YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Rest day high above Jomson , in the most spectacular campsite with views across to the Niligris. Time to meet yaks, find gentians, and to identify a soaring Himalayan Gryphen. And to read, play cards and rest up after the last two busy days. It was only minus 5 here last night, relatively warm! Tomorrow we will descend 1000m to Marpha, the end of our trek. Sad to be leaving the mountains behind but looking forward to a long hot shower!

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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What a day! Last night was a chilly -18c (-14 in tents). We got up early to get a headstart on a long day. 1 1/2 hours up to Dampus pass where the Annapurna massif appeared ahead. Then long arduous traverse- 5 miles going up and down the 5000m contour through deep snow. The cloud came in and it made navigation tricky. Then we started to head steeply down to tonight's camping spot below the snow line with yaks grazing around us. We're perched high above Jomsom with views of snowy peaks all around. The tents are pitched on grass tonight, a lot warmer than snow.

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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French Pass A hard day in awe-inspiring scenery. Finally we were high enough to see Dhaulagiri i and ii in all their glory. It was a long tiring slog up to French Pass 5360m and then down into Hidden Valley through deep and tiring snow. Now camping at 5050m - v cold already. We check our blood oxygen saturation each night - expecting scores in high 70s

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Rest and acclimatisation at Base Camp. Temp dropped to -13c last night. A few people chilly in bed. Temp in tent a balmy -11c. Today the clear night led to sunny morning and the temp rapidly rose. Avalanches and rockfalls all around. There are definitely places where you don't want to be! Just done crampon practice and the sun has gone in. Tee shirt replaced with thermal top and down jacket immediately Big day tomorrow over French pass.

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Dhaulagiri base camp 4700m We're now up at Dhaulagiri base camp camping on the rocky snow covered glacier. The weather pattern has been pretty consistent- clear mornings gradually clouding over to rain/snow in the afternoon. Temp last night was -7c - colder this evening. Everyone feeling the altitude- average speed 0.8mph this am

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 9 Rest and Acclimation Snow cleared overnight to reveal a rocky and snowy landscape. Bridget is feeling better and James worse (although improving over the day). Doing anything fast is already becoming an effort making the guides rock moving wall the more impressive. Our tent was moved to slightly flatter ground. Dhaulagiri base camp tomorrow.

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 8 Definitely more serious today. About 600 further up the valley to Glacier camp. Progress was slow. Scenery spectacular until clouds and snow arrived. Bridget varying between feeling mediocre and awful. Spirits remain high. The guides hacked a campsite from a snowy rock field like the top of Scafell pike while it was snowing hard. We are in awe of them.

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 7: Rest and acclimatisation Having reached 3600, it's time to take altitude a bit more seriously. We have have days of rest and acclimatisation between each day of climbing. Bridget felt a bit grim overnight with a comb yog altitude and a cold so I (Rob) am staying with her as the others go for a walk up and down a few hundred metres. This is no hardship as we are sitting in the sun surrounded by the spectacular amphitheatre of Dhaulagiri Tomorrow we go over 4000m

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 6 A short day up to Italian Base camp. We came out of the really steep sided valley into a giant amphitheatre of mountains. Dhaulagiri 1 rises steep to the east , number ii to the northwest hidden by closer lower lumps. 3600 m and starting to feel the effects of altitude but all good

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 5 A shorter day - but now over 3000m. Temperature dropping. The campsite was too small for all our tents so the porters have just levelled a new area! Now off for a v cold swim wash in water fresh off the glacier. Please send rugby score

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YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

YB Connect Message from Robert Withers

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Day 4: A hot climb through forest with bamboo, creepers, huge trees (and leeches!) up the steep sided valley of Myagdi Khola to Dobang at 2,500m. We're camping in a forest glade with a soundtrack of crickets, waterfalls, rain and, earlier, rolling thunder. Just now a glimpse of the rose coloured peak of Dhaulagiri through the clouds as the sun sets. Spirits are high.

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Day 3 pictures



En route to Muri

We passed a secondary school perched high over the valley, and were greeted with scarves and flowers. Tonight we are camping in the playground of another school, with terraced paddy fields all around. We have been told that the teachers are going to come and perform traditional dancing for us later this evening. Crowds of curious kids surround us as we settle into our tents. Lots of chat, and very smiley faces. Namaste!

Day 2

We awoke to the spectacular sight of the Dhaulagiri massif- free of cloud as in the picture.

We set off at 8, leaving the team to clear away the camp and load the team off. We angled along the side of the valley a few hundred metres from the river both vertically and horizontally. Much of the day was along a road- at first passable by bus (just) but gradually degrading unti by the end it was definitely just for walking and mules.

Passing through many villages, we're now camping in the grounds of the local primary school- and now have hundreds of smiling bashful little kids running around

Morning view!

Day 1:Dharapani

Yesterday we flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara, then had the afternoon relaxing and mooching around the shops in Pokhara. We celebrated James's birthday with a lovely meal, seated on the floor overlooking the lake. Lizzie turned her ankle while racing James down a staircase- so she is now strapped up and moving gingerly! Good thing we're moving slowly!

Today, an early start and we were loaded onto a bus for the 4 hour drive to the start. The road worsened as the scenery grew more spectacular. We got very close to some big drops - especially where the road was washed away.

At the start, we met the rest of the team, so we are:
14 trekkers (including us)
1 Brit leader (Cory)
1 Sirder (Arjun)
2 assistant guides
Head Cook
2 Assistant cooks
25 porters!!!

We've now arrived at first camp, and our tent has just been readied!

Spirits very high

Arrived In Kathmandu

We (Rob, Jo, James and Bridget) have arrived in Kathmandu. Lizzie is currently en route here from Sri Lanka enjoying a business class upgrade.

We have a day here preparing- and avoiding Covid. It's fashionable again here.

Arrival in Kathmandu

Hoping we'll be able to send better pictures soon, but on our descent into Kathmandu today we saw these giants of the Himalayas well above the cloud ceiling, which was high. Maybe Dhaulagiri and Annapurna?