himalayan hijinks
w
e endured the six-hour bus ride to
the annapurna Conservation area
from atop the rickety Tata’s roof, hanging on
for dear life and ducking overhead power wires.
The strenuous, one-and-a-half-day hike from
the annapurna Sanctuary trailhead up the
Modi Khola valley rewarded us with one of
the most spectacular river put-ins in the world.
annapurna South and Machapuchare peaks
loomed nearly six vertical kilometres above
the steep mountain creek. a total of eight
7,000-plus-metre summits in the surrounding
annapurna Massif, including 8,091-metre
annapurna One, fed the Modi Khola.
a few initial kilometres of wonderfully
continuous class iV soon evolved into stomping
class V rapids as the creek gained volume
and inertia. after a long day on the river, we
walked to a nearby village for a dinner of Dal
bhat (a nepali staple of rice and lentils) and a
comfortable bed in a trekkers’ lodge. On the
Modi Khola, as with many rivers in nepal, we
could enjoy a multi-day paddling trip without
any of the usual discomforts.
From the tourist town of Pokhara, nepal’s
adventure capital, we organized many more
trips. Some classic rivers—such as the Seti, Kali
Gandaki and Marsyangdi—could be reached
with relative ease from Pokhara using public
buses, cabs and ancient footpaths. Heading
to a few of the more remote rivers required
patience, perseverance, some major string
pulling and even the odd bribe. but fly-in trips
like the Thule behri and Humla Karnali reward
determined paddlers with some of the longest,
best class V multi-days anywhere in the world.
TOP: The chaos of Kathmandu. “If you’re
looking for a challenge on a layover day,
rent a motorbike for $4 and try navigating
these streets—brings a whole new meaning
to ‘finding the line.’”
BOTTOM: Modi Khola, day two. Kiwi hotshot
Sam Sutton was our team’s fearless probe
in the steepest rapids and long, continuous
stretches of the upper Modi Khola. On
the easy run-out rapids of the lower river,
beneath the gaze of sacred Machapuchare,
Sutton styles a pillow rock with typical flair.
The takeout, as with most rivers in Nepal,
is at the first road bridge. You simply wave
down a bus—no shuttle required.
6 Rapid spring 2010
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