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Mountains Of Travel Photos

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Manaslu - Best Photos

In October 2003 I Trekked Around Manaslu and the Annapurna Circuit from Dharapani to Manang

Manaslu 02 03 Arkhet Khola and Shringi Himal Crossing the Arkhet Khola was an adrenalin experience. Gyan hopped across the surging river to a rock partially submerged. I just looked at him. He tried putting more rocks, but it didn't help. I passed him my knapsack and camera pouch, and got set to jump to Gyan's outstretched hand. Then a porter, who had walked across the river, came to my rescue. He waded into the middle of the river and took my hand, and then I jumped. I thanked the man with a handshake and a bow. People's compassion continues to surprise me. After leaving Arkhet, I had a good view of Shringi Himal (7187m) up the valley.

Manaslu 02 03 Arkhet Khola and Shringi Himal

Manaslu 04 03 Shringi Himal Close Up From Past Jagat Here’s a close up of the beautiful mountain Shringi Himal (7187m), its summit glistening in the mid-day sun.

Manaslu 04 03 Shringi Himal Close Up From Past Jagat

Manaslu 05 08 Ghap Kani Ceiling Painting The Ghap (2110m) kani has intricate, well-preserved paintings on the ceiling with Avalokiteshvara in the centre.

Manaslu 05 08 Ghap Kani Ceiling Painting

Manaslu 06 10 Syala Mother and Daughter In Lodge The campsite was already occupied by a Spanish group, so we stayed at the Maili Manaslu Hotel, Shyala, Gorkha. The lodge is being run by a mother and her daughter. The girl laughs liberally while mom sits silent, but smiling. I ate my dinner of rice and vegetable curry (hey, this isn't daal baht, is it), I watched as the girl cut mini-potatoes and fried them in a cast iron type pan on a small wood stove. I told her that potatoes were my favourite. She offered me a bowl, which I gratefully accepted. They were fantastic, though a bit spicy.

Manaslu 06 10 Syala Mother and Daughter In Lodge

Manaslu 07 01 Manaslu Sunrise From Syala I waited with anticipation for the sun to rise and hit the mountains. Wow! The subtle changes of the light on Manaslu are terrific, turning from grey to pink to orange to yellow and then to white, all within a few minutes.

Manaslu 07 01 Manaslu Sunrise From Syala

Manaslu 07 02 Ngadi Chuli Close Up Sunrise From Syala Wow! Midway between Manaslu and Himal Chuli, Ngadi Chuli (7871m, 20th highest mountain in the world, also known as Peak 29, Dakum, and Dunapurna) shone beautifully in the early morning light at sunrise. A possible first ascent was made in 1970 by Hiroshi Watanabe and Lhakpa Tsering. After being out of sight for two hours very near the summit, they reappeared and suffered a fatal fall. On May 8, 1979 Polish climbers Ryszard Gajewski and Maciej Pawlikowski made it to the summit via the West buttress.

Manaslu 07 02 Ngadi Chuli Close Up Sunrise From Syala

Manaslu 07 03 Manaslu Medium Shot Sunrise From Syala Wow! The subtle changes of the light on Manaslu are terrific. Manaslu (8156m) is said to derive from the Sanskrit word Manasa, which means soul; therefore Manaslu is the Mountain of the Soul. It was earlier known as Kutang I, while the Survey of India’s symbol was merely Peak XXX. According to Snelgrove, the local Tibetan name for Manaslu is Pung-gyen, which is also the name to the god who resides on it.

Manaslu 07 03 Manaslu Medium Shot Sunrise From Syala

Manaslu 07 04 Manaslu and Manaslu North Sunrise From Syala Manaslu became very much a Japanese mountaineering property in the 1950s, and was climbed in May 1956 by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu Sherpa, members of an expedition led by Yuko Maki, who set their base camp above Sama beside the Manaslu Glacier. Manaslu North (7157m) was first climbed on October 25, 1964 by Fons Driessen and Jan De Lint from Holland, Hubert Schriebl from Austria, and Sherpas Jila Tsering and Nima Tenzing.

Manaslu 07 04 Manaslu and Manaslu North Sunrise From Syala

Manaslu 07 10 Ngadu Chuli and Manaslu From Pung-gyen Gompa The Pung-gyen gompa (3870m) is named after Manaslu, as Pung-gyen means bracelet, a good description of the two peaks. To the left is Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29) and to the right the main summit of Manaslu and the East Pinnacle. The Pung-gyen Gompa was destroyed by fire during the winter of 1953 after the first Japanese expedition to Manaslu, killing 18 inhabitants, mostly nuns. The villagers believed the god residing on Manaslu destroyed the gompa to show his wrath for the trespassers, and refused to let the second Japanese expedition to Manaslu climb the mountain in 1954. When I got there, there was nobody home. I wonder where all the monks are gone?

