GeoTrek IV-J

GEOTREK IV-J
HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS OF NEPAL

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Topic: Metamorphic rocks in Nepal. Traverse from Nagarkot to Dhulikhel in Nepal.

Participants: Only Sue and Gene went on this hike. It seems that the travel distance for any other possible participants was a little too far.

Distance and Route: About 11 miles along the route shown on the map below.

Geology: Outcrops were scarce along the route of this hike. Most of the rocks we saw were high-grade metamorphic rocks including phyllite, schist, gneiss, and quartzite.

PHOTOS TAKEN IN NEPAL BETWEEN
NAGARKOT AND DHULIKHEL ON GEOTREK IV-J
Photos taken by Gene Fritsche.
Click on the small picture to see an enlargement.

At the top of the hill is the lobby and restaurant for the hotel where we stayed in Nagarkot, Nepal. Our room was 76 steps down from the lobby at the level from where I took the photo.
View of the outdoor deck of the restaurant and the hotel rooms. We were on the second floor from the bottom.
Here we are at the "You Are Here" spot shown on the hike index map. Sticking above the clouds behind us is the Langtang Range which is in the central Himalayas. We were just above 7,000 feet at this point, the highest elevation we reached on our Nepal trip.
Closer view of the central Langtang Range. The highest mountain in this view is Langtang Ri: elevation 7,205 meters, 23,638 feet.
Sue and our Nepalese guide on the trail.
Our porter carried our bags, which made the trip a little easier for Sue and me. Most of the trail during the first half of the hike followed dirt roads like this.
Our last view of the Langtang Himalayas.
Gene and Sue on the trail, which is getting a little narrower here.
Sue hikes through the woods along a trail that is more like a real hiking trail.
Rhododendron bushes were common along the trail, adding color to the scene.
Closeup of a rhododendron flower. Our guide picked it, gave it to Sue, and she wore it on her hat the rest of the day.
We found a little shrine along the side of the trail. Sue rang the bell to let the spirits know that we were there.
Closeup of the shrine and bell and the little adjoining cave.
The last half of the hike was more on stairs than on what we would call a trail. These stairways would go straight up the mountain to the top, then down the other side; no contouring around the mountain for the Nepalese. On this set of stairs we counted 900 steps down before we stopped counting.
After passing the saddle between the previous down set of stairs and this set, we started up the next mountain. Luckily this mountain was a little lower than the one we had just come down and we only had to go up for 600 steps.
Because the Himalayas are very young mountains and are still rising rapidly, the slopes are very steep. Nonetheless they still plant crops on them. These steep plots have just recently been planted with corn.
At the next saddle between mountains, the area flattened out a bit and we found a road and some truck traffic.
Once we passed the saddle in the previous photo, we started up another set of stairs. By this time we had stopped counting.
Sue and our guide pause to survey the steep mountain slopes and some farmhouses and terraced farms.
Gene on the trail in the steep mountains.
No matter how steep the slopes, the natives have managed to terrace them for farming.
After all the up and down stairs we had climbed, a rest was well deserved.
At the top of the next mountain we found these three stupas.
At this point the trail winds its way between the village fields.
Here the trail makes its way along a terrace wall.
We came across these fellows who turned out to be the stone masons who were building the stairs.
At last we got our first glimpse of the town of Dhulikhel in the distance.
Only about a mile to go to Dhulikhel.
Entering the outskirts of Dhulikhel. Our porter was waiting for us along the side of the road. We had gone over 11 strenuous miles and it took us 8 hours.

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THIS PAGE LAST MODIFIED ON JULY 24, 2011
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geneandsuef@dslextreme.com

	At the top of the hill is the lobby and restaurant for the hotel where we stayed in Nagarkot, Nepal. Our room was 76 steps down from the lobby at the level from where I took the photo.
	View of the outdoor deck of the restaurant and the hotel rooms. We were on the second floor from the bottom.
	Here we are at the "You Are Here" spot shown on the hike index map. Sticking above the clouds behind us is the Langtang Range which is in the central Himalayas. We were just above 7,000 feet at this point, the highest elevation we reached on our Nepal trip.
	Closer view of the central Langtang Range. The highest mountain in this view is Langtang Ri: elevation 7,205 meters, 23,638 feet.
	Sue and our Nepalese guide on the trail.
	Our porter carried our bags, which made the trip a little easier for Sue and me. Most of the trail during the first half of the hike followed dirt roads like this.
	Our last view of the Langtang Himalayas.
	Gene and Sue on the trail, which is getting a little narrower here.
	Sue hikes through the woods along a trail that is more like a real hiking trail.
	Rhododendron bushes were common along the trail, adding color to the scene.
	Closeup of a rhododendron flower. Our guide picked it, gave it to Sue, and she wore it on her hat the rest of the day.
	We found a little shrine along the side of the trail. Sue rang the bell to let the spirits know that we were there.
	Closeup of the shrine and bell and the little adjoining cave.
	The last half of the hike was more on stairs than on what we would call a trail. These stairways would go straight up the mountain to the top, then down the other side; no contouring around the mountain for the Nepalese. On this set of stairs we counted 900 steps down before we stopped counting.
	After passing the saddle between the previous down set of stairs and this set, we started up the next mountain. Luckily this mountain was a little lower than the one we had just come down and we only had to go up for 600 steps.
	Because the Himalayas are very young mountains and are still rising rapidly, the slopes are very steep. Nonetheless they still plant crops on them. These steep plots have just recently been planted with corn.
	At the next saddle between mountains, the area flattened out a bit and we found a road and some truck traffic.
	Once we passed the saddle in the previous photo, we started up another set of stairs. By this time we had stopped counting.
	Sue and our guide pause to survey the steep mountain slopes and some farmhouses and terraced farms.
	Gene on the trail in the steep mountains.
	No matter how steep the slopes, the natives have managed to terrace them for farming.
	After all the up and down stairs we had climbed, a rest was well deserved.
	At the top of the next mountain we found these three stupas.
	At this point the trail winds its way between the village fields.
	Here the trail makes its way along a terrace wall.
	We came across these fellows who turned out to be the stone masons who were building the stairs.
	At last we got our first glimpse of the town of Dhulikhel in the distance.
	Only about a mile to go to Dhulikhel.
	Entering the outskirts of Dhulikhel. Our porter was waiting for us along the side of the road. We had gone over 11 strenuous miles and it took us 8 hours.