Everest Region Hike Day 4

Today we set out on a five-hour day hike that took us to the highest elevation of our trek and presented closer views of Everest.

Leaving Namche Bazaar before 8 AM, we trudged up steep trails and steps as the sun melted the night frost. For 2 hours, we climbed over 400 meters to a high-altitude hotel at 3880 meters. 

Everest is the middle peak next to the black one. Lhotse is on the right

Everest is still many miles away. It takes another 4 days to walk to base camp, and the mountain summit is 5000 meters higher than our spot.

There are birch trees here with salmon-colored park. Streamers of lichen (like Spanish moss) dangle from branches. That suggests it is cloudy here often.

From there we hiked down 100 meters to the village of Khumjung. It is a largely agrarian village of nearly identical stone buildings. The town was a favorite of Sir Edmund Hillary, who helped found a school. Again the contrasts abound. There are Internets cafes but many people still burn dried animal dung for cooking.

The town is not on the main trail, and gets far fewer visitors. The trail had less traffic.

We visited a monastery that claims to have a yeti skull. For 50 rupees we were given a view behind glass. Looks more like a beaver hat to me.

Inside the monastery

In many villages and places along the trail, we pass prayer bells. You spin them. A bell rings at each revolution. Some are small like those below. Some are large. Some are connected to paddle wheels over streams so the water spins them.

We climbed back over the ridge and returned to Namche by a different route. I am glad we hike just 5 hours. The thin air wears me down. Climbing up the trails I  do a slow step-breathe-step routine.

We passed the shrine above perched on the high point on the journey back. The trail goes on both sides like other shrines. It is custom to always pass on the left side of such shrines.

The schedule gives us lots of free time in the afternoon in Namche. I read on an outdoor patio, shop for gifts and hang out in an Internet cafe, where I posted this story..

The weather has been sunny and dry. Nights go below freezing but the sun heats the mountains by day. The food is reasonable and cheap. On the advice of my guide, we are staying away from most meat and cheese. There is little refrigeration and everything is shipped in, often overland. I am abstaining from beer at this altitude and drink lots of tea. Alcohol hits harder up here and can reduce the benefits of acclamation.