Post from Michelle:
Standing at the top of Gokyo Ri I breath in deeply, filling my lungs with the cold air which carries the scent of remote wilderness. It snowed all day yesterday and the landscape, as far as the eye can see, sparkles white in the sunlight. Rich turquoise water peaks through the edge of a snow covered glacier lake below. Boulders, silt and snow decorate the huge glacier in the valley. From this height the village of Gokyo seems so far away - our lodge is just a tiny speck and the herd of yaks living in the adjoining field is undetectable. Mountain ranges fill the horizon: Nuptse, Cholatae, Kangchung, Makalu, and the most famous, Everest. I think of all the people who have died trying to climb to its top and the sacrifices and risks people take to fulfill their dreams.
Others who had also risen at dawn to climb the peak sit on rocks, taking in the views, snapping pictures, and resting. Black ravens perch on rocks nearby hoping for crumbs from trekkers eating biscuits. I had seen animal tracks in the snow as I ascended up the trail. I let my imagination run and imagined a snow leopard prowling on the peak. Reaching the top, I was disappointed to realise it was only the prints of a dog, who now lay exhausted in the snow. I recognised the dog from the day before where in the village I had watched him bark and nip playfully at the yaks. I stoop down, pet him, and offer him some peanuts which he gratefully accepts.
I start to descend as the sun gets higher. People bound past me, hurrying down. But I descend slowly. For one reason, the snow is melting and the trail is slippery. But I also go slowly because I want to stop every few moments to absorb the view. This will be the last peak I climb on this trek and I don't know when I will ever see views like this again.
At one point I pause to watch an eagle soar above in the sky. Its mighty wings spread, it circles round and round. I marvel at its freedom. Another trekker, a young woman, stops next to me to also watch. We say nothing, just look up and smile, sharing in the sacredness of the moment. After a while, the eagle flies away, lost in the vivid blue sky and I continue on. I wonder how many things I've missed in life because I was in a hurry or too busy to look around. I vow when I return home to try to live a quieter, simpler life - one where I take time to look up.
Others who had also risen at dawn to climb the peak sit on rocks, taking in the views, snapping pictures, and resting. Black ravens perch on rocks nearby hoping for crumbs from trekkers eating biscuits. I had seen animal tracks in the snow as I ascended up the trail. I let my imagination run and imagined a snow leopard prowling on the peak. Reaching the top, I was disappointed to realise it was only the prints of a dog, who now lay exhausted in the snow. I recognised the dog from the day before where in the village I had watched him bark and nip playfully at the yaks. I stoop down, pet him, and offer him some peanuts which he gratefully accepts.I start to descend as the sun gets higher. People bound past me, hurrying down. But I descend slowly. For one reason, the snow is melting and the trail is slippery. But I also go slowly because I want to stop every few moments to absorb the view. This will be the last peak I climb on this trek and I don't know when I will ever see views like this again.
At one point I pause to watch an eagle soar above in the sky. Its mighty wings spread, it circles round and round. I marvel at its freedom. Another trekker, a young woman, stops next to me to also watch. We say nothing, just look up and smile, sharing in the sacredness of the moment. After a while, the eagle flies away, lost in the vivid blue sky and I continue on. I wonder how many things I've missed in life because I was in a hurry or too busy to look around. I vow when I return home to try to live a quieter, simpler life - one where I take time to look up.
Photos From This Location
