**Day 6 — November 20

ICE LAKE (KICHO TAL) FROM MANANG**

“STRONG HEART, STEP BY STEP. SPIRIT BY SPIRIT, SOUL TO SUMMIT.”

Start / Approach

• Manang: ~3,540 m (≈11,614–11,615 ft)

• 4×4 drop point: ~3,900 m (≈12,795 ft) — reached by Toyota Land Cruiser over a snow-packed jeep track

High Point

• Upper Ice Lake / ridge above the lake: ~4,620 m (≈15,157 ft)

Ascent & Distance

• Net ascent from Manang (if walking): ~1,060 m (≈3,478 ft)

• Your actual ascent (starting at 3,900 m): ~700 m (≈2,297 ft)

• Trail distance (RT from your trailhead): ≈6.5 km (≈4.04 miles)

• Watch log (full day): 11.9 km • 15,388 steps • 13 stand hours

Grade & Time

• Average uphill grade: ~17–20%

• Upper switchbacks: punchy bursts of 25–30%

• Typical RT time: ~8 hours in dry conditions; longer with snow/ice due to careful footwork

Today’s Conditions

• Consolidated snow from 4,100–4,200 m (≈13,451–13,780 ft)

• Trekking poles + micro-spikes essential for icy traverses and the descent

• Bluebird skies, crisp air, and Ice Lake shimmering in its early-winter freeze

Trail Notes

The climb unrolled above Manang’s ochre slopes into a quiet, white amphitheater of corniced ridgelines and a glassy Ice Lake shimmering beneath Annapurna’s towers. The final zigzags were the real test—short, steep bursts where micro-spikes and poles turned uncertainty into rhythm.
Standing at the lake’s edge, ringed by Annapurna III, Gangapurna, and the high walls of the massif, felt like the distilled essence of ADVENTURE ANNAPURNA—clarity, cold, calm lungs, and complete presence.

Why This Day Was Special

You earned a 4,600+ m high-altitude, summit-style achievement in true early-winter conditions—strong, safe, steady.
A day where spirit truly met summit.

Gear That Mattered

• Trekking poles (pair): uphill cadence + downhill stability

• Micro-spikes: vital for icy traverses and shaded switchbacks

• Layering system: rapid on/off management for sun–shade temperature swings

• Eye protection & sunscreen: essential in high-alpine, snow-blinding light

Health & Pacing

• Kept a steady, nose-breathing rhythm

• Took short, frequent micro-rests on steep stretches

• Hydrated consistently + light carbs every 30–40 minutes

• O₂ at altitude ~90% is common — what mattered was how strong and symptom-free you stayed

Closing Thought

ABOVE ALL, ADVENTURE ANNAPURNA.
Days like this prove that age is just a number, altitude is a patient teacher, and consistency is the real strength.

Strong heart, step by step.
Spirit by spirit, soul to summit.