Climbing Mount

Whether you’re into rock climbing or bird watching, on a tight budget or have money to hire porters and guides, you can always find a suitable trekking route in Nepal. A trip to the Nepal Himalayas is a fantastic experience for most of us, offering views of snow-capped mountain peaks and a chance to meet indigenous mountain peoples who live almost cut off from the rest of the world.

All that’s required of you is that you like walking in the nature. You don’t have to be super fit for every trek, but the better shape you’re in, the easier your trek will be. The top season for trekking in Nepal is October-November and February-April. In the summer months the monsoon clouds obscure the grand views most of the time and in the winter months the high mountain passes are closed by heavy snow-fall. But with the right knowledge, you can always find a good trek in Nepal. Just browse through this list to get an overview of your options.

Nepal’s Western Region

1. Simikot, HumlaYou can fly in from Nepalganj and maybe read –Spy on the roof of the world– by Sydney Wignall before you go. Permits are 90$ /person /week.

2. Rara Lake4 days walk from Jumla to this the largest lake in Nepal. Getting to Jumla though is either a plane/helicopter trip or a several days long jeep ride on a mountain road that’s still under construction — and will be for any foreseeable future.

3. Upper DolpoFirst of all, see the movie –Himalayan Caravan – L’Enfance d’un chef– (Eric Valli 1999, Oscar nominated). It’s mandatory! Might want to pick up one of his books as well. Having done that, you’ll want to go to the Phoksundo Lake, which you can do in 1 week or as part of either the 15 day Dolpa Experience Circuit or the 20 day Dolpa Heritage Trek, all out of Juphal –airport–. Another couple of one-week’ers are the Sundaha Nature Trek and the Sahartara Tour. Expensive permit are required, as in Upper Mustang it’s $70 /person /day with minimum 10 days. No lodges. Annual number of visitors are in the low hundreds.

4. Lower DolpoPermits are 10$ /person /week. You might have to fly in from Nepalganj. Don’t expect lodges here, so bring your own camping gear.

5. Upper Mustang10 days. Home to the ancient kingdom of Lo, still in existence – sort of. Hefty permit required north of Kagbeni, $70 /person /day with minimum 10 days.

Annapurna Region

6. Dhaulagiri 20-30 days to complete the circle around this 8000+’er. Bring good boots and sleeping bag!

7. Annapurna Circuit2-3 weeks minimum. This is where everyone goes. Except me. In the high season it gets rather crowded and is more appropriately named the Annapurna Circus. Lodges and tea-houses are everywhere. The Thorung La high pass (5400 m) usually closes down in the end of November. If you bring your own camping gear, there’s also good possibilities of doing side trips off the beaten track. ACAP entry fees stand at 2000 rupees.

8. Jomsom & MuktinathYou can fly into or out of Jomsom, a days walk from Muktinath, and hike to or from Pokhara in about 1 week. Muktinath is an important pilgrimage site nestled at 3800 m. It’s on the Annapurna Circuit.

9. Annapurna Sanctuary & ABC10-14 days, 2000 rupee ticket. Another popular option, since it’s shorter and a little less demanding than doing the full Annapurna Circuit.

10. Ghorepani, Poon Hill5 days out of Pokhara, it reaches 3200 meters and is accessible all year round. Famous for it’s views of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and rhododendrons in the spring.

11. Panchase Peak & GhandrukAnother holy mountain, this one a couple of days walk west of Pokhara. Ghandruk is 3 days further and it’s home to the Annapurna Conservation Project and a whole lot of Gurung people.

12. The Royal Trek4 days out of Pokhara. With altitude no higher that 2000 meters it’s open all year round.

13. Siklish, Begnas Lake, Lamjung1 week return trip from Pokhara, 10-12 days through Lamjung to Besisahar. Lodges should be available, 2000 rupee ACAP permit required.

14. Manaslu3 weeks, circle around this 8000+ m twin peak that can be seen all the way from Kathmandu. Pass over Larkya La at 5110 m. There’s no lodges and the mandatory permit stands at almost $100 /person /week.

