Trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal: July 2009

Photos: Trek to Everest and People

Wed April 22 (day 4) - Things went smoothly today, and we left Kathmandu for Lukla. We will make it to EBC (Everest Base Camp) after all!

Our prop plane was piloted by two pilots jointly (This is pretty much unheard of. As a rule, only one person controls the plane at any given time. But here, they needed co-pilot just to control wing flaps, while the other focused on the rest.) Brian from our group -left in the picture with a cap- was a retired Delta Airlines pilot -and a Navy pilot prior to that. He was watching the whole thing intensely through the open cockpit doors, and even he was in awe.

Only later we realized that this flight was the most dangerous part of our trip. To appreciate what those pilots do to get us there safely, watch landings at Lukla airport (LUA) on YouTube (another link) Landing on such a short runway that dead ends in a stone wall and has a 15 degree up slope, takes both pilots working together seamlessly. Quite a feat! As you can imagine, for take off, you fly in the opposite direction - down-slope and at the end of the runway, where there is a 2000 ft cliff, ready or not, you ARE airborne!

It takes time to adjust to the Himalayan weather - it is hot during the day and cold at night (much like San Francisco weather,) but it cools down much faster as soon as the sun goes down behind surrounding mountains. By 4:30 PM or even earlier, fog rolls in and all activity shuts down. At this high altitude and thinner air, sun feels hotter on your skin even though temperatures are moderate. Trails are very crowded and dusty at times; water is hard; and food is of limited variety. Bouts of coughs, colds, some stomach problems - all part of the experience!

Each porter carries bags for 2 trekkers (30 kg) - wearing flip flops

Traffic Jam

On the bright side, we got the first glimpse of Everest on the very second day - and every day thereafter. All I wanted to do was to see Mount Everest with my own eyes - I would have been fine turning back after the second day. Of course, you do want to get even closer - for more excitement and more torture!

Kathmandu is at 4400 feet elevation. The starting point of our trek at Lukla airport is 9186 ft. (Numbers vary a lot, but you get the idea.)

From there, we drop down to 8700 feet at Phakding, and eventually climb up to EBC at 17575 ft. The highest point on our trek is Kala Patthar at 18192 ft. For reference, the "real Himalayas" -meaning the home of ice/snow- begin at 20000 ft. After that, you may need to carry oxygen with you. Anything lower is considered just the "foothills." In other words, for all our efforts, we will still not get to the real Himalayas! Only close enough.

Many many peaks around Lukla - and in Sagarmatha National Park - are not even named - they were not tall enough to deserve it.

EBC (5364 m) is in the valley next to Khumbu Glacier - imagine the palm of your hand with fingers being the giant mountains. In shape of backward letter "C" - #1 Everest (8850 m), #4 Lhotse (8414 m) and #20 Nuptse (7861 m) surround EBC. From the base camp, you are staring at mountain walls another 8 to 11 thousand feet tall in every direction. Distances are short but very treacherous. For example, we were only 4.5 miles walking distance to the top of Mount Everest from EBC. Imagine that! Note that although you can see Everest Summit the entire time as you are approaching EBC, it is not visible from EBC itself - the Everest's shoulder blocks the view.

By my rough calculations, we will be climbing roughly 10000 ft from Lukla to EBC. In reality, each day's hike involved many ups and downs. Typically, we would climb up some distance on one hillside, only to come way down to cross the (Dudhkoshi) river, and then climb back up again on the other hillside. To help acclimatization, each daily trek would end up in a valley or some point lower than the highest point for the day. Counting all those ups and downs, our total elevation change must have been twice as much (say, 20000 ft one way.) We of course had to traverse the same ups and downs in reverse on the way back. So in total, we must have easily climbed more than the entire elevation of Mount Everest - 29029 ft.

An interesting fact: the very first calculation of Mount Everest's elevation - done in 1850s, came to exactly 29000 ft. So as not to appear like a rounded number, they marked it as 29002. Since then, Everest has been rising slowly each year and is now measured more precisely at 29029 ft using GPS. There is about 6 ft of snow on top.

