Thorung La
It had been one of the most physically challenging days of my life. The day was spent trudging through the snow and panting in an effort to make it through the Thorung La pass, the highest on the Annapurna circuit. We had to start early as regular evening storms made the pass deadly at night, and the day was made more challenging by altitude sickness which made its first appearance in our group that day. When the tough accent was finally over, I was reminded of what a formidable barrier the Himalayas are not only to man but to the clouds themselves.
The extreme altitude and low temperature on the near side of the pass force nearly all the moisture from the air resulting in that side’s daily snowstorm and a deep base of snow, but as soon as you pass through the narrow gap in the peaks you are rewarded with an incredible change of scenery. As if you had just disembarked from some spaceship, you now find yourself on a barren, rocky mountainside, overlooking the famed Mustang region, an incredibly scenic area that borders Tibet. I was lucky to catch this image shortly after going through the pass. It’s one of the more spectacular sights I’ve been blessed to see…
The extreme altitude and low temperature on the near side of the pass force nearly all the moisture from the air resulting in that side’s daily snowstorm and a deep base of snow, but as soon as you pass through the narrow gap in the peaks you are rewarded with an incredible change of scenery. As if you had just disembarked from some spaceship, you now find yourself on a barren, rocky mountainside, overlooking the famed Mustang region, an incredibly scenic area that borders Tibet. I was lucky to catch this image shortly after going through the pass. It’s one of the more spectacular sights I’ve been blessed to see…
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