Central Nepal

15. Trishuli – GorkhaThe easy way: 4 days along the route that Prithvi Narayan Shah took in 1768. Apparently has village lodges and stays under 2000 m all the way. The hard way: 2-3 weeks on remote, off the beaten track. Passes over Sing La (3570 m) and by the Jogeshwar kund (4500 m). Camping gear required.

16. Ganesh HimalNo lodges, rough and remote. But wow, wouldn’t I like to go there! The highest peak is well over 7000 meters, and it’s prominent view from Kathmandu makes it all worthwhile if you like to brag about your adventures when you get back to civilization!

17. Tamang Heritage Trail8 days, lodges still under construction.

18. Langtang & Gosaikunda / Panch Pokhari1-2 weeks minimum. Third most visited in Nepal, after Annapurna and Everest. Fairly easy, not too crowded, especially the Gosaikunda lake area (4400 m) which is arguably the most scenic. Langtang Valley has lodges every hour or so all the way to Kyanjing Gompa (3900 m), the Gosaikunda trail has fewer, but still enough for short days. Gosaikunda features the annual Janai Purniam festival and from there, you can walk back to Kathmandu in 2-4 days. Entry fee 1000 rupees.

19. Helambu½-1 week, more jungle than mountains but still a rough trail. Tea-houses available if you don’t get lost like that Australian guy. Distant, but awesome mountain views before you get too close to the mountain bases. –Walking distance– from Kathmandu, circuit from Sundarijal to Nagarkot (4 days).

20. Namobudda1 day, one of the few quickies you can do when the noise and pollution of Kathmandu starts to get on your nerves. Take the bus to Dhulikel and start walking.

21. Rolwaling & Gauri Shankar2 weeks or so. Get up close and personal with Gauri Shankar (7130 m) and it’s glacial lakes. Good view of Everest etc. Unspoiled landscape, permission still required but check with Nepal’s Tourism Board when you get here. There’s rumors that they’re making this one permission free.

22. Chitwan Chepang Hills7 days in the Middle Hills. No Himalayas and no higher than 2000 meters so it could be a good winter trekking possibility. Good view of the (distant) Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Ganesh Himal, Gauri Shankar, Gurja Himal and Manaslu, but the main attraction is the nomadic Chepang people who live as hunters and gatherers. There’s also a fort, a waterfall and some caves along the route together with 400 bird species. Start in Hugdi on Prithvi Hwy, end Shaktikor in Chitwan. Homestays are on the route.

Everest Region

23. Everest Base Camp & Kala Pathar2 weeks out of Lukla, 3 out of Kathmandu/Jiri with return flight from Lukla. If you don’t have a spare $50.000 lying around for an Everest climb permit, you can just settle for this Base Camp trek. Most people seem to choose the Tengpoche route to KP, which stands at 5630 m.

24. Mera Peak2-3 weeks out of Lukla, 6500 m. A popular expedition/climb that requires some basic mountaineering skills, but without being too technical. Long march in, 2 high camps.

25. Island Peak3 weeks out of Lukla. At 6100 meters, this trek is not for everyone. Although not very technical, it is a demanding snow climb. Views are everything you could ever dream of.

26. Gokyo Lakes, Peak & Renjo La2 weeks out of Lukla. High pass at 5400 m. Lakes at 4800 m, peak at 5500 m. Some lodges along the trail. Great Everest views.

27. Pikey & Dudhkunda Trail1 or 2 weeks in the less -much less- visited southern part of Solukhumbu. Both the Chiwong and the Thuptenchoeling Buddhist Monasteries are world renowned, the former famous for the Mani Rimdu Dance Festival, the latter is the biggest monastery in Nepal.

Nepal’s Eastern Region

28. Arun Valley – Makalu Base Camp3 weeks out of Tumlingtar/Khadbari. You’ll get up to 5000 meters and still be 3500 meters short of the summit! Either go same way back or climb a couple of 6000′ers into the Khumbu region.

29. Kanchenjunga3 weeks out of Taplejung, 3rd highest mountain in the world. Don’t rely on finding any lodges here. Permits are 10$ /person /week.

30. Pathibhara1 week out of Taplejung. The Pathibhara Devi shrine is a pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists alike. There is lodges along the route.

The physiological and psychological effects on a rock climber are more extreme on the body and the mind, then most activities. The mental and physical aspects of climbing can be affected in many different ways.

