Jangothang Base Camp with Jhomolhari rising two miles above
the ruins which are at 13,500 feet. Their history is lost. They seem
to have been built for aesthetic enrichment. They are not
strategically positioned like a fort might be, although they are
on raised mounds. They are tucked too far in towards the
White Mountain and away from the main valley to give a good
view of travelers on the main routes. There are no passes to cross
directly towards Jhomolhari. Click on photo for an aerial view.
It might look and feel like the mountain is very close, with a hidden
upper valley just beyond the ruins. The lower glaciers are actually
5 miles away! A direct line through the air to the summit would
extend for 6 miles. It would take 25 seconds for the first sounds
of an avalanche to reach us. You would hear it, but not see it,
unless you happened to be already zeroed in on the exact piece
of mountain that is moving.