Mount Everest was named after George Everest, British Surveyor General of India at the time, at the recommendation of his successor, Andrew Waugh. The Tibetan name is Chomolungma "Goddess Mother of Mountains," and the Nepali name is Sagarmatha. Mount Everest itself is shaped like a tripod with South Face (everything South of two "pods") being part of Nepal, and the rest (third "pod" and the North and East faces) in Tibet/China. For more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest

Some details of today's hike - we got on the 9:20 am flight out of Kathmandu. Our 15 passenger plane had limited luggage space per person(15 kg. maximum - rest of our luggage was left at the hotel.) They hitched the trailer carrying our bags to the back of our bus which took us to the plane. By the time we boarded the plane, our bags were loaded and we were off to the runway. Our air hostess barely had enough time to check our seat belts, hand out newspapers and mints. Since there was no cockpit door as mentioned above, we could watch the pilots and also the view in the front.

The twin engine plane took only 35 minutes to fly north east of Kathmandu to Lukla. Weather was clear the entire way except for the smog at Kathmandu itself. We saw some snow peaks along the way, but the more majestic ones were days away. Landing was flawless. Our foot power was going to take us the rest of the way - nature and our own bodies cooperating.

Lukla airport was chaotic also because no one was able to fly out of Lukla yesterday - just like we were stuck in Kathmandu. Here, planes turnaround and fly back within 15 -20 minutes. The moment we got out of the plane, returning passengers were being loaded.

Our guide Giri was with us on the flight. Rest of our support group - 3 Sherpa plus 3 porters (one each per two trekkers is the math) - was waiting for us at Lukla. They had hiked for 3 days from their villages to get to Lukla. Sherpa were assistant guides, knew and understood some English, and their job was to keep the group together. There was always one Sherpa in front and one at the back (caboose.) If anyone of us - mostly me - slowed down or stopped for any reason, one Sherpa would wait for them.

They had the entire trek planned out day by day including which path to take, where to stop for lunch, where to stay at night, the whole bit. With no cell phone connectivity, it would be quite a challenge to find someone if they got lost. On the other hand, as we later found out, there was very little chance of that happening. There were far too many people on the trails at all times - and someone spoke/understood English.

We walked out of the airport only with our backpacks. Porters carried our bigger bags (HGT supplied us hardy blue duffel bags you see in the pictures above, that were perfect for rough handling.) Once outside the tiny airport building, we turned left and climbed up a few feet to the top of the "dead end stone wall" at the end of the runway. From here, we could see the entire runway, planes coming over the hills, and planes land and take off. This is the wall we would run in to if our plane did not stop in time.

That was barely a 40-50 foot climb, but it had all of us out of breath. No one said anything at the time, but a few days later, we all confessed what was going through our minds: "how am I going to climb the next 10000 ft, if I can't handle this 50 ft climb." Remember the altitude, our guide Giri reminded us. Our bodies had to get used to being at 9000 ft first.

We relaxed at a nearby hotel (where we stayed overnight on our last day) while Giri made all the arrangements. We started our trek around 11 am at the arch. Since we had missed one day, our entire itinerary and hotel reservations had to be adjusted. Typically, porters would rush off to the next stop as soon as we packed up our big bags in the mornings and booked rooms for us for that night. Even while carrying 30 kg load and wearing flip flops, they managed to get there in half the time it took us with our fancy shoes and hiking poles.

The trail began generally downhill with some gentle climbs (we called them Nepali Flats. Not like Texas Flat with absolutely no ups and downs!) - perfect for the first day. After walking for about two hours, we stopped for lunch. All meals -breakfast, lunch and dinner- were included along with tea and coffee. Alcoholic beverages were on our own, but Giri highly discouraged us from drinking, for our own good. Normally, lunch would be mid way during the trek - around 11 am. Dinner and breakfast were served at the tea houses where we stayed overnight.

After lunch, we walked for another hour or two and reached our first night stop Phakding -the lowest point on our trek- around 3:30 PM.

Good time to think about Accute Mountain Sickness: Rule of thumb is that above 10,000 feet, limit your altitude increase to 1000 ft per day, and for every 3000 ft of elevation gained, take a rest day to acclimatize. Our itinerary would take us from Kathmandu (4,264 ft) to Lukla (9,186 ft) down to Phakding (8,700 ft.) Next day, we'd climb to Namche Bazaar (11,280 ft) and take a rest day. From Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (12,694 ft) then Dingboche (14,300 ft) for another rest day. From Dingboche to Duglha (15,090 ft) to Lobuche (16,207 ft). From here, we would make a lunch stop at Gorak Shep (16,961 ft) and continue on to Everest Base Camp (17,594 ft) and return to Gorak Shep for overnight. Next morning, after visiting Kala Patthar (18,192 ft), we'd start descending to Pheriche (14,070 ft) for overnight. There is no restriction on how fast you go on the return trip. People have rushed back all the way to Lukla the same day.

