Two porters crossing the Cho La glacier (~17,800'), at the top the pass from the Ngozumpa/Gokyo valley to the Khumbu/Everest valley. The doctors at the medical outpost in Machermo told us that porters frequently make this steep (too steep even for yaks), treacherous and glaciated crossing under loads of +100lbs in thin canvas shoes or, at times, no shoes at all. Injuries and frost bite are frequent, as is altitude sickness. As the Sherpas have upgraded to guiding and climbing, poor Nepalis come from all over the country to be porters in these highly trafficked areas. Without the physiological advantages from Sherpa genetics, the rapid ascents performed daily by porters can have severe medical consequences. Although altitude-sick tourists occupy much of the doctors' time, they do provide free care to locals and particularly to porters.
This is only about 2,000' lower, on the Ngozumpa glacier near Gokyo. Wouldn't think they were walking on ice, but most of the glaciers in the area looked like this until higher up on the mountains. Its clear the glaciers have melted extensively- the lateral moraines rise above the glacial surface by more than 100 feet in some places, and where the Ngozumpa once spilled over a ridge into the valley below Gokyo is now nothing but a boulder field.
No comments:
Post a Comment