Annapurna: Thorung La

Dec. 27, 2008

For those who take on the Annapurna Circuit Trek, what looms largest in the back of nearly everyone's minds is the Thorung La pass. At 5,400 meters, it is the highest altitude pass in the world. After spending days acclimatizing above 4,000 meters, the actual day requires a one kilometer push upwards to get to the pass before a long, steep decent of 1,800 meters and hours of walking to Muktinath. The dangers of Acute Mountain Sickness is a frequent topic of conversation.

Some of the symptoms of the illness include loss of appetite, sleeplessness, confusion and lethargy, problems that each of us in our group had exhibited to varying degrees of severity at one time or another above 4,000 meters. But we were ready to get over this little hill and move on to lower and warmer places.

Following the hard journey to Tilicho Lake, we were all ready to get out of that dark valley and back on the main trail to head to Thorung La. The inn keepers of the Tilicho Base Camp lodge closed up shop after we departed and also headed out of the valley for the off season. We had been at altitudes above 4,000 meters for several days, but we weren't sure we were ready to ascend above 5,000.

On Day 10, Alina, Yannick and I stayed at the one remaining open lodge in Yak Kharka for a night. It was still too cold to take showers, but Alina and I ordered a bucket of steamy water to just wash our hands and faces. It had been too freezing in Tilicho to even do that. Never have I so appreciated such a simple amenity as a bucket of hot water and soap. Dirt and grime dripped off our fingers into the basin.

The next day we had a short, mostly flat walk to the base camp of Thorung La (4,400 meters). It should've been an easy hike, but I was having a diffcult time catching my breath as we moved along the dusty trail. At the camp, a group of Nepalese herders were removing the saddles and heavy packs off the backs of mules. The animals each shook their backs off and then all laid down for a big roll in the dust. We asked where the herders had come from. They said Muktinath, the first town you reach after the pass. They had to ascend 1,800 meters in one day to cross the path. We would only have to do 1,000. It gave us some hope.

I awoke at 6 on the morning of Dec. 11 having slept only an hour or two, unable to rest longer because of the altitude. I had been worried the night before because the "easy walk" to the base camp left me winded and weary. However, on the 12th, I was up with the sun and ready for the hike.

I had a black cup of coffee, some hot porridge and started out in high spirits, full of energy. The way I felt that morning, psyched, pumped, ready to roll, was the same sort of feeling I used to get before big soccer games. During the 1,000 meter climb, I distracted myself from the perpetual upward climb with thoughts of soccer. I kept replaying in my mind glorious moments from my nearly 20 years of playing.

Then I started a little shit-talking session with the mountain, saying things like "Ok mountain, if you can even call yourself that. You may be tall, but have you ever scored a hat trick?"

The strategy worked. I was at the top before I even knew it. Though a little loopy from the altitude, I was feeling great. The days dealing with sickness and some sadness felt like they were behind me. It was all down-hill (in a good way) from here.

The whole group of six of us, Marie, Yannick, Alina, Christof, Tony and myself, all hugged each other at the summit and spent about an hour in the cold sunshine amidst the prayer flags before descending to Muktinath.