Nepal - Kangchenjunga trek

 

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Day 8 - Ramche to Oktang and return to camp (continued)

Return to Ramchee, sunny afternoon, almost no wind, no clouds. The night is a little less cold than the last, maybe -15° C

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 9 - Ramze - Two Lakes - Mirgin La camp

 

Crossing from the South to the North via the Mirgin La is often considered the toughest part of the Kangchenjunga trek. This route is much prefered to the far more difficult Lapsang La route (which is more direct but higher and involves crosssing a glacier). It is not only one pass but a succession of passes at an altitude between 4640m and 3940m).

As all in the group were fit walkers I decided to cross in two days instead of three. This will give us the extra day that I am looking for in order to walk to the Jannu base camp from Kambachen. The hardest part is definitely the very steep ascent above the Simbawu Kola to Two Lakes (a bit of a misnomer, it's more like Two Ponds). Beyond that point the terrain is not that easy (lots of loose rocks partly hidden by snow) but there are no very steep descents or ascents.
Two Lakes is not a very good camp site so we keep moving and camp beyond the third pass (Mirgin La? Maps and written information seem to all give different versions). The camp is just below beautiful peaks slightly reminiscent of Trango Towers and to the left (or north) of it is an amazing Cat or Sphinx rock, like a skyscraper size statue. The space for the tents is tight but we manage. Everybody feels like they had a good walk today.
It's a cold camp for the porters as the only place they can shelter in is the mess tent. But they are very happy to do the crossing in two days only (and they also know that this will mean a day off for them in Kambachen where they can get good shelter).

 

Close up of  Kabru

 

Small (Shivaist) shrine with Kangchenjunga in the background

 

 
 

Our camp at the foot of Ratong

 

 

Yakherd and his yak

 

 

Looking east towards the Kang La and Sikkim

 

 

The Simbuwa Kola valley and beyond, the Yalung glacier, from above

 

 

Two Lakes

 

 

Sinelapcha La

 

 

Afer the Sinelapcha La

 

 

Before the Mirgin La

 

 

The Cat

 

 

The Cat

 

 
 

Yaks caravan

 

 

Yaks

 

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