Tashi Laptsa

I'm back in Kathmandu after a successful ascent of Ama Dablam. More on that later. Here's the story of the four day journey from Rolwaling up and over Tashi Laptsa, one of the most challenging passes in the Himalaya, and down into the Khumbu. You know you're in the Himalayas when the passes are 19,000 ft! Tsho Rolpa, a terminal lake, is one of many in the Himalayas prone to glacial outburst floods. One here in 1986 was very serious to my understanding, and increased glacial melting due to climate change is expected to make such flood events more frequent and severe in the future.Babu Ram walks into Chukima camp, with Nachugo behind.Pika! Dust at the head of the Rolwaling valley is from a massive and active landslide Furtemba crosses active landslide on the way to our high camp below Tashi Laptsa. We kinda ran: One of the finest places I've spent a night: Purna and Babu Ram ascend ever steepening glacial ice with outrageous loads:Furte borrowed my axe to chop steps for the portersWe donned crampons for the final few hundred meters up Tashi Laptsa. I was glad to switch to mountain boots as my toes were violently cold.Descending Tashi Laptsa was tricky and arduousTengkangboche:Descending some of the coolest glacial polish I've seen:Furte whipped up one of the best high altitude meals I've had. Super spicy potato curry with Tibetan fried bread:Babu Ram's basket was toast Coming into Thengbo was spectacularFirst view of Ama Dablam, our next objective Thame: The trails of the Khumbu are like highways!Namche Bazaar, the largest settlement in the Khumbu valley:Oh yeah, Mount Everest... Signs warn us of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF). I think it would help if the sign explained what the hell GLOFs are. Everest (behind) and Lhotse (R), the world's highest and 4th highest mountains. I made it about a thousand feet higher than the prominent Yellow Band without oxygen on Lhotse in 2013.Pasang Tenzing, Furtemba and Leslie take a break on the way to PangbocheFurtemba, brought to you by Ray Ban, Black Diamond, Mammut and Sportiva: Everest and Lhotse catch the last rays of sun from Pangboche Another privileged opportunity to meet with and receive blessings from Lama Geshe, the highest ranking Lama in the region. Once again he laughed at my "Nepali name" Ama Dablam. Our route was the right hand skyline: Spinning the prayer wheels at Pangboche Monastery after our visit with Lama Geshe Pasang walks to base campAma Dablam base camp is so comfortable and beautiful. Nicest base camp ever!Not to mention the outrageous comforts (welcome mat!) in our camp. Ascent Himalayas for the win!Tawoche from base camp: