Day 2 - Dhampus to Landrung

Day 2 of the trek is a long day.  We hiked from Dhampus (5,413') up to Deurali (6,500'), then down to Tolka (5,188'), and then up and down to Landrung (5,134').  We were quickly learning the meaning of "Nepali flat".  Luckily, the weather was absolutely perfect.  It was chilly in the morning, but we were in short sleeves by afternoon.  And we got our first views of the gorgeous Machhapuchhare peak.

Starting Elevation:  5,413 feet
Highest Elevation:  6,500 feet

Camp Elevation:  5,134 feet

Total Elevation Gain:  1,576 feet

Total Elevation Loss:  2,127 feet

Total Miles:  8.5 miles
Total Time:  5.5 hours

Temperature Range:  49-69 degrees

Quote of the Day:  Frank:  "Sometimes I'm smarter than I look."  Ava:  "Let's hope so."

Day 1 - Phedi to Dhampus

We started our trek from the Maili Hotel and Café in Phedi (3,707').  The trek starts in the valley near the Modi Khola River and quickly gains elevation with a very steep climb up stone stairways passing through a couple of villages and ultimately arriving at Dhampus (5,413').  It was a hot and sweaty start to the climb, but it was great to finally be on our way.  It took us about two hours to hike to Dhampus.  A nice easy start to the trek.

Starting Elevation:  3,707 feet
Highest Elevation:  5,413 feet

Camp Elevation:  5,413 feet

Total Elevation Gain:  1,805 feet

Total Elevation Loss:  104 feet

Total Miles:  3 miles
Total Time:  2.15 hours

Temperature Range:  55-79 degrees

Quote of the Day:  "Leeches coming!  What, she no like leeches?"

Pokhara

After a couple of jet lag recovery days in Kathmandu, we took an early morning flight to Pokhara.  Pokhara is the gateway to the Annapurna Circuit.  We enjoyed the views from our prop plane on Yeti Airlines.  There is really no security at the airport and it was like travelling back in time to when you could just walk onto a plane (with or without your ticket or ID in hand).  One more bus right to Phedi and we can start the adventure!

Buddhist Stupa

Another great site in Kathmandu is the Bodhnath Stupa.  this is one of the world's largest stupas.  So many sites, sounds, smells and colors all around.  This was one of my favorite places.

"Om mani padme"

Pashupatinath

Be sure to visit Pashupatinath to witness numerous funeral rituals taking place along the Bagmati River in Kathmandu.  The Bagmati is considered holy as it eventually flows to the Ganges.  Pursuant to Hindu religious custom, the bodies of loved ones are cremated on the cement platforms called "ghats" located along the river and their ashes are pushed into the river to flow to the Ganges guaranteeing release from the cycle of rebirth.

Kathmandu

Every Himalayan trek begins with an obligatory transfer through the bustling smog filled metropolis of Kathmandu.  Namesake for at least two known pop songs and every traveler's iconic dream.  The reality is almost too much of a whirlwind to handle.  The quaint trekker's hippie town has grown into a tourist shopping mecca with every imaginable north face and marmot knock-off one might need.  That said, Kathmandu is still a melting pot of migrating people and religious ideas and contains one of the greatest concentrations of temples, idols, and shrines anywhere in the world.  For these gems, I was glad to have a couple of days to explore the rich and diverse sites.

Chhahari Lodge

For our pre-trek lodging, we stayed at the Chhahari Lodge located in the foothills overlooking Kathmandu.  Chhahari Lodge is about a 45 minute drive from the airport (with traffic), but it was nice to be above the hustle and bustle of the city.  The lodge is owned and operated by Mingma and his two sons.  They also own and operate Last Frontiers Trekking which operates the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek for REI.  We met our other traveling partners and had a wonderful dinner sharing our excitement for the trip.

