Day 14: Gokyo Lakes

Approximate Trekking Time: Trekking Time: 3 – 4 hrs. roundtrip to Scoundrel’s Viewpoint

Distance: variable (12.9k / 8 miles return from Scoundrel’s Viewpoint)

Overnight Elevation: 4750m / 15,584ft

We took our time getting up this morning, since there was no need to pack bags with only a day hike in the area planned and another night in Gokyo tonight. After breakfast in the dining room, packed with large trekking groups, we set off from the lodge around 9am, heading northward on a hike to the northern sacred lakes.

Numbered from south to north, Gokyo sits along the third of six sacred lakes. We planned to hike at least to Scoundrel’s Viewpoint, which was just beyond the fifth lake, though also considered the possibility of continuing toward the sixth lake and Cho Oyo Base Camp, situated along its northern banks.

While I had thought it was supposed to be an easy hike for the most part, both Shawn and I were feeling pretty drained as we moved slowly over the endless ups and downs over rocky hills up the valley. While there were some flat sections, they inevitably lead to more rocky slopes and short climbs.

We reached the fourth lake, Thonak Tsho, in under an hour. Its waters were more of a dull blue-gray, surrounded by crumbling dirt slopes that were shadowed by distant snow-capped Himalayan peaks. Continuing on through the rocky terrain, we eventually reached the fifth lake, Ngozumba Tsho, where we caught up with Nathaniel and Erica. The color of this lake was a bit more blue-green than the last, though still not as brilliant turquoise as the lake next to Gokyo.

Somewhere around this fifth lake, though more tired than expected, we grudgingly resolved to continue toward the sixth lake and Cho Oyo Base Camp. This plan deteriorated very quickly after the short climb up Scoundrel’s Viewpoint (5000m/16,400 ft.), where the four of us found a nice little patch of grass out of the wind, plopped our butts down on the ground, and proceeded to eat all of the snacks we had brought. We lazed here for awhile in the grass, admiring the views, each of us waiting for another person to make the definitive call that we’d done enough hiking and head back toward Gokyo. Since we eventually acknowledged that this was what we were waiting for and no one seemed enthused by the idea of continuing northward, we set back toward Gokyo.

Our trip back was very windy and slow and we were beyond ready for a rest day, which we would be taking tomorrow. Thoroughly tired, we were content to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening playing Kaboom!