October 17, 2011
IMG Partner Phil Ershler called in via sat phone throughout the weekend with updates from the Bhutan Trekking team. Here’s a summary of what’s been happening:
10/15/11:Â The group had a nice rest day at Chomolhari on Saturday. Weather was in and out, but decent overall.
10/16/11: Sunday, the team trekked over their first pass – Nyelela Pass, at nearly 16,000’ – and then descended into Lingshi camp, at 13,200’.
10/17/11: Today (Monday) was another reasonably good day. After a night of camping near the village of Lingshi, the team enjoyed a hearty breakfast before making a 45 minute climb uphill to see the Lingshi Dzong. The Dzong has been vacated since suffering significant damage earlier this year due to the earthquake in Sikkim. After a visit to the village school, the group departed Lingshi and made their way down towards their next camp at Chebisa (12,700’). The team experienced intermittent sun, clouds and occasional rain spurts, but all in all good weather for trekking.
Tomorrow will be a big day with two passes to cross – Gobula pass and another unnamed pass with about a 3000’ gain. They’ll drop some altitude as they descend to their next camp at Shomuthang, about 13,900’.
All is well!
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- Prayer flags strung across mountain pass in Bhutan (photo: Karl Lundgren)
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- Monks in Lingshi (Photo: John Dahlem)
