Everest Trek - Day1 5

The guides, minus 1, Won

Day 15 - Retreat to Dingbuche

After the longest approaching of our lives; 12 days hike, of which 4 days was for acclimatization, and 8 hours of actual approach to the top of Lobuche, we begin the journey downwards. For the past 5 days We lived at no less than 4,900 meters.

A solid night sleep at basecamp, we naturally wake up at 6am. As breakfast was prepared we suffer our last bit of AMS and pack our packs. We are to carry our 20kg packs all the way down to lukla where our fligt awaits us back to Kathmandu.

We were told we can lighten our loads and give our climbing gear to the porters who'll leave the gear in Lukla for us to repack. We were not going to deny that.

Shortly after, we start our first of lasts. Starting with basecamp. 2.5 hours later, we descended to 4,600 meters, the lowest altitude we've been in in over 5 days, at Dingbuche. Our AMS instantly completely over. And we feel strong with our breathing.

We remember reaching this altitude the first time suffering our first serious symptoms of AMS. Now we cheer at the fact we have reached this altitude again and getting rid of AMS.

An overwhelming sadness flooded us as we realize this is the beginning of the end. The climax of Lobuche peak is over and before s the long sad journey back down. But to new and exciting adventures back home in South Africa!

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Everest Trek - Day 14

Sunrise on the way up Lobuche

Day 14 - 2nd attempt for the summit

"Wake up Didi!" Won shouted. Didi meant sister in Sherpa. He shouted at Christa.

"We're up! We're up!" Ian responded back.

Well, second attempt for the summit. Hours earlier we had as gourmet of a feast as our AMS would allow. It's funny, we'd thought we'd acclimitze faster. It's been one week already living at 4,900 meters ASL and we're still not fully acclimitized.

We head back up the same route as yesterday, but stronger. Less stops and shorter ones too. We scramble up boulders and pass sketchy roped sections and scramble some more. 

By day break, our pace has slowed significantly. That would be 4.5 hours into the hike up. We also passed the snow line and currently trudging on ice. Ian started using his ice axe as Christa gets helped up by the guide. What a gentleman he is.

"You have the biggest smile on your face" Christa said to Ian as she looked back. "And it's been such a huge smile since we've started this hike"

Looking ahead to the summit

Finally the guides stop on a sunny plateau where the sun was beating down the ice. We slapped on our boots and crampons, put on our harnesses and attached ourselves to the line that was set up. The longest rest so far on the trek up. About 30 minutes. We're at the 6 hour mark of just pure uphill hiking and scrambling. The climbing starts now.

We're attached to the main safety line by a jumar. Ice pick goes in, using the French Technique, Ian smacks up the side of the mountain. *SMACK SMACK SMACK Rest - slide jumar up* Breath for what feels like 10 minutes, sucking in oxygen through a straw. We are considered at the extreme end of lack of oxygen. At this altitude, we have 9.7% oxygen compared to 21% at sea level. That's less than half of the oxygen required to function normally.

At this point Christa has suffered as much as she could. 50 meters from the summit she decides to retreat. It's the smartest thing to do, to know your limits. Had she pushed her limit to keep going, dangerous situations may come sideswipe us blind sided. She turns to head down with her guide leaving Ian and Won to hit the summit.

Victory summit salute!

Ian sees Won run up to the top and decides he could do that too, for the last 5 meters of the climb. Worst idea ever. Oxygen never made it to the brain and his vision goes black. Comes to a split second later breathing his heart out of his throat and crawls up the rest of the 4 meters. 

Snap a few pictures, document the top, and retreat. Loaded up the ATC and started the rappell back down. End up at the plateau change into hiking boots and descended using the French Technique. 

3 hours later everyone arrives at camp. 3pm, we get to eat and pass out.

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Everest Trek - Day 8

Dingbuche "quick" hike

Day 8 - Dingbuche and more acclimitization.

A 4 hour hike that otherwise would've taken 2 hours. It seems like every time frame that's given to us we should add 1.5 to it. These porters and guides not only carry a load of stuff, but theyre also pre-acclimatized to this altitude. We made it to 4,300 meters today.

Were starting to see familiar faces on the trip as other trelkers are taking the same route. Were starting to hear stories of people getting altitude sickness. Ian got his share before pangboche, just yesterday. Christa is holding out strong. were not blasting up huge altitudes every day. Were to stay here in dingbuche for 2 days to acclimatized more.

We also finally dived into a hot showered. 450 rupees. That's about 5 dollars. It'll get more expensive as we go up. But this would be (so we think) our last real stop before heading up, so were like to shower. Well probably be doing the wipe down afterwards with next to freezing water.

