Photo galleries, maps, itineraries and narratives of 19 major treks in the Nepal Himalaya from Kangchenjunga via Everest to Dhaulagiri

Narrative accounts of 19 major treks in the Nepal Himalaya


MARDI HIMAL - "The Other Sanctuary"


"Good morning uncle, sunsai cha?", (are you well) greeted Lalu, "This morning no clouds". I looked out of my tent to behold a superb Himalayan panorama.

We had left Pokhara some 2 weeks previously. On the outskirts at Bagat it had taken all morning to find porters familiar with our proposed route. Eventually we set off along the hot, dusty, new Chinese road beside the Yamdi Khola before heading northwards through the broad, flat, golden-yellow rice paddies to the small, compact village of Mardi Pul at the confluence of the Mardi Khola and the Seti Khola. We encamped on a grassy terrace across the river from the village.It was a fine starry evening and in the distance could be seen the shadowy forms of Annapurna South and Machapuchre.

A snarling pack of guard dogs awaited us next morning when we crossed the rickety suspension bridge into the thatched roof settlement. We continued northwards up the Seti Khola valley through golden, rice paddies to the large Gurung village of Ghatchok. High in the sky amongst the cumulus clouds loomed the pointed summit of Annapurna IV.

Beyond Ghatchok we crossed the Seti river at Diphrang bridge and climbed along a forested ridge. Camp was made on the volleyball pitch of Chyanglung village.
Next morning a flag-stoned pathway led up through the stone-walled, thatched-roof houses and then zigzagged steeply to regain the ridge-top. A glimpse of the summit spire of Machapuchre was obtained before it was engulfed in the rapidly forming cloud cover.

We climbed along the ridge through meagre terraces of millet and small kharka (summer grazing settlements) with their wickerwork huts. There was a fine view down to the farms of Ghatchok scattered over a broad plateau above a double escarpment gouged out by the Seti river. At a grassy clearing in the scrub we stopped for lunch.

Leaving our equipment behind I searched with Lalu and Nima for an alternative campsite higher up the hill but failed to find another water supply. In the evening it rained heavily however, early next morning there was a clear, starry sky and I set off by torchlight for the top of Chyanglang Hill.

It was a 3 hour climb through dense, damp, moss-covered forests before I emerged onto open grassy slopes leading to the summit. The promising start to the day was not fulfilled. Although it was only 0800 clouds and mist already obscured the view from the isolated top. However, a short wait was rewarded with a sighting of the triangular, ice and rock peak of Machapuchre in a window in the clouds. Other glimpses were then obtained of the nearby summits of Annapurna III and IV - sufficient to verify that on a clear day the outlook would indeed be spectacular.

Returning to Ghatchok we set off the next day on the ascent of Odani Hill, the high point at the start of the long ridge falling from Machapuchre. Our objective was to
reach the base camp situated beneath the peak on a hidden plateau - "the Other Sanctuary".

At a solitary farmhouse perched atop a narrow ridge we stopped for lunch. Large chil eagles wheeled and soared in the sky overhead. Further up we emerged from thick forest into an open grassy meadow at Hille - a nice campsite apart from the leeches. In the early morning sunshine a fine view was obtained across the valley to the peaks of Annapurna IV and II and the massif of Lamjung Himal.

A short, half day, climb gained the ridge-top where we encamped as the next water supply was too far for the day. Once again cloud and mist had enveloped the tops.

Clear skies at dawn revealed the dazzling white of Annapurna South and the Hinnchuli peaks a short distance away to the northwest of our ridge. They were mirrored in the dark waters of a small pool at our camping place.

The gradual ascent along the forested ridge-top, with occasional views on either side down to the valley floors, was terminated with an abrupt steep climb out of the jungle to reach the green, grazing pastures on the hilltop at Kumai. Again water supply was a problem and we dropped down a short way to encamp in a pleasant glade in a birch forest.

Another fine view in the morning was revealed with Machapuchre rising at the head of the ridge and the peaks of Annapurna IV, and II, and Lanjung Himal to the East.
Regaining the crest of the ridge another, longer, steep climb over tussocky grass slopes, brought us to the level pastures of the Kharkas at Khorchan and a magnificent panorama to the West of Annapurna South, Annapurna I and Hinnchuli.

Setting off early next morning we followed the crest of the ridge passing more Kharkas, now deserted for the winter, and some moss-covered pinnacles before climbing sharply to a transverse ridge. The new ridge led upwards to a narrow path which then contoured round the steep hillside. At a junction the right-hand path led slowly up to a col with a single cairn. According to the guidebook we should have now reached the next campsite. No possible site was found. We retraced our steps to the junction and Lalu and I investigated the left-hand path. This also led to a col but again no possible campsite was found.

