March 16: the alarm went off at 3:45am, packing up and ready for breakfast at 4:30, hit the trail in the pitch black at 5:30am. We could see nothing but an endless string
of bobbing lights strung out on the trail above 
us. The temperature was -10 without the wind, more like -80 with the wind. The going was slow as we battled with gale-force headwinds. As we struggled to breathe in the rarefied atmosphere we made our way to the pass at 5416m. By 9:30am we were squeezed into a tiny stone hut which may be the world's highest tea house. Quick lemon tea, picture snapping, prayer flags flapping, gusty winds and out of here.
The descent was warm, sunny, slippery, long and winding. It took another 5 hours to reach our destination at Muktinath (17 km in total). Muktinath is a lovely pilgrim's destination complete with temples and many sources of holy water! 108 spouts spew freezing cold water that pilgrims douse themselves in, a tradition that some of us took part in as well! Three eternal flames glow in another temple, all of which were visited by our group but particularly revered by Nima, Karma, Dorje (Karma's assistant), Buddhi, Suku and Dawa (our porter-heroes). Time passed quickly and after a quick lunch back at the lodge we began the Nepali-flat and dusty walk to the ancient town of Kagbeni (another pilgrim destination at the top of the Kali Gandaki valley - deepest valley in the world thanks to the Mount Dhalgiri and Annapurna I, both 8000+ metre mountains perched on its banks).
of bobbing lights strung out on the trail above 
us. The temperature was -10 without the wind, more like -80 with the wind. The going was slow as we battled with gale-force headwinds. As we struggled to breathe in the rarefied atmosphere we made our way to the pass at 5416m. By 9:30am we were squeezed into a tiny stone hut which may be the world's highest tea house. Quick lemon tea, picture snapping, prayer flags flapping, gusty winds and out of here.The descent was warm, sunny, slippery, long and winding. It took another 5 hours to reach our destination at Muktinath (17 km in total). Muktinath is a lovely pilgrim's destination complete with temples and many sources of holy water! 108 spouts spew freezing cold water that pilgrims douse themselves in, a tradition that some of us took part in as well! Three eternal flames glow in another temple, all of which were visited by our group but particularly revered by Nima, Karma, Dorje (Karma's assistant), Buddhi, Suku and Dawa (our porter-heroes). Time passed quickly and after a quick lunch back at the lodge we began the Nepali-flat and dusty walk to the ancient town of Kagbeni (another pilgrim destination at the top of the Kali Gandaki valley - deepest valley in the world thanks to the Mount Dhalgiri and Annapurna I, both 8000+ metre mountains perched on its banks).
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