Day 130 - 3280 Metres Elevation. Chame to Humde

Humde accidentally. We were supposed to stop in Lower Pisang. We walked for few hours, and reached "Pisang Village". In town, an arrow pointed to "Upper Pisang" and an arrow pointed to "Lower Pisang". We followed the latter. We followed it for a little while. We expected Lower Pisang after every bend in the trail. The trail curved up and we grumbled that for being "Lower Pisang" the town certainly seemed to be high up. We grumbled and trekked for a full 7 kilometres more. On the flat at low elevation 7K isn't bad. At high elevation, wearing packs, and at the end of the day 7K seems like 700K. The town we finally arrived in was Humde. Apparently "Lower Pisang" and "Pisang Village" are one in the same.

Navigational blunders aside, today was marked by our first snow. The path down to Humde wound through autumn-smelling birch forest. Patches of shade, even sometimes shady stretches of the path, were covered in a few inches of snow. We are officially high enough that a few patches of snow remain year-round, and that the first snows of the season have already begun.

Although the extra 7K made today quite long, it is probably for the best, as it will allow for a very short trek tomorrow and extra time in Manang, the official acclimatization point in preparation for beginning the ascent up to Thorung La.