Most people have trouble breathing above 2,500
metres. Not these Nepali porters—they have plenty
of energy for a game of volleyball at well over 4,000
metres in the Annapurna Sanctuary. With 7,000- to
i
8,000-metre peaks all around, the Sanctuary is just a
two-day hike above the Modi Khola put-in.
arrived just as the last monsoon clouds were kayakers’ hangout in the tourist ghetto of
clearing and managed to join a raft-supported Thamel, we were surprised to see some familiar
trip on the high volume, low elevation Sun faces. JJ Shepherd of South Carolina, a veteran
Kosi. led by Dave allardice, a new Zealander of Himalayan kayaking missions, had just rolled
who pioneered whitewater rafting in nepal, the in from a rafting trip and norwegian huckster
trip celebrated 20 years of successful rafting in benji Hjort was on a quick sabbatical from his
the Himalaya and reunited many of the first teaching job. Seconds later, a distinctive voice
generation guides for one more run on this 300- announced the presence of Kiwi talent and
kilometre, multi-day beauty. The Sun Kosi trip young punk Sam Sutton as he emerged from his
also connected me with two keen and hilarious room with his usual larger-than-life charisma.
american boaters, Mefford williams and Shawn You have to love the kayaking community—
Robertson, who became partners for ensuing you show up alone in a distant country
paddling missions. and somehow find a solid team of old and
in Kathmandu, the frenetic capital of nepal, new friends just in time for the first big
williams, Robertson and i regrouped at the mission. but what was that mission going
Hotel Holy lodge to organize transportation to be? Shepherd directed our focus on the
and figure out logistics for some higher elevation Modi Khola, a river flowing right out of the
assaults. walking into the Holy lodge, a known spectacular annapurna Sanctuary.
himalayan hijinks
Rapid spring 2010
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