KANCHENJUNGA TO MAKALU GHT TREK NEPAL 2015 PART 1

I have sought to immerse myself in the serenity and beauty of mountains for most of my life, having explored and climbed much of SE Alaska, British Columbia and the Washington Cascades, then almost 30 years ago the Peruvian Andes. My children and I have shared many adventures in the cascades, and Glacier Bay, Alaskan mountains, which upon reflection bring such great memories. For many years there was still this draw within me to see the highest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas, but in the less traveled sections. Now that I was approaching 70, I knew there wasn’t much time left in the aging process to challenge myself with a long trek while still in shape. I was conditioned, but beginning to feel the aches and pains of an athletic life when younger, including several accidents. I had a new spring to my step when 64, after a knee replacement that gave me the freedom to hike and climb again pain free.

I began researching areas for this journey in late 2014, desiring to experience the last remaining wild and remote regions of Nepalese Himalayan forest and mountains known left located in Eastern Nepal. There was a newly opened mountain route where few westerners have traveled that completed the Great Himalayan Trail in its remote eastern section. The rough trail leads through a sparsely populated wilderness between the world’s third highest peak Kanchenjunga, and Makalu, the world’s fifth highest just to the east of Everest. The route would take a week ascending steep trails before entering the Kanchenjunga Conservation area where we would explore Kanchenjunga base camp. We then would retrace partially the same trail, descending until branching off to follow a more difficult access across several mountain passes, including the remote 5200 meter lumba sumba pass to the northwest of Kanchenjunga. Tucked between the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area and Makalu-Barun National Park, this corner of Nepal is so isolated from the rest of the country that you have to walk two days to reach the nearest village. The primitive trail then descends entering the Arun River watershed, and traverses west along steep high altitude ridges before descending to the Barun River. Heading again north, we would follow local trails that led to Makalu Barun National park, ascending finally to Makalu base camp.

The primitive trail then descends entering the Arun River watershed, and traverses west along steep high altitude ridges before descending to the Barun River. Heading again north, we would follow local trails that led to Makalu Barun National park, ascending finally to Makalu base camp.

Kachenjunga and the upper Tamur River above Olangchung Gola is remote, bordering next to Tibet and Sikkim. I studied carefully studied topographical maps of the region and with the help of a trip operator in Kathmandu finally arranged for a 40 day journey that would cover almost 300 kilometers, using a local guide and porters who knew the area. We fly from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur, then drive to a remote village called Taplejung where we begin our trek before finally reaching our ending point of the trail at Num, the nearest remote village on the Arun River that was connected by a poor road to Tumlingar to connect our flight back to Kathmandu. We hoped for good weather in the spring, but knew we could be subject to snow and high altitude storms conditions if the spring was wet and still subject to the monsoon from the south Indian Ocean. My

Route to Kanchenjunga base camp (Right massif of peaks) across remote passes that include Lumba Sumba to the Arun River and Makalu near Everest (glaciated peaks left).

longtime friend from Seattle Stan Barrett and his son Ethan were adventurous enough to join me, as he had some previous experience in hiking the Annapurna trail.

The word Kangchenjunga comes from Old Tibetan 'Kanchen' and 'Dzonga' meaning 'Five Treasures of the Great Snow'. While the highest summit is 8,586 meters (28,169 feet), the Second highest peak is 8,505 meters (27,820 feet), thus falling short of the former by 81 m (267 feet) only. Four colossal ridges of inconceivable dimensions of rocks, ice, and snow abut upon this massif, which culminates in a peak 28,156 feet high. These ridges are named according to their respective directions with reference to the great center piece to which they are attached. The mountain’s five peaks have been worshiped by the locals for as long as their stories go back in time. The five treasures are Gold, Silver, Precious Stones, Grain, and their sacred writings. The Kachendzonga Himal range is spread across the border of Nepal and the neighboring Indian state of Sikkim. Sikkim is a tiny Himalayan state located in the north eastern part of India, sandwiched between Nepal to the west, Bhutan to the east, Tibet (China) to the north and the Indian state of West Bengal to the south.

