Everest Trek Part 2........Higher and Lower

The view coming off Kongma La...The Tibetan border is the
white mountains and at the bottom of this valley is the
Khumbu Glacier that flows from Mt Everest.. 

These are the loads the Sherpa porters carry,
seems like it's about what the porters weigh
and they still cruz around in flip-flops...

The lodges at Gorak Shep are the blue roofs at the center and  the peak is Pumori with  Tibet beyond. This was the highest that we stayed at 16,400'. The brown dirt pile with the trails is called Kala Patar and is a destination for many treks to get a glimpse of Everest.....

Sunset on Everest a mere 3000 meters (9800')above.

On to our next pass with Taboche on the left and Cholatse on the  right..

Up the valley to Dzongla with our pass (Cho La) at the glacier on right\

One of the few bridges left that looks like the last time I was here.

Becky & Pasang coming up the glacier..

Just a little rock scramble.....

Apples from Pasang's yard @ 5380m (17,648')

One more glacier to cross before Momos & Thukpa.
Tibetan dinner treats of small dumplings with veggies inside steamed,
the Thukpa is a veggie soup with home made noddles....both with chili sauce. 

View from our room....Gokyo lake with Cho Oyu (8188m) at the head of the valley .
Gokyo is a great place to hang for a few days....Beautiful spot, good food and
running into good friends from the trek. Gokyo is the 3rd lake in this valley,
rumors that the 5th lake is even more impressive at the base of Cho Oyu.

Well the view of the 5th lake isn't anything to write home about,
but the opening at the head of the valley give an  unobstructed
view of Everest and Lhotse......
well worth the wander up the moraine to the lake.

This small rock hut is the 1st place on this trip I recognize from 23 years ago
Now the porters stay here and the gringos stay in the swanky
places built all around. We used to huddle along the wall
 to stay out of the wind and in the sun (just like the porters are doing on the left)..
Gokyo Beach Club 

At 3:30 in the afternoon, I hiked up Gokyo Ri to watch the sunset as a
replay to 23 years ago.The lake the shadows and Taboche we quite
 the highlight.....Gokyo Ri was about 1500' above the lake (17,842').
The trip up took about an hour and 20 minutes.

The alpenglow on Everest and Lhotse....a very dynamic sunset of the top of the world...

My favorite is Makalu (8481m) with the after glow...the colors just keep getting
 better and the temp. kept getting colder.... After donning most of
my jackets I slapped on my headlamp and ran down the mountain in
15 minutes to a steaming plate of Dal Bhat and milk chai......
Awesome way to end the day... 

MORE TO COME................The trip out..

Solu Khumbu -----Everest Trek

Arrival in Lukla and the trek begins.

 To make this trek in the Everest region a little different, we are going to to the "3 Pass Route' Each pass is over 5000 meters -16,000'. A little acclimatization is involved and a slow hike is in order.....at least for the first few days.

Stopped at at the Ghat Gompa and sent a few prayers flags
 flying with instructions for a great trek.

Each bridge, pass, ridge seems to have the same message...
Prayer flags for everyone!

The first view of the big guy......Pick a name,
 Nepali - Sagarmatha, Tibetan - Chomolungma
 or Everest....Whatever the name, the best description
 is "A fat man in a room surrounded by beautiful women"

Arrival in Namche Bazaar....market center for the Sherpa region and hotel
central for the trekkers (kinda like Alice's Restaurant)

Arrival in Tengboche Monastary...spiritual center of the Khumbu.
Background on left is Everest and Lhotse in the clouds an
Ama Dablam on the right.......
.It's also Becky's B-day.....what could be in store?

Luckily the monks were easily persuaded to play
 some tunes with their nice hats........

Do a little dance with the mask and costume (it was Halloween)

An blow on some crazy conch shell all in
Becky's honor....In the Khumbu they call
Becky's B-day...Mani Rimdu and
put on quite the show.....

The morning after  was made tolerable by hiking
under the shadow of Ama Dablam

Day hike up to the base camp of Ama Dablam......
great lunch with a Korean team of 3 that were in Alaska
last January to walk from Russia to Nome.......Fun guys..

Yak train traffic jam........Stay well clear of the horns......

Pasang our awesome Sherpa guide with Becky and I before
Kongma  La  our 1st pass  at  5535 meters (18,155') 

Our approach and Kongma Lake...
small black peak in the center (Island Peak)
 is about the same height as Denali....

Pass photo @ 18,155', moments later my 23 year old scarf
 was hung up as a prayer flag.....good scarf and good luck.......

More mountains and "facts" to come.....

Kathmandu

Boudna Stupa, surrounded by the Tibetan Refugee settlement is one of my favorite spots in  Kathmandu....

Luckily we arrived in Kathmandu with a festival going on (Dashain) Makes travel tough and everyone has the day off..Marigolds are everywhere and the rickshaws get a wash job....

Watching the tourists go by.....

Each doorway leads to another and then another and then the gold temple. 

The hidden streets and courtyards are a treat when you are wandering around. Next it's time to wander the "Top of the World"