We returned in good health today from our 20-day trek in the Central Tian Shan. It was a wonderful wilderness experience, quite different from trekking in India or Nepal.

But the mountains were just as amazing. The Tian Shan reaches its highest point in this area of eastern Kyrgyzstan, with several mountains over 7000 meters and some of the largest temperate mountain glaciers in the world. We walked and camped on one of these for several days, and it was quite unique.

Our only complaint was the weather, with four rainy and snowy days and several other stormy evenings. The snow did prevent us from getting all the way up the glacier, where we would have gotten the best views of the highest mountains, but we still got close enough to have our rather soggy socks knocked off.

As with our other treks, we made day-by-day notes and pictures for those who want details, but it may be some time before I can assemble and post everything.

Our next step, if all goes well, is to cross the Torugart Pass and spend a week in and around Kashgar, China, then cross another pass through far southern Kyrgyzstan and then across the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan. All of these are legendary, isolated routes, but weather and political problems could always force us to change our plans. Stay tuned to watch our progress!