With more than 250 species of birds and wildlife, and high mountain lakes in Olangchungola, the Kanchenjunga area has stunning scenery. The Kanchenjunga region has been selected as one of the 200 Global Eco Regions recognized by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and is protected by the government as the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA). Ten species among Nepal's 20 indigenous gymnosperms and 15 among Nepal’s 28 endemic flowering plants are found here. Juniper and Himalayan larch are abundant in the forests with more than 1,200 species of flowering plants. The Kanchenjunga region also boasts of 30 varieties of rhododendrons and 69 varieties of orchids. Birds found here include Impheyan pheasant, red-billed blue magpie and shy drongo, while rare wildlife include Himalayan black bear, snow leopard, musk deer, red panda, blue sheep, Tibetan wolf, and rhesus macaque.

The Kangchenjunga region is sparsely populated with an estimated 500 living in the Ghunsa valley, and to the northwest in the upper Tamur River and Olangchung Gola only 450. I eventually discovered their negative impact upon the forests, meadows and wildlife that was evident everywhere. We saw much recent extensive burning resulting from the traditional practice of slash-and-burn agriculture, and I learned that in the sparse dwellings and temporary camps songbirds and their nests were sought out for food, and at higher elevations overgrazing of their yak herds is damaging fragile alpine soils. The main ethnic groups are Limbu, Bhotia, Sherpa, and Tibetan. Of these, the Sherpa communities generally live in the highest areas, beyond which there is no possibility of permanent human settlement.

I had just returned from a 5 day kayaking trip on the remote Endau Rompin River in Eastern Malaysian jungle, spent three days at home in Singapore packing for Nepal, then on April 1 left my wife a bit sad, knowing in my spirit I knew how deeply I would miss her for several months. The flight to Kathmandu from Singapore was only 5 hours, but it took another 1.5 hours to make it through immigration to get a permit for 90 days. I was waiting with several Mt Everest expedition clients, who over a month later I would see again, having stories to share of the earthquake that devastated Everest base camp and Kathmandu. I was so glad to finally get through and met Stan and Ethan who were equally glad to see me. Obtained permits at the government office after we met our

Flight Kathmandu to Bhadrapur followed 11 hour drive to Taplijung, the starting point of the 40

day trek to Kanchenjunga

Taplijung, the starting point of the 40 day trek to Kanchenjunga.

Taplijung rice terraces passed descending 500 meters (1600 feet) elevation to the Tamor River

Walking through the homes and small shops of Teplijung before steep descent to the Amur River

guide and readied our gear for departure the next day for our flight to Bhadrapur tomorrow. We spent another day in Kathmandu, where Stan had to purchase last minute equipment. Crowded city center, and diesel smoke polluted the entire valley of Kathmandu. Spent the better part of the day until late evening finishing sorting gear, leaving some behind.

Day0 April 3, 2015 Flight Kathmandu to Bhadrapur, drive to Taplejung 1442 m. Finally left late morning from the airport to Bhadrapur, an hour flight to the northwest. Once landed on a grass airstrip, we were met by our porters who transferred our heavy duffel bags and gear to a 4x4. We would have to endure an 11 hour trip into Taplijung located in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas. Didn’t arrive until late 11 PM and overnighted at a tea house owned by our guide’s sister. Grueling trip. We were all thankful for safety through winding narrow roads with steep drop offs.

Day1 Taplijung to (921m) Chirwa/ Sinwa Breakfast early of dal baht, rice and beans to fuel a long day of trekking. Left early and hiked with our packs through the main street of Taplejung watching people start their day. School children were walking to school or playing street cricket while shop keepers opened their store fronts of wares for sale. The air was clean and quite a contrast to the diesel cloud overhanging Kathmandu. Wonderful walking through the trail that began to lead to a steep descent past a few giant fig trees in subtropical forest to the cascading Tamor River which eventually flows into the Arun River to the west. The Arun River originates in Tibet Autonomous Region and is the largest trans-Himalayan river passing through Nepal. It also drains the greatest snow and ice-covered watershed area of any Nepalese river basin. In almost two months, we would exit the Makalu Barun River watershed and follow the Arun River until reaching our final destination of Num, a small village connected by a rough 4x4 road to the outside world.