Many things can change radically to repress the progress of a climber, yet some how they manage to progress forward. By providing the relationship of the psycho physiology of a climber as well as the effects that they feel while facing great disadvantages will prove the sever reality, which rock climbers face.

When climbing one is competing against gravity, time, fatigue, and the mind. Everything is against those who wish to master stone. Yet that is one thing, which separates climbers mentally from the rest of us. They wish to master the stone, not destroy or mane it. Not taking destroy and mane too literally; the rest of us, want to win.

Athletes and those who compete in everyday life have egos, which must be satisfied. By wanting this satisfaction, one might use “aggression which can be misused to injure an opponent just to win a game or better oneself in life” (DeVincenzi 16). Athletes and others can be seen as ego-oriented as just described, where as climbers are task-oriented. This means that climbers climb “to intrinsically increase their level of physical competence through task mastery.

Task mastery is accomplished through individual practice” (DeVincenzi 16), with this practice comes the physical and mental battles that climbers must over come.

Rock climbers from the average to the elite carry certain physiological traits, which help propel them against the factors trying to hold them back. These key traits being, “energy expenditure, isometric muscular contractions” (Bil lat et al. 22), muscular strength and capacity, as well as balance.

The factors that pose a front for climbers are the sustained contractions of the forearms in addition to other muscles, as well as the elevation of the arms above the head. Other elements that can directly affect are the weather and altitude.

By breaking down these key traits into deeper analysis, they will show how they aid the climber, yet slowly deteriorate the climber. For example, isometric muscular contraction when defined means, “Muscle contraction without movement at the joint” (May 378). This would occur during a biceps curl, when movement is stopped and held.

The contracted muscles would be in a sustained position, just as it happens while climbing. When grasping a hold, the arm muscles contract and the joints become stationary. The downside of this is the constant contraction, which causes fatigue. The same occurs with balance.

A climber must maintain a somewhat squatted position while making his or her way up the stone. The climber must constantly maintain muscle control of the abdominal, pectorals, quadriceps, obliques, biceps, as well as the other six-hundred skeletal muscles. The balance needed is much like the isometric muscle contraction because it requires slow movement, which can replicate an almost stationary joint.

These movements almost double the rate of fatigue because the whole body must perform, not just one muscular area.

An equally important trait of rock climbers is the ability to control the energy, which they use while climbing. The control that climbers carry may be due to the “Task-oriented” trait, which sets them apart from the rest. The need for climbers to “intrinsically increase their level of physical competence” (DeVincenzi 16) may directly affect there mental state. By effecting there state of mind to become better at the task at hand, they in away have ultimate control of there body.

For example, if one was playing football, a canebrake’s job is to defend the receiver at all costs. This means when the ball is thrown; the corner back must follow the receiver. The corner back has no choice, but too run.

What this forces among the comeback is a lack of control of the energy, which must be used. Where as a climber is performing for self-congratulation, they have the ability to decide how much energy they wish to use, as well as the ability to slow down or speed up there pace of motion.

Although rock climbers have the ability to choose how they spend there energy and at what pace they wish to climb, one thing they cannot control is the weather.

The weather and its freak conditions cannot only physical harm a climber but mentally it can tear one down. Extreme cold can lead to diminished muscular performance, but the combination of heat and dehydration poses a more significant risk. The body is about sixty percent water.

This fluid acts a lubricant for all joints in the skeletal makeup. The cartilage in the body, which is also including the joints, is composed mainly of water. “As cartilage surfaces glide over one another, some exposed cells become worn and peel away. New cartilage normally is produced to replace the damaged cells. [But] due to the lack of blood vessels in cartilage, water is needed to transport the nutrients required for maintenance and repair” (Batmanghelidj).

Ultimately what dehydration can cause is damage and a delay in repair, resulting in joint pain. This joint pain poses just as great of a threat as muscular fatigue for it effects the isometric muscular contractions.

If the heat does not begin to wear the climber down the cold will. The consequences of being caught in bad weather are the psychological effects that it will pose.

The cold slowly begins to chip away at the climbers “morale [which] will rapidly drop until the point [where the climber loses] all interest in the route, [his or her] partner or life itself, often leading to a total loss of interest in the climb” (Kirkpatrick).

