Day Fourteen
Submitted: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 | Views: 4 | 0 comments
November 15/2009 Log entry
"Cross the pass to Muktinath"
What a day! We woke up at 3:00 am and were on the trail by 4:00 am. All of us feeling the effects of the altitude and low oxygen levels to some degree. Our lips are purple. I was up in the night with a headache but not bad enough to stop us. With our headlamps on we headed up the icy trail in the dark. The stars filled the sky and at one point I looked up to watch as a shooting star streaked all the way across in front of me. Slowly the light of the sun could be seen coming up behind the peaks until we were in full light. Brock really struggled and progress was slow. It is very hard to put one foot in front of the other and breathe. Many had decided to wait back in Manang or turn back completely while it looks like we made the right choice as the weather cleared and was perfect as we reach the top of the pass. It was incredible, I actually got choked up. It was bitter cold and windy but we were all smiles. I tied a big piece of McLean of Duart Hunting tartan on the cairn amongst the hundreds of Buddhist prayer flags. I then spread some of my buddy Neil Hartwell's ashes to the wind. The hike down was very long and all downhill which took hours and made my knees and ankles hurt like hell. My knees were actually bruised by the end. We ascended 965 meters and then descended 1700 meters in one day. We got to Muktinath and stayed at a crazy place called the Bob Marley. They had great pizza of yak and cheese which we gobbled up on the sunny deck with beer and then rum and cokes. When we finished one pizza we would just order another, then another! We gathered with Jocko, Dexter, Larisa, Daniel, Leo and two young Fins. We partied until late into the night and with our headlamps on we played pool in the dark. It was great night after one of the hardest days ever.
