15,584ft/4750m - 15,387ft/4690m - 2
This morning woke to a very cloudy day. The day is to start with a 2 hour hike up Gokyo Ri for acclimatization for preperation to go over the Cho La pass...and of course the amazing views of Everest from the top. However, it looks like no views today. I considered holding off for a day for better weather, however I am a few days behind schedule, so off we go today!
Gokyo Ri is 17,520ft/5340m high and is a 1,801ft climb from Gokyo. The trail switchbacks all the way up to the top, that is adorned with the usual prayerflags that marks the top of peaks and passses here in Nepal. I stayed at the top for over an hour hoping and waiting for the clouds to lift, and they did ...but only for very brief moments offering small windows of the peaks.
I headed back down to Gokyo for lunch and then onto Thagnak. It is a short walk today, but has the closest guesthouses to the pass, and will shorten the day's hike tomorrow. It snowed during dinner, but stopped before bed, so it should not be an issue tomorrow.
A very creative cairn marking the path up Gokyo Ri:
View down onto Gokyo, with Ngozumpa glacier behind:
The hike over the Ngozumpa glacier was a very surreal experience. With the low clouds and the moonscape-like glacier, the hike to Thagnak was alot of fun.
Porter carrying his load over the glacier:
