Archive for: December 2011

Mera Peak Expedition — Lukla back to Kathmandu

Dec. 30 Mera Peak 2011, Nepal, Trekking adventures 1 comment

The following is a continuation of Mera Peak Expedition — Hinku Valley to Lukla.

Thursday, October 27

Saying goodbye was tough after so much time with such great people. The porters, guides and kitchen staff had performed fantastically and though they were paid well by Nepal standards, we felt indebted to them.

Flying to Kathmandu

Our morning flight from Lukla to Kathmandu was without incident and we were at the Kathmandu Guesty House by the early afternoon. Having a mostly-modern hotel room felt luxurious after ‘rustic’ Lukla and camping in the Himalayan outback before that. Adventure Geo Treks has a tradition of a hosted dinner at the home of owner Niru Rai.

Zarela Zamorra

Before our 6:30pm pickup, though, we made our way just up the street to the New Orleans Cafe to meet with Zarela Zamora, owner of the La Casa de Zarela, a hotel in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru. The meeting had been facilitated by our friend, Tony Yeary, “a life-long adventurer and arrogant punk” that has been to Zarela’s establishment many times when climbing local peaks like the famous and highly photogenic Alpamayo at 5947 m (19,511 ft). Not only does Zarela provide lodging, but is also able to fully support treks and expeditions from her business in Huaraz, Peru. It was a tremendous coincidence that Zarela was in Kathmandu at the same time, having just returned from a trek to Amadablam. She was as pleasant as expected and we look forward to making a trip to Peru next year.

Dinner with Niru

Our trip to Niru’s house was made longer by the combination of Diwali and Newari New Year celebrations that created traffic jams all along the route. There were large street murals decorated meticulously with flower seeds and colored powders, groups of people dancing to music, children extorting money from merchants with the threat of a repetitive and annoying song, and simply many more people out and about on a Thursday night than normal.

Once at his home, we were ushered to a patio room with an excellent view of Kathmandu Valley and subsequently served plate after plate of delicious Nepali specialities, including potatoes, fried fish, roasted chicken, mutton curry over rice and a dessert of yoghurt and fruit. Along the way, beer glasses were constantly refreshed as the conversation covered the complexity of helping Basa Village through changing times and population challenges. By 10pm, we were well past our bedtime of recent weeks of trekking and we made our way back to he hotel exhausted and full.

Friday, October 28
Our day to leave Nepal, which is always a mixed-emotion thing for us. We love the country and its people and after three weeks, are ready for the conveniences of our modern lives that we miss. It may seem terribly Western to say so, but there’s a comfort to consistent electricity, clean water and a wide variety of food. Perhaps the best life is one that appreciates everything we have in our own culture and also allows for ‘stepping out’ into other cultures and patterns for living. There’s no need to spend too much time on our own culture’s virtues, but it would be worthwhile to go into Nepal’s. There is a beautiful simplicity to Nepal that takes shape in many ways, including:

  • Happiness: In all of our time in Nepal, we’ve never heard a complaint about their life
  • Gratitude: The gift of a headlamp earns kisses on the neck. A gifted fleece vest that has seen plenty of use is treated like a prized possession
  • Driving: Nepalis use all of the road, including either side, as necessary, but never seem to get into arguments or even show anger on the streets
  • Smiles: A Nepali engaged in the most difficult task can break into a big smile simply with a “Namaste” or when smiled at
  • Helpfulness: We have yet to find a Nepali that would pass on an opportunity to give directions or assist in any way

It is a wonderful country that feels unique. While we haven’t been everywhere, the combination of the highest mountains on Earth and the most gentle people we’ve met creates an irresistible combination. This is undoubtedly the reason we’ve been there three times in the past eighteen months and plan another trip in the Spring.

Thank you for reading our Mera Peak Expedition blog. If you missed any of the posts, you can see all of them at this link.

Credits

 Jeff Rasley’s blog. Jeff provided many of the photos used in this series and we thank him for this and for organizing the trek. Jeff’s work with the Basa Village Project has been life-changing for many, and you can find his inspirational books at Amazon.

Thank you to Joel Meyers of FuseIQ in Seattle, WA. Several of his videos were used in these posts.

We’d also like to thank Dennis Mathews for brining the satellite telephone that helped keep us safe throughout this adventure. Dennis also contributed pictures.

Mike Miller was a great companion throughout the trip and had many great tales from “Las Cruces”

Karlin and Ursi were a powerhouse climbing couple with more caving experience under their belt than anyone we’ve ever met.

David Hudson was there in spirit even though he was waylaid by the Kathmandu Krud.

Lastly, but not least, we’d like to thank our phenomenal staff from Adventure Geo Treks. Without their hard word, this trek would not have been safe and so enjoyable.

Mera Peak Expedition – Hinku Valley to Lukla

Dec. 30 Mera Peak 2011, Nepal, Trekking adventures 2 comments

The following is a continuation of Mera Peak Expedition: Heading back down the Hinku Valley.

Tuesday, October 25

Sun! Though it froze overnight, the sun rising in the morning was an excellent sign that maybe today would be warmer and less foggy. We also found out that the animals we called yaks, which we thought looked a little less shaggy than what we’ve seen in previous treks, were dzo’s and not yaks. This animal is a cross between the lowland cow and the upland yak and is best suited to the altitude where we camped.

Back on the trail

Our hike began immediately after breakfast with a climb of the canyon that we now could see with the fog burned off. We had camped in a large rock bowl and in a very small village that was dirty and far less interesting than where we had been for the past nearly three weeks. Before the day was over, we would cross three passes in total, two making up the Zetra La, the primary pass connecting the valleys of the upper Hinku Khola and the Dudh Khosi.

Zetra La

Just over the pass, the hill was icy where it faced north and didn’t receive sun so our guides began cutting steps in the snow with their ice axes. As much as we appreciated their efforts, we found it easier to walk off trail in the snow instead as it provided much better footing than even the steps they were cutting. This descent would last all day, and the icy part would last until lunch as we dropped from nearly 4600 m (15,091 ft) down to 3300 m (10,827 ft) at the village of Thukding, one of several on this day’s hike that existed just for trekkers as both tea houses and campsites. There was no doubt in our minds that villages on the main trekking routes have become dependent on trekking and are not self-sustaining nor culturally intact the way we found Basa to be.

End in sight

We could see Lukla at one point far down below and we stopped for the night about an hour and a half from this climbing mecca. This would be our last campsite of the trek and for the first time since our way up to Mera, we set up the shower tent and were able to take a warm shower, which felt divine.

Wednesday, October 26

This day started like every other on the trek, but it was to end at the Sunrise Hotel in Lukla, a very different outcome from previous days. We packed quickly if not haphazardly, less concerned about having the right gear available since we would travel only an hour and a half. We had a great moment of comic relief as Joel tested out the porter role by carrying the typical load. We were all surprised at how difficult it was for Joel, one of stronger trekkers. It was a great moment of appreciation for the strength and toughness our Nepali team.

Lukla

It was very strange to hike out of a very cold and primitive Nepal into a semi-modern city. The trail widened as we neared Lukla, and even before we could clearly make out buildings, we could hear airplanes and helicopters landing at the very busy airport.

Crazy airport

Just before entering the town, we passed a beautiful new gompa (monestary) directly across the street from a very new-looking hospital. Soon after, we were walking around the end of the Lukla Airport, a small facility with ramp space for four small planes and a runway that started down the mountain, progressed uphill, and actually had about a 25 degree slope at the very top where the aircraft turned to enter the ramp/terminal area. Watching planes coming and braking fast to make the turn and avoid the dead end into the mountain was a spectator sport for tourists and locals alike. For tragic reasons that were apparent to us, Lukla is known as the most dangerous airport in the world.

Starbucks?

Our hotel was about a hundred meters from the far side of the runway on what appeared to be the only major street in Lukla. There were many decent-looking hotels, a Starbucks Lukla (the mountain logo gave it away as a fake) and many shops selling trekking clothing and gear. The street was paved with large, uneven stones and pedestrians had to keep their wits about them as periodic teams of water buffalos would pass through with loads of supplies on their backs. It was strange to see animals being used as beasts of burden after weeks of only seeing human effort applied to moving goods.

We had a great opportunity to decompress in the hotel, take hot showers, and catch up on emails at one of the many “free wifi” sites along the street. It was much warmer than high up on the mountains, but in the shade, was still rather cold. It was easy to assume we were much lower in altitude, but Lukla’s 2800 m (9186 ft) was still considerably higher than Kathmandu or our Los Angeles.

We were told that dinner and our trekking party would be at 6pm, and took the time to sort through our gear and decide what would go in “the lottery”. This is a tradition at the end of treks where the customers donate items that are split up into piles of roughly equal value. The porters, cooks and guides then draw numbers and choose their pile accordingly. We donated trekking poles, socks (that were still wet but at least clean), a hat, water bottles, and rope. We had already given gloves to Paddam and held back a headlamp for Makar, a very hard-working cook, and a Nike vest for Kubir, one of the toughest porters.

Final party

Dinner was amazing fried chicken and the only downside was that there was only one piece each. We could have eaten Purna’s chicken until we were full. As soon as dinner ended, a cake was introduced and the Adventure Geo Treks staff entered while singing ‘Resham Firiri’ and danced in a circle while stomping and waving their arms in the air.

A few of the staff had already sampled the rahksi and their dancing was even less inhibited than the others. We joined their circle for a fun, intimate moment of trekkers and staff enjoying the end of a hard journey. The lottery was executed and each person made their choice, some after much thought, before the staff tips were handed out. It was fantastic to be able to give back to these beautiful Nepalis who had done extraordinary work under very tough conditions. Rahksi was passed around generously and we were all in the party spirit until the evening ended around 10pm.

Up next: Mera Peak Expedition — Lukla to Kathmandu

Extras: The following two videos are of the public market in Lukla and taking off from the Lukla Airport (video courtesy of Joel Meyers).

Mera Peak Expedition – Heading back down the Hinku Valley

Dec. 28 Mera Peak 2011, Nepal, Trekking adventures 2 comments

The following is a continuation of Mera Peak Expedition — Going as high as possible on Mera Peak.

Sunday, October 23

It wasn’t a great night of sleep. We finally figured out a system for keeping warm in our sleeping bags, but it was a night of tossing and turning as we exhausted ourselves on the climb and developed sinus infections. Daylight finally came at 6am and we looked forward to getting lower and warmer. The day began with a two-hour walk down to Tangnag, the last campsite we visited before Khare.  We rested in the warm sun and the staff made our lunch.

Tangnag

We weren’t in Tangnag long when we asked to continue down the mountain. After four days up high, we were ready to have warmer nights and mornings. The walk to Kote mostly followed the Hinku Khola for three hours, a winding, rocky path that made its way at times high along the bank and at times right next to the water.

It was notable that on this trek, we only crossed a single suspension bridge after Adheri and ever since, crossed rivers rarely. When we did cross water it was by stones and wooden logs made secure with large rocks wedged among the timbers.

River walking

About halfway from Tangnag to Kote we passed again below the timberline and saw mossy pines and rhododendrons along the side of the river. The trail seemed to take a great deal of time and although we came the same way several days ago, it seemed unfamiliar. We were very happy when the blue roofs of Kote came into view about a half kilometer down the river. Jeff and Joel left Khare yesterday and weren’t feeling well and we soon found their tents, Subash the Assistant Guide, and Krisha the kitchen staff, but no sign of our friends.

Kote

Coming down from Mera, Kote is the first town that appears to have permanent residents, evidenced by nicer buildings and even the presence of children and families. Many of the structures appeared new and the roofs, rather than being of shingles with large gaps, were blue tin and looked significantly more water and weatherproof. Surprisingly, Jeanne and I arrived ahead of the porters, who showed up about thirty minutes later with our personal items and tent.

Death

Despite being much lower, the temperature dropped quickly as soon as the west side of the valley was in shadows, which was very early. We also received the bad news that a porter that we saw carried on another porter’s back through Tangnag actually died at the monastery about halfway to Kote. He had Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) and was being carried down as quickly as possible but not quickly enough, it would appear. When we saw him at Tangnag, he was conscious and looking around. Later, Karlin saw him laying on the ground and having what looking like a back spasm. We have heard of these things before but never have we been so close to this. It was very, very sobering to know that we were alive and healthy but not because of anything more than chance.

Monday, October 24

We woke up in a cold (but not nearly as cold as Khare) Kote. Breakfast was a delicious oatmeal with raisins. This is the day we would leave the Hinku Khola Valley and cross the passes that lead back to the valley of the Dudh Khosi, the main watershed for the Khumbu Region.

We started by an uphill that took us to the same place we had lunch several days ago near Toctor, but then when the trail forked, rather than taking the left fork toward Basa Village, we took the right fork toward Lukla. From that point, it would be a day of endless uphill trekking until we reached the first of the two passes. Even though we reached a village at only 2:30pm, it was very foggy and cold. We knew we were approaching a village when we heard Yak bells even though we couldn’t see any animals in the thick mist. Our final stop was at a poor-looking cluster of homes and tea houses at 4200 m (13,779 ft) of elevation. The fog combined with the strange rock formations made this site seem like a haunted place.

We spent time talking to other trekkers, including an Italian couple that climbed K2, Everest and Gasherbrum II without oxygen, and a group of Spaniards who were brought by a travel agency based in Santander. Our crew set up our dining tent for the first time in days, as we had been eating indoors at the various villages. The dining tent was preferable to the smoky interior of the facility where we were camped. At some point, I realized that this was the first time we used the dining tent since we camped at Odare at the giant rock. It was nice to be seated around the table and it was warmer that you’d expect a tent to be.

Yak attack

That night brought our first ever yak attack. We went to bed at the late hour of 8pm, and around 11pm, were awakened by a yak wandering through the campsite. We heard people running and the yak’s bell before hearing Nepali voices as they herded the yak carefully away from the fifteen or so tents that were in the area. A yak walking through a tent could injure someone quite easily and we truly appreciated how seriously our staff took the job of moving the animals along.

