TIBET: KAMA CHU AND KHARTA VALLEY TREK AND FRIENDSHIP HIGHWAY May, 2019 PART 1 BY WILLIAM D BOEHM

Above: , Chom Oyu left, Mt Everest and Lhotse right from Langma La; Bottom: I am at 5000 m at Shaola la pass and Makalu in the background Tibet: a land of mystery and remarkably tough nomadic tribes who depend upon their yaks for sustenance and endure bitter cold and high altitudes. The and Everest lay at its southern edge with the third greatest area of snow and icefields in the world other than the north and south poles. The landscape of Tibet encompasses both the largest and highest plateau in the world that supports wildlife that includes white lipped deer, antelope, kiang, wild Above: Shishapangma peak 8,027 m/ 26,335 ft Himalaya Range from friendship highway, Tibet; Kiang (Tibetan ass), Tibetan gaxelle; Bottom: Fort Gyantse, Tibetan nomad, Rt: Horseman 2002 (H Jans) yak, wolves, brown bear and the snow leopard. The Tibetan mountains and plains attracted me over the years, having heard about its immense beauty and isolation. My explorations over the decades has included remote wilderness areas on most continents except and Antarctica, and I have been privileged to have experienced God’s incredible creation and diversity of cultures. I have especially enjoyed the beauty and tranquility of the mountains, having shared with my father as a youth many trips into the Washington Cascades and climbed many summits. Over the years that desire for adventure extended beyond Washington State into Alaska, and British Columbia as a young man, then the Peruvian Andes, the mountains of Uganda and Tanzania, the arctic, and finally the Himalayas of . Only recently I have explored the Hengduan Range of Yunnan and Sichuan China, but had yet to explore the more mysterious side of the Himalayan peaks facing the Tibetan Plateau, including Mt Everest and Makalu, Shishapangma, and Gang Benchen.

Tibet is still a land of mystery and unique culture for westerners, an expansive area that extends north from the remote foothills of the Himalaya Range to the Taklamakan Desert, known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, a vast elevated desert in Central Asia and East Asia. This vast and mysterious wilderness covers most of the , the Qinghai in western China, and Ladakh, India. I planned to explore both the edge and central area of the Tibetan Plateau this year: the remote Kharta and Kama Valleys immediately northwest of Makalu and Mt Everest, then the source wetlands of Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve in Qinghai plateau of the major rivers in South Asia including the Yangtze and Mekong, and finally eastern Kham, the Hengduan mountains and unexplored forests that extend from Yunnan, China into Tibet.

The Tibetan Plateau lies in the rain shadow of the 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi) east-west length of the Himalayan Range, and extends approximately 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) north. It is bordered to the south by imposing mountain ranges that include the world's two highest summits, 8858 m (29,029 feet) and K2 8,611 m (28,251 ft). The Tibetan Plateau is called "the Roof of the World" because it rises almost 3 miles (4.8 km) above sea level. It is the world's highest and largest plateau, with an average elevation exceeding 4,500 meters (14,800 ft) and with an area of 2,500,000 square kilometres (970,000 sq. mi) nearly the size of western Europe. Nicknamed the ‘third pole’, Tibet holds the third largest store of water and ice

