![]() PICTURES : HELEN ARTHY in GOKYO Snowless: A prolonged winter drought and receding glaciers not withstanding, the mountains are still awe inspiring. |
But there are many reasons to opt for low season over high. In October 2008 trekkers rarely saw the major peaks through the cloud, there were queues of walkers, porters had to race ahead to bank a bed for clients in the lodges where they often camped on dining room floors, people had to wait up to three hours for a meal. If planes were cancelled, a backlog of trekkers quickly accumulated.
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Every day of the trek is quite distinct from another. In the fertile villages leading up to Namche people are still harvesting pak choi and winter saag while bridges crisscross pristine rivers tumbling over huge boulders. Higher still, sheltered from the sun by the rhododendron, camellia and deciduous trees draped in moss, the waterfalls are frozen solid. Then from Dole it opens out, becoming quite wild and affording magnificent views.
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The second turquoise lake in Gokyo itself is frozen though thawed at the edges. The sound it emits as the wind blows over its surface is quite eerie: a deep groaning followed by cracking. Those with the stamina to climb 500m up Gokyo Ri in the afternoon will be rewarded with the breathtaking sight of the sun setting on Everest as well as views of Makalu, Lhotse and Cho Oyu. The trek to the fifth lake is similarly exhilarating, with magnificent views of Chomolungma, better than those at Kala Pattar (base camp).
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Another downside is that clear skies, warmth and lack of snow are reminders of how the weather patterns are changing. Grazing for yak and nak herds is at a minimum and the ground is in desperate need of fertiliser, but manure is burnt as fuel to lessen reliance on scarce firewood.
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But for those who dare, and you don't need to be that daring, this is the time to visit the Khumbu. Before the crowds get here.