How do our bodies acclimatize to oxygen levels of 50% at EBC and 33% at Everest Summit compared to sea levels? By producing more hemoglobin. That takes time - hence go slow. Our bodies have about one gallon of blood. Drinking 3-4 liters (one gallon) of water daily dilutes the blood and helps accelerate production of hemoglobin to bring it back in balance. A little publicized fact is that Olympic contestants hike up here or other high altitude locations just before their contests - to bump up their hemoglobin levels legally.

We heard Dudhkoshi river rushing downhill behind our hotel, and rushed off to cool ourselves down. Water was too cold for a dip, but it was refreshing nevertheless.

Tea houses - In the past, this trek involved camping in tents and cooking own meals. Guided tours like ours included cooks and additional porters to carry tents, food and utensils. (Or, a yak.)

Now-a-days, EBC treks rely on tea houses at every stop. Each village or town have enough rooms to accommodate the tourists. Sherpas and porters slept in the kitchen. (Only occasionally you see some tents around, but very few. Usually, those hard core trekkers are training to go to the Summit.) In most places, these tea houses served three meals a day. Owner family stayed in the back, and everyone in the family worked there. (There would be one or two attractive young girls in that mix as well.) Attached would be a few sleeping rooms in that one/two story building - sometimes as few as 10. These rooms are basic - dormitory size rooms with two single beds - mattress, pillow and a blanket, plus one ceiling lamp. That's it. In one or two places, there was a toilet in the room. Only at Namche Bazaar, there was also a hot shower inside the room - that was LUXURY!

We would pre-order dinner at 4:30 PM and eat two hours later around 6:30 PM. We then pre-ordered breakfast for next morning right after dinner. Breakfast would be served around 7 am, and we'd leave the hotel around 7:30 am. We would bring our duffel bags down for breakfast so porters could take off to the next stop. Lunch would be ordered as soon as we got to the lunch place. It would take them about an hour to prepare our lunches, while we cooled down. Giri would be in the kitchen helping out and making sure that food is prepared with our safety in mind. This mountain was really changing our perspectives on basic human needs.

Even after today's light downhill trek, we were exhausted - feeling somewhat feverish and suffering from cough/sore throat from the dusty trails/change of weather. In short, our bodies were complaining and needed some rest. Until dinner time, we just slouched in our chairs in the courtyard. Right after dinner, having nothing else to do, we went off to sleep.

In general, there was no cell phone signal except at Namche Bazaar. But landline phone, STD, Fax and even internet (via satellite) were available in most hotels/tea houses.

Thu April 23 (day 5) - Phakding to Namche Bazar

Got up early in the morning - felt well rested and ready for the day. It was a bit chilly in the morning, but jackets came off as soon as we started walking and we were in our t-shirts.

If we are lucky, we could see Mount Everest for the first time today - weather cooperating. Sometimes, even when it is absolutely clear where you are, mountain peaks can be covered in fog. There is no way to predict that.

We left around 7:30 am and walked some more Nepali Flats - crossing Dudhkoshi River many times. Of course, crossing the river meant that a climb down to the bridge and then climb back up again. Most bridges are now steel cable bridges (thanks to donations by Edmund Hillary) and are strong enough to simultaneously allow many people and Yaks/Dzopkyos, which are hybrid Yak/Cows, to cross. Bridges were generally wide enough for two way traffic for those of us with just backpacks, but for porters and yaks carrying loads, only one direction could pass at a time. We were told that at times, you have to wait up to 30 minutes for the traffic in the other direction to pass. This generally happened when planes arrived at Lukla one after another. Traffic jams in the Himalayas!

About half way to Namche Bazaar, we crossed the official Sagarmatha National Park Entrance. While Giri got our park permits, we studied the topo relief model of the park. (Before Google, that was the only way.) That really put our whole trek in perspective. The entire trek will be in the valleys between larger mountains - where Dudhkoshi, Imja Khola and other rivers flowed downhill. Naturally, towns and villages were spaced at the banks of these rivers. Even at EBC, it will be at the low point of Western CWM in the shadows of Mount Everest.

We stopped for lunch at 10:30 am. Giri told us to be prepared for a straight up, up and up hike on the hill in front of us, nearly to the top of it. That was Namche Bazaar - elevation 11286 ft. We had no idea how difficult the hike would be - especially at that elevation, but we were dreading it.

