In September 2010, four adult staff and a 19 year old cadet of the Air Training Corps, all experienced and strong walkers, embarked on a 14 day trek through Upper Dolpa, Nepal; a very remote, sparsely populated, poor, culturally Tibetan Himalayan region; the route included three passes above 5000 metres. The `strenuous` graded trek was made more so by the heavy and prolonged monsoon. Rivers were dangerously swollen, landslides frequent and upcountry aircraft landing strips often inaccessible. Accommodation was in tents and all equipment and supplies were carried by mules. As a relatively pricey expedition, the generous Ulysses grant was particularly welcome.
Low cloud prevented a conventional flight into Jophal airstrip, the start point of the 300km trek. However, we managed to secure seats on a UN chartered helicopter. Whilst this got us to Jophal on schedule, we had to replace food supplies, the cook and kitchen porters, which the helicopter could not carry; thus trekking began a day late. I elected to reverse the planned circular route to provide more gradual acclimatisation before the high passes. The route followed the steeply falling swollen Tarap river, initially through pine forests with thick undergrowth. Then through increasingly narrow, deep gorges, up and down the sides of which the track regularly led. Several stretches of the riverside track were washed away requiring wading through turbulent waters. We eventually emerged into massive rolling fell-like country above the tree line on the approach to DhoTarap.
In view of the persistent monsoon, we decided to regain Jophal with two days in hand to improve our chances of utilizing any rare flying weather. Thus, rather than making for the most northerly point of the plan at Saldang, we took a NW minor deserted track to Shey Gompa, so saving a day. A further day was saved during the southerly trek by extending our walking day from some six to eight hours. In the event, persistent low cloud prevented any flights from Jophal until the last available day.
The high passes were hazardous on the steep descents due to their saturated, slate like, slurry constitution. The southern track was marred by washed away bridges, and landslides; in places it was so narrow and precipitous either side that we had to unload the mules to prevent them being forced over the edge by contact between load and cliff side.
We had a fair interaction with the semi-nomadic Dolpapas as we passed through their temporary yurts, though often now modern marquee, settlements-invariably equipped with solar panels! We found their main concern was the proposed construction of a graded road from the Chinese boarder south through their traditional lands.
This was a very challenging expedition, which required some flexibility to counter the impact of the monsoon, and, despite their experience, considerable determination on the part of all to complete the required daily distance in the prevailing conditions.
Other than a sense of achievement and boosted confidence to cope with rigorous conditions, we were struck by the exacting conditions in which the Dolpapas live thereby giving a sense of proportion to our own normal lives.
WMN Cross