An Overview of Bhutan and the SnowMan Trek

Bhutan:

Landlocked by a physical geography of almost impossible angles, Bhutan is isolated and remote.  As a result, the mystery and allure of such a place deepens in people like myself.   The entire country is mountainous, ranging in elevation from 100 meters to 7541 meters (Gangkhar Puensum). These mountains-the Himalaya- formed relatively recently, at least in terms of geological time.

Millions of years ago, Bhtuan was submerged at the bottom of a warm, shallow body of water called the Tethys Sea;  the Tibetan Plateau was beachfront property.  As the continental plates shifted, the landscape of planet Earth changed.   About 45 million years ago, India collided with the Eurasia, as the Indian plate moved inexorably to the north.  The result of this collision is the crumpled geometry of the Himalaya.    It's hard to fathom the forces required to build such a magnificent topography, but those forces are still sculpting the mountain chain today.  The Himalaya grow about 5millimeters per year, which is why I decided to visit sooner rather than later!

   About the size of Switzerland, Bhutan is wedged snugly between India and  (Tibet) and China.  Like its neighbors, Bhutan is steeped in Buddhist tradition.   The culture of Bhutan is unique, primarily because of  its isolation from the rest of the world, but things are slowly changing.   In 1997, Pepsi built a bottling factory in Bhutan; television arrived in 1999.  However, as far as I know, there are still no traffic lights in the capitol, Thimphu. 

The people of Bhutan are trying to navigate their entry into the  modern world,  while preserving their own culture, through  an agenda known as "Gross National Happiness".  This agenda outlines criteria to measure development in terms of their society's greater good.  For instance, visitors to Bhutan are required to pay $200 per day, which limits the number of tourists in the country and provides revenue for preserving the land and biodiversity of the country.   Bhutan has incredible biodiversity, including 5446 species of vascular plants, 178 species of mammals and 770 species of birds.  Forests cover 72.5% of the country; much of it in areas that could be razed for agriculture and development.  Government policy ensures these areas will be preserved.  Thankfully, this deep respect for nature, an aspect of Buddhism, permeates even the government in Bhutan.

The Snowman Trek:
Often dubbed "the hardest trek in the world",  the Snowman Trek winds its way through the western corner of Bhutan.  I assumed it earned that distinction because it's expensive, but as I researched in more detail, I think it has more to do with the altitude, steep terrain, weather and remoteness.  The trek crosses 11 mountain passes, nine of which are over 4500 meters.   For much of the year, the trails are impassable, due to the combination of altitude and monsoon season.  The best time for trekking is late September to early November, after the rainy season.  Fewer than 50% of those who attempt the trek complete it; I'm hoping that statistic is due to weather, not physical hardships! We'll see.....