Gokyo-15,640 feet
November 1, 2016

Namaste Family & Friends:

This was my best day of the trip. We left Machermo at 8:20 am and arrived in Gokyo at 11:15 am. We traveled 5.4 miles and gained 1,194 feet in altitude.  I feel like I am acclimatizing really well. I got 8 hours of sleep last night and my appetite is good. I feel like I am getting stronger every day.

Tomorrow is a rest day. David and I plan to climb  nearby Gokyo Ri Peak, just to get some exercise. The views from the summit (16,874 feet), should be spectacular.

We are staying at the Himalaya Eco Resort owned by Asian Trekking. This excellent lodge is located right on the lake. David and I are staying in separate rooms and we each have lake views. The turquoise glacial lake is stunningly beautiful.

I took my first shower since Namche Bazar, so I am feeling fresh. While taking my shower, I pulled a really bad Griswold/Mr. Magoo, which I don’t plan to discuss with anyone. All I will say is they didn’t kick me out of the lodge….yet.

These next 2 days will be our final days of living high on the hog. No more warm beds and menus. From here on, we will sleep in tents and eat what we cook. Things are definitely going to get tougher and more primitive.

Once we leave Gokyo, we will depart civilization and have this beautiful piece of heaven all to ourselves. Few people venture above Gokyo and none above Gokyo Lake # 5.

Our 2 Sherpas–Shera and Samden–have already put in our first camp at Gokyo Lake # 5. We will have a cook tent, dining tent and sleeping tents. We have our own cook–Maila–who will prepare our meals until we start up the mountain. Nine yaks and 3 porters were required to get all our gear to Gokyo Lake # 5.

In one of the photos in this post, you can see Tenzing Peak and Hillary Peak, just to the right of Cho Oyu. These peaks were opened for climbing by the government of Nepal in May of 2014 at the same time the government opened Burke-Khang for climbing.

Speaking of photos, the reason you don’t see many photos of David is because he is always trekking about 1-hour ahead of me.

This will be my last text report with photos as we lose cell service above Gokyo. I will be filing audio reports with my satellite phone. My inReach Explorer will only allow me to transmit very short messages via satellite.

Bill

ps: check out Gokyo and the lake in “Where’s Bill” on my website. You can zoom in & out.

The trekking trail to Gokyo

The trekking trail to Gokyo

Memorial cairns alongside a small lake

Memorial cairns alongside a small lake

Trekking trail

Trekking trail

Gokyo Lake

Gokyo Lake

Gokyo Lake

Gokyo Lake

Gokyo with Cho Oyu in the background

Gokyo with Cho Oyu in the background

Gokyo with Cho Oyu in the background

Gokyo with Cho Oyu in the background

Bill with Cho Oyu, Tenzing Peak & Hillary Peak in the background. Tenzing & Hillary Peaks are on the far right of the frame

Bill with Cho Oyu, Tenzing Peak & Hillary Peak in the background. Tenzing & Hillary Peaks are on the far right of the frame

Himalaya Eco Resort

Himalaya Eco Resort

The view from my room

The view from my room

David with the Ngozumba Glacier in the background

David with the Ngozumba Glacier in the background

David & Bill having dinner and enjoying our Yucateco and Ghost Pepper powder

David & Bill having dinner and enjoying our Yucateco and Ghost Pepper powder