Relative Something

April 10,  Tengboche – Phortse (12,460 ft.)

We descend through the forest to the Dudh Kosi River, cross a bridge above the white water torrent and lunch among the red cedars in the village of Pangboche. From there, we hike along a spectacular, slope-hugging trail thousands of feet above Tengboche and the river, then descend several hundred feet to Phortse and the lodge of our sirdar, Lhakpa.

So, after all that hiking, you may notice that we will camp for the second of 3 days at an elevation in the mid-12,000s. Can you say, “acclimatization?” Let’s hope my body is accommodating the plan.