Today we cross our second highest pass, Takalung La at 14,400 feet. After yesterday’s success, my feeling is that Takalung La is just another hill with a view. I remind myself that the pass is as high as Mount Rainier and only 100 feet short of Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the continental US.
It’s another relatively short hike, less than 7 miles, which allows us to start a bit later and take a tea break before we hike up the pass.
Takalung La has a spectacular 360 degree view. We yell the traditional Lha Gey Lo!, which is a requirement for every pass, then we hang a few prayer flags and enjoy the view. It is typical for passes to have such high wind that hikers aren’t allowed to linger. The fact that we could stay awhile at yesterday’s and today’s passes is quite unusual.
Our camp tonight is in a remote yak herding area. We find a few buildings that are used seasonally, but the yaks and the herders aren’t here. Only the yak dung remains.
A mist rolls in can gives the camp an ethereal look. It's difficult to believe that we've been on the trek for 7 days. We have only a few more days in this spectacular part of Bhutan.