Day 9 Dhaulagiri Circuit - Chhonbardan Glacier Camp

Despite my best efforts to convince everyone we were doomed, the news last night was good. A Sherpa and porters have been all the way to Dhaulagiri Base camp and Pem still thinks we can complete the trek.  Either the Dutch guys coming back from the camp yesterday were exaggerating or the snow has gone in the day it took them to descend.

The weather is definitely better.  We had sun for most of yesterday and compared to the night before last night was not so cold.

Today's walk took us to a camp 600 metres higher and onto a glacier.

We left Italian Base Camp at about 7-30am.  Pem wanted to complete the walk before the sun had melted the frozen moraine on the side of the valley.  Once melted these moraines become unstable and dangerous.

Porters leaving Italian Base Camp

Day 8 Dhaulagiri Circuit - Italian Base Camp - Rest Day

For the first time in three days I'm writing a blog when it's not raining. The weather has definitely improved and the question is, has it improved in time?

Early morning at Italian Base Camp

Day 7 Dhaulagiri Circuit - Italian Base Camp

Apologies if yesterday's blog was on the gloomy side but it was miserable. Today things are more cheerful, although as I write this blog it's once again raining outside. At least the sun shone this morning and gave us the chance to see what felt like a different world.

Yesterday we were given hints about an unstable landscape; today we were shown natural destruction on an epic scale.

Crossing the Landslide above Soligari

Day 6 Dhaulagiri Circuit - Soligari

It's official: it's unseasonably wet in this part of Nepal.  October is supposed to be the best month for trekking in Nepal.  It's post monsoon, relatively dry and the best time to see the mountains. This year the monsoon has decided to linger and at the time of writing I'm in my tent and the rain is crashing down outside.

Of course it could get better but it is worrying. Even before today, last week's rain meant that there was likely to be a lot of snow to get past as we get higher up. The current storm has just made the problem worse. Everyone is saying "what will be will be" but I must admit I struggle to be sanguine.  I'm lucky to be able to do lots of these trips but even I won't be back here again.  I want to see everything!

We get glimpses of Dhaulagiri and the views are amazing but they are glimpses only. It's also starting to get uncomfortable - the tents don't get a chance to dry out, are damp and I'm starting to get surrounded by damp, sweaty, smelly items of clothing.

At least the rain came today and not on yesterday's long walk and we had completed most it of the walk before the really heavy stuff arrived.

Day 5 Dhaulagiri Circuit - Dobang

Yet another good night's sleep with the noise of the nearby river, at times sounding like a jet engine at full throttle, proving surprisingly soporific.  The only confusion was bird song at about 2 in the morning which had me thinking that the dawn had come.  Apparently there was a big storm in the night which I missed.

Fabulous path hacked out of the cliff by the Nepalese Army

The trek today was long and tough.  Because the first day was shorter than originally planned we had to put in a long one to get back on schedule, and today was that day.

Day 4 Dhaulagiri Circuit - Naura

Yesterday's walk was all about getting used to the regime. Today's felt like the real thing. The trek has really started.

Terraces of rice near Sibang

Personally I feel good.  Had a great night's sleep last night in a tent on my own unspoilt by any lingering sense of guilt at the speed at which I had grabbed possession.

Day 3 Dhaulagiri Circuit - Sibang

It rained on and off all night and with yesterday's weather forecast I was anticipating a day in waterproofs. Although it was damp first thing it wasn't raining and the weather improved as the day went on. Three days of solid rain and it clears up on the first day's walking - definitely a reason to be cheerful.

Campsite in Darbang