We spent the day hiking up to 16,500 feet above Pheriche to the summit of Nagarjun. For some of the team it was a personal record every step! At the summit we had amazing views up valley to Lhotse, Makalu,and Peak 38. We could also see Imja Lake which is a large body of water held back by an ice dam. The fear is that one day the ice dam will melt or burst and a wall of water will flood all the downstream villages. An excavator has been flown in to dig a spillway for the lake so it won’t release all at once. Unfortunately, the small excavator doesn’t seem to match the size of the huge ice wall holding the water back. We hiked up in sunshine and light winds but on our descent clouds blew in and we made it back for hot soup as the snow started.

I had to use my forceful voice to keep this team going slowly as we climbed so no one would overextend themselves during our first visit to high altitude. What was fun, was watching our strong team cruise downhill with confidence. Now, with tired legs, we sip tea and prepare for a restful afternoon of naps and books. What a life!

RMI Guide Christina Dale