Yangle – Langmile

Once again the temperature had plummeted overnight but the ice and snow on the tent soon thawed as the sun rose to bathe our camp. After a quick breakfast we all departed up the valley once more as standing around too long would result in frost-nipped toes. The imposing granite faces of the surrounding mountains provided a discussion point among the team as they were all looking for possible climbing lines and ice climbs on the untouched and un-named peaks. Many of the team are competent and experienced climbers and I’m sure if their kit was to hand they all would’ve left the trek and shot up the ice wall on our left side. As it was they all managed to control these climbing urges and just ponder at what could’ve been. Before we knew it the time was 1030 and we arrived at an area of flat ground where the porters had laid out our lunch. It seems that we were to eat now as they were ready and not when we were hungry, however we all made light work of the chapatti and luncheon meat topped with chilli sauce. Two huge black crows were extremely interested in our lunch although they didn’t pluck up courage to actually steal the food out of our hands unlike their English cousins!

After lunch there was only a short amble up the valley to our destination for the night. As we approached the lodge the cloud had built up and snow had begun to fall once more. This time instead of a light dusting we were treated to a real snowstorm and putting the tents up proved to be a massive evolution taking all members of the team. As we were now at 4100m again a few of the team (myself included) had headaches from the altitude and as soon as the tents were pitched we made full use of them and grabbed some extra shut-eye. This was just to top up the batteries for what lay ahead over the next few weeks! We were woken for tea and biscuits after an hour and then played cards until dinner time. The temperature really plummeted and the holes in the wall of the lodge did little to prevent the biting wind. However we all had sufficient layers of warm kit to put on and when the soup arrived for dinner being cold was a distant memory. Following the soup was a vegetable pizza and curry which didn’t last long on the plates. The cooks do know how to please a group of British blokes! A further round of cards was followed by the inevitable mass movement to the tents and into our sleeping bags for another 10 hours of kip as the following day was the push up to 4800m and Base Camp.