In 2017 my girlfriend and I did a trek in Nepal known as the three passes. This trek loops through the Khumbu region of Nepal and you guessed it, you cross three mountain passes. I will turn this into a full guide one day soon, but for now...
Before embarking on the challenge of crossing our first high mountain pass we had to make sure to properly acclimatize to the altitude. If you don't take the time to properly acclimatize you could easily become affected by altitude sickness. Symptoms of mild altitude sickness can include headaches, vomiting, tiredness, confusion, trouble sleeping, and dizziness. It is important to take that extra time because it is not to be taken lightly and it could very easily end your trip early. The tiny settlement seen in this photo is the village of Lungden. It was our last night of acclimatization before climbing up and over our first pass and our first time over 5000 meters or 16404 feet. We met some amazing people in the tea house that night. We sipped ginger and honey tea, played cards and got to know one another around the fire. Some of them joined us for the remainder of our trek and others are still friends until this day. This photograph was taken just after sunrise. Taking one last look back, knowing that we were ready for the obstacles that lay ahead.
Renjo La Pass was the first of three high mountain passes we crossed on our trek. Sitting at roughly 5360 meters or 17580 feet, you could definitely feel the air starting to get thinner. When we arrived at the top, exhausted and short of breath, we couldn't help but stare at the view before us. Below, lay a valley leading to the biggest mountain peaks in the World. Including none other than Mt. Everest itself seen in the far back left corner of this image. Nestled in the centre of this rugged environment were the dazzling turquoise waters of Gokyo Lake, sparkling in the distance. After scarfing down a few Snickers bars and giving our legs a much needed rest we continued through the valley to the town of Gokyo where we would spend the night. Luckily after a week of roughing it we were able to treat ourselves to a warm shower and a Nepalese pizza that evening. Even though the tea houses were freezing at night, I slept like a baby from the day we had just experienced.
The village of Gokyo was a place of restoration and acclimatization for us. Nestled in-between gigantic mountains, glaciers, and ice blue lakes, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. It is mind blowing all of the amenities you have access to out there. All the supplies are either flown in by helicopter or carried for miles and miles on foot. You can have a hot shower, indulge in baked goods and an espresso and even get a Wi-Fi connection. All from a remote village deep in the Himalayas situated at roughly 4750 meters or 15584 feet. We spent three nights here before continuing on because it was so damn beautiful. While here we hiked up to the famous Gokyo Ri lookout which gives you a stellar view of Gokyo Lakes, Cholatse and the Ngozumpa glacier. A glacier which stretches out over 36 kilometres, making it the longest glacier in the Himalayas. After three days of exploring the Gokyo area, getting to know new friends and indulging in wonderful food it was time to move on to a new challenge. This area was perhaps my favourite in our time spent in Nepal and I highly recommend visiting Gokyo to anyone if you ever get the opportunity.
The second of the three passes we crossed on our trek was Cho La Pass. It sits around 5420 meters or 17782 feet. Having spent several days at higher altitude this pass felt easier than the first, but it was still not to be taken lightly. With 2 glacier crossings and some serious elevation gain it made for another very challenging day. Once you get up and over the pass and the glacier on the other side you are greeted with this view. It is the first time I got a good look of Ama Dablam, which aesthetically to me looks like the perfect mountain. If I told a child to draw a mountain, this is what I would imagine it to look like. A perfect triangle, with a snow capped peak, and rocky walls cascading down into the valley. After having a meal and getting a room in the little village of Dzhongla I spent the rest of the evening admiring and photographing Ama Dablam. I watched clouds swirling around its base in the golden hour. The light creeping further and further up the mountain until all that remained was a small red sliver at its very peak. Then the sky turned into a hazy pink glow encompassing everything around it. Satisfied, camera and mind full of beautiful images, I walked back to our tea house in the dark for the coldest night I would have on our trip.
The third and final high mountain pass we crossed on our trek was Kongma La Pass. It resides at a cool 5535 meters or 18159 feet. Most of the time the 3 passes circuit is done counterclockwise and this is the first pass you will cross. We had chosen to do it clockwise, which ended up being a lot quieter and unintentionally harder. I had been pretty lucky so far on our trip both physically and mentally. The altitude and the long days didn't seem to bother me too much until I got to the top of Kongma La Pass. I arrived at the top and was bordering on a panic attack. I was light headed and felt super anxious. Luckily my girlfriend was there to calm me down, but I didn't stay long to enjoy the view. I just felt like I had to get down. Maybe it was the altitude, exposure, lack of food or a combination of all three. I guess I'll never know for sure. This image of the layers of mountains that lay ahead of us will always remind me of that day. It reminds me that nature is always in charge and we are not always fully in control out there.
We had done it. At this point we had gone over 3 mountain passes, 2 glaciers and reached heights of 5600 meters (18373 feet). Even though our trek was far from over we had a massive wave of accomplishment and relief flow over us. The hard part was over and it was all downhill from here. Upon arriving at the Yak Land tea house in Chukhung we were greeted by a smiling Nepalese gentleman. He welcomed us and asked if we had come with a guided group. We told him we had come alone. He seemed impressed and blessed us with a free pot of tea and place to stay for the night. Having spent some time at altitude, once we started getting lower and lower the trekking became much easier. We seemingly breezed through 30 kilometre hiking days. The heavy pack no longer felt like as much of a burden as it did in the beginning. Maybe we had just gotten fitter along the way. Maybe the high altitude had given us temporary superpowers. Whatever it was everything after the third and final pass felt much more relaxing. This was one last look at the breathtaking Himalayas of Nepal from up high before starting on the long journey home.
If you like these brief stories, keep your eyes peeled for the full guide for this trek and as always checkout my other social channels and art at the links below 馃槍
