There were lodges scattered about every 1/2
hour to 1.5 hours along the trail. Most of these lodges were merely
stone huts that became less and less cleanly and inviting, further up
the trail. All of the lodges were stocked with drinks and supplies.
Often because of the less extreme night time temperatures at the lower
elevations you could sleep in your sleeping bag outside of the lodge.
Inside, the rooms were often upstairs. The beds were basically a thin
blanket thrown on top of a mattress. You needed your sleeping bag for
warmth at most lodges. Some did have extra blankets that were dirty and
smelled bad. For some reason the price of lodging became less expensive
the further up the trail. The night we spent at 16,200 feet, we paid 10
cents American for our lodging.
The lodges had a first floor for dining, cooking, and relaxing. All the
lodges had wood stoves, some had two, one for cooking and one for heat.
Some did not. Yak dung was the preferred fuel of choice. The smell was
driving me crazy after a few days on the trail. Most of the lodges were
quite dark inside.
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