After two days of immobility it is invigorating to get on the move once more.

We amble up the valley towards the Tsho Rolpa glacial lake for the last time. The path follows a surprisingly green and picturesque little valley between the lake and the east valley side proper. There are quite a number of cheerful Nepali traders walking up and down this path.

Eventually, this lovely glen runs out, and the path splits, with one branch following the banks of the Rolpa and the other disappearing up south. With knowing resignation, we are led on the easterly path, which of course heads steeply upwards. This does appear to be headed the wrong way, but we go with it for now.

Camping on the Trakarding Glacier Photo (c) Tom Padgham 1998

After much climbing, we were high above the Rolpa and the path marked on the map. The reason is clear - the Rolpa is two or three times the size indicated on the Schneider map, and landslides long ago sent the lower trail on the east back to meet its maker. There is absolutely no question of a path on the west bank, and it's hard to believe that it ever existed despite the map showing it.

We surrounded on all sides by broken and ugly moraine. The peaks we're on are covered in loose fragments and boulders, and the glacier is hiding under a cover of nasty detritus. The trail heads back west and drops dangerously steeply to a sandy karka. Unfortunately this is totally dry, so we have to continue. The trail plunges over the ludicrously steep edge of the glacier's trench and winds down nasty loose material under precarious cliffs.

We hurry onto the glacier to escape stonefall danger. Here the path disappears, but a route is still visible to the sharp-eyed in the form of the little Nepali cairns. The campsite is the worst yet - a few little flatish areas on the ice and rubble and a smelly little pond for water. Still, we don't have a lot of choice.