Friendship Highway continuing west from Nangartse towards the mountains of the Karo-la Pass |
Kalurong Qu river flowing down from the Karo-la Pass |
Friendship Highway heading for the snow covered peaks |
Kalurong Qu valley |
Our Landcruiser |
Friendship Highway leading up to Karo-la Pass |
Kalurong Qu Valley between Nangartse and the Karo-la Pass |
Snowcapped Kaluxung 6674m (21,896ft) |
That looks like serious avalanche danger (N28.862/E090.209), east face of Kaluxung (6674m) |
Nganyang Valley leading to the north off the Friendship Highway (N28.89/E90.26) |
high point on the ridge leading to Kaluxung South Summit (6536m). Location: 28°50'59"N 90°14'01"E. Altitude: 6302m |
Kaluxung Icefall (N28.876/E090.225) |
Kaluxung icefall and glacier (姜桑拉姆冰川) |
Good road leading up Karo-la Pass |
Yaks grazing near the river on the valley floor |
Scenery looking south from the road to Karo-la Pass |
Deep blue sky with snow covered Mount Nojin Kangtsang 7191m |
The massive glacier on the south face of Mount Nojin Kangtsang |
Detail of the glacier on the south face of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang |
Karo-la Pass at the foot of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang 7191m |
Prayer flags and stupa at Karo-la Pass |
Mt. Nojin Kangtsang 7191m |
Stupa at 5039m in front of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang 7191m |
Primitive shelter at the base of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang |
High point on the southwest ridge of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang with an avalanche waiting to happen along the ridge |
Peak on the east side of the Nojin Kangtsang glacier |
Nojin Kangtsang glacier |
Nojin Kangtsang Glacier |
Stupa (chörten) with prayer flags at the summit of Karo-la Pass |
Karo-la Pass summit, around 16,200 ft |
Stupa (chörten) Karo-la Pass |
Karo-la Pass |
Karo-la Pass |
Meltwater from the glacier forming a waterfall |
Karo-la Pass |
Oven for offerings, Karo-la Pass |
Oven for offerings, Karo-la Pass |
Sheep grazing, Karo-la Pass |
Stupa and prayer flags, Karo-la Pass |
Prayer flag covered stupa beneath Mt Nojin Kangtsang |
Stupa, prayer flags and glacier, Karo-la Pass |
Stupa, prayer flags and glacier, Karo-la Pass |
Tiny village set up to service tourists stopping at Karo-la Pass |
Mount Nojin Kangtsang 7191m |
Karo-la Pass, no parking |
Mt. Nojin Kangtsang and the village at Karo-la Pass |
Continuing the drive west to Gyantse past Mt. Nojin Kangtsang |
Odd vegetation near Karo-la Pass |
The Friendship Highway heading westwards down the other side of Karo-la Pass |
We were doing well on time, so I took a short hike towards Mt Nojin Kangtsang starting about 2 km west of Karo-la Pass |
A side view of Mt Nojin Kangtsang |
Mt Nojin Kangtsang from around 2 km west of Karo-la Pass |
Mt Nojin Kangtsang from around 2 km west of Karo-la Pass |
A little brown bird foraging among the rocks |
West side of Karo-la Pass |
High point on the southwest ridge of Mt Nojin Kangtsang |
Headed back to rejoin the Land Cruiser |
Crystals I bought from a kid at Karo-la Pass |
Tent of nomadic Yak herders west of Karo-la Pass |
Yaks |
Yaks and nomadic yak herder |
The Friendship highway decending to the next valley |
The water flowing west from Karo-la will pass Gyantse and join the Yarlung Tsampo near Shigatse |
The broad valley between Karo-la Pass and Simi-la, the next pass to the west on the road to Gyantse |
Small village in the middle of the broad valley (N28.911/E90.079) |
Hills on the west side of the valley between Karo-la and Simi-la |
Village of identical Tibetan-style houses on the side of the road |
Looking back at Mt. Nojin Kangtsang 7191m |
The Buddhist mantra Om Mani Padme Hum written in white stone |
A rocky outcropping with prayer flags |
Friendship Highway headed west for the third pass on the road to Gyantse, Simi-la |