Tibetan Plateau from space with the Himalayan Range bottom, and Hengduan Mountain Range bottom right Above: Mt Everest (Tibetan Chomolungma) 8,848 m/29,029 ft; Bottom: Gang Benchhen 7299 m/23946 ft near Paiku Co lake Tibet from Friendship Highway near Nepal Border in the world following the Arctic and Antarctic poles. With an abundance of lakes, rivers, and glaciers within this dry terrain, there is an immensity of the region’s water resources. Six of Asia’s biggest rivers originate from wetlands of Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve, including the Lacang Jiang or Mekong, the Chang Jiang or Yangtze, the Indus, and the Brahmaputra or Yarlung Tsampo (jiang). The Hengduan mountains in SW China lie immediately east of the Himalaya arcing from east west towards Yunnan and Sichuan north south, and connect the southeast portions of the Tibetan Plateau with the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau Grassland ecosystems, including the Tibetan Plateau, are sustained within the rain shadow of mountain ranges world-wide, supporting a wealth of megafaunal wildlife. I am familiar with the Serengeti of Africa, the great plains of the North American continent, the altiplano of South America, and the north slope of Alaska, areas that still, or once supported vast great herds. The North American prairie for example supported 60 million bison in the late 1700’s, and large populations of pronghorn antelope, elk, and bighorn sheep along with their predators: wolf and grizzly bear. I had yet to visit the Tibetan plateau where there are similarities, only additionally species of antelope and Kiang or Tibetan ass, where bison are replaced by wild yak. The remote Tibetan plateau varies from cold semi-arid desert to steppe grasslands, and like the North American Prairie, is a grazing ecosystem that supports a unique assemblage of wildlife. Wild yaks are still found in large herds, great concentrations of Tibetan antelope and Tibetan gazelle continue to migrate between their winter pastures and summer fawning grounds, and herds of wild ass are found from the edge of the Himalayan grasslands across the steppes. The Ruddy shelduck, black-necked crane, guldenstadt's redstart Below: Tibetan gazelle, white lipped deer, kiang

Argali sheep, Tibetan fox, Bharal sheep, Tibetan wolf (K ross) mountains support blue sheep, argali sheep, and white-lipped and Tibet red deer. And predators include the Tibetan wolf, brown bear, and snow leopard that prey on these large mammals. I desired to explore both mountains and grasslands in my visits to Tibet.

The Tibetan plateau covers such a vast area that it has a major impact on the climate of central Asia due to its landmass at a high elevation. Here the atmospheric pressure is 50% less than at sea-level, and the arid climate has few clouds conducive to strong solar heating. A large landmass area of low pressure is formed due to strong heating, resulting in low pressure created by air uplift which draws moist air inland off the Indian Ocean, giving rise to the Asian and Indian summer monsoon systems. In others words solar heating and high altitude drives the atmospheric climatic conditions of Central Asia. In contrast, winters are dry and cold as winds blow out of central Asia under the influence of the Siberian high-pressure area, reversing the atmospheric currents towards India and Myanmar. The annual cycles of summer monsoon are an atmospheric response to seasonal changes in thermal heating between land and ocean.

Phung Chu River, source of the Arun River in Nepal at Youluocun village jct kharta R. A water gap through the Himalayas that is theorized to be formed following post flood; Below: north side from same position

Everest and Himalayas Gyatso La (Lhakpa La) 5200m Left to Right Makalu, Everest, rt Gyachung Kang 7952 m 26089 ft and Cho Oyu 8188 m/ 26863 ft highest mountains in the world, where warm monsoon clouds thread north through the Arun River, penetrating the normally cold, dry valleys and permitting lush temperate forest. Little of the summer monsoon rain penetrates north of the Himalayan Range at the southern edge of the Tibetan Plateau with the exception of a few river water gaps, creating a massive rain-shadow effect. The Plateau is extreme dry with a total annual precipitation of about 100- 300 mm (3.0 -11.8 inches) that is driest in the north, forming a harsh landscape of mainly high- altitude steppe, semi-desert, and desert. As the monsoon effect decreases further north, climate becomes drier and the vegetation becomes steppe and to the north steppe-desert. Exceptions include two water gaps that include of eastern Kham that flows between Namche Barwha 7782 m (25,524 ft) and Gyala Peri 7,294-metre (23,930 ft) forming the deepest canyon in the world, and the Phung chu River and Kharta River between Makalu 8,485 meters (27,838 ft) and Kangchenjunga 8,586 m (28,169 ft) massifs the fifth and third highest mountains in the world, where warm monsoon clouds thread north through the Arun River, penetrating the normally cold, dry valleys and permitting lush temperate forest growth. Lying within the rain shadow or lee side of the Himalayan Range, the Tibetan plateau is lacking in rain and oxygen at 50% atmospheric pressure, and battered by desiccating winds, blistering daytime heat in the summer with exposure to high ultraviolet radiation, and sub-zero temperatures at night and in the winter, an unforgiving high-altitude ecosystem. The mountain air is bitterly cold at night and for the scattered population of nomadic herders. The Plateau has been subject to human activity and associated yak grazing for the past several thousand years, which as negatively impacted wildlife populations. Yaks are the primary source of protein, fuel from their dried dung, and for plowing and working barley fields in the south. They are worth $600-4100USD per animal. Nomads protect themselves with the hand sling, made from yak hair that are the same design as King David used to slay Goliath. Dry air and increased respiration due to altitude and inversion make dehydration a real threat and a necessity to drink water. Once abundant herds of wildlife that included gazelles and Kiang, and in the mountain’s blue sheep, wolf, brown bear and the snow leopard are now represented by remnant populations in sanctuaries, much of this due to yak overgrazing the cold, dry grasslands that don’t recover easily.

