Our 'rest day' began with us waking at 0500, enjoying a hearty breakfast, and heading off to conquer the climb to Ice Lake at an all time high elevation of 4600m (or 15,091 ft). When preparing to climb at high elevation, like the Thorung La Pass at 5,416m (nearly 18,000 ft), it is essential for you to acclimatize yourself to the elevation. This is done by hiking at a hight altitude and then the very same day, descend and sleep at a lower altitude. As luck would have it, Ice Lake is the perfect opportunity to do this which translates to a rest day full of enduring steep climbs, low oxygen, and possible snowfall. "Fun" was clearly the first word to come to my mind, quickly followed by "relaxing" (that's clearly sarcasm).
While in Braga we were staying at a wonderful guesthouse where the owner was kind enough to walk us out to the mountain base and point us off into the proper direction. Fortunately, we didn't have to bring our enormous packs just to fill one with what we needed for lunch and to stay hydrated. Of course, Mark brought his pack because he's Mark and loves a good workout while Reb and I shared a pack which we'd also packed with cameras and extra cold weather gear as it looked like it was about to snow. We'd started off in conditions that were dark and gloomy with giant heavy clouds covering all the mountain peaks. Just by looking at them you could tell it was snowing where we were going. We expected it to take us four hours to get to the top and, with trying to stay optimistic, by the time we reached the top the storm would have blown over. About three hours into it we were beginning to wonder if we'd ever make it to the top. We'd get to the top of a peak, hoping to see the lake on the other side, only to be disappointed with another higher and steeper peak to conquer. Even though Reb and I were sharing the pack load we could still feel its heavy burden and yet, oddly enough, Reb felt she did better with the pack on. Combine that with the lack of oxygen and we were moving along at a snails pace or so it seemed. About our fourth peak up we thought, "surely this must be the last one" only to be met with a sign 'Ice Lake' with an arrow pointing up. Carved into the sign was a message so that the whole thing read: 'Ice Lake'...still a fucking long ways away. The thought of quitting, though slightly tempting, was never an option for us. What else could we do but push onward. Once near the top, of yet another peak, we felt the lake had to be only meters away. However, we weren't sure which path to take as there were multiple options. Eventually we made a choice but in time began to doubt ourselves. I decided that rather than stick to the trail and go around the mountain top, I would go straight up to the peak and look over. Of couse when I got to the top there was a downhill and then another peak to climb. Determined to see how far we had to go, I hiked up that one too and was rewarded with a glimpse of the lake! However, not wanting to waste all of my climbing efforts, I descended by to the peak which Reb and Mark were waiting below and tried to shout at them to continue along the path. Obviously unable to understand or hear me I had to jump up and down and make franctic motions with my arms in the direction they needed to head. Once we'd reached the lake, which was adorned with colourful prayer flags and a frozen bench coated with ice and snow, we went camera crazy.
The view at that altitude was impressive. I didn't even want to blink, just to take in the beauty and wonder and to hopefully burn the vision into my mind forever! We then enjoyed our picnic lunch, took a small nap or kip, and prepared for our descent. No surprise we lost our way but fortunately when going down there's only one directin to go...down. However, staying on the marked trail is much easier than making your own. We spent the last hour bracing ourselves amongst the rocks, loosing our footing, laughing (Reb & I) at Mark (of course), and the last few hundred meters we were traversing down the steep path formed from the flood waters while dodging yaks, goats, adn the occassional falling rock. It was just before dark when we rolled up to our guesthouse to be comfort by a warm, filling dinner and the solace of bed. This is one rest day that pushed and challenged me but also gave me the greatest sense of accomplishment and reward. Maybe they should all be like this?
