September 25, 2013
View looking north of the Himalayan Crest (Adam Angel)
IMG guide Adam Angel reports that the Dolpo team have had a couple spectacular days of trekking since leaving the juniper forests down by Phoksumdo Lake. Yesterday they continued up the Phoksumdo Khola river valley until it became a steep canyon with hanging glaciers high above. Then, today, they left the river, climbing high up into side valley, with blue sheep roaming the hills. Over the past week they have only seen a handful of other westerners. Now, they are at the high camp at about 14,800 feet, below the Nagdala Pass. Tomorrow they will climb to the pass and get their first views to the north into Tibet, before they drop down the other side to the Shey Gompa.
Eric Simonson