In May I began my journey into Tibet passing through Chengdu in Sichuan western China and joined a trekking group organized through ‘The Adventure People, UK’. We met with our trip leader Birgh Singh from Kathmandu, gathered our gear and very early the next morning flew from Chengdu to Lhasa, Tibet. Our group would travel from Lhasa south towards , then continue south to the Kharta Valley just east of Mt Everest, trek into the remote Kama Valley, then complete our journey driving west in the shadow of the Himalayas the friendship highway until reaching our final destination in Kathmandu, Nepal. One feels the altitude immediately after exiting the China Airlines plane at the Lhasa airport at 3,650m (11,975ft). We all felt the typical symptoms of slight dizziness and a mild headache. It would take several days of acclimating.

We met our Tibetan guide Tashi who took us to our hotel Gang Gyan in central Lhasa. Spent the afternoon walking through back alleys and shops, then discovered Barkhor Street where Buddhist pilgrims walked clockwise on a pilgrimage surrounding Jokhang Temple. Both women and men in traditional dress carried their prayer beads and hand cylindrical prayer wheels, many toting their children. I observed the large procession of pilgrims as they circled around the temple streets clockwise, listening to their chants, watching their interactions as they passed numerous conical ovens burning green juniper boughs. They walked pensively along the incense smoke filled streets through thick acrid clouds rising towards the fresh snow-covered foothills. Old people, men with fur-lined traditional hats, women in their long-embroidered aprons with silver buckled belt, a sign they were married, parents, and children walked in a continuous precession.

Lhasa from Potala Palace, Barkhor Street shops The next few days we visited Norbulingka (the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lama), and the famous Potala Palace. This is a formidable structure, added on to in the 17th century. So many rooms, walls built of straw like grass and cannabis stalks. What struck me after moving through the palace, and seeing all the rooms, and having seen the temple yesterday with all the pilgrims, was the overwhelming number of tantra rules and control Tibetan Buddhism that seemed to burden the people. But it is ingrained into their social structure for over a millennium. RELIGION AND HISTORY The first few days spent in Lhasa introduced us to both the Tibetan culture and several well- known Buddhist monasteries. I learned of two forms of Buddhism that developed out of India: Tantrism and Mahayanism. Tantra Buddhism also had its early roots in India, but developed in Tibet by the 7th century AD through the blend of Mahayana with popular folk belief and magic in northern India. Similar to Hindu Tantrism, the Tibetan form emphasized sacramental action and esoteric tradition. Its initiation ceremonies involve entry into a mandala, a mystic circle or symbolic map of the spiritual universe. Also important in Tantrism is the use of mudras, or ritual gestures, and mantras, or sacred syllables, which are repeatedly chanted and used as a focus for meditation by present day monks. But preceding Buddhism, Tibet was immersed in the ancient tradition of animistic Bon religion.

As early myths of the origin of the Tibetan people suggest, the Yarlung Valley and river that forms the Brahmaputra was the cradle of central Tibetan civilisation. The early Yarlung kings were most likely chieftains whose domains extended not much further than the Yarlung Valley. The animistic Bon religion of ancient Tibetans was dominant before the introduction of Buddhism, and Bon priests were powerful both militarily and economically, wielding control even over the nobility. From the outset Buddhism was opposed by the native shamanistic Bön priests, which had the support of the aristocracy, and thrived under royal patronage, reaching a peak under King Rälpachän (817–836). It is the Bon tradition, much like North American Indian pantheism that believes there is a spirit in every creature, from tree to animal, and there derived a sense of sacredness for life and preservation of life. It is the strength of preservation that was in the original Bon shamanistic practice, not Buddhism.