We are now also in yak territory. And snow territory. And constant high winds territory. Good thing were staying in a tent tonight to Get ready for base camp at lobuche. It'll be colder and windier than here.

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Everest Trek - Day 5

Namche Bazaar. Rest for 2 days

Day 5 - Trek

We wake up, pack, eat breakfast and set out for Namche Bazaar at 8 am. It was 3 hours away. This is also the first big altitude hike. Climbing from 2,700 meters to 3,400 (appox.) We didn't know it could take 4 hours to climb 700 vertical meters.

We follow the river bends from the glacial melt up the trail. After the one bend, we were able to catch iur first glimpses of Everest. It was so far away, but it was still so big. From here on out, it was straight up hill.

We also started to experience the thinner air with heavier breathing and more rests. It took a lot more effort to hike up hill. The porters shot straight up carrying our 40kg bags. They arrived 2 hours before us while carrying our gear while we carried nothing. We've never felt so unfit in our lives.

Tea houses also completely dissappeared from our previous day. Water, snacks and civilization is starting to become more and more dispersed as villages get further away from more easily accessible roads. Were spending 2 nights in namche bazaar to acclimitize to the altitude.

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Everest Trek - Day 4

Day 4 - Let the suffering commence!

Runway on Lukla

Ian looks out the cockpit window of the twin otter plane twin proppeller plane. The runway is in full view of and covers the whole window. That usually doesn't happen when you're about to land. A huge "thunk" and jostle and the plane lands.

The flight in, you fly through the valley of the khumbu glacier melt, which comes from Everest. On one side you can see the bottom of the valley, the other, the mountain wall of some snow capped Peak.

Lukla. The worlds most dangerous runway. The biggest planes are twin engines that can fit on the run way. The runway sits on a 11 degree incline and its very short. The way the plane takes off is pretty much dive bombing down the end of the runway. We land and use the uphill incline to slowdown and stop.

The valley heading up

We get our packs and follow Pema. This route is actually more popular than originally thought. But most people are only going as far as namche bazaar. Few make it to base camp and even less go to Lobuche.  We also meet our porters for the first time. We have two porters, one for each of our packs. They're to carry our food, tent, kitchen and more climbing equipment later on. Our packs together already total 40 kgs. Were expecting to meet up with our climbing guide and cook later on when we get closer to lobuche. What logistics to get 2 people up a peak! We eat a simple egg breakfast and start our trek!

Half way through the hike, we realize Christa'as hiking shoes decided to die on her. The soles literally ripped apart. And then even more a little further down the road. It was fixed temporarily by tying a hair band around the shoe. We jimmied it at night so hopefully we can get to our next destination to get shoes.
Ian's stomach bug loves his bum. He left in the morning realizing there is something still brewing inside. Time to call the insurance! Lets hope it works out.

We get into our first stop and stay in a tea house. There a so many tea houses along the way its ridiculous. We wouldn't have to bring anything! Along this route, its so based on trekker tourism that everything is catered toward that. We have dinner at the same place. There really isn't much option otherwise as far as food goes.

The tea house is basic, 2 beds with shared washroom. You have to pay for hot water shower and for electricity to charge your phones and what not. Luckily, we have our solar charger so we don't need it... yet.
After dinner at 8 everything shuts down and everyone goes to bed.  Its party central here! Good first day of actual hiking.

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And then there were mountains!

Looking ahead to the summit

Ok guys, here's the long awaited trek and climb! There's brief description of each day and will elaborate more in each section when there's more to read.

To-knows before reading:

• AMS = Acute Mountain Sickness, also known as altituded sickness where the body tries to compensae for lack of atmosphere and oxygen to the brain
• EBC = Everest Base Camp
• All heights are calculated in meters. Multiply by 3 (roughly) for feet.

Where: Everest Mountain Range

Destination: Lobuche Peak (6,100) via Everest Base Camp (EBC - 5,600) and Kala Pattar (5,900)

Acclimitization process: 2 days in Namche Bazaar (3,200), 2 days in DingBuche (4,700). Acclimitization hike to EBC (5,600). Day rest. Acclimitzation hike to Kala Pattar (5,900). Retreat to Lobuche Base Camp (4,900). Final height 6,100 meters at Lobuche Peak

Company: Travel Ways Nepal - Things not included were gear rentals and emergency high altitude rescue insurance.

Support team: 1 guide, 2 porters, 2 climbing guides. 2 Client total.

