Trek the longest, highest track in the world

[muka]

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel- ... -oh2r.html

Trek the longest, highest track in the world
KAY O'SULLIVAN
February 20, 2010

Himalayan high road

The Great Himalaya Trail is the longest and highest alpine walking track in the world. It traverses more than 4500 kilometres from Namche Barwa in Tibet to Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, winding its way through mountains and remote communities.

British mountaineer Robin Boustead has spent the past seven years documenting the trail and in 2011 he will lead the inaugural World Expeditions trek over the full distance.

The truly adventurous can do the entire 150-day trek; others can opt for one of seven stages from 18 to 35 days.

Boustead, who has been trekking in Nepal since 1993, completed the full traverse over two trekking seasons in 2008-o9 and recently published The Great Himalaya Trail - a Pictorial Guide.

The trek will start in Kanchenjunga in the far east of Nepal on February 15. Trek segments cost from $2800.

Boustead will be talking at an information night at World Expeditions, 71 York Street, Sydney, at 6pm on Tuesday.

See worldexpeditions.com.

[Taurë-rana]

If only!

[Lindsay]

Sounds brilliant, however 4500k over 150 days....a little too ambitious for most I would think. But I would love to do a small bit in my own time

[north-north-west]

Trek segments cost from $2800..

And the whole thing? $10,000? $20,000?
Anyone here who could afford it?

[flyfisher]

Anyone here who could afford it?

Corvus, maybe, but oohh, the grog bill.

ff

[corvus]

Anyone here who could afford it?

Corvus, maybe, but oohh, the grog bill.

ff

Me!! I am self funded retiree who would not contemplate 30km per day let alone pay for it clever clogs. If I did do it the wine bill would only be around $2000.00
however I suspect some of the wine would be a bit Suss
corvus

[Ent]

Am I correct in my understanding that alcohol and altitude is not a mix that bodes well for waking up in the morning?

Cheers Brett

[Steve]

That would be one awesome walk!

[Jellybean]

Am I correct in my understanding that alcohol and altitude is not a mix that bodes well for waking up in the morning?

Cheers Brett

Correcto mundo! (although it seems to depend on the altitude).

I've been on two treks in Nepal - on the first we went to the Annapurna/Dhauligiri region (with Peregrine), reaching an altitude of 3500m. Alcohol was consumed pretty much throughout that trip with no ill effects (other than the odd hangover following the Nepalese New Year courtesy of Everest rum - a derivative of paint stripper!?). [As an aside, it is amazing what the Nepalese will do to please tourists and earn an income. On the 3rd or 4th day into this walk - we were 3 or 4 days walk from the nearest road - we arrived at the campsite after a long uphill slog. One of the guys exclaimed that he'd "kill for a beer!" Seconds later we heard the clinking of tins and over the hill appeared a little Nepalese man with a bowlful of Cokes, beers, and 5 year old Snickers bars (he was greeted by calls of "There is a God!!")].

On the second trip we wanted more of a challenge and went to Mera Peak (almost 6500m) (we organised this ourselves with the assistance of our trek leader from our first trek - he arranged suitable climbing sherpas etc.). We were strongly advised on this trek not to consume alcohol and were told stories of trekkers who had been carted out in body bags because they failed to heed this advice. This was sufficient to curb our desire for alcohol until we reached lower altitudes - i.e., below 3500m - we had a celebratory drink at the end of the trek at Lukla (2850m) and Namche Bazaar (3450m - a side trip).

From memory, alcohol - because of its dehydrating effect - increases the risk of altitude sickness. (Not to mention the risk of falls from high places! At High Camp on Mera Peak - 5800m - we camped overnight on a rock ledge with a 1km plus drop off! Not a place to be thinking about leaving the tent after dark, let alone consuming alcohol!).

[Lindsay]

Purely as an experiment you understand, I consumed lots of alcohol at an altitude of 3900m in Puno, Peru, as an acclimatisation technique in perparation for the Inca trail. I can confidently report no ill effects apart from the usual sea level ones. (well perhaps slightly enhanced ) Like Jellybean in Nepal, I was amazed a the ability of the local porters. Here was I struggling through 4000m with only a daypack, being overtaken by these little blokes wearing plastic sandals with huge, awkward loads slung on their backs or round their heads. Very humbling.

[Tony]

While doing some researching on "load carriage" (technical term for carrying a backpack) I came across this research paper "Commercial porters of Eastern Nepal: Health Status, Physical work capacity, and Energy Expenditure". Published in the American Journal of Human Biology 2001.

The paper has some very interesting statistics.

The mean body mass of these porters in Eastern Nepal is 51kg (min 43.6kg, max 68.6 kg), the average load carried 73kg +or-15kg which is equivalent to about 1.5 times their own body weight.

In the early 1900 in Western China, porters carrying Tibetan tea over a one way distance of 226k carried loads from 76kg to 120kg but some loads were as heavy as 164kg (not a misprint).

What does this make of my sub 5kg kit.

Tony

[Ent]

It is amazing what people will do to feed there family and goes to show that necessity is a great driver and our comfortable world means we often lose touch with what the human body can do.

Cheers Brett

[Lindsay]

I believe scientific studies have found that people born and bred in the Himalayas and Andes have a physiology adapted to the environment. Increased lung efficiency and better oxygenation of the blood etc, to the point that they can even suffer a sort of reverse altitude sickness if they descend to sea level! Even so, their ability is awesome.

[Tony]

Hi Lindsay,

I believe scientific studies have found that people born and bred in the Himalayas and Andes have a physiology adapted to the environment. Increased lung efficiency and better oxygenation of the blood etc, to the point that they can even suffer a sort of reverse altitude sickness if they descend to sea level! Even so, their ability is awesome.

According to the paper you are correct, also if you start training from an early age it is supposed to be easier.

"The technique of carrying has been perfected in Nepal beyond anything known in Europe. From the moment they can stand children are taught to support loads by means of a strap passed across the forehead, from which is suspended a carry basket" (Terray, 19764:247).

Tony