Bhimtang, 3590m

The problem with going up is that you have to come down again.

After 5.5 hours up to the pass we had to carry on. 1500m descent that day. We did a couple of hours to lunch which was relentlessly steep down a huge cliffside of snow and ice - thank god for crampons and at least we could breathe again. Amazing views down into a huge glacial valley though. Pushing ourselves on after lunch was such a huge effort and needed resources we barely had. At least for parts of it we could just fall downhill and hope not to break our ankles. (Elli has a huge bruise on her hip though).

Arrived in foggy Bhimtang by about 3pm and we both agreed that this is probably up there with if not the hardest thing we've ever done.Read more