Training Log

In order to get ready for this trip, we did quite a bit of hiking.  We started out in the spring doing lower elevation hikes between 2-4 miles (mainly in the foothills).  Early summer we focused on higher elevation hikes between 3-6 mile with more elevation gain (lower mountain hikes).  By the end of summer we focused on high elevation and steep hikes between 4-7 miles (above 10,000').  We did most of our hiking on the weekends.  To get some more aerobic exercise in during the week I biked a couple times a week during August and September.  Once fall rolled around, it was hard to get the exercise in and stay focused through October as the days got shorter.  Overall, we hiked about 342 miles training for the trip.  We feel pretty ready.

BMI

As with each trip, I am reporting my travel ready body mass index and stats after a summer of training.  It seems harder each year to stay in shape and to keep the weight off.  But the Nepal trip has certainly been a great motivator.

Weight:  123 lbs
Body Fat Percentage:  18.6%
Body Water Percentage:  59.4%
Bone Mass Percentage:  5.3%
Body Mass Index:  19.3
BP Systolic/Diastolic:  121/84
Heart Rat:  60/min

Up and Over

This is the last weekend before the trip.  All our bags are packed and we are ready to go.  We just have to make it through a few more days of work and we are on our way.  We got in a few more hikes this weekend to keep the training alive.  Looking forward to getting on our way and trade the training in for real hiking in Nepal.

Trailhead Elevation:  4,982 feet
Highest Elevation:  6,247 feet
Total Elevation Gain:  1,453 feet
Total Distance:  4.59 miles
Total Time:  2:43 hours

Yellow Pine Creek

For our third hike of the weekend, we went for the Yellow Pine Creek hill climb.  This is always a tough hike and for our third day of hiking it showed no mercy.  We usually do this as an early season hike since it is at lower elevation.  It was fun to see the trail during the fall.  It was completely different with the leaves off the trees. 

Trailhead Elevation:  7,071 feet
Highest Elevation:  8,707 feet
Total Elevation Gain:  1,598 feet
Total Distance:  6.8 miles
Total Time:  3:38 hours

Grandaddy Lake

For our big hike of the weekend we did Grandaddy Lake.  This is on the other side of the Uintas from the Mirror Lake Highway hikes we usually do.  The trailhead for Grandaddy is up near Hanna and requires a pretty steep six mile drive up a dirt road.  We sucked up our fear of drop offs and made it to the trailhead.  There were only two other cars at the trailhead.  I think this high country hike is about done for the season, but we were glad to get out one more time for some elevation training.

Trailhead Elevation:  9,656 feet
Highest Elevation:  10,624 feet
Total Elevation Gain:  1,444 feet
Total Distance:  8.67 miles
Total Time:  5 hours

Lofty Lakes Loop

We took advantage of the Columbus Day holiday weekend to do some higher elevation hikes in the Uintas.  It was a beautiful weekend with clear skies during the day and cool temps at night.  This is our last real camping weekend before we leave for Nepal. 

Trailhead Elevation:  9,995 feet
Highest Elevation:  10,878 feet
Total Elevation Gain:  1,056 feet
Total Distance:  4.82 miles
Total Time:  3 hours

Lambs Canyon

We decided to stay local again and ventured up Lambs Canyon.  It was a great hike with some good elevation gain, but not too steep.  The fall colors were amazing.  Some people on the trail said they saw a moose, but unfortunately he did not come out for us.  It was still a great day out in the colors and the light.

Trailhead Elevation:  6,560 feet
Highest Elevation:  8,134 feet
Total Elevation Gain:  1,473 feet
Total Distance:  4.0 miles
Total Time:  2:40 hours

Up and Over

We did our old standard utility hike up Red Butte.  The Up and Over is a great hike for some steep uphill climbing and reasonable downhill retreat.  It was a gorgeous fall day in Salt Lake and we were happy to be out in the sun.  The wind really cleared up the valley for some spectacular views.  We could see Grantsville clear as day.

Trailhead Elevation:  4,934 feet
Highest Elevation:  6,254 feet
Total Elevation Gain: 1,496 feet
Total Distance:  4.10 miles
Total Time:  2:30 hours