Day 2: Jhapre to Pikey Peak Base Camp
Pikey Peak, Nepal
Ascent: 890 m
descent: 170 m
Distance: 15.3 km
Elevation at Destination: 3640 m
Breakfast followed the pattern of our previous meals. We stressed to the owners that we wanted to eat at 7 a.m. as we were leaving at 7.30 a.m. This was discussed both last night and this morning. At 7.10 a.m. they began looking for oats for our porridge, only to discover they didn't have any. Muesli would be fine, we said. At 7.20 a.m., when the wife was pouring my second cup of hot water, I asked if we could have breakfast right now as we were leaving soon. She stared at me like this was brand new information. She then brought out the bag of muesli, poured a portion into two bowls and covered both with hot water. It took 20 minutes for this 30-second task.
Somehow we hit the road just after our planned departure time, with the sun already high in the sky. The road commenced on a steep ascent via a series of never-ending switchbacks, which gave us spectacular views from various angles. The snowy mountains from day one were still in sight and were now joined by even more white peaks. Silhouettes of mountain after mountain filled the valley below us. I was blown away by the beauty.
After Danny's first tea break, the path flattened out and we hiked through a picturesque forest for several kilometres. Although the views disappeared from sight, the lack of climbing, the smell of pine and shade from the sun made this one of our favourite sections of the day.
On the other side of the forest, we stopped for Danny’s second tea break and to fill up on snacks in preparation for the final stretch. We could see the sharp climb waiting for us and we weren't looking forward to it. After passing a small herd of yaks grazing in the grass, the ascent began.
By this stage we were already above 3400 m and struggling with the lack of oxygen in the air. Steps were slow, breathing was laboured and breaks were frequent. Every now and then I would turn around and be surprised by how far we had climbed. Bright pink circles marked the occasional rock, helping to guide us up the hill (the path was not always obvious). When we finally reached the top, we were relieved to find our destination was in sight, but it wasn't as close as we had hoped. Although most of the climbing was done, the path wound its way around the ridges of the mountaintop, giving the impression of never really getting any closer.
Upon arriving at base camp, I was ready to dump my bag and tuck into lunch. Out of the two guesthouses available, we selected the one offering Wi-Fi, which was irrelevant in the end as the Wi-Fi was down. However, the views over the valley, with the clouds sitting below us, were superb. Sun streamed in through the windows, meaning we stayed warm right through the afternoon. Our westerly-facing outlook also granted us an amazing sunset - we stood mesmerised as the sun dipped below the clouds and lit up the horizon a fiery red. Overall, today had been considerably more rewarding than yesterday (plus our meals came out on time).
