| A toilet visit at 0130 proved to be
a cold affair as there had been a considerable fall of snow since going
to bed. (photo: Porters 'cutting' a path up the Zattara Danda pass) |
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| I was up at 0530, along with other
‘Camera Club’ members, in a rather chilly -5 deg C for photographs
of big white snowy mountains. Breakfast was an ‘open air’ event in
the snow. We then prepared for the steep ascent through the snow to the
Zattara Danda Pass, which would lead us down to the Hinku Valley. The
Porters early start meant a route had been established in the snow,
however, it was still slow progress up the steep path. (photo: The last of the group arriving at the Pass) |
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| It took just over an hour before the
last group member had reached the pass. Our Sherpa guides burnt incense,
then placed prayer-flags across the pass. An offering for safe passage
in the mountains. Ceremonies over, we continued over to the eastern side
of the mountain, then contoured along to Cetera Lodge Tea House where we
had lunch. (photo: Prayer flags being positioned at the Pass) |
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| After lunch, we continued to follow
the path along the mountain side. In places the path narrowed as the
drop became more ‘airy’ ...... fortunately, the valley was in cloud
so we couldn’t see the extent of the drop! Again, in places the path
was covered in snow. (photo: Porters starting the steep descent) |
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| We eventually arrived at the point
where the path descended, steeply, through rhododendron trees. It didn’t
seem long before we were arriving at our next camp site, which was about
halfway down the mountain to the Hinku Valley. (photo: Traversing the mountain side) |
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| The evening meal was marked with a
special 37th anniversary chocolate cake baked for Mac ... an
amazing achievement by the cooks! (photo: Our only female member of the Sherpa crew) |
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