Up next: Mera Peak Expedition — Hinku Valley to Lukla

Mera Peak Expedition — Going as high as possible on Mera Peak

Dec. 27 Mera Peak 2011, Nepal, Trekking adventures 3 comments

The following is a continuation of Mera Peak Expedition — Khare to Mera High Camp.

Saturday, October 22

We were awakened at 6am with the announcement that the skies were clear and we would see if we could reach High Camp. After breakfast and bag packing/water bottle thawing, we set out on the same route that turned us back just the day before. This time, with Khare full of frustrated climbers who had waited out yesterday’s storm and also those who had descended to get out of the storm.

Traffic jam

There was a complete traffic jam on the first climbs from camp. This caused delays on the trail that would sometimes cause more standing than moving, as the snowfall made stepping off the beaten path a potentially treacherous choice.

Tell him, “Gordy broke his leg”

At one point, we passed a few porters and came upon a British climber lying on his side in the snow. He didn’t seem to be in pain, but was not moving and had several others around him. We asked if we could help and was told to, “Find Ian and tell him Gordy broke his leg.” Not knowing Ian and being on a steep section above 5,000 m., this was no easy request. we started out as quickly as I we could, asking every Westerner, “Are you Ian?”

There were many negative responses, many climbing groups passed and lots of vertical ascent before another Brit finally responded, “Yes, I’m Ian.” When we breathlessly gave him the news, he immediately thanked us and made his way down the mountain. We saw Ian much later in the day and were told that Gordy actually had a dislocated knee and was helicoptered out to Kathmandu hours earlier. Helicopters are a great business to be in in Nepal, as a one-hour ride is $2500 and we saw two come and go in the three days we were in Khare.

Haves and have nots

There was less fresh snow than the day before and porters seemed better prepared. Sure, there were still tennis shoes, but some cleverly wrapped with rope to create a “tire chain” effect and others with stretch rubber devices that had small teeth to grip the snow. Our guides, DB and Buddi, both were well-prepared with warm clothing, ice axes and plastic thermal boots. This was likely a necessity for their role in the Expedition but also possibly a reflection of their ‘full time guide’ status within Adventure Geo Treks.

We continued upward, passing the point where we turned around the day before at 5300 m (17,390 ft). This time, however, we could clearly see the layout of the mountain and where the path forward led. Groups that set out much earlier were already small dots in a line far in the distance, making their way to High Camp. The day was still very sunny but there were clouds making their way up from the far side of the mountain and also from the valley back in the direction of Khare.

Disaster avoided

We also noticed gigantic crevasses all around that the trail carefully navigated. We had been told that there were no crevasses, but this was obviously poor information. You could drive a Winnebago into the ones we saw. If we had continued up the day before, the odds that we would have walked into a crevasse in the near white out condition on the Mera Glacier would have been very high. It was remarkable that the groups at High Camp successfully navigated their way down safely.

One foot in front of the other

We passed Base Camp just below Mera La at 5400 m (17,716 ft) and continued climbing. It was our personal goal to reach 5500 m (18,000 ft) so that we could have a nice round number as our personal best altitude. Along the way, we picked up Ursi and Dennis and encouraged them higher and to join in our goal, which they gladly did.

It was a game of check-the-altimeter-and-find-the-next-rise as we waited for the number to be met. We would take turns leading as a way to pull the other person along, one person putting one foot in front of the other, the other person just watching the boots of the person in front.

This is a technique that has helped us up many mountains, but we had never been as high as that day. It was remarkable how fifty meters seemed like an enormous goal when so high in altitude. Sometimes you have to just create mental games of counting steps, making short-term commitments to a particular landmark, or putting your focus on your breathing.

We finally stopped, breathless and tired at 5502 (18,000 ft). It was time to eat our food, take in an amazing view and then head back down the significant distance to camp. From our vantage point, we could clearly see Chamlang, Makalu and Lhotse. It was disappointed that we needed to be higher to see Everest, as it was blocked by a nearby high peak.

It was tantalizing to see High Camp in the distance and to be able to make out the peak pyramid so easily on the horizon. Preparation, travel, and a great deal of work went into reaching this particular point, and only our schedule prevented us from attaining the summit. It was a very difficult choice but we were well aware that what seems like a kilometer can be hours at that altitude. These were hours we didn’t have.

Turning around

It was still outstanding to reach this height and to be so close to High Camp, which we could make out clearly in the distance. We met some climbers returning who reported that High Camp snow, even after a windy night, was still hip-deep (to a Westerner) and that those setting out from High Camp to the Summit had to turn around due to the exhaustion of breaking a new path in even deeper snow. We made the right call.

