Return to civilization

Unfortunately that was just the beginning of our bad luck. Next morning when we woke up it was snowing and we couldn’t see anything anymore. It was just grey and cold and all the mountains around us had just disappeared. That is how it stayed for the rest of the day. Yaya had some talks with other guides and in the evening he told us that there was no chance of going over the pass the next day, and probably the weather situation was not going to change for another 3 days or so. What a disappointment. Our main goal – crossing the 5700 meter high Gondogoro La – became impossible for us. That also meant that we had to go all the same way back. Our mood hit the bottom. It kept snowing and raining for about almost 3 days. We got soaked wet from the rain and nothing could dry. Our tent had to be put up and down in the rain every day and all this did not really lighten us up.

On our way back we came across many new trekking groups, so it seemed that the season now really had started. It took us 4 days to get back to Askole and we were really happy when we finally reached the village. Fortunately we could catch a jeep right away. Our porters also climbed up on the jeep, going back to their villages and families. When we finally said good bye to them, we knew we had met some very nice, helpful and friendly people, working very hard to make us enjoying our trekking.