Scoundrel (Tuesday 15 March 2011)

Day 8 - Gokyo
The 3am Gokyo Ri risers were fairly quiet this morning. The disturbance was brief and we had the luxury or sanity of a 7am breakfast with blue skies beckoning us into the valley. After the standard oat porridge and hot lemon mugs, we say a quick farewell to the Dutch couple who had been staying in the same lodges as us along the way. Then out with all layers on, into the very brisk morning air.

Our water bottle had ice still intact inside. Following boot tracks from others yesterday, who had walked up the valley floor, we reached the fourth lake in an hour..easy walking and relatively flat with rock hopping in-between. Upon reaching the fourth lake we had planned to navigate our way to the side of the Finger to then climb as far as possible toward the craggy Towers up on top.

Unfortunately the weather had alternative plans for us. We were fairly close to the ascent having tramped through repetitive knee deep snow and rock hopped when some large wind snow twisters started up. We could see on the high side of the Finger a mini snow, ice and dust storm heading our way. This was the beginning of many ice, snow wind gushes that we could only turn our backs to until each one subsided. Thank goodness for many clothing layers and wind stopper jackets with hoods pulled in tight around our cheeks as the wind with ice pellets were quite biting.

We decided to turn back as the conditions did not appear to be diminishing. At times when the wind dropped it was once again warm and with predominantly blue sky, picturesque. However just when we both considered that we were being soft and that we could head back to the ascent, the wind picked up and pelted our backs with icy snow. Hard not to feel frustrated, but such are the odds when wandering around up here.

We came across a couple of Tibetan Snowcocks quietly pecking away on a sheltered rocky hillside. Icicles were in abundance hanging from rocks along with spotted rocks with small circles of moss in varying colours. The springtime growth is not really evident up this high with barren hillsides. The conditions from Gokyo and above obviously remain harsher than down the valley where the new shoots and buds were just beginning.

Back along the trail on the valley floor to the lodge for a quiet afternoon of reading, writing and sleeping with the wind howling outside.

A delicious dinner of house specialty stew, veg fried rice, topped off by apple pie which is the food highlight of the Gokyo valley from a trekkers treat point of view. All set for hopefully a clear morning to tackle the Rhenjo La Pass and to start our descent.