With out flight out of Lukla looming on Wednesday, we needed to get back down to Khare and be able to head out by the next day. Clouds were moving in quickly and by the time we reached the foot of the Mera Glacier, the peak was obscured and it was beginning to snow again. We love adventure but we’re against taking foolish risks. Seeing the weather change gave us strong reassurances that our decision was a wise one. We made it our goal to quickly descend below the crevasse fields at the foot of the glacier.

Transcending politics

On the way down we met up with an Iranian team that included a medical doctor, Sina Nedaei, with whom we shared hours of conversation about politics and the relationship between the US and Iran. We wished them well as they continued up and we went down, knowing they were more likely to reach the summit with a larger window of days for the weather to improve. It was a great reminder of how adventure and sport transcend politics and how much the two teams were alike despite what you read in the news.

Tough going

The path down was much more slippery from the many feet that packed the snow as trekkers, guides and porters made their way up. The many Nike and Converse shoes that were worn on the way up polished the snow on and around the rocks in a way that hiking boots and crampons never would, and we felt very fortunate to make it to Khare without any significant falls.

Last reminder

As a last reminder of the danger of climbing so high in fresh snow, we were treated to several avalanches on the way down. The sound and the obvious power were very sobering and we watched them in silence.

We were exhausted on our arrival. Skipping dinner, we were ready to sleep as soon as the sun set at 5:30 pm.

Next up: Mera Peak Expedition — Heading back down the Hinku Valley

Mera Peak Expedition — Khare to Mera High Camp

Dec. 27 Mera Peak 2011, Nepal, Trekking adventures 1 comment

The following is a continuation of Mera Peak Expedition — Acclimatization in Khare

Friday, October 21

This was our day to head for High Camp, with Mera Peak summit planned for the following day. Not only did it snow that night, but it snowed enough that it appeared dark in our tent even after sunrise due to a thick layer of the white stuff. Slapping the tent roof and sides quickly revealed that it was morning and time to prepare for the highest hike of our lives.

We were surprised to learn that we would not be leaving any tents set up at Khare and that everything had to go into one of two duffel bags…one for the summit (already packed) and one for storage. Not a big problem, but something we hadn’t planned for. We also heard several avalanches during the night meaning that there might be a greater amount of snow at higher elevation. There was no way to know until we made our way up the mountain. This isn’t a place with radio communication, weather reports and the like. In Nepal, you find out when you get there or by asking others, but the answers when you ask are often confusing and contradictory…so you find out when you get there.

Being careful

We were very excited to go but needed to slow down and do the things that remained to get ready. We needed to make sure to eat enough breakfast, to double check that we had our gear and water and to know where to find everything quickly if needed. When we finally set off, it was about 9:30am and snowing fairly heavily. It was our hope that the snow would lift before we reached the more exposed Mera Glacier above Mera La (Mera Pass).

Starting up

We started by climbing up the steep moraine slope just above Khare and were the only group headed up despite the late start. Once over the moraine, we could see that there were several more rocky slopes to go before the Glacier, and tackled each one slowly and deliberately. The going was slow as we went higher due to the steepness and the greater accumulation of snow, making the trail hard to find and causing our guide to cut steps at times with his ice axe.

Our first stop was at a small hut that we came upon quite by surprise for the Westerners. We were able to have black tea, milk tea and coffee, which was very welcome as we’d reached a point where the wind whipped our faces and visibility was dropping.

We continued to climb beyond the hut but by this point we were walking almost entirely in snow with far fewer rocks exposed, meaning the trail was completely covered and we needed to guess the best route. We soon reached the point where there were rock walls with enormous icicles and it was clear that we were coming upon the Pass.

It was surprising to see that many of the porters didn’t have gloves, few had any type of pole or ice axe, and several had running shoes on their feet. They were beginning to slip and lose their balance, which was no surprise. When we stopped near the top of a particularly steep section, just at the beginning of the Glacier, we pulled out extra socks, gloves and even split up pairs of trekking poles so that they could continue on.

The decision

Just as we reached the Pass and the start of the Glacier, we met several sizable groups that were on their way down. The best way they could be described would be “refugees”. A group of three Norwegians described white-out conditions on a six-hour walk down from High Camp where the snow had accumulated to more than two meters.

They also described having to take turns digging out the tent throughout the night to keep it from collapsing.  It was about then that we saw Subas “Dr Crevasse” Rai who had been set up the day before with tents to prepare for our arrival at High Camp. He looked frozen and it was easy to see why when we saw that he had only running shoes on his feet with cotton socks and a few thin layers of cotton under his waterproof jacket. He looked  absolutely miserable but very glad to see us. (video courtesy of Joel Meyers)

Evacuating

Our guides talked to the other groups’ guides and heard the same story we were hearing from Subas. The Mera Glacier had zero visibility and High Camp was uninhabitable. After only a few minutes of discussion, it was decided that we would need to return to Khare, and we all began a descent that involved seventy or so people of many nationalities but with the common challenge of terrible weather and frustrated plans.