The weather had deteriorated throughout the morning and it was now cold, cloudy and windy. Light snow was falling. We retreated back to our previous campsite at Khorchan.

A winter's scene greeted us in the morning with the landscape blanketed with snow. The tops were shrouded in cloud. A rest day was spent mostly inside the tents. The day after was still overcast but I set off back up the ridge. Lalu and Nima were to follow bringing a packed lunch while our two porters were to remain in camp.

Regaining the junction in the path, I followed the left-hand branch back to the col and then onwards on a narrow path round the base of the rock and snow slopes of Mardi Himal. After some time I decided I was getting nowhere and returned to the junction where I was joined by Lalu and Nima. We now pursued the right-hand path. Shortly after the col a faint track was found which contoured to the left across the mountainside. This led onwards and upwards to another col with 3 cairns. A boulder field was then crossed when, a short drop below, a flat snow-covered meadow with some old, roofless, stonewalled Kharkas were found - presumably the "Other Sanctuary" but, disappointingly, with the enclosing clouds, no view of the surroundings was possible. Again we retreated to our campsite on the hilltop at Khorchan.

It was the following morning that a brilliant red sun climbed over a pink horizon into a cloudless sky. To the East were the silhouettes of the peaks of the Manaslu Himal. Closer were the summits of Annapurna IV and II, and Lamjung Himal. Soaring directly above us towered the rock and ice ramparts of Machapuchre. To the West were the dazzling white snow slopes of Annapurna South and Hinnchuli.

By 0830 however, banks of clouds were already materialising and we retreated back down the long ridge into the jungle. Occasional shafts of sunlight penetrated the dense canopy and there was a crescendo of insect noise. From Odani Hill we descended the western side through the Gurung village of Riban on a long stone stairway and across the rice paddies to encamp on grassy flats on the banks of the Mardi Khola.

There was a fine view up the valley in the morning to Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. The path now followed the banks of the river back to Mardi Pul and the confluence with the Seti Khola from where Machapuchre, Annapurna IV and Annapurna II were to be seen.

Proceeding through the rice paddies alongside the Seti Khola we soon reached the outskirts of Pokhara and a local bus used to return the hotel in the city centre.

From the flower gardens at the dam on Phewa Tal the next day there was a splendid outlook across the lake to a Himalayan panorama extending from Dhenlegiri in the West, through Annapurna South and Hinnchuli, Machapuchre, Annapurna II, IV and II, Lamjung Himal, to the Manaslu Himal in the East.

A 9 hour journey over the broken, 200Km road, in a perpetual state of reconstruction, brought us back to Kathmandu.


Mardi Himal Index :: Trek Narratives


    CD Contents

Maps | Photo-Albums | Itineraries | Route Descriptions | CD Contents

Maps | Photo-Albums | Itineraries | Route DescriptionsTrek Narratives




Tradedoubler Ads:



Tradedoubler Ads:


Site Index

Home Page

Climbing

Travel

Useful Links

Add Link


Trekking in the Annapurna Region Trekking in the Everest Region Everest: A Trekkers Guide Trekking in the Everest Region Trekking in the Annapurna Region Trekking in the Langtang & Helambu Region Kangchenjunga Trekkers Guide Nepal Mountaineering Guide

Lonely Planet Nepal Rough Guide Nepal Lonely Planet Trekking in Nepal The Trekking Peaks of Nepal Lonely Planet Trekking and Climbing in Nepal Trekking in Nepal Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8000m Peak Trekking in Nepal - D'Abbundo

Rough Guide India Footprint Tibet Handbook Into Thin Air - John Pilkington Sepu Kangri Bonnington Alpine / Himalayan Climbing Kurt Diemberger Omnibus Below another Sky by Rick Ridgeway Facing Up; A journey to the summit of Everest

On Top of the World - climbing the 14 highest mountains On Top of the World - Rebecca Stephens Conquest of Everest Into Thin Air - the Everest Disaster Seven Summits - Quest to reach the highest peaks Climbing High - the Everest Disaster The Climb - Anatoli Boukreev

Mountains of the Mind - A history.. Mountains of the Mind - Experiences Everest: Summit of Achievement Everest: 50th Anniversary Volume Everest: Alone at the Summit The Villain: Life of Don Whillans Left for Dead: Journey Home from Everest

Eric Shipton - Everest and beyond Edmund Hillary - View from the Summit Tilman: The 7 Mountain Travel Books Chris Bonington's Everest Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills Rope Techniques: The complete guide History of Mountain Climbing Everest: To the Top Coronation Everest Alpine / Himalayan Climbing Maps and guides from Maps Worldwide










 



Google Analytics







Google Analytics

extremetracking
 eXTReMe Tracker


extremetracking
Sitelock caingram.com
SiteLock
Sitelock
Sitelock caingram.info
SiteLock
Sitelock


VigLink






VigLink