XCountries: Mardi Himal hike n fly

With a good weather window I went off on a little expedition to fly from Mardi Himal (the most southerly peak of the Annapurna range), with the hope for a high altitude flight above the usual inversion you see between 2-3000m, followed by a flying return to Pokhara. Last year a french pilot flew from here up to 7000m - so that was the dream!

In our merry band were Juddah (our guide and who I ended up spending a lot of time with after), a German guy Manuel and 2 friends of Juddah: Yurgen and Bibek, out to be the first to fly a tandem from there.

1st class seating

As the fuel crisis rumbles on, transport is always a little tricky but we eventually found a rooftop ride to the start with the local bus. We then had a 2 day hike up to 3300m, passing through towering, beautiful rhododendron forest - a far cry from the small shrubs we know - but getting smaller and smaller as we gained height.

The team

the sun sets on our first day

Mountain sheep being led down to town for Dashain celebrations

The teahouse we spent our first night in was in a very touristy stop over, but our second night, up high, was in a much more authentic setting. A few rooms overlooking the farm and a big heard of mountain sheep.

High camp

The weather was great when we set out but we were into the clouds by the time we reached our high camp. With the cloud, sheep, dogs and activity of the farm it gave the place a real atmosphere in which to sit and watch.

We were treated to fresh meat with our dinner, Juddah (who knows the locals well) got the honour of lopping off the lucky sheep's head. One clean swipe, very efficient. We had a fun night, eating our dahl bat on the floor in our room and getting thoroughly stuck in to the local raxy, nicely warmed to fend off the cold.

dinner is prepared

fine dining

As nice as the setting was it wasn't a great place to sleep. Barking dogs, the jangling of bells, and the constant nasal hack of the Nepalese spitting habit penetrated the night.

It was a clear morning and we watched a beautiful sunrise coming over the Fish Tail and illuminating Annapurna. The clouds soon started to gather though (that lovely weather window gone) so by 9.30 we were preparing to fly.

flight prep

Curious locals

Bibek and Yurgen were off first on the tandem, taking a steady glide out through the gathering clouds and into the valley, and soon after we remaining three were in the air. There were enough thermals rolling through with the light puffs of cloud to maintain height but never really got much above take off. Manuel on his small mountain glider, managed to maintain for a while but was soon heading down and I followed Manuel and Juddah from above as we headed along the ridge, in the general direction of Pokhara.

Bibek and Jurgen get away (just) on the tandem

Juddah and Manuel ahead

I soon lost Juddah and Manuel dodging clouds, and skirted along above the forested ridge in and out of the clouds. Cloud base was low, around 2000m and below the ridge height, but I was able to maintain my height and keep moving in the right direction. With the clouds obscuring the tops I wasn't entirely sure which ridge in front was Sarangkot but I made one valley crossing and was just considering my options when disaster struck. Turning in a small thermal right above the ridge I dropped out the back and into heavy sink on the lee side. And that was that. It was steadily down from there and I landed next to the river in the valley with the ubiquitous kids to greet me on landing.