small map to aid their navigation but many racers still ask the trekkers for directions to Thame  
  
  
   
  break  
  taking a break to take in the mountain view, and to watch the racers go zooming by  
  
  
   
  wrong way  
  going down a wrong spur, some racers took a longer path by going towards Khusum instead of Langden  
  
  
   
  the only one  
  the only tea lodge in Langden... newly opened for business only a few weeks ago  
  

  
 

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