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Day 17 Gokyo to Dragnag |
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When you are crossing the glacier - this is where you are going
On the glacier - there's more sand than ice.
It's like walking on a beach
It's all sand rocks mud and a little ice.
The path to the Cho La
The ascent is through a beautiful valley
The Cho La is in the centre of this photo
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Today's trek provides a dramatic change of trekking scenery as you cross the Gokyo Glacier itself.
The village of Dragnag, looking west Walk back down the Gokyo Valley along the way you came. Just after the second lake, a tiny cairn marks a small path rising on the left up the moraine. Take this path to the crest of the moraine [27° 56.19N 86° 42.55E 4,742 metres] (1 hour). Descend the marked path onto the Gokyo Glacier. It feels like walking on Mars. The scenery is so different to what you have seen before - it's all rock rubble and dust, and even a few sand dunes. Here and there, a little ice is visible, together with iced up pools. The lack of visible ice suggests that this glacier is retreating rapidly. Perhaps it's a result of global warming, or perhaps just a natural long term climatic change. At least there is no grass growing on it yet.
Crossing the glacier Be careful to follow the path and not get lost. There are cairns along the way, and if you feel you are lost, stop and look carefully for the line of cairns. Reach the lateral moraine on the far side, [27° 56.47N 86° 43.07E 4,748 metres] (2 hours) and you'll have the earth under your feet again. Walk along the path to the tiny village of Dragnag ( 2 hours 15 minutes). The village is just below a small cliff. There are two old style lodges:
The Thanknag Lodge is operated as a European style alpine refuge by an Austrian trained Sherpani lady. She's just like a European refuge guardienne. The Dragnag Khola runs down the valley. The route to the Cho La lies up this valley.
Day 18 (b) The Cho La This short-cut route over the 5,420 metre Cho La pass saves a couple of days if you are feeling strong.
Leave Dragnag by following the path alongside the stream up the valley behind Dragnag to the northeast. It's a beautiful v-shaped valley with no hint of glaciation. The clear pure stream runs alongside the path. Follow the path through the yak pastures to a saddle at 5,120 metres. (2 hours 30 minutes) From here you can see the Cho La - it's an impressive sight, and now is the time to retreat if you want to change your mind (like I did). The path from here dips down about a hundred metres before beginning the ascent. There's another 400 metres of ascent from this point to the top of the Cho La at 5,420 metres, about 100 metres higher than Gokyo Ri. There is always snow on the Cho La as it is glacial. Reach the top after 5 hours. Descend the far side to Dzongla (8 hours) passing two small lakes. The next day, join Day 22 of the trek by following the path down and around the hillside to Lobuche continue on to Gorak Shep. |
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First view of the Cho La
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© Ian Johnson 2003 |