Manaslu 07 10 Ngadu Chuli and Manaslu From Pung-gyen Gompa

Manaslu 07 11 Ngadu Chuli From Pung-gyen Gompa From the Pung-gyen gompa (3870m), I had a perfect view of the north east face of Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29, 7871m).

Manaslu 07 11 Ngadu Chuli From Pung-gyen Gompa

Manaslu 07 12 Manaslu From Pung-gyen Gompa From the Pung-gyen gompa (3870m), I had a perfect view of the main peak of Manaslu (8163m) and the East Pinnacle (7992m).

Manaslu 07 12 Manaslu From Pung-gyen Gompa

Manaslu 08 01 Manaslu Sunrise From Sama I had another perfect sunrise view, but a little foreshortened, of Manaslu from Sama.

Manaslu 08 01 Manaslu Sunrise From Sama

Manaslu 08 03 Manaslu Early Morning From Beyond Sama As I walked towards Samdo, I turned and caught another view of Manaslu with the Manaslu Icefall tumbling down. The normal climbing route is to the right of the glacier, and then up the long ridge going right to left.

Manaslu 08 03 Manaslu Early Morning From Beyond Sama

Manaslu 08 07 Manaslu From Just Before Larkya Phedi A half hour before Larkya Phedi, through a break in the mountains caused by Larkya Glacier, I had a sensational view of the full width of the north face of Manaslu from the East Pinnacle to the Main Summit. The normal route of ascent goes to the right and then crosses the large plateau to the summit.

Manaslu 08 07 Manaslu From Just Before Larkya Phedi

Manaslu 09 03 Team On The Larkya La Here is my crew and I on the Larkya La (5213m). From left to right: cook Schandra, porter Ram, porter Satis, and guide Gyan Prasad Tamang (gptamang@hotmail.com).

Manaslu 09 03 Team On The Larkya La

Manaslu 09 09 Manaslu From Bimtang Here’s another closer view from Bimtang of the summit plateau of Manaslu with the East Pinnacle (7992m) on the left and the summit to the right.

Manaslu 09 09 Manaslu From Bimtang

Manaslu 09 11 Manaslu Summit Plateau Close Up At Sunset From Bimtang Here’s another extremely close up view from Bimtang at sunset of the summit plateau of Manaslu with the East Pinnacle (7992m) on the left and the summit to the right.

Manaslu 09 11 Manaslu Summit Plateau Close Up At Sunset From Bimtang

Annapurna 11 02 Annapurna II On The Way To Chame On the way to Chame, I had this magnificent view of Annapurna II (7937m) peaking out from the trees, with the summit ridge leading from right to left.

Annapurna 11 02 Annapurna II On The Way To Chame

Annapurna 11 03 Manaslu Southwest Face From Chame Gyan asked me to wait for him in Chame (2710m) in case he would have trouble with the police. And it is a good thing he did because there's a magnificent view of the Manaslu Southwest face from here.

Annapurna 11 03 Manaslu Southwest Face From Chame

Annapurna 12 05 Annapurna II Full Summit Ridge From Ghyaru I decided to take the high route to Manang because it is supposed to be more interesting. From Pisang (3240m) I crossed the river and started the 450m ascent. On the climb from Pisang to Ghyaru, I had this great view of the full summit ridge of Annapurna II (7937m) to the southwest. Annapurna II was first climbed on May 17, 1960 via the West Ridge approached from the north by Chris Bonington, Richard Grant, and Sherpa Ang Nyima on a British/Indian/Nepalese team led by Jimmy Roberts.

Annapurna 12 05 Annapurna II Full Summit Ridge From Ghyaru

Annapurna 12 10 Braga Braga (3500m) is a Tibetan-style village of about 200 houses hiding behind a photogenic steep, eroded rock outcrop. The houses are stacked one atop the other, each with an open veranda formed by a neighbour’s rooftop. The gompa is perched on a high crag overlooking the village, and is estimated to be 400 to 500 years old. The gompa comprises three main buildings and belongs to the Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

Annapurna 12 10 Braga

Annapurna 13 04 Gangapurna Sunrise From Manang Gangapurna (7455m) shone in the morning sun from Manang. Gangapurna was first climbed on May 6, 1965 via the East Ridge by a Gunter Hauser, Ludwig Greissl, Hermann Kollensperger, Erich Reismueller, Ang Temba Sherpa, and Phu Dorje Sherpa.

Annapurna 13 04 Gangapurna Sunrise From Manang

Annapurna 13 05 Gangapurna and Lake From Manang Gangapurna and the Gangapurna Glacier are reflected in the glacial lake that drops from the northern slopes of Gangapurna.

Annapurna 13 05 Gangapurna and Lake From Manang