Cabin Fever Chronicles – Getting Outdoors with Rod

Nilgiri South 22,462′ and maybe Nilgiri North 23,166′ from my tea house room

My sleep went well at Tirkhedunga, for at 5,067′, it was warm enough that I just lay my unzipped sleeping bag over myself. At this location, we had some very noisy cicadas! In fact, they made sounds unlike any cicadas I’ve ever heard. I’d seen locals tending their crops and watering. Honestly, I thought the noise was from sprinklers! But nooo, that noise I heard was cicadas!

Our tents were quite large by backpacker standards. They were 3 person Mountain Hardware expedition tents. Inside, we had sumptuous 3″ foam pads, and pillows. All of us were singles inside these tents, and I can surely say that I, for one, made use of every single inch. I also brought along a backpacking clothes line which I stretched across the tent for my very wet from sweat clothes. So each afternoon we’d arrive at camp. The tents would already be set up, with our duffel bags inside. I’d pile into my tent, set stuff up, lay wet clothes out, and then get on with socializing or on some afternoons, write my journal, or indulge in a portable shower which was made available.

This morning, after a multi course breakfast, we set out on what was promised to be one of our most arduous hikes. When done, we would climb over 3,000 steps and ascend 4,362 feet. We’d climb into a bit of oxygen deprived air. I was wondering how I’d do, because I have a friend in Park City, Utah, which is about 8,300 feet, and every time I go there, the 1st day I can really feel the altitude!

On this day I was to learn that on the Annapurna trek, the end-of-day “altitude gained” does not reflect the actual feet climbed! That is because in this region, there are many, many steep valleys to descend and climb before the end goal is reached!

Amee photographs Rivendell

We walked the steps, the thousands upon thousands of steps leading up and down, but ultimately up, to Ghorepani. We passed many other trekkers and Nepalese, greeting each with a hearty and sometimes breath-challenged “Namaste!”

Oh yes. And no description of an Annapurna trek would be complete without a note on the steps. The Nepalese have chiseled out steps, which they have laid all along these trails, to keep the trails from eroding – due to the heavy monsoon season rains. These steps vary in condition and in length and height. Heights vary from 4″ to as much as 18″. And to complete a day’s hike, you just might do several thousand over 6 hours! We called each other “buns of steel!”

At certain zig zags, we’d see beautiful flowering trees, or images of the giants!

Annapurna South

Look beyond the tree. Can you see the steep hillside across? We came from there!

Climb and descend, and climb again! With views of 23,000+ foot giants and flowering trees all along the way.

We lunched at a tea house along the way. Our kitchen staff had arranged for a dining room to be held for us – they made and served our lunches. For a few days, I indulged in a Nepalese Coca Cola. The tea houses are constructed with the trail going right on through. So, any commerce, including freight trains of horses, come right on through!

With lunch done, it was time to tough it out to Ghorepani! As with many of these hikes, sometimes I think I’m going to give up and then all of the sudden the end has arrived!

Notice the precision of the stones. Sometimes the steps were very tightly laid as if they were trying to imitate the Incas. Anyway this was kind of a “false summit,” because our tea house lay several hundred feet further up in elevation from here!

And soon we reached Ghorepani, where we’d try a real tea house lodging. The hike was very worth it. From here we could see Dhaulagiri, at 26,795′ the 7th highest mountain in the world! And what spectacular weather! It was quite literally clear and CALM up on the peaks.

We enjoy a truly boisterous evening and dinner. But we need to bed early, because tomorrow is not only another big hike day, but we need to climb 1,200ft at dawn to catch the sunrise at Pun Hill! Pun Hill is at about 10, 200 ft and from there, one can see a nearly 360 degree view of Himalayan giants!

We will arise extra early to grab some coffee and then ascend to Pun Hill, then descend for real breakfast, before our day’s big hike! We will see the world’s 7th highest peak, Dhaulagiri at sunrise!