Travel The MEGA Travel Thread!

[L2R]

version 4

9/18/2013 Sydney to Kathmandu 0m - 1400m
9/19/2013 Kathmandu 1400m
9/20/2013 Kathmandu to Besisahar to Jagat 1400m - 823m - 1400m bus 5hrs, bus 2 hrs
9/21/2013 Jagat to Dharapani 1400m - 1860m 6 hrs
9/22/2013 Dharapani to Chame 1860m - 2650m 6 hrs
9/23/2013 Chame to Upper Pisang 2650m - 3340m 5 hrs
9/24/2013 Pisang to Manang (via gheru and upper manang) 3340m - 3540m 7 hrs
9/25/2013 Manang to Tilicho Base Camp 3540m - 4150m 5 hrs
9/26/2013 Tilicho Base Camp to Tilicho Lake to Shree Kharka 4150m - 5000m - 4200m 7 hrs
9/27/2013 Shree Kharka to Thorong Phedi 4200m - 4450m 7 hrs
9/28/2013 Thorong Pedi to Muktinath 4450m - 5416m - 3800m 7 hrs
9/29/2013 Muktinath to Kagbeni (north path) 3800m - 2800m 5 hrs
9/30/2013 Kagbeni to Jomsom via Phalaiak 2800m 4 hrs
10/1/2013 Jomsom to Tukuche 2800m - 2590m 4 hrs
10/2/2013 Tukuche to Ghasa 2590m - 2013m 6 hrs
10/3/2013 Ghasa to Tatopani 2013m - 1190m 5 hrs
10/4/2013 Tatopani to Ghorepani 1190m - 2835m 6 hrs
10/5/2013 Poon Hill (before breakfast), then Ghorepani to Chhomrong 3210m, 2835m - 2170m 7 hrs
10/6/2013 Chhomrong to Deurali 2170m - 3230m 7 hrs
10/7/2013 Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp 3230m - 4130m 4 hrs
10/8/2013 Annapurna Base Camp to Machhapuchhre Base Camp to Bamboo 4130m - 2310m 8 hrs
10/9/2013 Bamboo to Jhinu Dada 2310m - 1760m 6 hrs
10/10/2013 Jhinu Dada to Pokhara 1760m - 915m 6 hrs (trek) 1hr (drive)
10/11/2013 Pokhara to Kathmandu 915m - 1400m bus
10/12/2013 Kathmandu 1400m
10/13/2013 Kathmandu to Lukla to Namche Bazaar 1400m - 2860m - 3440m Flight then 5 hrs
10/14/2013 Namche Bazaar to Thame 3440m - 3820m 4 hrs
10/15/2013 Thame to Sunder Peak to Namche 3820m - 5368m - 3480m 8 hrs
10/16/2013 Namche Bazaar to Dole 3440m - 4200m 5 hrs
10/17/2013 Dole to Gokyo 4200m - 4750m 6 hrs
10/18/2013 Gokyo Ri 5357m
10/19/2013 Gokyo to Cho La to Lobuche 4750m - 5420m - 4920m 7 hrs
10/20/2013 Lobuche to Kala Pattar to Gorak Shep 4920m - 5545m - 5140m 7 hrs
10/21/2013 Everest Base Camp, Gorak Shep to Lobuche 5364m, 5140m - 4920m 7 hrs
10/22/2013 Lobuche to Tengboche 4920m - 3860m 7 hrs
10/23/2013 Tengboche to Lukla 3860m - 2860m 8 hrs
10/24/2013 Lukla to Kathmandu 2860m - 1400m Flight

i have a whole week for buffer for my international flights with this.
includes 7 x peaks and passes above 5000m, and one overnight stay at above that too.


edit:
itin edited, i was unsure if i wanted to take the tilicho lake side track, but after seeing this video from shree kharka (on the way there) i was instantly sold.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPCn2kCu72A

 

[L2R]

in 5 days i'll be on my way to my big adventure, so you might notice my absence for a while. the above ideal itinerary is still the same, although annapurna may fluctuate as i follow the new paths which avoid the road they are building. i'm getting a little nervous. just today i read about the body of a 22 year old english bloke who's been missing for a few weeks might have just been found. he was solo trekking the annapurna region. no foul play suspected, so i'm assuming he fell off the path somewhere. with so many people on these paths, it's extremely unlikely for me to face such a problem. still, i'll be out of touch for a long time.

anyways, here're images of the 7 peaks and passes over 5000m i plan to do.

tilicho lake (one of the highest lakes in the world)

thorong la

sunder peak

gokyo ri

cho la (crossing the glacier without crampons scares me, despite many assurances they're not needed)

kala pattar (where i have been to before)

last but not least, everest base camp (probably is least in terms of view)

and i'll be staying overnight at gorak shep again

two things i remember from last time were a couple of playful puppies who live there, and a wicked hand drawn comic strip of the trek up there which covers the wall of the main lodge room on three or four sides. i have no photos, but i'm pretty sure it's on the video i took back in '05.