Going down was worse than going up as the track where people were walking was quickly becoming a packed ski slope where G-Star, Nike Air, and other smooth-bottom shoes were creating slick going. Jeanne and I made the decision to put on our crampons, which proved to be an excellent one, as we were the first down and without falling as so many others were. It was tricky enough to descend that some porters would simply let their loads go down the slope and then catch up after, and there were also porters who were dragging their load through the snow because it was far easier than trying to carry it.

A sunny day

Before we reached Khare, the sun began to show itself through the clouds and the afternoon actually became sunny, much to our dismay. It isn’t clear if we would have been safe on the mountain and there was no indication that the sun would come out a short time earlier, but it was frustrating nonetheles. As the afternoon wore on, other groups showed up on Khare with stories of having to dig their tents out throughout the night until by morning their tent was essentially down in a snow hole. The poor weather created what was essentially a no-room-at-the-inn in Khare as the small village filled up with people coming down from High Camp, people coming down from an attempt to reach High Camp (like us) and people coming up the Valley from below. Nowhere would this be more evident than in the morning when everyone prepared to leave at the same time.

Tough night

The sky was completely clear this night and the temperature plummeted to the point that a headlamp in the tent revealed a fantasy scene of vapor crystals coating the ceiling and suspended in the air. We didn’t have a thermometer, but guessed that the temperature was likely below -10 Celsius. I was a very uncomfortable night as our 0 degree Fahrenheit sleeping bags were not enough to keep us warm once our hot water bottles cooled off.

Up next: Mera Peak Expedition — Going as high as possible on Mera Peak

France outside the tourism guides: Brittany and Saint-Nazaire

Dec. 26 France, Other adventures 2 comments

The news broke the same day we arrived in France for the 2011 Holidays, “A Beautiful Christmas Present for the Shipyard at Saint-Nazaire.” Viking Ocean Cruises of Norway signed a contract to build two luxury cruise ships  at the Chantiers Atlantique in the city of 70,000 people near the mouth of the Loire River. These are enormous ships able to carry 888 passengers in 444 luxury cabins and to sail the oceans of the world.

Character

In this part of the world, far from The Eiffel Tower and Montemarte, this cruise ship order was truly a Christmas present. The amount of work has already been calculated as 4.5 million hours in a city that feeds and clothes itself by an hourly wage at one of two places, the Shipyard or at the nearby Airbus facility. When most people imagine France they see a land of cafes, art and beret-wearing men riding bicycles with baguettes in the basket. When you leave the beaten path, however, you find out the essential character of a place, and Saint-Nazaire is a great example of character. This is a city that has been at the crossroads of history and sometimes paid the price. Through war and economic strife, it continues to be an essential part of France that stays outside the tourism guides.

Les Chantiers

Any exploration of Saint-Nazaire starts at the Les Chantiers Atlantique, the largest employer and largest group of buildings, cranes, railroad lines and dry docks in the city. Les Chantiers employ around 2,000 permanent designers, engineers, technicians and tradesmen and the population swells to over 8,000 when the yard is fully engaged building four to five ships simultaneously. This is the ideal situation for the city and its workforce, but hasn’t been the case for ten years or more.

Khaddafi’s cruise ship

In an interesting side note, Khaddafi’s government in Libya ordered a cruise ship to be built by the shipyard, and much of the work was done before the recent revolution in Libya caused payments to cease. STX Europe, the owners of Les Chantiers, are currently taking bids so that they can resell the ship that would have been the SS Phoenicia based in Tripoli. The partially built ship can be seen in this picture just to the right of the SS Divina.

In the foreground of the same picture is the memorial to the slaves who were victims of the “Triangle Trade” that brought slaves from Africa to the New World colonies, and then goods from the colonies to Nantes, 45 km up the Loire River.

The waterfront

The extensive Saint-Nazaire waterfront apart from the shipyard is mostly ‘remblai’, the French word for promenade. Houses line the street that fronts the water, including a few stately, older mansions separated by newer homes that were constructed in the gaps left by Allied bombs in the 1940′s. Very much unlike Paris with street after street of consistent architecture, the bombing made Saint-Nazaire a city of very old next to relatively new. Saint-Nazaire is also one of the only cities in France laid out in a grid pattern, much like New York City, thanks to American engineers that helped rebuild after the war.

