In my previous two posts I shared photographs from the small Himalayan village of Nako on the border of India and Tibet – one of our stops in a motorcycle tour through the Spiti Valley, high in the Himalayas in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Our stay was short, just overnight – so there wasn’t much time to explore and photograph. Early on the morning of the day we were headed out, however, I got up before sunrise and hiked up to the ridgeline (about 14,000 feet, or 4,300 meters) for some spectacular views.
As I made my way up the narrow well-worn path the sun was rising, casting shadows from the clouds across the valley onto the massive slopes of the peaks beyond. I passed by some simple small temples and several rock constructions that were part of old and maybe ongoing efforts to signify the religious importance of these sites. Tall multicolored flags and strings of colorful banners appeared here and there.
I encountered just a few people on the path in my trek up and back – one man was leading a small group of cattle, another was carrying an adze over his shoulder. A small pond appeared, built into the steep slope with a rock retaining wall – apparently a source of water for cattle and livestock crossing the ridge.
Upon reaching the ridge, a beautiful view of the imposing mountain faces across the next valley appeared. The low early-morning sunlight hit the distant clouds, and patterns of sun and shade were cast on the high slopes and peaks – Tibet was just beyond.
At the beginning of my hike up to the ridge I shot this panorama of the little village of Nako in the soft light just before sunrise, against the background of the large mountain ranges across the Spiti Valley beyond.
I passed by the terraced slopes above the village. A lot of the village was engaged in bringing in a crop of peas at the time of our visit.
A little farther along I turned back and shot this view of the village and some of its lower fields. You can see how the little community is built on a shoulder of the mountain. Irrigation with captured snow melt must sustain this little agricultural outcropping.
The path to the ridge hugs steep slopes in some spots. Here a stone retaining wall has been built to hold the path up against the mountainside.
A man accompanies four cattle up the path to the ridge – perhaps he’s trading or selling them in another small village on the slopes of the valley beyond?
A man traveling up the path with an adze over his shoulder – maybe he’s headed for some work in a neighboring village?
In several spots along the way there were small temples and other simple structures, probably of some religious significance.
Next to this section of the path a long pile of flat stones with inscriptions runs along the top of an adjacent low earth structure.
The inscribed flat stones are in a bit of a jumble here at the end of the low earth structure. I didn’t have time to find out the origins of the stones or their significance.
A broader view of the end of the low stone structure, with part of the village and Spiti Valley beyond.
A panorama of the scene, showing again the awesome setting of the village.
There isn’t much plant life at these high elevations, but this beautiful bush was in bloom. The slopes must be covered in snow most of the year.
Tall multicolored flags appear on the slopes along the path here and there.
At top of the ridge in a little saddle this cone-shaped structure of rocks supports lines of colored flags.
The view from the other side of the ridge was spectacular – steep rugged mountains veiled with early morning clouds. I believe Tibet is on the other side of this range.
A broader panorama of the view beyond the ridge shows steep ranges, a valley, and the shadows of the early morning clouds. I didn’t have much time to admire the view – it was time to head back down the path to Nako and join the group for another day of motorcycling.
