Day 4 - Phortse Tenga to Dole
Again semi early start climbing back up to main trail and Dole(4040mtr). Again not a long walk as still in acclimatization phase. Similar to yesterday hit some icey sections of trail the first requiring serious consideration of continued foot placement. Meet a Sherpa sprinkling dirt over sections before his close following heavily laddened yak team started to come down the trail.
Pass some iced over waterfalls surrounded by snow and water turned to ice in long blue glistening stalagtites. Trail continues to curl up with stairs and then inclined path. View of Dole for last climb up through the more sparsely covered slopes. In Dole pass the Hilltop and Namaste lodges and move to side of a solo unladened Yak standing in the middle of the trail. When I pass however, met with a slight duck and then horn to the ribs. Thankfully only half heartedly but will now keep proximity on future trails in mind.
Drop down to the snow and ice covered stream. First to the Yeti Lodge but no response from the Tibetan cloth covered door so wander onto the Dole resort two doors down. Settle in at 10.30am.
Decide to stretch the legs by following the stream back up the valley to a small rock cairned knoll beneath the sheer snow faced mountain above. Small twisted and still dormant Rhododendron trees with heavy inward curled leaves from the cold. Rhododendron are the Nepalese national flower. Interestingly the flowers when out are supposed to change colour depending upon altitude of the plant, from red at lower altitudes to white at the highest.
Back to the lodge at 2pm. Prior to quiet afternoon of reading and writing in the warm lodge dining room. Clouds filling the sky, so uncertain of where the weather will go in next few days. Share lodge with group from Peregrine who at about 3pm continue up the hill towards Lhafarma as part of their acclimatization program.
Great lodge and interesting company but similar issue to Namche with frequent night time visitations to the bathroom opposite our rooms door.
Again semi early start climbing back up to main trail and Dole(4040mtr). Again not a long walk as still in acclimatization phase. Similar to yesterday hit some icey sections of trail the first requiring serious consideration of continued foot placement. Meet a Sherpa sprinkling dirt over sections before his close following heavily laddened yak team started to come down the trail.
Pass some iced over waterfalls surrounded by snow and water turned to ice in long blue glistening stalagtites. Trail continues to curl up with stairs and then inclined path. View of Dole for last climb up through the more sparsely covered slopes. In Dole pass the Hilltop and Namaste lodges and move to side of a solo unladened Yak standing in the middle of the trail. When I pass however, met with a slight duck and then horn to the ribs. Thankfully only half heartedly but will now keep proximity on future trails in mind.
Drop down to the snow and ice covered stream. First to the Yeti Lodge but no response from the Tibetan cloth covered door so wander onto the Dole resort two doors down. Settle in at 10.30am.
Decide to stretch the legs by following the stream back up the valley to a small rock cairned knoll beneath the sheer snow faced mountain above. Small twisted and still dormant Rhododendron trees with heavy inward curled leaves from the cold. Rhododendron are the Nepalese national flower. Interestingly the flowers when out are supposed to change colour depending upon altitude of the plant, from red at lower altitudes to white at the highest.
Back to the lodge at 2pm. Prior to quiet afternoon of reading and writing in the warm lodge dining room. Clouds filling the sky, so uncertain of where the weather will go in next few days. Share lodge with group from Peregrine who at about 3pm continue up the hill towards Lhafarma as part of their acclimatization program.
Great lodge and interesting company but similar issue to Namche with frequent night time visitations to the bathroom opposite our rooms door.
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