Also along the waterfront is the statue that commemorates the American presence in World War I. This statue is a replacement for one that was destroyed by the Germans during the Occupation and is an exact replica of the prior one. Rumor has it that the Germans used the metal from the statue to make artillery shells used against the Allies, which is an interesting story but tough to prove.

This connection to the United States extends beyond the statue and the street design. The waterfront street is called Boulevard President Woodrow Wilson, and there is still an area known as the American Camp to locals, fifty years after the Americans packed up and left.

Ancient history

First evidence of a city on the Loire Estuary points to the Neolithic Period (10,000 BC) but the first historical records show that by 56 BC, the local Namnetes people fought the expanding Roman Empire and lost, settling into being part of Roman civilization with the largest city being Portus Namnetum, later known as  Nantes, and a smaller city, Corbilo, known now as Saint-Nazaire. These cities together were the south eastern extent of Breton, a Celtic language more in common with Ireland and Wales than the rest of France. More surprising, this peninsula that extends far into the Atlantic formed the Dutchy of Brittany and was independent until 1532, contributing to its very strong character as one of the later additions to the France of today.

Wartime history

The excellent strategic position of Saint-Nazaire on the Atlantic and its deep port made it a significant gateway for the Allies during World War I, and a U-boat base for the Germans during World War II. Submarine pens with concrete 9 m (30 ft) thick were constructed to prevent Allied bombs from shutting down the port, and those bombs instead destroyed everything around the port. The enormous submarine pens, too large to easily tear down, remain today along with several German blockhouses that guarded the port during the war.

Mera Peak Expedition — Acclimatization in Khare

Dec. 26 Mera Peak 2011, Nepal, Trekking adventures 2 comments

The following is a continuation of Mera Peak Expedition — Tangnag to Khare.

Thursday, 20 October

The morning started as our coldest yet, with the first light appearing at 5:30 am and the sun appearing over Mera Peak at 9am. Joel, Karlin and Chris were talking with an Indian climber who summitted the day before, and he mentioned that a member of his team had altitude sickness and would be helicopter evacuated before 9am. Our own Mike Miller had been talking for the past day about being taken out by helicopter as he didn’t feel well. On the trail, he was overheard the day before saying several times, “This would be a good spot to land a helicopter.”

Inbound

With that in mind, we quickly found Mike, DB and Buddi and let them know. Within a few minutes, calls were made to Kathmandu and just after breakfast the sound of a helicopter could be heard coming up the valley. It came in low in the valley as a way to put off climbing too high, too soon in the thin air.

Dust cloud

At the last minute, the bright yellow helicopter dove into a valley toward Tangnag to pick up speed and then crested the ridge to our east and set down in a cloud of dust on the ridge to the ridge above Khare. The rotors continued to turn as bags and people were loaded quickly.

Mike’s ride

The helicopter struggled to lift off for a second before gaining a meter or so of altitude and then dropping quickly off the ridge and out of view as a way of gaining air speed. It appeared again much lower in the valley, above Mera Glacier and quickly disappeared out of view beyond Tangnag nearly 600 m (2000 ft) below us.

Climbing Khare Ri

As an acclimatization day, we decided to hike to the top of Khare Ri, the peak just to the north of our campsite. From the camp we could see prayer flags and cairns on the hill above but little did we know this was NOT the top. We soon discovered this, though, as we climbed our way up in the bright sunshine and thin air.

Leaving our mark

When we finally reached the crest, we put Buddi’s excellent cairn-building skills to work and he quickly constructed a pile aroud five feet in height. It was great to leave our mark on the summit of the hill by putting up the biggest (and, of course, best) cairn on that spot.  We made our way quickly back down the hill as it had grown colder due to a high layer of cirrus clouds that had us concerned about possible poor weather approaching. With only two days to to the summit, the last challenge we wanted to face was poor weather. Our window for summitting was only two days if we were to reach Lukla for our flights back to Kathmandu.

Dr. Crevasse

Once back at camp it was much warmer even with the thin clouds as we were out of the wind and among breeze-stopping buildings. We were greeted with hot grape cool-aid (a Nepali original) that tasted great after the effort and had us feeling fortified and strong in a few minutes. DB informed us that Subash “Dr. Crevasse” Rai left for High Camp that day to establish three tent sights for the people heading up tomorrow. This would limit the amount of weight that would need to be carried tomorrow but also would ‘reserve’ decent sites that would be ready for our arrival without a wait for setup. If the weather at High Camp is cold or windy, having sites established can make all of the difference in the world.

We had some time for relaxing in the remaining sun and resting our bodies for what was sure to be one of the biggest challenges of our lives. This day broke the record for Jeanne and I as we climbed to 5197 m (17,050 ft) on Khare Ri, and the next two days would smash that record by a wide margin.