We started along side of Dudhkoshi river for some more distance, and crossed it one last time over the Hillary bridge. Then the straight climb began. This was a tough one. By the time we stopped at the vista point, we were ready to call it a day. But then we saw Mount Everest. It had a ring of cloud around it, but the peak (Summit) itself was clearly visible. Being late in the day, the sky was hazy, and as usual, Nuptse was in front of Everest. But what we saw was still thrilling - we couldn't stop admiring and taking pictures.

Everest Summit above clouds

The first view of Mount Everest - with our own eyes. Nuptse in front.

After that, our group got split. Felton and I were ahead with one Sherpa. Others fell behind because (as we learned later) one of them was not feeling well and had to stop a few times. Already a casualty of Altitude Sickness, and we were not even at 11000 ft yet. Not wanting to rest until we reached Namche Bazaar, I kept on going and stopped at the edge of the town. We must have waited for 45 minutes until the rest of the group joined us. By then, Felton and I were rested enough - in fact, too much - so much so that our legs didn't want to move anymore. We had to drag on for another half a mile or so to our hotel, which included another climb of 100 dreadful ft. We were so happy once we reached our rooms and took long hot showers. All rooms had an awesome view of Thamserku, which shined brilliantly next morning as sun came up on the opposite side.

View of Thamserku

Namche Bazaar - last town with electricity, hot water and the internet.

Fri April 24 (day 6) - Today is a rest day at Namche Bazaar. Yesterday, after crossing the Hillary Bridge, we had hiked up 2600 feet. That was brutal!

I didn't sleep well. I had been coughing, had a dull headache, acidity and threw up a couple of times. All classic symptoms of Altitude Sickness. I was terribly worried.

First thing next morning, I pulled our guide Giri aside, explained what was happening to me and asked him to describe symptoms of Altitude Sickness - ranging from mild to severe. I was relieved to know that I didn't have Altitude Sickness, and that I am going to be fine to continue on the next day. After sleeping until noon, I felt normal. Others had various levels of same symptoms but they also recovered quickly.

Today's activity was to take a morning hike up towards Khumjung, but only up to Shyangboche Airstrip for a nice Everest view. Half of us managed to do this 2000 ft climb. In the evening, Felton and I went up to Park Headquarters for an evening view. Even that 200 ft climb gave us confidence to go on the next day.

We then went shopping - window shopping mostly, and for using the internet. This was the last day I could update my blog or check emails. For the next 10 or so days, it was a complete news/information blackout! Also, no showers.

Tonight, the Hillary and Tenzing Cricket teams were returning from Gorek Shep after playing a match. Our hotel and restaurant was completely full - like Olive Garden. Those guys were busy among themselves. We didn't really get a chance to interact with them. All we knew was that the Hillary team won. (Gorek Shep valley is flat enough to have a cricket field. Every year, two teams - named after Hillary and Tenzing in their memories - play a friendly cricket match at 17000 ft. To do that, those teams also follow the same itinerary as ours to acclimate themselves and be strong enough to play. There is also a marathon that starts from Gorek Shep and ends at Namche Bazaar. We were happy just reading about it.)

Sat April 25 (day 7) - Namche to Tengboche

I felt about 80% ready next morning. I was still coughing a bit. None of us were sleeping well - getting up many times at night. We knew, because there was hardly any insulation between walls of our rooms. We also had nightmares/hallucinations. Only later (once we started talking about it,) we learned that it was all part of adjusting to the mountains. Lack/shortage of oxygen in the brain is the cause.

Good thing, the first part was fairly level. In fact, by the time we stopped for lunch, we had descended 700 ft to Phunki Tenga. That meant, we now had a climb of about 2000 ft after lunch up to Tengboche (12694 ft.) All the memories of climb to Namche came to mind. This climb was even steeper and shorter - with many switchbacks. The trail was dusty, and we did not want to slip or fall. I had learned from my own experience NOT to sit down to rest during the hikes. Getting up and getting going is much much difficult once you sit. Even at lunch stop, I'd pace around until lunch arrived.

When we reached the top around 2:30 PM, all our exhaustion disappeared. Even in the afternoon, today the sky was absolutely clear and the view was so beautiful. Right in front of us was Tawoche, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam - all in one row. This was by far the most spectacular view of the trek.

Exactly at 3 PM, conch shells sounded out from the nearby Monastery. We all went to observe the recitation by Buddhist monks in front of a giant Buddha statue. I had learned in school that Buddha, who was born a Nepali Hindu prince, spent his entire adult life denouncing meaningless Hindu rituals and rites of the time, which included idol worship. And here -and everywhere else in the world- his followers have built magnificent statues of the same man. How ironic! After a quick glance inside, I came out and waited for others. With Mount Everest and other mountains with all their glory right in front of me, I felt peaceful as never before.

