SUNDAY

Suddenly, after six hours walking descending through the snow laden valley, we are at Khote again - 3580m. A day’s walk down for the two it took us to ascend.   With this heavy snowfall you wonder if those at High Camp now (which could have been us with a spare 48hrs) will manage to ascend to the summit tonight. It is also lovely to be welcomed here with a lit fire & strawberry tea! Almost all the lodges only light their wood burners from 6-9pm! Wood must be an expensive commodity up here. 

We are told that the heavy snowfall has made the planned 3 day route back to Lukla impassable: it was a very steep up and down path through the forests. Many branches are broken and the path is now treacherous. So negotiations then began for how to pay for a 5 minute helicopter ride over the ‘hill’ to Lukla: US$800 per 5 people. Our company would not pay for the guide to come with us, yet we are on a guided trekking tour. Ultimately we are paying US$250 each (x3), the guide US$50, and our younger porter joining us. We will resolve the inequity of this back in Kathmandu. It is also unclear what we can claim on our travel insurance. Our more experienced porter is going to walk the ‘impassable’ pass to Lukla in 15hours.