The Yumbulagang fortress located 192 km (119 mi) southeast of Lhasa is a reconstruction of the first building in Tibet. According to Tibetan mythology, the Yungbulakang Palace was erected for the first Tibetan king, Nyatri Tsenpo, a legendary progenitor of the so-called "Yarlung dynasty". His reign is said to have begun in 127 BC and in traditional Tibetan history, he was the first ruler of the kingdom. By the 6th century the Yarlung kings, through conquest and alliances, had made significant headway in unifying much of central Tibet. Namri Songtsen (c 570–619), continued this trend and extended Tibetan influence into inner Asia, defeating the Qiang tribes on China’s borders. But the true flowering of Tibet as an important regional power came about with the accession to rule of Namri Songtsen’s son, Songtsen Gampo (r 629–49). Songtsen Gambo unified the Tibetan Plateau and established the Tubo Kingdom as well as introduced Buddhism into Tibet. But the following 100 years saw incessant conflicts between Buddhism and Bon. Defying the power of the Bon priests, Songtsan Gambo constructed the Jokhang and Ramqe monasteries in the capital, Lhasa.

Under Songtsen Gampo the armies of Tibet ranged as far afield as northern India and threatened even the great Tang dynasty in China. Both Nepal and China reacted to the Tibetan incursions by reluctantly agreeing to alliances through marriage. Contact with the Chinese led to the introduction of astronomy and medicine, while a delegation sent to India brought back the basis for a Tibetan script. It was used in the first translations of Buddhist writings, in drafting a code of law and in writing the first histories of Tibet. By the time Buddhism arrived during the reign of Songtsen Gampo, it had already flourished for around 1100 years and had become the principal faith of all Tibet’s neighbouring countries. But it was slow to take hold in Tibet. The Indian Buddhist Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche brought the Indian Dharma writings into Tibet in the 9th century, passing through the Arun River into the Kama Valley then north through Tingri. He founded Samye Monastery under the reign of king Trisong Detsen (755–797). and introduced a teaching of Shambala, a concept of both a physical and metaphysical refuge or sanctuary. In the Kharta valley area below Mt Everest, the surrounding valleys and foothills were thought to be areas of enlightenment. There was a Tibetan notion of sacred geography.

For two centuries after the reign of Songtsen Gampo, Tibet continued to grow in power and influence with influence extended over Turkestan (modern-day Xinjiang), northern Pakistan, Nepal and India. In China, Tibetan armies conquered Gansu and Sichuan and gained brief control over the Silk Road. The religion changed and seven centuries later Tibetan Buddhists had adopted the idea that the abbots of its great monasteries were reincarnations of famous bodhisattvas known as the Dalai Lama, a compassionate patron saint of Tibet. In Buddhist tradition, bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who chose rebirth, rather than moving on to the afterlife, in order to serve humanity. The Dalai Lamas ruled Tibet as a theocracy from the middle of the 17th century until rule by China in 1950. The Dalai Lama is considered the spiritual leader of Tibet. The Mongols invaded Tibet in 1240 and Tibet was incorporated into the Mongol Empire, retaining nominal power over religious and regional political affairs. The Mongol empire waned into the Yuan Dynasty, which declined leaving Central Tibet to be ruled by successive families from the 14th to the 17th century. The rise of the Dalai Lama's was intimately connected with the military power of Mongolian clans. Tibetan Buddhism is adhered to widely in the Tibetan Plateau, Mongolia, northern Nepal, the Russian Far East and northeast China. It is the state religion of Bhutan and the Indian regions of Sikkim and Ladakh. Tibetan Buddhism developed from its origin as a philosophy into a religion governed by complex rules that are ingrained into every facet of most Tibetan’s life. I witnessed the pilgrims practicing ancient rituals or tantras in a variety of temples from Lhasa to Shigatse.

Norbulingka Summer Palace, Barkhor Street Lhasa; Below: Potala Palace and monks

Pilgrims walking the Barkhor Street circuit around Jokhang Temple, Lhasa Songtsam Linka Boutigque Lodge Lhasa, amazing five star lodge and wonderful staff with Tibetan Itinerary CONTACT: https://www.songtsam.com/en/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=lists&catid=21