 

[poopie]

That all looks incredible. It gives me diarrhea to even think about. Please be careful, lefty!

This weekend, I hope to head out and tackle Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the AT.

 

[Care]

Epic photos l2r. Whats the biggest elevation gain you do in a day?

 

[L2R]

daily elevation plan in my itin post #92

altitude sickness is the biggest life threat of the trip, and i've run that itin past a few quite experienced folk. got the ok.

will still need to be mindful of how i feel and take a day extra here and there if i need to. with about 7 days extra as buffer for such delays, i should be good with the whole plan. got some diamox too.

 

[Care]

Just remembered that I forgot to share the photos from my latest adventure IN Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Parks. Shame on me!

 

[Care]

continued....

 

[L2R]

nice photos, thanks for sharing (here).

since you were camping, was there any wild animal risks?

 

[Care]

Not really. There are bears and mountain lions but they dont really attack humans. The biggest risk is me busting my leg/knee and not being able to hike out especially since im alone and I didnt see many people at all for the first 3 days.

 

[Wyld 4 X]

And before I forget, here are some shots from hiking at the Pinnacles over Labor Day weekend.

 

[Wyld 4 X]

And a few more..




My GF doesnt know how to use her iPhone cam well. Should have had her use my Galaxy. %)

 

[alasdairm]

the sierra is always breath-taking.

alasdair

 

[Care]

Your pics are borked wyld.

I hiked pinnacles this spring, neat area. Did you go in the caves?

 

[Wyld 4 X]

Fixed them.

One cave, Balconies, which bored me but scared my gf. We heard a bat flying around so it was cool for me, not her. I cant wait to hit up the other side.

 

[L2R]

Nice. Those angle rocks remind me Star Trek.

 

[jam uh weezy]

Where I currently live Hiking is one of THE things to do, for me at least, but many people hike and rock climb around here. I'm gonna go for on a 10 mile hike next weekend.

I saw a bear for the first time last June, it was so cool. Nothing too big, a black bear, but have never seen one before. It stood up on a log a few probably about 200 yards away, paused, and looked right at me.

 

[Care]

Nice photos wyld.

Where I currently live Hiking is one of THE things to do, for me at least, but many people hike and rock climb around here. I'm gonna go for on a 10 mile hike next weekend.

I saw a bear for the first time last June, it was so cool. Nothing too big, a black bear, but have never seen one before. It stood up on a log a few probably about 200 yards away, paused, and looked right at me.

Nice, wherabouts?

 

[Care]

Here are some from my trip last week.

 

[bronson]

Looks like it was an awesome adventure as always, get's me thinking I should at least take time to enjoy the outdoors in my area a little more. The photo I quoted was really striking to me, just totally surreal. If you happen to have a higher res version of it, I'd be greatly interested in it.

 

[oldirtybizza]

Travel the real silk road.

I'm throwing some feelers out there if any peeps might be interested in traveling along the route of the old silk road.

The route would skip Iraq , Syria , Afghanistan and Pakistan. A start point would either Delhi or Beijing in China and tracing the historic route all the way to Istanbul. from there it's a hop to Europe.

Heavy snows will block overland Himalayan passes in the coming months, that and difficulty of crossing into Chinese Tibet without an organized tour would dictate the starting point.

2-3 months is the rough duration and estimated costs from 5-10k USD. It will be more difficult than dangerous with auto accidents being the highest risk factor. buses will be long, accoms will often be basic, food likely awful in places. rewards will be spectacular scenery and a once in a lifetime journey through places few westerners get to visit.

Visas that aren't gained on entry will be applied for at embassies in neighbouring countries. Ie; Visa for Uzbekistan in Kyrgyzstan.

Ideally a total crew of 4-5 people so we can share a single jeep or private vehicle if one needs to be rented. Travel will be via a mix of mostly buses and train, private vehicles and Hiking.

The only rule would be no crossing borders with drugs or unduly putting your fellow travelers at risk especially if you choose to partake in local produce.

Departure hopefully around 1 Nov, due to costs and difficulty I can't undertake the journey alone.

This is just a rough plan, it would be a collaborative and democratic effort if peeps want to join so there's plenty of room to mix it up.

If anyones keen on this or has any existing travel plans in the region hit me up.