Your browser has disabled scripting - some functions of this album will not be available. Please check your browser configuration and security settings for this site

Mountains Of Travel Photos

Home | Mera Peak Main | Contact

Mera Peak Photo Gallery - Trek from Mera Peak down Hinku Valley, Over Zatrawa La to Lukla with views of Peak 43 Kyashar, Kusum Kanguru, Karyolung, Lunag massif and Jobo Rinjang, Nupla, Kongde Lho and Kongde Shar

Mera Peak Photo Gallery from October 2009 with views of Mera Peak West Face, Khatang, Panalotapa, Tengkangpoche, and Tengi Ragi Tau.

13 20 Descend To Khare Below Peak 43 Kyashar And On To Tangnag After getting off the Mera Glacier, it was an easy down, down, down in just 70 minutes to Khare (5000m), arriving at 12:30. The peak directly above Khare is Peak 43 / Kyashar (6769m). After some tea at Khare, we continued on an easy trail, descending past Dig Kharka (4650m) to Tangnag (4350m), arriving at 14:30 in just 90 trekking minutes from Khare. I was extremely tired after a very long day, and just stayed in my tent the rest of the day and night.

13 20 Descend To Khare Below Peak 43 Kyashar And On To Tangnag

14 01 Kusum Kanguru East Summit At Sunrise From Tangnag There were some very good morning views from Tangnag (4350m), including Kusum Kanguru, with the Main Summit (6367m) poking out to the left, and the East Summit (6356m) dominating the sunrise view.

14 01 Kusum Kanguru East Summit At Sunrise From Tangnag

14 02 Mera Peak West Face From Tangnag There were some very good morning views from Tangnag (4350m), including the magnificent 1800m Mera West Face cut by diagonal snow bands and draped with fingers of ice. This was first climbed by Japanese climbers Kunihiko Kondo and Michiko Kiyoda in the spring of 1985.

14 02 Mera Peak West Face From Tangnag

14 03 Peak 43 Kyashar From Tangnag There were some very good morning views from Tangnag (4350m), including Peak 43 / Kyashar (6769m), The first ascent of Peak 43 was completed by Bruce Normand, Andreas Frank, and Sam Broderick, over the West Ridge/West Face on October 18 2003.

14 03 Peak 43 Kyashar From Tangnag

14 04 Gompa Near Tangnag With Statues Of Avalokiteshvara, Amitabha, Padmasambhava, And Paintings Of Hayagriva, Vajrasattva, Buddha, Padmasambhava, Chorten, Blue Dakini The gentle trail from Tangnag (4350m) goes down the Hinku Valley on the west bank of the Hinku Khola, reaching a small gompa beneath a great rock overhang in just 27 minutes. The gompa has statues of Avalokiteshvara, Amitabha and Padmasambhava, and paintings of a red Hayagriva, Vajrasattva in yab yum with his consort Vajratopa, Buddha, Padmasambhava, a chorten, and a blue Dakini.

14 04 Gompa Near Tangnag With Statues Of Avalokiteshvara, Amitabha, Padmasambhava, And Paintings Of Hayagriva, Vajrasattva, Buddha, Padmasambhava, Chorten, Blue Dakini

14 05 Lone Monk In Gompa Near Tangnag With Statues Of Avalokiteshvara, Amitabha, Padmasambhava Above The Altar The small gompa beneath a great rock overhang just south of Tangnag is looked after by one solitary, but very friendly, monk. There are statues of Avalokiteshvara, Amitabha, and Padmasambhava on the altar,

14 05 Lone Monk In Gompa Near Tangnag With Statues Of Avalokiteshvara, Amitabha, Padmasambhava Above The Altar

14 06 Kusum Kanguru Main Summit And East Summit From Between Tangnag And Khote The trail continues down the Hinku Valley passing to the east of the Kusum Kanguru Main Summit (6367m) and the Kusum Kanguru East Summit (6356m). The first ascent of Kusum Kanguru Main Summit (6367m) was done on October 17, 1979 by Ken Kanazawa, Masanori Miyano, Hideaki Naoi, Tomoo Toyoda, Hajme Uematsu of Japan.

