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1/7: It's morning in Lower Hankar. I've just started the tough climb from just below 4000m up to Nimaling Camp, 4840m. |
A short while later I pass Upper Hankar, with Kang Yatse 6400m ahead. |
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A
while after Hankar the "river" splits, (now a small stream). I think
it's fair to say that Markha Valley ends here. The trail now passes a
narrow gorge. |
As we are getting higher, the landscape gradually opens up. |
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A
milktea at the campsite Tachungtse (4200m+) raises the spirit.
This is the only outpost between Hankar and Nimaling. I don't know
how many cups of milktea I drank during this trek, but they were many. |
After Tachungtse the climb gets pretty tough. Here is a look back to Markha Valley, that actually is down there. |
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About one hour later, now at 4600m+. Lunch at a lake with a view.. |
The
marmots won't cooperate at all. As soon as I get my camera they
dissapear into a hole. This one stopped for a short moment, luckily. |
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Better luck with the Pikas. Here's one sitting on buddhistic prayer stones. A Pika is smaller than a normal rabbit. |
After
more than 6h of climbing, I reach Nimaling campsite together with a
czech couple. There is homestay up here, but in tents. |
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2/7: At Nimaling Campsite (4840m) breakfast is served 07:00 and dinner 19:00. In the tents there are plenty of blankets and I quickly learn to use them all. The air is thin and I don't get much sleep on the first night. |
Today
is a restingday, I can still feel yesterdays climb in my legs. But
I want to take a stroll over to Kang Yatse Basecamp, it only
takes a couple of hours to get there. Up to the right is now the pass
Kongmaru La 5260m. That's the normal way out of here. |
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Dramatic views with clouds on Kang Yatse. |
Almost
at BC, now visible in the valley. I wasn't sure what I would find here.
Nobody has climbed any 6000.meter peak in the region yet, because of
longlasting cold and unusually large amounts of snow. |
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BC
at 5040m altitude. From here it's KY2, 6170m that you climb.The group
that's here is the first one this year. They have climbed to BC2 a
bit higher up, waiting for the summit attempt in the next morning. I can only hope for their success. |
Fairytale
landscape from 5100m a bit past BC. This is looking north, where you
can actually see parts of Markha Valley in the middle of the picture. |
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| A
cold winter, followed by a cold spring and a very cold beginning of the
summer. Much more snow than usual. Fact is, the summer came here
with me. These are the first real summer days here. I now realize that
my primary target, Reponi Mallai Ri 6110m is out of reach for me. It's
in the middle of this picture. This peak would have been a challange in
good conditions. The fact that no one has climbed a 6000-er in Ladakh
this year makes me reconcider, I won't get up there when it looks this
way. | | |