Number of days: 16 days on paper. 22 days total (Stuck 6 days in Lukla because of adverse weather)

Cost: ~2,000 USD

To skip right to pictures, check it here

Click the map to see what happened that day during the climb up. Not all events are documented in the map.
You may also click on the map and check out the links.
View Nepal Everest Base Camp and Lobuche Peak in a larger map

Everest Trek - Day 12

Day 12 - Kalla Pattar and back to Lobuche Base Camp

Up top of Kalla Pattar

We jerked awake at 5am and tried to shut the alarm off. Then Pema came knocking at our doora t 5:05. It was time to get up and climb Kalla Pattar. With bloodshot red eyes, we crawled out of bed. Ian went first to meet Pema. Christa was still in no good shape to tackle the mountain. At 5:30, departure time, she worked her boots on and coat on, like a boss.

We leave the safety of the hut and into the blanket of fog. We could barely see 5 meters ahead and rain began its' pitter patter. We needed to acclimitize, even Christa said so, especially after she had gotten sick before EBC. We meet some familiar faces along the way and decide to keep pace with them.

The mountain decided to give us some really mixed reviews of weather as the monsoon season was coming near. It rained and then became sunny and rained again all within a span of 3 hours hiking up and down.

The valley between Lobuche and Everest

We reach the top quite climatically as it was our highest point of the trek yet, 5,900 meters. The air is super thin and we are feeling the altitude big time now. We spend 20 minutes at the top breathing in whatever oxygen is available at that altitude and snapped a few pictures. We being our journey down. Not to Gorakshep, but all the way down to Lobuche Base Camp, where were were on Day 10. A full verticle kilometer away, which took 6 hours to climb.

As we approached Lobuche village, it began hailing. It was about 2pm at that stage and we were both exhausted. We hadn't eaten anything significant as our bodies weren't very happy with the altitude. Plus all the hiking we had gone through just earlier. We stop in a restaurant and meet our second climbing guide, Won. We were another hour or two from Lobuche Base Camp where we could actually crash and sleep.

After a grueling longest 2 hours ever, we collaspe in our tent after a small bite to eat. Pema tried to shove as much as he could down our throats. Shortly after, we were shown how to use our climbing equipment, which we are all too familiar with. Funny thing is, never showed us how to use the ice axe, which Christa could use some instructions on. In hindsight, more focus on the ice axes and less on equipment we already know how to use.

After the quick demo and orientation Pema tried to shove more food into our stomachs.

"You're climbing at 2am!" He shouted as he left the tent.

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Everest Trek - Day 11

Day 11 - Gorakshep and Everest Base Camp

Everest Base Camp

We pack only a day pack to head up to Gorakshep which is the kick off point to head to Everest Base Camp. The packing took much longer than we expected as we are tired, frustrated and sick of AMS. The day was incredibly slow going. The altitude and AMS played such a huge role in making the trek really slow. Christa felt neauseas got sick a few times. But she continued to be badass and headed the trek.

Avalanches could be heard popping off everywhere as we walked down the Khumbu Glacial Valley. Fallen rocks and boulders litter the top of the glacier and from where we were hiking, it seemed as if it was another trail.

We reach closer to the Khumbu ice fall and catch the first glimpse of EBC. From a distance, we could see small, tiny collection of yellow dots on the ice. Upon closer inpsection, those were all tents of the expedition teams. It's located at the bottom of the Khumbu ice fall and the beginning of the glacier, logically. Imagine Everest was a waterfall with a river, the eddy after the waterfall is where the base camp is situated. Except this is all ice and it moves no where as fast as water. Let alone flowing. But it does move. Very slow.

Christa collasped in her bed with neausea as AMS kicks in, when we got to Gorakshep. We don't know why, but Ian still felt strong and AMS hasn't really affected him. He continued up toward EBC with Pema and snapped a few photos.

From Lobuche to Gorakshep took 6 hours. From Gorakshep to EBC and back, took 4 more hours.

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Everest Trek - Day 10

Day 10 - Lobuche base camp and storm

Beginning of a storm at Lobuche Base Camp

Not the worst storm ever. But being at 4,900 meters make it seem a lot more real when thunder is going off beside you. The winds are starting to pickup.

That and last night we heard avalanches popping off from everywhere.

The temperatures hover around freezing now. Basecamp is setup with a tent for washroom and kitchen among the sleeping tents. The washroom is a hole dug into the ground. Once you're done,you shove a bit of dirt to cover it.

Tomorrow, Everest base camp. (Imagine the climbers on Everest right now. Probably around camp 2 and 3, aka half way up.)

