Updates From Everest Calonica Thorong Phedi: The Hump Monday, August 11, 1997 (Thorong Phedi, 4,460 meters) Greetings from Thorong Phedi. We left Muktinath this morning and went over the Thorong La Pass (5,760 meters or 17,700 feet). This was a hump day. We're still not acclimatized so it was an effort to say the least, even the Niligiri Sherpas were not acclimatized yet. Bottom line, it was a 5,500 ft. vertical gain, a 3,500 ft. descent and a great thrash to boot. Ah... I really love a good thrashing -- makes you appreciate golf, the beach, the couch potato world, etc. Sometimes we tend to forget how nice it is to be on the cruise program, and so how do I deal with it? to appreciate the cruise life that is? Well, something like what we did today is a good start. Climbing Everest and then skiing it isn't a bad one either. The morning started off with a good rain session and we almost didn't go. Finally after around 8a.m. it stopped and so it was off to the races. The entire area was deep in fog so the visuals were not at their best. There was the occasional clearing though, and every now and then you would get to see what it was that was lurking on both sides of you, that being two peaks around 7,000 meters -- pretty awesome to say the least. This was my fourth time over the pass and it's still not gotten any easier. Must have something to do with this pass basically being a hump, no matter what the situation is, acclimatized or not. The descent down was spectacular, tons of tiny Himalayan wild-flowers growing all over the place. It's hard to believe that such delicate little beauties like these flowers could ever grow in such a harsh area and climate, but they do and they are gorgeous. That's about it for today's haps. Tomorrow, Manang. -- Craig Calonica, Expedition Leader [Back to Updates Home]