230324 Ghasa-Khopra Danda. 1ª Etapa Khopra Ridge
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 15.71 mi
- Elevation gain
- 10,010 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Very difficult
- Elevation loss
- 4,491 ft
- Max elevation
- 11,734 ft
- TrailRank
-
59
5
- Min elevation
- 4,345 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Time
- 10 hours 38 minutes
- Coordinates
- 3278
- Uploaded
- April 9, 2023
- Recorded
- March 2023
near Thaplyang, Gandaki Pradesh (Nepal)
Viewed 118 times, downloaded 13 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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First stage of the Khopra Ridge, twelfth of the Annapurna Circuit. QUEEN STAGE OF THE ENTIRE ROUTE.
In this stage you cross from the Annapurna Circuit to the Khopra Ridge. The point where both converge is in Gothichaur (Tibetan bridge of WP 0146); the Circuit continues towards Tatopani-Ghoreepani-Nayapul and begins the Khopra Ridge heading towards Khopra Danda-Tadapani-Ghandruk-Kimche.
As I mentioned in the previous stage, my idea was to have started it in Kopchepani, but not finding the pass in Ghasa, I decided to stay there (two hours from Kopchepani) which increased the hardness of the day.
From Ghasa, the bridge to cross to the east bank is what the map calls "new bridge" (WP 0139), knowing it, very easy to find. After passing the bridge, you will come to a sign (see photo in WP 0139) where you can follow the path, but after 150m it is cut off by a landslide and you have to go back to continue on the path that goes up to the left and that it reaches some small farms (I think it is what appears on the map as Nauli Ghyang).
The rest of the path belonging to the circuit is very pleasant, you leave behind, in a gentle descent of 1,000 m of difference in level, various villages until you reach the Tibetan bridge (WP 0146), where the real stage begins.
From here, you no longer have a breather, what awaits you is a climb of almost 3,000 m, yes, one after the other, and that can be divided into the following sections and in which I have included the data of time, distance , speed, altitude at the beginning and end of the section and positive slope and start and end time of the section, so that you can see the particularities of each section and how, fatigue and snow, made a dent in the last section:
1. From the Tibetan Bridge (WP 0146) to Upper Narchyang (WP 0148): It is a very tough stretch. Most of them are stairs, so the increase in level difference is brutal. The route is very beautiful, although you are more aware of the steps than of anything else, you pass areas of crops and small villages, and when you look back and down, the view is stupendous. Being still fresh, I rode it very well, with no stops and relatively fast.
Start time: 10.30 / End time: 11.55 / t=1h 25' // D=2.5 km // v=1.7 Km/h // Ai= 1320 / Af= 1970 / Dp=650m //
2. From Upper Narchyang (WP 0148) to the crossroads (WP 0149): it is a relatively smooth section, in which you follow a forest track under construction (or rehabilitation). From some points you have spectacular views over Annapurna Sur (7,219m) and Bharha Chuli (7,647m). The forest is full of blooming rhododendrons. They are kilometers in which you accumulate wear and tear in a very long day and where I was able to maintain a very good average movement.
Start time: 11.55 / End time: 12.50 / t=55' // D=3.6 km // v=3.8 Km/h // Ai= 1970 / Af= 2180 / Dp=240m //
3. From the crossroads (WP 0149) to the cabin (WP 0150) it is a very hard section, it is a very beautiful path in the middle of the humid forest in which rhododendrons, bamboos, watercourses alternate (fortunately I was able to refill the canteen). Here the accumulated fatigue made its appearance and the day began to get complicated, because together with the difference in level that was rising, the altitude and fatigue, it began to rain around 1:45 p.m. and the temperatures dropped. What was left did not look very good, it was still a lot and I was approaching 3,000 m of altitude.
Start time: 12.50 // End time: 15.20 // t=2h 30' // D=4.4 km // v=1.8 Km/h // Ai=2180 / Af=2860 / Dp=720m //
4. From the hut (WP 0150) to Khopra Danda. Perhaps it is the greatest effort I have ever made (I have run marathons, done hard, long trekking and without sleep, but I did not remember an effort like this day). At 3,000 m, it started to snow and around 3,100 I began to find accumulated snow from previous days. In fact, I put the cabin as WP, in case I had to turn around and sleep somewhere (I had a good bag and it was the right place). But using the strength of weakness, with the GPS in hand to follow the track that marked me (there was no track due to the accumulated snow) and with patience and determination, I was gaining meters and beating the mountain and the slope, still with my hands and very wet feet at temperatures already below zero and with the fear that night would fall and the day would become even more complicated. However, at about 5:45 p.m., it stopped snowing, the clouds parted and left a view of Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas that I put in the photos of the last WP.
Start time: 15.20 // End time: 18.05 // t=2h 45' // D=2.7 km // v=1.0 Km/h // Ai=2860 / Af=3576 / Dp=720m //
You have the total for the day reflected in the summary (more than 10 hours of walking, more than 25 km and MORE THAN 3,000 m of positive elevation gain).
If you want to do this stage, my recommendation is that you cut it down and get out of Lower Narchyang or, at most, Kopchepani.