14 06 Kusum Kanguru Main Summit And East Summit From Between Tangnag And Khote

14 07 Gonghla, Hinku Valley, Kusum Kanguru and Peak 43 Kyashar The trail continues descending alongside the west side of the Hinku Khola with views ahead to Gonglha (5813m) and back to Kusum Kanguru and Peak 43 Kyashar.

14 07 Gonghla, Hinku Valley, Kusum Kanguru and Peak 43 Kyashar

14 08 Khote With Mera Peak A side valley opens to a view of Mera Peak just before reaching the surprisingly large village of Kothe (3600m) in 100 minutes from the gompa. Kothe has a few lodges, camping areas, and many shops providing meat and supplies. I paused to watch a group of young people practicing their local dances in the main field.

14 08 Khote With Mera Peak

14 09 Trail From Khote To Tashing Dingma From Kothe (3600m), the trail continues on the west side of the Hinku Khola with occasional ups and downs to our lunch stop at the few buildings and campsite at Tashing Dingma (3600m), taking one hour from Kothe.

14 09 Trail From Khote To Tashing Dingma

14 10 Trail Climbs From Hinku Valley To Tuli Kharka The trail from Tashing Dingma (3600m) follows the Hinku Khola for 18 minutes, before turning west and starting the steep climb towards Tuli Kharka, reaching the few buildings of Tak Tawa after another 25 minutes, and a lodge at Thaktor (Big Rock) after another 27 minutes. The trail continues climbing steeply for another 80 minutes to a chorten at the top of the ridge, and then contours around the ridge in another 35 minutes to Tuli Kharka (4400m) with several lodges and camping sites.

14 10 Trail Climbs From Hinku Valley To Tuli Kharka

15 01 Tuli Kharka Tuli Kharka (4400m) has several lodges and camping sites just below the Zatrawa La between Lukla and the Hinku Valley.

15 01 Tuli Kharka

15 02 Trail From Tuli Kharka To First Zatrawa La Pass The trail from Tuli Kharka climbs in just 60 minutes to the Zatrawa La (4600m) marked by mani and chorten, with views of Karyolung, Khatang, Panaltopa, Tengkangpoche, Tengi Ragi Tau, Nupla, Kongde Lho, and Kongde Shar.

15 02 Trail From Tuli Kharka To First Zatrawa La Pass

15 03 Karyolung And Khatang From Zatrawa La Karyolung and Khatang close up from the Zatrawa La (4600m).

15 03 Karyolung And Khatang From Zatrawa La

15 04 Panaltopa, Tengkangpoche, Tengi Ragi Tau From Zatrawa La Panaltopa, Tengkangpoche, Tengi Ragi Tau close up from the Zatrawa La (4600m).

15 04 Panaltopa, Tengkangpoche, Tengi Ragi Tau From Zatrawa La

15 05 Nupla, Kongde Lho, and Kongde Shar From Zatrawa La Nupla, Kongde Lho, and Kongde Shar close up from the Zatrawa La (4600m).

15 05 Nupla, Kongde Lho, and Kongde Shar From Zatrawa La

15 06 Little Lunag, Lunag I, Lunag II, Jobo Rinjang, Lunag III, Lunag IV, Lunag V From Zatrawa La Pass There is an excellent view from the second Zatrawa La pass to the Lunag massif next to the Nangpa La pass to Tibet. From left to right are Little Lunag (6492m), Lunag I (6895m), Lunag II (6891m), Jobo Rinjang (6778m), Lunag III (6795m), Lunag IV (6781m) and Lunag V (6550m). The first ascent of Jobo Rinjang (6778m) was completed by David Gottlieb and Joe Puryear on April 22, 2009 via the direct south face, climbing alpine style over 6 days.

15 06 Little Lunag, Lunag I, Lunag II, Jobo Rinjang, Lunag III, Lunag IV, Lunag V From Zatrawa La Pass

15 07 Second Zatrawa La Pass, Descend To Karke Ding, Look Back To Zatrawa La The trail from the first Zatrawa La (4600m) pass above Tuli Kharka contours down and around the ridge in just 25 minutes to a second pass, where we took a brief rest. The trail from the second Zatrawa La pass goes steeply down, down to Karke Ding in just 30 minutes.

