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First SA forums poster to summit.
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May 14, 2016 00:00
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 13:30 |
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There is also the aspect that the summit is only half way. Lots of people summit but don't leave enough for the way back down. I imagine a decent chunk of summit fever fatalities are caused by people losing sight of the descent and fixation on the immediate goal of reaching the summit rather than the overall goal of reaching the summit, then Base Camp.
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May 15, 2016 09:12
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I walked the Annapurna circuit around 5 years ago. It was one of the best trips I've done and from speaking to people who have done both is more rewarding than EBC although obviously you don't get to see Everest (but you spend days and days looking at the Annapurnas). Going from ~1800m and rice fields at the start to barren snow and rock at 5400m over 10 days (and all the way back down without retracing your steps) is a great experience. I can see how people died in the blizzard at the top the other year; there is a path and huts every few miles and it is a trek rather than a climb, and even a tea house at the very top but it is featureless terrain and if you strayed off the path (or followed someone who had) then you would be screwed. Overall it was safe and fun though. Happy to share tips or photos if anyone is interested.
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Aug 11, 2016 17:53
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Aphex- posted:Awesome! Did you do the whole circuit from Besisahar to Poon Hill? How long did the whole thing take you taking in account acclimatisation days? Was it fairly easy avoiding the road? I've read all about the alternative trails that avoid the road, but curious if they're easy to follow. Any general tips for the hike? We started at the standard starting point, can't remember if that is Besisahar or somewhere else. We walked 7 days to get to Manang which is the biggest village on the way and the setting off point for the trek up to the Thorung La pass, which is the highest point of the walk. We stayed there a few days and did day hikes around there which was great, there is a cool ice lake you can trek up to and back in a day which was good for acclimatisation. None of us had any problems with the altitude as a result. The general advice we were given was to spend a few days at Manang; the people who don't are the ones more likely to get ill from the altitude. We did the Thorung La pass on day 13, and then on day 15 we flew from Jomsom back to Pokhara, avoiding the majority of the road. I've no regrets about doing that; going over the Thorung La pass was the high point (literally) and the walks we did around Manang seemed better than the last part of the circuit. There is a longer route from Manag to Thorung La that you can take via another ice lake that is a way to extend the walk if you want to get away from the crowds. From the beginning of the walk to Jomson there were no roads at all; all paths which were easy to walk and follow. This was 5 years ago so not sure if things have changed. It was a great trip, it was awesome to be X days walk from the nearest road/village/whatever, but it was also not *that* difficult because of staying in teahouses and so on. We had a guide which was great for the local knowledge as much as anything, but you don't necessarily need one. The main thing I wish I'd planned better was around taking enough camera batteries. You can charge batteries in some of the villages but not all of them. I had spares but ran out on one day and missed a load of great photos. I'll try to dig up some of them in a few days.
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Aug 13, 2016 22:12
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Wow, 5000m isn't even that high, relatively speaking. You can drive that high in parts of the Andes and Himalayas.
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Oct 3, 2016 22:56
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