Nepal 2008:

Across Annapurna

Below Mesokanto Pass

  Prayer Wheels at Swayhambunath

  Annapurna Himal from Kang La Pass

  (All four Annapurnas, plus Gangapurna are visible; Annapurna I is 26,545 ft.)

  Gordon Nicholson on ridge above Tilicho Lake

  View of Annapurna IV from Circuit Track, near Braga

  Approach, across scree, to Tilicho High Camp

  Sifting barley in Nar

  Last stretch between Tilicho and Mesokanto Pass

  Camp at Hotel Telicho

  Dhauligiri (on left, 26,795 ft.)

  Heading down from Kang La Pass

  Mesokanto Pass overlook

  At Muktinath

  Heading toward Lupra from main track in Kali Gandaki

  On the Kali Gandaki Plain

  From Kagbeni Village, Kali Gandaki Plain

 Panorama looking toward Mesokanto Pass

  Kagbeni

  Last steps toward Mesokanto Pass

  At Phu Village, Gompa

  Pisang Peak

  Panorama of Telicho Lak

  Three students at school near Ngarwal

  From near Braga

  Annapurna II and Pisang by moonlight

  Scree traverse, heading toward Tilicho

  Rice farm house, above Syange

  Camp below Kang Guru base

  Panorama of Tilicho.  Another party's tents are visible in the distance.

  Tibetan clothing.  Man in Phu

  Porter from Iranian climbing team, passing chorten

  Yak caravan in front of Kang Guru

  Setting prayer flags at a pass

  In Manang, carrying firewood

  Sunrise at Tilicho High Camp

  Above Tilicho

 Swayambunath Temple, Kathmandu

  Toward Tilicho High Camp

  Looking back toward Nar during approach to Kang La Pass

  Porters breaking camp, Tilicho High Camp

  Sher Gompa from near the Hotel Tilicho

  Leaving Nar

  Manaslu and Peak 29 at sunset

  Tilicho High Camp

  Gorge of the Marsyandi

  Arriving at Tilicho

  Drying chilis, Koto village

  Panorama in the snow, toward Mesokanto

  Kargyu Gompa, Braga

  Vista from Lupra, acros Kali Gandaki Gorge

  Last steps toward Tilicho High Camp

  Chorten on rock pinacle, Lupra

  Looking east from approach to Tilicho

The Trek

All photographs were taken on a trek organized by Wilderness Travel, Berkeley, California.  The trek, "Ultimate Annapurna" spanned 21 days on trail, went through three passes over 17,000 ft., and dwelled in two infrequently traveled trail segments (Nar-Phu, and past Tilicho Lake through Mesokanto Pass).  See www.wildernesstravel.com for itinerary details.

Trekkers

Carl and Victoria Thune

Thomas Shima and Diane Gaheen

Fran Gordon

Cheri Yousem

Nancy Green

Carl Herzog

Jessica Langsam

Gordon and Lay Chin Nicholson

Harvey Weisberg

Patricia Foran

Jeff Kleiman

B. K. Richard

Leila Thompson, Trek Leader

The Photographer

Photographs were taken with a Canon 40D or a Canon Rebel XT and processed with Photoshop CS3.  

No  hue or saturation adjustments have been made.