GHOREPANI, NEPAL
GHOREPANI, the largest village I had seen so far, had a rugged road built in fairly recent years., which was a game-changer for the transportation of building materials. Back in the day, when my friends did this hike 40 years ago, there was nothing here except primitive buildings and tent spots. After passing under the entrance arbor we needed to present our permit. No permit, no entry. As we checked in the guest house and found that my room had the best view in the property, with the HIMALAYAS right in front of me, albeit hidden behind grayish white clouds, and now in doors, it began to rain.
The afternoon was relaxing, and I met the two San Francisco guys during lunch. I already had my lunch, but they invited me to join them as theirs was served. They talked about their experiences of traveling through Cambodia and South Vietnam, and since Nancy and I were in Vietnam 3 years ago we had much to talk about. Bart was dealing with knee pain, and their plans extended beyond mine, depending on how they felt.
After dinner, the rain intensified, forcing the kids off the volleyball court. The restaurant was directly above my room, and the rain on the roof made a loud hissing sound. I remarked to Rishi, “See, we are inside.” He smiled. Rishi asked me about our plans for the next day, and when said “You’re the boss”, he didn’t like that and shook his head no. Only after he reassured me that I was the boss, he bossed me around telling me that I had to be up at 4:45 AM, ready to go. He explained that we would hike to the summit of POON HILL to watch the sunrise. It was a mile, but a steep ascent of 1,100 feet, offering the most spectacular viewpoint of my Nepal trek. If it rained, we would skip it, and if it was cloudy, we would go anyway, prepared for rain.
As I peered through the glass of my panoramic suite around 2:30 AM, I saw something amazing—stars! For the first time since leaving New York, I could see them. Sleep seemed unlikely now, given my excitement and the possibility of clouds returning.
August 27th, 2023: GHOREPANI to POON HILL, 1 mile, Elevation Gain: 1,100 feet. My 4:23 AM alarm chimed, and I hastily gathered my gear as planned. Rishi awaited me, and with headlamps illuminating our path, we embarked on our ascent. Most of the journey was beneath the canopy of trees. About ten minutes in, we reached a checkpoint where Rishi had to pay a fee and present our permits. Eight of us stood in line, including San Francisco Jim and Bart.
We continued our climb, and a few moments later, Rishi wore a somber expression. He pointed towards the ANNAPURNA RANGE and uttered the one word that sent my heart sinking: “Clouds.” It was around 5:15 AM, and sunrise was set for 5:45 AM. A few stars still twinkled above, but anything near the horizon turned white as daylight gradually spilled over the ANNAPURNA range.
Ignoring the seemingly inevitable, we pushed onward to the summit and were rewarded with glimpses of the majestic mountains peeking through breaks in the clouds! Upon reaching the summit, I ascended a stairway to a spacious platform. I stood there alone for a while until a guide arrived with a German gentleman. I asked the guide to name the peaks, and he kindly obliged, allowing me to capture a video. I struck up a conversation with the German traveler, inquiring about the three younger Germans I had seen the previous day, but he hadn’t encountered them.
Shortly after, another hiker named Jeff from Grand Junction, Colorado, joined us. He and I exchanged stories and took turns snapping photos of each other against the stunning backdrop. Jeff was celebrating his 40th birthday that day. About half an hour later, the clouds dissipated, revealing the entire ANNAPURNA range in all its glory. I then headed down the platform for a different view. During the tourist season, this spot would be bustling with hundreds of visitors. Photos would tell the story of how the clouds scattered, and karma smiled upon us once again.
GHOREPANI to TADAPANI
This trail unfolded as one of the most breathtaking I had ever traversed. We walked with our backs to the ANNAPURNA range, often craning our necks to steal glimpses of the beautiful mountains that remained in view, though briefly, as the clouds rolled in once more. I playfully pinched Rishi’s backpack rain cover and said, “No need,” to which he responded with a smile and a “just in case.”
After returning to GHOREPANI, we faced another 6 miles of undulating terrain, ultimately descending 903 feet to reach TADAPANI. I sorted my gear while savoring the view from my corner suite, the finest room in the guest house. Yet, we still had a considerable hike ahead.
Entering a lush jungle adorned with majestic rhododendron trees that bloom in spring, I marveled at these “tree” giants, some reaching heights of 50 feet with twisted trunks extending in all directions. Their current beauty left me wondering about their appearance in spring. The “trail” at times resembled a cascading stone road crafted by ancient masons.
Much like the past two days, crickets serenaded us from various corners of the jungle.
VID 46 CRICKETS. says Rishi
After ascending about a mile, the trail leveled out, and our journey led us along a hilly ridge, offering pleasant, gradual walking. The terrain wasn’t too steep, making for comfortable trekking amidst cool and agreeable weather conditions.
However, we knew that a descent was inevitable, and it was challenging on my knees, especially the left one, aged at 67, compared to my right, which was a mere three years old. This was the sole occasion when I paused to take some ibuprofen, thinking of San Francisco Bart, who I knew was trailing behind. As we descended, colossal cliffs flanked us on both sides, particularly on the left. Waterfalls tricled on both sides while the river crasgrand and beautiful, with water swirling and cascading over and under boulders of various colors and shapes. I contemplated if any of my previous adventures, including Costa Rica, could rival this experience. I concluded they could not. Waterfalls also trickled or thundered down the walls on both sides, surrounded by lush green moss and diverse vegetation.
Things flattened out as we entered a small village where I ordered a pizza. Colorado Jeff happened to pass by, and we talked about some of our adventures in the US. He had also encountered leeches, but I insisted that they were no issue compared to the ticks we had in the Northeast. Jeff mentioned a friend from the Northeast who was wheelchair-bound due to a deer tick. I liked Jeff and hoped to see him later that night.
Rishi was struggling. I felt great, but I knew the feeling. I pointed to his legs and then his chest, asking, “Which is bothering you?” He pointed to his chest, which was not good. Sore legs are something we can endure, but cardio issues can lead to something more serious. I reassured him, saying, “Don’t worry; if you have a heart attack, I will carry all the gear, and Harry will carry you out.” He didn’t find it funny, so I decided to slow down the pace for the final mile up. I even began using tactics to help him psychologically, like counting the steps to determine our progress and showing him the route on AllTrails. It turned out to be a wise decision.
Rich Citro Adventures 