Large fig tree covering the trail leading trom Teplijung down to Chirwa at 920 m

We passed small terraced rice farms, potato fields, pens with goats and pigs, terraced rice farms, potato fields, wood slatted huts covered with corrugated metal roofs. And there were horse trains passing us along the trail, carrying rice and food to the villages deeper and higher into the mountains, many heading to Ghunza, a 5 days walk for us (less for locals). After 4 hours of steep descent 500 meters (1600 feet) elevation loss and crossing a few suspension bridges that carried across the river, we came to the village of Mitlung, and an hour later Sinwa. Here we stayed at a tea house owned by a young Nepalese named Joel who I found out later was a Christian brother. We prayed for him and his wife and family in his building an orphanage and a church to minister to the poor. Amazing encounter. We suffered with almost no sleep that night as visiting

Joel and family in the village of Chirwu on the Tamor R in subtopical forest at 1200 meters

east Indians were drinking and yelling until 4 am next to us. Only cardboard walls separated our rooms. So tired.

Day2 Sinwa/Chirwa to Sukethum (1,270m) Left Sinwa early in the morning towards Taplehok. Joel walked us out after an early breakfast of an egg and dal baht and he showed us the beginning stages of a boarding school he was building. He had so much

Villages above Chirwu on Day 2

Homes along the Tamur River at 1400 meters, hand sawing cut logs, carrying fodder for pigs, chickens and goats.

enthusiasm for the Lord and thanked me for praying for him. He shared that weekly on Sunday he walked up the hill 500 meters in elevation that took several hours to attend a church. Amazing dedication.

We walked along an easy trail listening to the rushing river and I spent the day praying, reflecting, grateful for so much, and enjoyed the tropical forest and birdsong. We passed by the village of Tapethok and walked through open areas under an overstory of alder trees Alnus nepalellsis trees that fix nitrogen where cardamom is grown in a shaded understory. Cardamom has become the world's third-most expensive spice, surpassed in price per weight only by vanilla and saffron. The shrub sized plant has long leaves and small triangular seed pods and black seeds. Farmers are now able to sustain their families on the income without much maintenance to the plant within the third year of planting.

The subtropical forest became more pristine as we left the lowland settlements and continued following the gentle ascent upriver. We were now entering the transition area from subtropical to temperate. Was so refreshing to feel the sun and hear the water roar through rapids, and walking through quite extensive stands of primary broadleaved t

Broadleaf montane forest at 1200 meters beginning transition above subtropical forest temperate forest enroute. A good variety of bird species recorded that included Pygmy Blue Flycatcher above Lali Kharka;, a Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis, Brown Wood Owl Strix leptogrammica, a pair of Snowy-browed Flycatchers Ficedula hyperythra and Black-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis nipalensis.

At the lowest elevations in the Tamur River Valley, forests of alder Alnus nepalellsis and Engelhardtia spicata (walnut family) dominate the forest either side of the Tamur River together with a rich assemblage of other subtropical tree species including the Diptercarp Shorea robusta, magnolia related needlewood Schima wallichii, and tan oak Castanopsis indica, the genus represented from Washington State to California. Steep slopes support stands of chinkapin in the beech family Castnopsis tribuloides (grows between 450 and 2300 m. being common in higher elevation Shorea robusta) in shaded locations and the large pine Pinus roxburgii on sunny exposures.

Brown wood owl, snowy-browed flycatcher

Blue throated barbet, and Great parrotbill

Green backed tit. Woodpecker

Ferruginous Flycatcher , forktail Tamur River

Red headed trogan found up to 1200 meters elevation in primary forest, Darjeeling Woodpecker

Violets, unknown flowering plant, red headed trogan female in nest

Unknown shrub most likely related to spirea sp, uknown orchid species flowering on an exposed

ledge at the edge of a groundwater stream

Flowers the orchid tree Bauhinia sp in the legume family found with tan oak 1400 meters

We walked through grass clearings along southern sun exposures of both the Tamur and Lower Ghunza River that support grasslands with oak Quercus semecarpifolia woodland. These grassy slopes are heavily grazed, but this ecological community is not

anthropogenic. A possible ecological explanation for lack of forest cover here is high evapo-transpiration and pre-monsoon drought stress on the sunny slope.

The ridge above did have terraced farming and we passed in the forested valley below the village of Lelap before passing a wonderful waterfall, then crossing the Tamur to its tributary the Ghunza River at a clearing called Sukethum. Here we made a tented camp, and found our camp refreshing listening the river roaring through the forest, and just enjoy Gods creation.

Objective for the first 10 days was to reach the Kanchenjunga base camp at 5200 meters (17,200

feet). We had momentary open skies, and I enjoyed the magnificent mountain view before being

assaulted by our first snow storm that night.