Becoming cold also allows the climber to be aware of his or her own vulnerability. Once a climber begins to believe that he is vulnerable, doubts begin to set inn. Once doubt is set in place, the climber begins to lose faith in his own personal judgment and his own strengths. When the climber has fallen to deep, in thought he becomes frozen (figuratively speaking).

A deep frozen body and mind does not operate properly, this can often lead to errors in judgment, such as failing to navigate correctly, belay safely or thinking problems through properly.

Another psychological aspect that can affect a climber is the thought of fear. When climbing, the climber has everything to worry about; the thought of the rope breaking, the last anchor placement, the height, and a fall occurring runs through most minds. The trick for climbers is the self-congratulatory method.

The use of this creates a mental state, which allows them to power through. When completing a “dicey” section, it has been said that climbers will talk to themselves.

In away, creating there own mental audience, which never taunts or belittles when a mistake is made. Instead, the self-appraisal encourages and produces cleaner technique.

The idea that a motivational climate will maximize the teaching of a skill is completely true. This method has been said to “increase self esteem, mental competitiveness against the body, perfectionism, life satisfaction, sensation seeking” (Yosemite Wildlife Preservation 6), and a “feeling of competence” (DeVincenzi 16).

This has also proven to help climbers in a Pre-climb sate of mind where they have been found to have low anxiety levels. This is found before, during, after a climb and in every day life. They are found to be more laid back, yet have a tendency to under estimate risk due to there sensation seeking state of mind.

The high risk factor is one of the main reasons why people rock climb. The climbers enjoy and love the rush they get when putting their life on the line.

All the things, which could possibly go wrong, are a thrill to them. They find fear attractive in a sense. When world-renowned climber John Middendorf was asked about fear he said, “In general fear can be manipulated, to either stifle a person, or allow that person to channel the fear into different strengths (like kicking in the adrenal glands) (Pei).” The adrenalin high that climbers get, can be compared to lifting weights.

Weight lifters enjoy the burning sensation, where as the climber enjoys the adrenal rush. The unique part of climbers is that they can control the adrenalin expenditures by maintaining a collective mindset.

This is accomplished through staying focused on only what is in front, remaining calm and trusting personal ability. This allows the climber to go longer without fatiguing, but once the mind shifts to far, it becomes a physiological battle all the way to the top.

The physical battle, which climbers will face, is the body itself. Once a climber has allowed the mind to become too afraid, the body opens the adrenal glands to pull a climber through the rough.

The problem with this is the body becomes extremely weary after the use of all the adrenalin. Once this happens, the climber begins to breath quicker and with shorter breaths. Another disadvantage of climbers is most are at high altitudes, which forces them to breath even faster.

This is happening because the body is trying to supplement the heart with enough oxygen. While the lungs try to supply the heart, the heart is trying to pump arterial blood through the body. The main area where this oxygenated blood is being absorbed is in the high stressed muscles. A problem that starts to occur in these muscles is lactic acid begins to form.

This is due to the lack of oxygen that the muscles should be receiving from the arterial blood. In return, this causes the heart rate of the climber to rise, for the heart is trying to compensate for low levels of oxygen. While the body continues through its cycle, the blood that is carried away from the muscles is now blood lactate.

The downside of this is that blood lactate has trace amounts of lactic acid.

This process ultimately starts poisoning the body and fatiguing it rapidly. What can occur is lactic acidosis, which is “high levels of lactic acid in the blood, which is potentially fatal” (Fan deck et al. 403).

Now that the heart rate is high and the muscles are beginning to absorb lactic acid instead of oxygen, the climber will find he is worried, tired and extremely soar. Often times this can lead to a severe fall or causing the body as well as the mind to completely give up and fold. Once this occurs, the only choice is retreat.

Climbers must endure many feats. They must power through the unpredictable situations of weather. They must control there physical abilities as well as there mental battles for they will overcome the climber.

Rock climbing is a sport where one becomes an individual player, who must make all the right choices or accept failure. Failure will try to attack the climber, but for this sport, one must overcome. The body can only take so much pain, but the mind controls the body and the climber controls the mind.

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