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Everest Trek - Day 13

Heading up Lobuche, 2nd attempt

Day 13 - Push for the summit

"Wake up Didi!" Won shouted. Didi meant sister in Sherpa. He shouted at Christa.

"We're up! We're up!" Ian responded back.

It got real the second time the alarm went off a
nd our guides smacking and banging our tent. Christa cursed her AMS and Ian tore out of his sleeping bag... and then cursed his AMS.

We were both exhausted from lack of sleep, hiking all day the previous day and can't stomach much food the whole time. Hot food was placed infront of us. Copious amounts. There was no way we could've eaten any of that. Christa downed her hot chocolate but left most the food. It was still hard to eat. Ian munched a bit more oats but couldn't finish everything.

Boots were laboriously put on and tied. Headlamps, check. Layers, check. Harnesses, check. AMS, check.

We started trudging through the depths of the night with a very narrow focus of light beam. The rocks slipped under our feet and gave way. 3 steps up, 2 steps down. Ian looks forward to the bigger boulders and ice sheets on the mountain. The going will go faster that way.

Heavy set breathing kicked in immediately. The AMS and fatigue was already pressing down. We had barely began. First rest stop seemed miles away. Then the rests became more frequent.

"We're retreating" Christa turned to Ian. "I"m far too exhausted for this climb. We haven't slept or eaten in the past 3 days."

And with that the team retreats to get some real energy for the actual climb.

We had climbed for 2 hours. Took another hour and half to retreat. We collapse in the tent as the sun peaked out of the sky.

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Everest Trek - Day 7

Makes you feel so humble at Dingbuche

Day 7 - Out of namche and onwards!

"1 more hour" Buba, one if the porters said. He said 1 hour an hour ago. We must be going really slow. Were at 3,900 meters and struggling through the clouds that have completely sucked any joy of being in the mountains. Each step is becoming more laboured. At 3,300 meters, the atmosphere provides 13% of oxygen, where as sea level is 21%. We've really reached above that level now.

The day started with a caravan of trekkers from namche. It was a beautiful clear morning and Mt. Everest was in full view. Days start out clear, but by mid day intimidating clouds would roll in. As the day wore on, we climbed higher and the clouds moved in and the temperatures sunked. We've reached about the Alpine level where trees are turning to brushes and snow covered peaks are now a common view.  We are constantly surrounded by 7,000 meter peaks with huge glacial formations on them. Yet we are still marching in dusty trampled roads.

The general rule of thumb when trekked in altitude is to not go higher than 600 meters a day, for optimal acclimitzation. We stopped 600 meters higher than our previous altitude and Ian can feel it. A night rest and then onwards to Dingbuche where well need 2 days of rest for acclimitization.

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Everest Trek - Day 9

Mt Everest Memorial

Day 9 - AMS and learning from it.

On the rest day in Dingbuche, Ian went for a bike for acclimitization while Christa rested her blistered feet. Ian climbed too high too fast and came back down with the worse AMS (acute mountain sickness) he's felt yet.

Usually rest, liquids and food helped. But this time it didn't. And its already been a day at this altitude. Hopefully the night will prove useful to help acclimtise. If not, its time to take some medication for AMS, diamox.

The porters have left for lobuche basecamp, 5 hours away. They carried the tents, the kitchen. And food. Very heavy stuff. We will do that trek tomorrow. They will come back for out packs in the morning. Very strong boys.

Previously, just remembered (see what altitude does?) we had passed the memorial for all the people who died on Everest.

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Everest Trek - Day 1

Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal

DAY 1

Not that we’re in love with Thamel, but that’s where everything happens in Kathmandu. And it’s a pretty cool area.

We left Hasera with bittersweet good byes. Mito’s awesome food and Govinda’s uplifting spirit will be sorely missed. We head with Sujan, our volunteer coordinator who placed us there, to the taxi waiting for us that takes us back to Thamel.

We all meet up with our guide, Pema, who we’ll see everyday for the next 19 days. We say our farewells to Sujan and a big hello to the fanciest hotel we’ve stayed in this entire trip! We have beds with clean sheets. I mean, not clean and have a few stains; these were white! Actually, white! We have a shower head! 2 weeks of pouring buckets of water over you to shower is an experience, but certain luxuries are welcoming return. Hot water! Ian finally had a clean shave. Inclusive breakfast! Pleather chairs! Relatively speaking, “western” standards we grew up with at home. But load-shedding, was still there. Pema has arranged for us Zen Holiday to stay in.

(Load shedding: When certain parts of the city shuts down electricity for a certain time for other parts of the city to have power)

This begins Day 1 of our himalayan experience. Not a bad start.

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