Exploring and acclimatizing

More ice walking

Moe, Julian and Jamie explore up a side valley, camping out a couple of nights

14 April - exploring camp, 5600m

Taking two nights food we climbed up the same valley we explored yesterday. We found a good camping place at 5600m at the junction of two frozen rivers. Wow!

15 April - climb high, sleep low

Moe had rough night so guarded the camp while Julian and Jamie (and we aren't gay) climbed the nearest hill. We got to a nice 6363m point with an amazing 360 degree view. The mountain continued up but the wind came in savage gusts, having already almost knocked us off our feet, so we scree-ran down perhaps 600m back to the valley floor. Another day.

Centre-left is Gyachung Kang, 16th highest mountain on the planet and virtually unknown. Centre-right is Cho Oyu 8201m, number 6, taken from our 6363m view point.

16 April - back to base camp

Only half jokingly Jamie asked Julian if he saw any Blue Sheep when he went out for his morning pee. He didn't but they were still there when he went out for a later dump.

A adolescent blue sheep; they are wild and cannot be domesticated.
During the winter their coat is a grey-blue and during the summer,
a browner colour that blends with the rock.

Coming down the frozen stream; we think that in a week or two this will all be melted.
Photo by Julian.

Crampons off, nearly at our Base Camp. The Chinese camp is behind ours.
Incidentally the frozen stream is our water supply.

17 April - packing

We are packing for ABC as tomorrow yaks will transport our equipment up there.