Campsite below the Kauri Pass
Usual 6:30 call on a cold morning, but at my instigation the timetable is accelerated today - we don't have to pack up - and porridge, omelettes, toast, and bready pasta fried things arrive at 7am. I'm walking by 7:30 and the others soon follow. We've missed sunrise over the mountains and there is already some cloud, which has intensified by the time we reach the tree line.
A view from just above the tree line
We still need to rise to get to a worthy viewpoint. This comes after an hour or so, when we reach a small temple (a glorified cairn) and Julia and I both try our best with the panoramic cameras (disposable version). Three shots are needed, but it is still not a full view and already there is too much cloud.
Nevertheless, a stunning view.
We are joined by Jamie, an Australian, and his English friend and their Indian guide.
An easy looking ridge leads up towards Pangarchula - 4584 metres. The summit is
in view and looks very tempting.
The others follow the ridge and congregate whilst Jamie (who has been tramping
the area for some weeks and smells strongly of wood smoke) smokes a joint.
I take a short cut and rejoin the ridge, which to me appears to increase in
difficulty further up. I descend and find myself in a gully in thigh deep snow.
Not much
fun with summer boots, gloves, waterproofs, etc - but I still manage today in a
t-shirt and light summer waterproof - it is cold, but there's no wind. I manage to
entice John across to my route and we take turns in breaking a difficult trail.
There are no views now, and our objective moves in and out of cloud. Jamie and
Richard have sensibly persisted with the ridge, and after some time we join
them. It is now snowing and after some debate we decide to continue in an
attempt to reach the main ridge which joins the mountain with the
Nearly at the ridge, in increasing snow, I become nervous as to my own inadequate equipment in the event of wind, and I was concerned about the unknown quality of mountaincraft of the others, so I retraced ascent, taking Richard and Jamie's route along the ridge. It was further than I expected - we had ascended quite high, probably to around 4000 metres.
Martin in summer gear, including Tilley hat
Soon I saw the others returning behind me. Apparently they had reached the
ridge. Ice axes had hummed, hair stood on end, crackling noises. There was a
precipice the other side, in a near white out. They retreated as a bolt of
lightning struck nearby.
I reached camp in an increasing snow storm at about 2:30, and was joined
eventually by John, then by Richard, who with his winter gear had comfortably
stopped for lunch at the temple.
John, ready to descend
We spent a happy hour and a half in the cooks' tent watching the thick flakes of snow make a deepening carpet around camp.
My feet were sodden and chilled, so a spell in the sleeping bag with dry socks was welcome. My boots are also sodden, so I've spent the rest of the day tiptoeing around camp in socks and sandals. Not very satisfactory, but the warmest option. My dry socks are now dampish, but happily warm as I lie in my bag, on my own for the second night running due to staying here for two nights, with my hot water bottle.
There is a good fire being used to heat water, as the kerosene supply is
virtually exhausted.
Despite the atrocious weather our trusty cook and his manservant have served
another excellent meal:
Mixed veg soup
Pasta with onion and other things
A sort of marrow (squash) in white sauce with cinnamon and other herbs
Baked beans
Aubergine in tomato sauce
Paratha
Hot cheese sandwiches
Roast potatoes in flavoured oil
Jelly with grated apple ('Snow Jelly')
A brilliant meal considering the conditions and what remnants of food there
must be.
The snow has now (8:30pm) stopped and stars are out. It's very cold. Few clothes will be shed tonight.
At last, this diary is up to date!
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