In the following link (only links on the computer, not on the mobile app) you can find the complete route and, from there, link to each day:
·🚶♂️All Anapurnas: Circuit - Khopra Ridge - ABC
In this stage you cross from the Annapurna Circuit to the Khopra Ridge. The point where both converge is in Gothichaur (Tibetan bridge of WP 0146); the Circuit continues towards Tatopani-Ghoreepani-Nayapul and begins the Khopra Ridge heading towards Khopra Danda-Tadapani-Ghandruk-Kimche.
As I mentioned in the previous stage, my idea was to have started it in Kopchepani, but not finding the pass in Ghasa, I decided to stay there (two hours from Kopchepani) which increased the hardness of the day.
From Ghasa, the bridge to cross to the east bank is what the map calls "new bridge" (WP 0139), knowing it, very easy to find. After passing the bridge, you will come to a sign (see photo in WP 0139) where you can follow the path, but after 150m it is cut off by a landslide and you have to go back to continue on the path that goes up to the left and that it reaches some small farms (I think it is what appears on the map as Nauli Ghyang).
The rest of the path belonging to the circuit is very pleasant, you leave behind, in a gentle descent of 1,000 m of difference in level, various villages until you reach the Tibetan bridge (WP 0146), where the real stage begins.
From here, you no longer have a breather, what awaits you is a climb of almost 3,000 m, yes, one after the other, and that can be divided into the following sections and in which I have included the data of time, distance , speed, altitude at the beginning and end of the section and positive slope and start and end time of the section, so that you can see the particularities of each section and how, fatigue and snow, made a dent in the last section:
1. From the Tibetan Bridge (WP 0146) to Upper Narchyang (WP 0148): It is a very tough stretch. Most of them are stairs, so the increase in level difference is brutal. The route is very beautiful, although you are more aware of the steps than of anything else, you pass areas of crops and small villages, and when you look back and down, the view is stupendous. Being still fresh, I rode it very well, with no stops and relatively fast.
Start time: 10.30 / End time: 11.55 / t=1h 25' // D=2.5 km // v=1.7 Km/h // Ai= 1320 / Af= 1970 / Dp=650m //
2. From Upper Narchyang (WP 0148) to the crossroads (WP 0149): it is a relatively smooth section, in which you follow a forest track under construction (or rehabilitation). From some points you have spectacular views over Annapurna Sur (7,219m) and Bharha Chuli (7,647m). The forest is full of blooming rhododendrons. They are kilometers in which you accumulate wear and tear in a very long day and where I was able to maintain a very good average movement.
Start time: 11.55 / End time: 12.50 / t=55' // D=3.6 km // v=3.8 Km/h // Ai= 1970 / Af= 2180 / Dp=240m //
3. From the crossroads (WP 0149) to the cabin (WP 0150) it is a very hard section, it is a very beautiful path in the middle of the humid forest in which rhododendrons, bamboos, watercourses alternate (fortunately I was able to refill the canteen). Here the accumulated fatigue made its appearance and the day began to get complicated, because together with the difference in level that was rising, the altitude and fatigue, it began to rain around 1:45 p.m. and the temperatures dropped. What was left did not look very good, it was still a lot and I was approaching 3,000 m of altitude.
Start time: 12.50 // End time: 15.20 // t=2h 30' // D=4.4 km // v=1.8 Km/h // Ai=2180 / Af=2860 / Dp=720m //
4. From the hut (WP 0150) to Khopra Danda. Perhaps it is the greatest effort I have ever made (I have run marathons, done hard, long trekking and without sleep, but I did not remember an effort like this day). At 3,000 m, it started to snow and around 3,100 I began to find accumulated snow from previous days. In fact, I put the cabin as WP, in case I had to turn around and sleep somewhere (I had a good bag and it was the right place). But using the strength of weakness, with the GPS in hand to follow the track that marked me (there was no track due to the accumulated snow) and with patience and determination, I was gaining meters and beating the mountain and the slope, still with my hands and very wet feet at temperatures already below zero and with the fear that night would fall and the day would become even more complicated. However, at about 5:45 p.m., it stopped snowing, the clouds parted and left a view of Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas that I put in the photos of the last WP.
Start time: 15.20 // End time: 18.05 // t=2h 45' // D=2.7 km // v=1.0 Km/h // Ai=2860 / Af=3576 / Dp=720m //
You have the total for the day reflected in the summary (more than 10 hours of walking, more than 25 km and MORE THAN 3,000 m of positive elevation gain).
If you want to do this stage, my recommendation is that you cut it down and get out of Lower Narchyang or, at most, Kopchepani.
In the following link (only links on the computer, not on the mobile app) you can find the complete route and, from there, link to each day:
·🚶♂️All Anapurnas: Circuit - Khopra Ridge - ABC
Waypoints
Mountain hut
6,348 ft
Bridge
Castle
Intersection
Wilderness hut
Comments (3)
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Bestial, te escribo por privado para preguntar
Mejor no puede estar explicada. Espero poder hacerla en breve
Dos palabras: In precionante!!!!!