Day 12: Thorung Pedi to Ranipauwa via Thorung Pass

Approximate Trekking Time: 6 – 7 hrs.

Distance: 14.2k / 8.8 miles

Overnight Elevation: 3710m/12,172ft.

We woke very early the next morning to the noise and headlamps of trekkers organizing themselves in the rain, preparing to start their ascents to the pass at 4:30 and 5:00am, which seemed ludicrous. Half of their ascent would be in the dark. While most guides push this early agenda, we opted for a more reasonable start time of first light and were staring up the trail around 6am.

While the rain had cleared, a thick dense fog still covered the valley… a first for our trip and not exactly the visibility we were desiring for the pass, where we hoped for amazing Himalayan views. The best we could do was hope it would burn off. As we set off, some groups still lingered in the dining room, deciding whether or not to head to the pass or wait until the next day, chancing for better weather and clearer skies.

Heading up the trail, the first section from Thorung Phedi to the High Camp Hotel was the toughest, the trail winding its way steeply up rocky switchbacks. While the rain was over, the fog that shrouded the slopes drizzled a light misty spray. About 45 minutes into our climb, the rocks surrounding the trail became dusted in a light snow – tiny tiny specks of which now fell from the sky.

Reaching the high camp, we ran into none other than our friends from Australia, just getting ready to start their trek up as well. The last place we had seen them was Tal – only our third day of the trek – which, coincidentally, was also the last time anyone had enjoyed a beer, something all of the guys were looking forward to at the end of the day.

Moving forward from high camp, the steepest part of the ascent was over, and what was left was a long, slow grind to the top/pass. The trail from here had plenty of gradual uphill, which I plodded through like a slow giant mammoth. There were also a few flatter bits, which were welcome, and not far from the high camp there was a steel bridge, beautifully dusted in snow (though also a bit slick with it). These were the highlights I remember: pretty bridge, long slow slog. There was also a small tea stall along the way above high camp where horses could be rented and we saw at least a few travelers saddling up to be lead over the pass.

While we had really hoped the sun would come out and burn off the fog by the time we reached the pass, the longer we hiked, the more evident it became that this wasn’t going to happen. And so… we continued hiking through the thin white veil. We eventually reached a set of prayer flags that supposedly cued you in that the pass was only about 15 minutes away.

What seemed closer to twice that amount of time later – over gradual ups and downs and curves – the pass came into view! A Thorung La Pass (5416m/17,769ft.) sign welcomed us to the pass, “Congratulation For The Success!”. While the air was still thick with fog, blocking any Himalayan views, it didn’t deteriorate the beauty of the scene and the energy of the moment – even a bit magical. With all the trekking we had done over the past 11 days – through a myriad of landscapes and temperatures – building up to this moment – here we were at the pass! In dense fog, snow covering the ground, the mass of prayer flags surrounding the Thorung La Pass sign encrusted in ice, frost, and snow – the whole scene was amazing. And it was cold.

Other than the Thorung La Pass sign with its mass of prayer flags, the Thorung La Pass is well known for the one other structure that makes it unique: the tea shop that sits atop the pass, a small stone building with stone benches along the front for porters and trekkers to set their loads/packs before entering to escape the cold. Which was exactly what we did. We added our packs to those in front of the building, lined with colorful trekking packs.

Ducking inside, a long table with two long benches against the walls comprised the majority of the space, and a small kitchen area for tea and a few other items for sale took up the remaining space. We squeezed in along the benches, excited to see others we had met along the circuit, including both Jamie and Isabel. The walls were covered in flags from countries around the world and a large blanket was pushed up against the wall at the far end of the table, no doubt where the teashop owner slept all season.

We ordered large cups of steaming black tea, enjoying them with our “summit Snickers” and cheers‘ing with everyone at the table. Everyone was happy despite the dreary fog of the day and nothing could bring down the spirits in the teahouse (other than maybe the realization that we’d have to leave the warm hut for the long hike down the other side of the pass!)

Eventually, warmed by the tea and ready to head on, we left the tea house. After hanging a string of prayer flags with the others near the sign and snapping a few more pictures in the cold, we started down.

Not far down the other side of the pass, the landscape quickly became dry and sparse – gravel and rock, with huge boulders plunked into the middle of it all. The mountains rising above us looked like those you might see in the deserts of Arizona or Utah. The trail continued descending into the fog and we made our way from one tall black rod to the next (rods set for navigation in low visibility). Eventually the dry landscape gave way to a very muddy, rocky downhill section – a maze of trails and switchbacks winding their way to Chabarbu, a small conglomeration of restaurant/lodges.

Beyond Chabarbu, the ground leveled off and it was a nice stroll through over rocky but flat trail, widening as we neared Muktinath, where we passed by the Buddhist and Hindu temples and shrines on the hilltop en route to the central town area of Ranipauwa.

In Ranipauwa (3710m/12,172ft.), we found a room at the Hotel Bob Marley, which we had sought out not only because of the Nepalese love for Bob Marley but also because we had heard it had good food. After taking hot showers, we tucked into huge yak burgers and fries that did not disappoint, and Shawn downed his first beer since Tal, a partially frozen Gorkha. Our Australian friends had arrived by that point and we all took stock of each other’s meals, deciding what our next feast would be.

Unfortunately for us, in our exhaustion, we took long naps that lasted through the dinner hour. Disappointed to have missed a dinner meal opportunity, I ended up ordering a delicious pizza for breakfast the next morning despite a laugh from the staff. Shawn’s chocolate pancake was literally covered in a thick layer of chocolate.