Kyangjin Kharka (3,890m) to Yala Kharka Base Camp (4,800m): Duration: 3h4min. Distance: 4.6mi (7.5km). Vertical Elevation Gain: 2,899ft (884m).
Note: Trek stats sourced from Apple Watch are cumulative elevation increase and does not take into account elevation decreases.
According to the set itinerary plan, today was a planned acclimation and rest day in Kyangjin Kharka before the trek up to base camp. Yesterday, Tes told me if I felt healthy and no adverse effects of the altitude during our hikes, I could go straight to base camp the next day and skip the acclimation day. This was during our trek to the higher Kyanjin Ri peak, the one where every other trekker in the village recommended not going on the same day you arrive. I guess we missed the memo on that, but with my guide by my side, I felt strong summiting to the top of the peak. I was considering skipping the rest/acclimation day, but last night when I met Norbu, my climbing guide, he said we had to go to base camp today as he has other trekkers coming to summit Yala Peak in two days. This left me no choice, so off to Yala Kharka base camp we go!
Thankfully due to the most exhaustive and elevated day yet yesterday, and with the power of white noise, I was able to sleep in until 7:45AM. I had my typical nutritious breakfast of tea, eggs, and a pancake to fuel up for the day’s trek to Yala Kharka base camp.
After breakfast, I packed my sack with only what I needed for the summit trip and back, leaving all unnecessary items with Tes and Yuhan. They would be escorting Norbu and I to base camp and then return to the village afterwards. My bags were packed, so I did yoga for one last time before the summit, hoping my limbered limbs wouldn’t put up a fight. Then, I gathered some snacks and supplied 6L of water. Once fully stocked, I decided to stockpile calories in my belly. I carb loaded with some vegetable chowmein noodles, washed down with black tea and coffee. I didn’t order the coffee, but one friendly villager woman brought it to me after I told her we were going up to Yala Peak base camp today. The additional caffeine energy turned out to come in handy for the most rigorous hike yet.
Tes, Yuhan, and I walked over to Norbu’s house, where we had one more round of “farewell tea.” Around 12:15PM, we hit the trail towards Yala Kharka Base Camp. This trail was mostly a one foot wide dirt path of steady incline cutting through steep, winding hillsides full of brush. At the bottom of the hills lied a large valley, meeting the base of beautiful snow covered mountains on the far side. We saw a large herd of mountain goats and many wild yak, impressively standing on a steep incline. The trek was challenging and required conscious control of breath, but I felt better conditioned having climbed the comparable elevation of upper peak of Kyanjin Ri yesterday. Still, I tuned my ears to listen to the sounds of the mountains and of my breathing. Approximately 3 hours later, we arrived at a series of rock wall square spaces sequenced closely on a hillside. We had reached Yala Kharka’s base camp.
Norbu walked to a nearby pile of rocks, within which he hid a tent, sleeping bags, and cooking equipment. He returned, and the four of us set up the tent and filled it with our supplies. “Are we cuddling in here or what? Do you like to be big spoon or little spoon?” I joked to Norbu. He awkwardly laughed unsurely. It’s challenging to land jokes when there’s even a slight language barrier. With the tent set, Yuhan and Tes departed back towards Kyangjin Kharka, where they would stay tonight, returning to base camp in the morning to guide and porter me back to the village.
“I go to get water from nearby spring. You pick up dry yak shit for fire, yes?” Norbu said. After learning very quickly he wasn’t joking and wanting to be of help, I agreed. He gave me a cardboard box to collect my findings, and then set off. I scanned the hill nearby, using my boot to flip over and inspect prospective pro-pyro poop. Slowly I collected Yak droppings until the box was nearly full and my fingers were nearly numb. I returned to camp. “Here you go,” I proudly professed, pointing at my pickings. “Good. Good,” Norbu responded. As it would turn out, we didn’t even make a fire. Nice one, Norbu. Giving myself consolation, at least now I know I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty for the sake of helping the team.
Norbu began cooking dinner, and I sat outside admiring the magnificent mountainous views surrounding camp until thick clouds and fog rolled in. Then, to my delight, snow gently began trickling onto the mountain. I used to have more frequent experiences in snow prior to moving to San Diego from Michigan, and so my appreciation of snow has deepened. I did some writing on my phone until the cold made my fingers incapable of the fine motor functions required for typing, and then I joined Norbu in the tent. We chatted for a while, getting to know each other. He asked me questions about myself and didn’t give me much information when I asked about him. We ate a surprisingly good dinner of hot soup and fried rice. Following dinner, I laid down to rest in preparation of our exuberantly early morning of summiting tomorrow. I listened to the audiobook Into The Wild until I fell asleep.