The Kyrgyzstan Trek Began Into The Aksu Valley
Daylight brought happy spirits to one and all. The sun was shining so we could actually see what was strewn everywhere inside our tents last night while undressing in the dark. TIP: It never hurts to carry your flashlight/torch in a backpack instead of duffel. Never know when it will come in handy. Breakfast, tore down the tents and set out along the Aksu River heading for a new campsite.
At an altitude of 5,850' last night, we'd gain over 3,000' in elevator to 9,948' and then spend two nights at this altitude for acclimatization. ex-Marine and I walked slowly accompanied by Jacque who imparted valuable wisdom about hiking at high altitude. If you've watch documentaries and movies on Everest and other seriously high mountain expeditions, and wondered, "Why are these climbers moving so slowly?"...this is the answer. The slower you move, the better you'll feel at the end of the day. You want to be a tortoise, not a hare, and Jacques taught us the "mountain rest step" where the weight is on the back foot on every step and how to exhale with force.
It's not easy to walk that slow because a person's natural inclination is to speed up but slow and steady is the smart hiker's rule at higher altitudes. We moved slowly past high rock faces which used to be a favorite Russian rock climbing location in the Soviet Union Days.
The first campsite was in sight of Aksu Peak (17,568') and Sabak (15,498'). On the way, we were greeted by Kyrgyz nomads and their children who inhabit the valley in the summer. This camp at 9,948' would be our home for two nights with the next day for acclimization purposes. It would have been difficult to imagine a more stupendous sight in front of our eyes than when the group walked into Aksu Valley. Snow-capped, rugged mountains, glaciers, green pastures and wildflowers. It actually brought gasps of awe and tears of joy.
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