Rope practice

After lunch we did rope work with Pemba Dendi Sherpa, our local guide who was hired by Adventure Geo Treks. First we all brought out our equipment to make sure we were all set with climbing boots, crampons, ice axes, harnesses, carabiners, and an ascender/jumar. Once we did our inventory it was time to make sure safety lines were sized, cut and tied off at this lower, warmer altitude where thinking is clearer and we had time to prepare at a leisurely pace. We then made our way to a steep slope nearby where a rope was tied off, an intermediate stake fixed, and then each climber practiced rappelling and ascending using the prescribed methods of our climbing sherpa.

With everyone frozen from periods of inactivity it was time for tea, biscuits and more relaxation. Hot tea was served and we warmed up in the sun near our tents before each of us left to pack our duffel for the next day’s trip to High Camp. While we packed, large-flaked snow began to fall on our tents, leaving us wondering if there was greater accumulation along tomorrow’s route or if this was just the result of the afternoon’s passing low clouds. Dinner was an excellent combination of macaroni and spring rolls, finished off by canned pineapple. Last minute conversations were had about what to expect tomorrow, and with that, we retired to our tents for a much needed rest.

Up next: Mera Peak Expedition — Khare to Mera High Camp

Mera Peak Expedition — Tangnag to Khare

Dec. 25 Mera Peak 2011, Nepal, Trekking adventures 2 comments

The following is a continuation of Mera Peak Expedition — Kote to Tangnag.

Wednesday, 19 October

Life is great after 14 hours of deep sleep. The morning was clear though it would be a few hours before the sun would warm the valley as a subsidiary summit of Mera Peak shades Tangnag in the early hours of the day. After sickness, it felt wonderful to get a large basin of warm water, strip down, and wash all of the places that haven’t seen water in a few days. If you feel dirty enough, you don’t care about nudity or freezing temperatures. The wash water doubled as a basin for cleaning clothes, but the temperature was sufficiently low that the clean, wet clothing quickly froze solid on the line.

Avalanche

Our plan was to hike to Khare, our last established village before Base Camp, High Camp and Mera Peak. We were told it was a four to five hour hike and we planned a late start so that we would be well recuperated for what would be three very cold days. We planned initially to leave Tangnag at 12:00pm, but a refreshed Ursi and Chris’ much better health changed the plan and we left at 9:30am instead. Just before our departure, we were treated to an enormous avalanche on the high wall to our east, announcing itself with a big roar. Overhanging ice fell onto snow slopes below, building into an enormous, loud freight train of snow that only ended when it became a powdery spray at the Hinku Khola on the valley floor.

Drying out

Once underway, our first stop was only a few hundred meters up the trail, where the sunshine wasn’t blocked by the enormous peak above Tangnag. We pulled out our wet sleeping bags and laid them on the rocks to dry for about 45 minutes. At this altitude, the sun is especially strong.

On to Khare

Once we achieved our goal and had light, fluffy bags again, we started up the steep ascent of the moraine slopes that would be our primary geography all day. Soon after cresting the first big rise, we could see Mera Peak for the first time, with its ice and snow ‘dome’ peak and enormous hanging glaciers ending in clear blue serac.

We passed through wet meadows, rocky slopes and then finally saw Khare on a hilltop ahead. It came faster than expected, due mostly to the incorrect altitude on our maps that listed Khare at 5100 m. Even as we came into the town, the “wel-come” sign declared that we were at 5000 m (16,404 ft), while our GPS and the barometric watches of Joel and Karlin both agreed at 4883 m (16,020 ft).

Reaching Khare

Once in Khare, hot orange juice was passed out and we collapsed on the tarp, soaking in the sun that defeated the cold wind only until mist rolled up the valley once again. The mist was a daily occurrence for the previous five days, rolling in each day at  around 2pm and causing the temperatures to plunge very quickly.

Khare was a true climbers camp as a crossroads for expeditions going over Mera La or climbing Mera Peak. This was also the last hospitable place for people coming from or headed in either direction. A lot of work was done to build hostels, carry in wood, prayer flags, food and drink. Nothing was there that wasn’t carried up steep slopes on porters’ backs other than rocks. The amount of labor that was involved in building and maintaining Khare was remarkable.

Getting ready

A great time to break out the checklist for the two days from Khare to High Camp to Mera Peak:

Tomorrow will be an acclimitization day, with a short hike up to a nearby hill with a chorten at its top. We originally planned to hike to base camp, including a glacier walk, but as with many things when trekking in Nepal, the plan changed.

As our load was now considerably lighter and we were as high as many porters would go (not everyone goes to High Camp and the Summit), the two Bika porters, Tsuje and Gopal, were thanked for their services, paid for their time, including a tip from us, and left Khare for the long walk back to Basa 8.

Up next: Mera Peak Expedition – Acclimatization day in Khare