Trip Reports

Dhaulagiri Circuit - 25 Oct to 14 Nov '09

Written by Leader Adele Pennington, November 2009

After fourteen days of continuous trekking the now united team renamed the “bus pass tours team” due to the majority of its members holding this qualification, arrived in Johmson on Schedule for their return flight to Kathmandu. The itinerary describes the expedition as a tough trek and sure it was but perhaps the most outstanding any of us had been on. From segregated skinny-dipping in mountain waterfall pools to experiencing temperature down to minus 25 degrees Celsius as we climbed Damphus peak this expedition had it all.

Starting at an altitude of 850m allowed our Australian members to enjoy the hot pools in Tatopani whilst the rest of us Brits sheltered in the shade for lunch. Gradually the trek gained height allowing us to explore Nepalese villages not yet affected by mass tourism and examine the flora and butterflies in the amazing forests. Each day we travelled up and down on forest trails and crossed rivers on very interesting bridges.

Eventually we emerged from the bamboo forest s to the high barren mountain scenery where Dhualagiri 1 and 1V dominated the views. On arrival at Italian base camp 3660m we looked forward to our first rest day and ate Pizza for dinner. From here we had to negotiate some steep ground and with the aid of a rope the whole team porters included made a safe descent. With no time to hang around as the risk of stone fall increased as the sun started to hit the upper slopes we hurriedly made our way to glacier camp. The stunning views and the beauty of our surroundings made up for the cold and the following day we made our way to the site of Dhaulageri base camp. Our camp just around the corner from the main camp kept us sheltered from most of the winds and allowed us to escape a dusting from a huge avalanche coming down from seracs high on Dhualagiri. After an acclimatisation day and some ice axe and crampon practice we left very early the next morning for our ascent over the French col (5300m) into Hidden valley. We could not have asked for more perfect weather. The trail weaved its way over the snow covered glacier and moraine until the final 100m of scree. Progress was slow but constant and tears welled in the eyes of some as we reached the top of the col with a 360 degree panoramic view, which lived up to every conceivable wish. The descent into hidden valley was equally as beautiful. Once at camp the altitude and cold were taking its toll and as soon as hot soup had been served and eaten we scurried to our tents for the warmth of our sleeping bags.

Four members of the team, Adele and our two Sherpas, Pem and Lila were up for Damphus peak and an early 4.30 am wake up was arranged. The rest of the team were to have a more civilised start and meet us at a camp at 4900m on the other side of Damphus Col .The wake up call soon came round and we slowly rose from our tents into the bitter cold and battled to eat the porridge. The planned 5.30am departure went like clock work and we were soon on our way to Damphus peak. Monitoring the cold all the time and fully clad in duvet jackets we made our way up the first slopes onto the ridge. The true reality of this mountain was then revealed with a beautiful ridge, which was followed by more slopes covered in snow pennetentes. After five and a half hours we reached the summit that was marked with a few prayer flags. With no other teams around we took pictures and videos, drank tea and celebrated our success before starting our long descent. Mean while the rest of the team had made a five-hour journey to the campsite where Judith was the star. Helping her fellow team members and insisting on the location of our camp meant that we were all safely reunited by early afternoon. The team were emotional and happy with there chosen challenges. Being slightly warmer we managed to stay in the mess tent and chatter about our experiences of the day. The buzz and excitement of the team echoed the satisfaction of the expedition. The next day we left for our long descent to Martha and civilisation. Coffee shops, showers and seats with cushions welcomed us for our penultimate day of the trek. Finally we arrived in Johnsom for our celebrations with our Nepali team after they had been awarded some excellent tips for their superb service. A few beers a tipple of bandy and some Rackshi induced sleep for our last night under canvas.

Well done to everyone who completed this demanding but awesome trek and a big thanks to our Nepali team who were with us all the way.

Adele Pennington, Trek Leader « Previous report | Next report »

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