Fine views extend across terraced hillsides
and Tamba Khosi Valley to Gauri Shankar
and Menlungtse on horizon.
2. From police checkpoint descend stone
stairway to Dolakha and on down through
terraces to the Tamba Khosi. Continue alongside river to the
village of Piguti.
3. Proceed up the scenic, steep-sided
valley with many high waterfalls, through rice
paddies and grain fields with small settlements and farms criss-crossing
the river from bank to bank on suspension bridges.
Camp at Manthale. River now called the Bhoti Khosi.
4. Continue upstream along a rugged,
switchback trail through a narrow gorge
with huge boulders, crossing landslips and passing a large
waterfall.
Proceed through jungle with giant ferns. Beyond Chitchet cross river and climb steeply to the Sherpa
village of
Simigaon sprawled over the hillside. Many old mani stones. Police
checkpoint.
Views up to Gauri Shankar.
5. Climb beyond village around hillside
into extensive, mixed forest and continue
along a faint, little-used trail. Traverse narrow, undulating path above the Rolwaling Khola and
across
landslips.Camp in level clearing on the banks of the river.
6. Continue along riverside on a dark,
gloomy path.
Cross river and climb onto a moss-covered, stone path. Proceed through fir forests beneath cliffs and waterfalls and
onto the main
Sherpa village of Beding with its grey, stone-built houses and
walls, large chorten, and gompa.
View up to Gauri Shankar looming overhead.
7. Proceed up the narrow valley beneath the
high, enclosing rock and ice-bound peaks
to the huts and stone-walled fields of the small, summer
settlement of Na.
( 1/2 day )
8. Continue up-valley for a short distance
then climb steeply into a side-valley
to the South. Encamp in a wide snow basin enclosed by snow and ice-peaks (
Chugimago,
Yalung Ri ) and with a magnificent outlook across the Rolwaling
Valley to the
peaks of Chobutse and Kang Nachugo lining the border with Tibet.
( 1/2 day )
9. Climb steep hillside out of basin and
continue to camp in a sheltered hollow
before/ beneath moraine wall. ( 1/2 day )
10. Climb rough scree slope to top of
moraine wall.
Descend and contour round on large boulders - awkward and time
consuming
if icy/ verglassed. Climb above ice-fall onto the white-ice/ snow of the upper
glacier.
Ascend broad, crevassed neve to rocky promontory. ( c5600m )
Further day required to climb Ramdung Go. Return to base camp in basin.
11. Return to Na/ rest day.
12. Continue up valley floor alongside the
Rolwaling Khola, now a mere stream, to
the yersa/ yak pastures at Sangma. Climb to ruins above and
proceed over
undulating terrain. View ahead to Piphera Go Char. Encamp beside stream in the grassy ablation valley beneath the
lateral moraine on the southern side of the glacier lake of Tsho Rolpa.
13. Climb out of ablation valley on rough,
loose scree onto crest of lateral moraine.
Superb view back down valley of Kang Nachugo rising above the
Tsho Rolpa. Continue across top of moraine then descend steeply onto broad
plain. Proceed onto the heavily crevassed Trakarding glacier and head up
valley keeping initially to the middle of the glacier before crossing to the
northern side where there is danger from stonefall from the rock cliffs and scree
slopes of Chobutse.
Fine views of Piphera Go Char at the head of the glacier. Encamp on gravel platforms above glacier before reaching ice-fall
from
Drolamboa Glacier.
14. Descend onto glacier and continue to a
rock buttress on the left/ western side
of the ice-fall. Climb buttress, traverse across into a couloir/ gully, and climb
short ice-wall
above ( fixed rope ), onto Drolamboa Glacier. Ascend easy-angled neve beneath avenue of rock and snow peaks.
Climb steep snow/ ice slopes beneath Tengi Kagi Tau on the
eastern side
of glacier up to Trashi Labtse. Encamp on far side a short distance below col. ( risk of rockfall
).
15. Ascent of Parchamo:
Re-ascend and cross to southern side of
Trashi Labtse. Climb steep snow/ ice above col and cross bergschrund to reach
North Ridge of Parchamo. Continue up, on or below crest, to gain narrow, corniced summit
arete.
Magnificent viewpoint:- Makalu, Lhotse, Everest to the East,
Tengi Kagi Tau directly opposite, Drolamboa Glacier below with Chobutse above. Descend to Trashi Labtse.
16. From pass descend steep gully and
continue over boulder fields.
Cross snow/ ice basin. Descend to grassy banks of the Thame Khola. Proceed downstream to Sherpa village of Thame with its large
gompa. Fine view down valley to Kang Taiga and Thamserku.
17. Continue down valley to Namche Bazaar.
( 1/2 day ).
