By Tom Padgham. For routes and climbing info on Kwangde, see Alan's Mountaineering Report

This will be a leisurely day as there is not far to go to the next camp. There are some route finding difficulties along the way, but we manage to scramble our way along some steep slopes which bring us to the intended campsite.

Route taken on Kwangde Nup Photo © Tom Padgham 1998

The gusts of wind are even stronger today, so once the Quasar is up, we pile huge rocks on all the pegs. The two sherpas have the kitchen tent which is large and shaped like a house, so they build half a house using the dry stone wall technique and erect their tent over this as a roof. We figure the wind will not blow that away!

In the afternoon, we go for a recce of the route starting on rock going to the left hand side of the glacier to allow us to get on to the left branch of the main glacier which starts off quite gently. We do not need to go far as the route looks as though it will be possible, at least as far as the Junction.

Meanwhile, the rest of the members are still shivering away at Lumding. The valley doesn't get much sun and winter's approaching so the temperature doesn't get far above about 8 degrees. Feeling guilty at abandoning Tom and Alan, we decide it's time to descend, and head off back over the Moro La, for the first time unaccompanied by sherpas or porters.

After a few route-finding difficulties due to heavy mist, we soon arrive back in the valley after a 2000m descent. A highly precarious cantelever bridge leads us to the village of Ghat, where we enjoy the luxury of a tea-house for the night.