Classic Hikes of the World

Classic Hikes of the World

An excerpt from Peter Potterfield's new book on the world's best hiking routes
By Peter Potterfield

I am awakened at Dingboche by a sound drifting in from the edges of consciousness, soothing and exotic, but not identifiable. As sleep fades, my oxygen-deprived brain grinds on toward cognition, and finally recognition: yak bells. The mellow peeling rings out as the shaggy beasts forage among the sparse vegetation outside the tents.

Lying inside the tent among the billowy folds of nylon and down, I relish the warmth, and the moment. Ahead is another day of wonder in the heart of the Himalaya. This part of Nepal, the Khumbu, is named for the glacier that tumbles down the flanks of nearby Mount Everest--Sagarmatha to the locals. This is the center of the Sherpa universe, and immersion in that friendly culture combines with Himalayan terrain to make this the quintessential mountain journey on the planet. Click here to read the full excerpt from Peter Potterfield's book 'Classic Hikes of the World'.