15 07 Second Zatrawa La Pass, Descend To Karke Ding, Look Back To Zatrawa La

15 08 Descend From Zatrawa La To Chutanga To Lukla The trail continues down in another 45 minutes to Chutanga (3100m). Because you can see Lukla so close ahead, the trail from Chutanga seems to take forever as it contours around the hills and down and up to cross many streams, taking another 85 minutes to reach Lukla (2800m).

15 08 Descend From Zatrawa La To Chutanga To Lukla

15 09 Lukla Pasang Lhamu Hospital, Jerome Ryan And Palde, Numbur Hotel Outside And Bedroom Palde and I passed the new Pasang Lhamu hospital as we entered Lukla at 11:30, enjoyed a soft drink together, and then I checked in to the comfortable Numbur Lodge, and had my first shower and real bed in over two weeks. Ah, what luxury! After dinner, I gave the crew their tips and went to my comfortable bed for a warm comfortable night’s sleep.

15 09 Lukla Pasang Lhamu Hospital, Jerome Ryan And Palde, Numbur Hotel Outside And Bedroom

15 10 Lukla Street - Yaks, Shopping, Eating, Sleeping, And Yes, Starbucks Coffee I walked down the main street of Lukla, passing the shops, restaurants, lodges, coffee shops including Starbucks, and avoiding the yaks.

15 10 Lukla Street - Yaks, Shopping, Eating, Sleeping, And Yes, Starbucks Coffee

15 11 Lukla After Walking Down The Street Past The Kani, Lukla Ends At The Arch To Pasang Lhamu I walked down the main street of Lukla to a kani and an arch memorial to Pasang Lhamu marking the end of Lukla and the beginning of the trek to Namche Bazaar and beyond to Tengboche and Mount Everest.

15 11 Lukla After Walking Down The Street Past The Kani, Lukla Ends At The Arch To Pasang Lhamu

15 12 Lukla Gompa Outside I walked a few minutes south of the main street in Lukla to the fairly new Lukla Gompa

15 12 Lukla Gompa Outside

15 13 Lukla Gompa Inside - Statues Of Buddha, Hayagriva, Padmasambhava, Mahakala, Avalokiteshvara, Paintings Include 1000-armed Avalokiteshvara And Hayagriva In Yab Yum With Varahi Inside the Lukla Gompa are statues of Buddha, Hayagriva, Padmasambhava, Mahakala, and Avalokiteshvara, and many paintings including a 1000-armed Avalokiteshvara and Hayagriva In Yab Yum With Varahi.

15 13 Lukla Gompa Inside - Statues Of Buddha, Hayagriva, Padmasambhava, Mahakala, Avalokiteshvara, Paintings Include 1000-armed Avalokiteshvara And Hayagriva In Yab Yum With Varahi

15 14 Lukla Buddha Statue With View Of Lukla And Airstrip I walked a few minutes north from the airport and visited the large Buddha statue on a hill above Lukla, with good views back to the airport and the town.

15 14 Lukla Buddha Statue With View Of Lukla And Airstrip

16 01 Karyolung At Sunrise From Lukla The next morning in Lukla, I watched the sunrise hit the summit of Karyolung.

16 01 Karyolung At Sunrise From Lukla

16 02 Planes Land Uphill At Tenzing Hillary Airstrip In Lukla Planes started landing a little after 7am. They hit the upward sloping tarmac, slowed down and turned in to the terminal building. The excited trekkers quickly exited the plane and were encouraged to leave quickly by the whistle-blowing policemen.

16 02 Planes Land Uphill At Tenzing Hillary Airstrip In Lukla

16 03 Plane Ready To Descend Lukla Airstrip With Karyolung, Lukla, And Nupla A few minutes later the weary but happy trekkers jumped into the airplane and off they went back to Kathmandu. Nupla is in the background. I watched the planes landing and taking off while I waited until after 11am for my flight to Kathmandu, The weather was mostly cloudy, so I didn’t have very good mountain views. After the quick 30 minute flight, we landed in the 30C weather of Kathmandu. The airline offices were closed for yet another festival, so I had to call home to reschedule my flight for the next day.

16 03 Plane Ready To Descend Lukla Airstrip With Karyolung, Lukla, And Nupla