08/06/2026
The third time is not always the charm.
Peak monsoon on the first visit. A friend fell ill on the second. And this time, carefully calculated dates, supposed to be the best window of the entire year, the weather gods had other plans entirely.
Kanchenjunga hates me. That was my first theory.
But somewhere between running 32km on day one from Taplejung, rhododendron forests drowning out the sound of motor vehicles, and a fire pit in Lonak where an entire village came out in silence to watch the mountains appear for exactly one hour after weeks of rain, I stopped thinking about the summit view.
We made it to North Kanchenjunga BC but the knee-high snow at Selele pass ended our southern attempt right after it started. I was walking back down, foggy, visibility maybe 10 metres, feeling genuinely cursed, when I saw a silhouette. A Danphe — Nepal's national bird — half my height, standing in the path. It did not flee. It waited, then walked away slowly as I got closer. I am choosing to read that as a sign.
Dear Kanchenjunga, our hide and seek continues. I will be back. I have a reason to.
📷 photos and words by .takle
Srijan led HAL's Kanchenjunga Fastpack last month. You can read the full trip report on our website under the Stories section. The October 2026 Everest Three Passes Fastpack is our next group departure, link in bio. Come join us in the Himalayas.
