Thorong La

A couple of days of more ‘up and down and up and down’ took us to the Thorong High Camp at about 4900m. Although we arrived there quite early in the morning we decided to not continue to the pass and down on the other side, other than all our fellow trekkers - we were just too exhausted. So for the moment we were the only ones at the camp. But this should change throughout the day and people ended up sleeping on the ground in the packed dining room.

We started to feel more and more sick because of the altitude. At least when the snowfall started in the afternoon we regretted our decision to stay. But the atmosphere in the camp was so mystic, everyone was so excited about the next day (can we go or do we have to stay?), almost everyone had to fight one’s symptoms of altitude sickness and it felt like being part of a large trekkers community with so many familiar faces and so many stories to tell. And many people in a packed room cause some welcome heat as well :)

Our decision turned out to be a good one: The next morning was beautiful with a clear sky, a shining sun and fresh snow enchanting the landscape.

The ascent to the pass was incredibly demanding then, both physically and mentally. It went about our iron will, our concentration and focus on the path, our mutual motivations, our sucking for oxygen, going step by step, no more talking, slowly, slowly, slowly, further and further, higher and higher, pushing our limits. From time to time, dazed trekkers sitting on a horse were passing by.

These 4 hours were probably the most intense of our lives, we had never breathed so thin air and we made it to the Thorong La on our own, followed by tears of joy and goose bumps. 5416m and it’s such an incredible feeling to be up there but so worth it!Read more