GOOD HOPE CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 15/07/2016

The "Good Hope Cave" is not a cave at all but a rock shelter (used as a rock-fall save campsite about 12 m wide, 3 m high, and up to 10 m deep) in some sort of unidentified base rock (gneisses?) above the right (western) bank of Myagdi Khola (west of Mt. Dhaulagiri), and near the upper end of Fierceful Gorge, which emerges from the lower reaches of Chhonbardau glacier / moraine. SITUATION: About three to four walking hours above the Italian Dhaulagiri Base Camp (on top of the ground moraine above the left / eastern bank of Myagdi Khola) or a day's walk below the Upper Dhaulagiri Base Camp (marked on the Mandala Map "Round Annapurna" near N28°46': E083°31'). The site lies on the "Round Dhaulagiri Trek" and may be reached both from Marpha (4 walking days) and Baglung (8 to 10 walking days). Coming from Marpha (Kali Gandaki valley) it takes about one day to reach Yak Kharka. On the second day Dhampus pass (or: Thapa Pass, 5250 to 5500 m asl) has to be crossed to reach Hidden Valley. On the third day French Pass (or: "French Col", 5360-5600 m asl) has to be crossed to reach the "Upper" Dhaulagiri Base Camp (marked on the Mandala Map "Round Annapurna" near N28°46': E083°31'). Descending on the fourth day from the Upper Base Camp down Chhonbardau glacier and Fierceful Gorge, the rock shelter ->Good Hope Cave (above the right / western bank of Chhonbardau glacier) is reached. The Italian (Dhaulagiri) Base Camp is situated some 2 hours further down. Civilisation is reached by descending further downstream the mountain pastures and hamlets Pakoban, Puchar, Chartare are abandoned most of the year. Only at Baghara (N28°30': E083°18'), two days below Good Hope Cave and the Italian Base Camp, basic provisions can be bought. From Baghara it takes about another week to reach Baglung (N28°21': E083°31') and the road to Pokhara [Rolf Lehner, personal correspondence 1993.01.19, 1993.02.15].