Kanchenjunga South - Into the Wild

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Kanchenjunga South - Into the Wild

Pictures from the higher and wilder part of the Kanchenjunga South trek. There are no villages here, only a few lodges most of which were closed in March. This is the place where green disappears and gives way to barren rocky landscapes and big icy mountains.

Sunrise from Lasiya Bhanjyang
Morning views to the south from Lasiya Bhanjyang
Our camp at Lasiya Bhanjyang
Mt. Jannu (7710 m) from Lasiya Bhanjyang
A long shot of Mt. Jannu (7710 m) from Lasiya Bhanjyang
Mt. Jannu (7710 m) from Lasiya Bhanjyang. Below is Simbuwa Khola Valley - the way to Kanchenjunga South base camp.
Crossing Lasiya Bhanjyang (pass). Our guide, sherpa and cook are wearing the company's green colors ;-)
Crossing Lasiya Bhanjyang. There is a big landslide to the right (north side of the pass)
Crossing some icy (and slippery) patches on the north side of Lasiya Bhanjyang
Dawa Dorje - one of our porters - slipped and fell on his face at this point of the decent from Lasiya Bhanjyang. On the picture our guide and sherpa (left) are scrambling up to help.
First view of Kanchenjunga from just below Lasiya Bhanjyang. The main summit (8586 m) is to the right. The big one in the middle is Yalung Kang (8505 m).
Local vegetation by the trail
Local vegetation by the trail
Simbuwa Khola (river) just below Tortong (2980 m)
One way of protecting your feet from the rugged terrain is to wrap them in tape ;-)
Tortong (2980 m). A forest fire (above) was burning just above the camp all the time we spent there. A rain during the night put an end to it. I was told that some yak herders start these fires to open space for new grass to grow.
Dawa Dorje on the morning after his accident. We gave him antibiotic paste and his face was back to normal in a few days.
In the rhododendron forest above Tortong on the way to Tseram
On the way to Tseram
On the way to Tseram
On the way to Tseram
A Buddhist meditation cave (hermitage) on the way to Tseram
Tseram, a.k.a. Cheram (3868 m) has a few lodges but all of them were closed in the middle of March
Resting at Tseram (3868 m)
Our porters trying to stay warm by the fire at Tseram
Our porters trying to stay warm by the fire at Tseram
Our porters trying to stay warm by the fire at Tseram
Afternoon views from Tseram
Tseram (3868 m)
Posing on the Tseram helipad
Our porters used slippers most of the time
Our oldest porter on the way to Ramche
Our porters are having a break on the way to Ramche
Resting on the way to Ramche. Mt. Kabru (7412 m) and Rathong (6682 m) are hiding in the mists behind.
Mt. Kabru (7412 m) and Rathong (6682 m) on the border with India
Getting closer to Ramche
The flat area before Ramche
Getting closer to Ramche
On the trail to Ramche. Mt. Rathong (6682 m) is peeking through the clouds above.
Mt. Kabru (7412 m) is Kanchenjunga's southern neighbor
A view of Ramche from the lateral moraine of the Yalung glsacier. It began to snow as soon as we arrived.
Ramche (4610 m) has only one lodge. It was colder in it than inside our tents.
Ramche (4610 m)
Ramche (4610 m)
Inside the lodge in Ramche (4610 m)
Snow covering Ramche in the late afternoon
Snow covering Ramche in the late afternoon
Snow covering Ramche in the late afternoon
It kept snowing during the evening. By the morning 30 cm of fresh snow covered the camp.