Dispatch 8: Climb from Muktinath to Thorung La (17,769ft/5416m)

Nick with the sacred town of Muktinath in the background and Dhaulagiri visible as the dominant peak.
Nick on top of the Thorung La at 17,769ft/5416m
Jeremy Hoisak descending from Thorung La

Today, we woke up, had a quick breakfast, and walked through town, past the temple, toward Thorung La. The well-marked, steep route passes by a number of small guesthouses and shelters along the way. All of the climbers and one of the trekkers (Jeremy, who shattered his previous altitude record of 14,410ft) made it to the top, while all of the trekkers broke altitude records but turned back before reaching the pass. Overall, the day was a huge success and was a much-needed change from the logistical nightmare we have been dealing with so far on the expedition. We descended quickly, witnessing a beautiful sunset along the way, and had dinner in our hotel. Tomorrow, we will drive from Muktinath to Darbang, where we will begin the trek to Dhaulagiri base camp the following day.