Bhimthang Acclimatization

 September 2

Today will be an active rest day.  It’s a casual morning schedule followed by a relatively short hike up to Ponker Lake.  The weather is much the same as yesterday but thankfully, we’re high enough not to be walking in mud all day.  So, with umbrellas in hand, we set off uphill. 

It’s a gentle slope at first and then we gain elevation quickly up to the top of the bowl surrounding Bhimthang.  The idea for today is to gain a bit more elevation while not expending too much energy.  Going up another 1,200 feet this morning tells our bodies to work hard and make more red blood cells.  It’s the climb high and sleep low process that’s standard in mountaineering and one which we will follow all the way hopefully to the summit of Manaslu. 

Unfortunately, the clouds are low at the lake and we don’t have a view.  We are surrounded by high mountains now which loom unseen behind the clouds and thousands of feet above us.  It’s still a nice spot to enjoy a short rest and snack before heading back down. 

Almost back to the edge of the bowl, we get to the split from the main trail.  Tonight, we will leave at 2am and come back to this spot but instead, head to the right (east) towards Larkya Pass. 

Coming down the bowl towards Bhimthang, we pass the village water tank.  Our expedition leader Tendi explains that the water comes from a spring on the hillside and we can hear it flowing into the underground concrete tank.  It looks to me like we’re at least a hundred feet above the village which provides sufficient water pressure for residents and teahouses.  

A bit further down the trail and we can see most of the village laid out before us.  Tendi tells us stories about bringing people up here for treks 10 years ago and only one or two buildings existed at that time.  They were tent camping instead of staying in teahouses.  Now, we can see many new buildings and more under construction within the village.  The feeling is that since China has closed Tibet to climbers more often than not, Manaslu will become a popular destination for those seeking to summit their first 8,000 meter peak.  I’m imagining this area looks similar to what the Khumbu valley leading up to Everest did 25 or 30 years ago.  It’s good to be here now before the region becomes too crowded. 

We’re back in the early afternoon and getting organized to leave in the middle of the night.  Tomorrow’s trek will be something like 12 miles and 5,000 ft of elevation gain to reach our goal in Samdo.  This is the most desolate part of the Manaslu circuit and the highest in elevation.  Larkya Pass is almost 17,000 ft high so we will be working hard for at least 6 or 7 hours to reach it.

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