Our fourth day of hiking was the high point of the trip, both literally and figuratively. We reached 14,000 feet on the way to the namesake of our trek: Abujee Mountain. Abujee is a concocted word, combining two Tibetan expressions. When I asked what it meant, our guide team explained that when they experience something wondrous, they will often exclaim, "Abubu" or "Ajeejee." Sort of like "Wow" for us, though I got the feeling that those phrases were reserved for natural settings. In any case, Abujee simply takes the name of that wonder. After reaching the pass, the group descended to the lake at the base of the mountain, a holy site for Tibetans. Thanks to Elisa, CJ, and Ms. Malone for contributing pictures to this post.
We set off into a thick, rapidly shifting fog.
As the clouds riffled through the morning, the trail gained altitude, revealing ever new layers of scenery.
Sonam leads the way toward the distant peak of Abujee, which we didn't see on our entire approach.
Though rhododendrons were fading at lower altitudes, they were peaking at this height.
After a strenuous climb, the group gained this mountain pass, part of a cirque that looked down to the view below:
On the other side of the cirque was a pass that looked out onto Abujee (still behind the cloud) and the lake far below.
If you enlarge this photo, you'll see a ceremonial site on the promontory, draped with prayer flags.
As a native Tibetan, Sonam explained that lakes are often holy sites. Here, he lights incense to invoke the spirits of the lake.
Prayer flags, another feature of Tibetan culture, hold the prayers of the person who places them. They are often hung in windy locations (bridges, mountain tops); each time they flap in the wind, they disseminate prayers. These particular flags contain the words, "Om mani padme hum," a Buddhist mantra that invokes compassion and safety. Though there is no easy translation of the phrase, you can find a pretty good explanation of it here.
As the group ate lunch at the lake, the clouds lifted, revealing Abujee in the background.
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