Islands in the Snow
Mark Horrell
Two days east of Lukla was a pleasant yak pasture surrounded by high peaks. When Col. Jim Roberts set out to look for it in 1953, he ended up making the first ascent of Mera Peak and sowing the seeds of Himalayan tourism.
Mera Peak has become a popular goal for trekkers and novice mountaineers, but few people climb to its true summit, and fewer still travel beyond it to find the secret yak pasture that sparked Roberts’ journey.
The yak pasture was the Hongu Valley, a hidden sanctuary of grassland, lakes and glaciers linking Mera Peak with the Everest region and Island Peak to the north. Fifty years after Roberts, Mark Horrell embarked on a trek through Nepal’s Khumbu region to follow in his footsteps, climb the two trekking peaks at either end of the valley, and resolve a long-standing mystery about Mera Peak’s height.
Join Mark on a captivating journey through this enchanting region of high mountains and remote valleys.
Duration - 3h 7m.
Author - Mark Horrell.
Narrator - Mark Horrell.
Published Date - Tuesday, 28 January 2025.
Copyright - © 2018 Mark Horrell ©.
Location:
United States
Networks:
Mark Horrell
Footsteps on the Mountain Diaries
Mountain Footsteps Press
English Audiobooks
INAudio Audiobooks
Description:
Two days east of Lukla was a pleasant yak pasture surrounded by high peaks. When Col. Jim Roberts set out to look for it in 1953, he ended up making the first ascent of Mera Peak and sowing the seeds of Himalayan tourism. Mera Peak has become a popular goal for trekkers and novice mountaineers, but few people climb to its true summit, and fewer still travel beyond it to find the secret yak pasture that sparked Roberts’ journey. The yak pasture was the Hongu Valley, a hidden sanctuary of grassland, lakes and glaciers linking Mera Peak with the Everest region and Island Peak to the north. Fifty years after Roberts, Mark Horrell embarked on a trek through Nepal’s Khumbu region to follow in his footsteps, climb the two trekking peaks at either end of the valley, and resolve a long-standing mystery about Mera Peak’s height. Join Mark on a captivating journey through this enchanting region of high mountains and remote valleys. Duration - 3h 7m. Author - Mark Horrell. Narrator - Mark Horrell. Published Date - Tuesday, 28 January 2025. Copyright - © 2018 Mark Horrell ©.
Language:
English
Opening Credits
Duration:00:00:10
Epigraph
Duration:00:00:23
Day 1 – The world’s scariest airport
Duration:00:12:21
Day 2 – Dehydration
Duration:00:03:50
Day 3 – Into the Hinku Valley
Duration:00:05:37
Day 4 – Bamboo forest
Duration:00:04:13
Day 5 – Into high moorland
Duration:00:06:41
Day 6 – Mirkwood
Duration:00:10:13
Day 7 – A tiny gompa
Duration:00:06:56
Day 8 – Boot trouble
Duration:00:03:20
Day 9 – A hidden valley
Duration:00:11:59
Day 10 – Onto the Mera Glacier
Duration:00:04:05
Day 11 – The Mera La
Duration:00:03:29
Day 12 – A glorious place to camp
Duration:00:08:38
Day 13 – A trio of summits
Duration:00:13:14
Day 14 – The Hongu Valley
Duration:00:08:19
Day 15 – High lakes
Duration:00:04:35
Day 16 – The Amphu Labtsa
Duration:00:09:45
Day 17 – Dust storm
Duration:00:02:16
Day 18 – Lhotse
Duration:00:04:35
Day 19 – Knife-edge ridge
Duration:00:11:13
Day 20 – Monks and snow storms
Duration:00:04:34
Day 21 – Into the Gokyo Valley
Duration:00:03:56
Day 22 – Arrival in Gokyo
Duration:00:04:06
Day 23 – The perfect Gokyo Ri experience
Duration:00:04:56
Day 24 – Ngozumba Tsho, the Fifth Lake
Duration:00:05:13
Day 25 – Across the Renjo La
Duration:00:04:36
Day 26 – Thame
Duration:00:06:10
Day 27 – Namche the building site
Duration:00:03:54
Day 28 – The busy Everest trail
Duration:00:06:32
Day 29 – Lukla to Kathmandu
Duration:00:03:53
Acknowledgements
Duration:00:01:38
About Mark Horrell
Duration:00:01:42
Ending Credits
Duration:00:00:17