Langtang Valley Nepal in April 2010, Part 2: Hiking the Langtang Lirung Glacier

The following is a continuation of Langtang Valley Nepal in April 2010, Part 1: Kathmandu to Kyangjin Gompa

After a short meal, we made the decision to hike to the glaciers we had seen as our helicopter landed. It was a very aggressive plan considering that we had only arrived from Kathmandu that morning and had little opportunity to become accustomed to the high altitude of Kyangjin Gompa (3,800 m., 12,467 ft.). Regardless, we had lost a few days trying to leave Kathmandu and wanted to make up for the lost time. The trail started just behind the village and we were soon making our way to the yak pastures used only in the summertime, dotted with shepherd’s huts and just beginning to show the flowery signs of Spring. It was remarkable how well we hiked without significant loss of breath or headaches.

The glacier

We had both experienced glaciers in Europe, but nothing that compared to the enormity of what were now seeing.  The moraine ridges on each side were easily fifty meters above the surface of the moving ice field.  We saw no real snow or ice, but instead saw a gray surface dotted with turquoise blue pools of melt water.  There was no noise of popping or creaking as we expected. Above the river of gray, we could see enormous hanging serac coming down from the peak of the mountain at 7,227 m. (23,711 ft). The air was unbelievably clear and the day was as sunny as we had ever seen. The combination made the peak seem close enough to touch, though we knew it was a world apart from where we stood. It was likely extremely cold and a deadly place, even though it seemed so close.

Langtang Lirung

Langtang Lirung is a mountain that isn’t well-known to the Western world. What makes it exceptional, even in Nepal, is its prominence (height it rises above nearby peaks) at 1,525 m. (5,003 ft) makes it very impressive. Even more remarkable, it was only first climbed in 1978 by a Japanese and Sherpa expedition and there have only been 14 successful attempts to climb it (and 13 unsuccessful). That makes Langtang Lirung one of the least-climbed major peaks in the world.

We’ll never forget our time spent on the flanks of that mountain that beautiful Nepal day.  It was our first foray into the Himalayas and it was a great start.

Up next:  Part 3 – Kyangjin Gompa to Tsergo Ri