EBC and Gokyo Trek
Hello allI've become de facto Nepal trek consultant for a super busy friend but alas, I've only done one Nepal trek in recent times (ABC in Oct 2012) and so I turn now to all ye experts out there who have helped me and many others in this forum. I hope to benefit from this too!!
The trek plan is for EBC and then Gokyo over the Chola pass with a porter-guide as it is for a single woman trekker (trekking experience but not in Nepal). This woman travels really light so no problem of a heavy pack. Plan to trek mid or end Oct 2013.
(1) If she starts in Gorak Shep(GS) in the morning is it possible to get to Dzongla in one day? How long will this take?
(2) from the map I've got, there is a trail GS - Lobuche - Dzongla and looks like there is no need to go through Dughla. Am I correct? Is the GS - Lobuche - Dzongla a safe trail?
(3) I read here and elsewhere that it seems the difficult part of the Cho La crossing is the walking across the Ngozumpa glacier as path finding is tricky and is generally difficult as the glacier shifts about. From the map I see a trail on the eastern side of the glacier from Dragnag to a village called Chhamtyan where it is connected to Nha. Is this a feasible alternative to reach Gokyo? May take longer I know but at least it takes the stress of the Ngozumpa glacier crossing, or does it?
Many thanks for all replies and suggestion.
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(1) If she starts in Gorak Shep(GS) in the morning is it possible to get to Dzongla in one day? How long will this take?
Yes possible. It is a full trekking day. Maybe about 6 hrs on the trail.
(2) from the map I've got, there is a trail GS - Lobuche - Dzongla and looks like there is no need to go through Dughla. Am I correct? Is the GS - Lobuche - Dzongla a safe trail?
Correct. The trail, as so many others, goes on the side of a slope. Lots of people trek there. It is safe enough, but obviously not foolproof.
(3) I read here and elsewhere that it seems the difficult part of the Cho La crossing is the walking across the Ngozumpa glacier as path finding is tricky and is generally difficult as the glacier shifts about. From the map I see a trail on the eastern side of the glacier from Dragnag to a village called Chhamtyan where it is connected to Nha. Is this a feasible alternative to reach Gokyo? May take longer I know but at least it takes the stress of the Ngozumpa glacier crossing, or does it?
I am not familiar with that alternative trail, but believe there is a reason most do not go that route. One should not trek Ngozumpa when there has been fresh snowfall since it would be difficult to read the trail. In case of such snow it is better to trek around that mountain via Phortse. It takes one or two days longer but is a nice route that not many take.