Evenings were getting colder as we climbed higher. With nothing else to do in the evenings, we would typically huddle around the big stove/fireplace in the center of the dining area and wait for dinner time. Occasionally, someone would play guitar or sing; otherwise, we would just chat and share experiences. Most trekkers follow the same route and same itinerary, so over time, we met the same people again and again. After this, there would be no electricity or running water for a few days. Most tea houses had solar panels to power the dining area for a couple of hours at night. They would wait to turn on lights until it was really dark. When those lights start dimming, it was time to brush and go to sleep.

Today at lunch, we met an Israeli couple - he looked Jewish, she didn't. She was reading a travel guide. I wondered if it was possible for someone to actually come here on their own, using just the guidebook. It was a very well laid out book, and based on our experience thus far (and even the rest of the trip), it was in fact possible to do the trek by yourself. It is difficult to get lost here - just follow the people going your way. Well, that couple did have a guide and a porter to help along. Another group flew to Lukla and hired guide and porters locally.

Dinners (all food in general) were getting boring now - limited menu, limited spices, and in fact, even limited colors (as we climbed up, green veggies had disappeared. Now only carrots, cauliflower and potatoes.) More importantly, our appetites were also diminishing and our taste buds were losing taste. There was a bakery next door (by the same owner), so we decided to order pastries next morning instead of the usual bread, eggs and cereals. That wasn't such a great idea either.

For the first time, we saw some tents right outside our tea house. Those hardcore trekkers were roughing it out there. But instead of cooking their own meals, they ate in the restaurant with us.

Sun April 26 (day 8) - Tengboche to Dingboche

Twelve hour sleep is too long. I woke up around 2 am. Even though it was cold, I couldn't resist temptation to step outside to see the night sky. There was no moon, but the sky was so clear and full of stars. Not a usual sight in our big cities and towns. Moon came up just before sunrise.

Finally, got up around 5:30 am. The sky was getting lighter, and we got wonderful shots of sunrise. For a long time, we thought that the sun was going to come out from behind Everest, but the geography was deceiving. It came out in entirely different direction - near Ama Dablam.

Another interesting thing was that BEFORE the sunlight reached these bigger peaks, a 6000 m snow peak of Thamserku behind the Monastery was already glistening in the sunlight. Go figure!

Thamserku shining

By the time we started hiking, clouds rolled in and we couldn't see Everest or others. Later, we got great views of Ama Dablam, Island Peak, Peak 38 (Shartse II) and Tawoche. We passed by (across the river) the base camp for Ama Dablam. Later in the evening, we heard a roar and watched rock slide on the opposite bank of the river - there must have been an earthquake, but we didn't feel it.

As we reached Dingboche around 2 PM, winds started blowing and it got very cold. We were now at 14469 ft., but our acclimatization was not yet complete. Some of us didn't digest the pastries well. They weren't as tasty as we had expected either - they were dry, and of course, our mouths were becoming tasteless. Tonight, I will try Daal Bhat for the first time during the trek.

At lunch break, Giri introduced us to one of his friend Dendi Sherpa - he had summited Everest once before, and now was taking his Nepali Team (later we learned that he was successful!) He invited us to visit him at the Base Camp. In case that didn't happen, we got him to sign our picture postcards and backpacks. (We were not able to visit any tents at EBC.)

Daal Bhat (Curry Rice) was great. Since that's what most locals ate, it was cooked in large quantities so we could even have seconds. No appetite for seconds, but it was a welcome change from soups. Daal is usually Masoor Dal. Daal Bhat with mixed veggies on the side was a good menu for me. I stuck with it for the rest of the trek. Once, at my request for "yellow" Dal, Giri managed to have the kitchen cook Moong Dal. For breakfast, I switched from Omelette to boiled egg(s) with a toast - usually only one slice. For lunch, it was just soup.

Mon April 27 (day 9) - Rest day at Dingboche

This was our last acclimatization day. We were tired enough and didn't even protest about not going for any significant hikes that day. Usually, Giri would offer three choices on rest days - do nothing, a short hike or a longer hike. Before the trek, we would study the map and say, for example, Chhukhung is only 4 km away and a 1000 ft. When the actual time came, we were happy settling for shorter hikes. Charlie and Jimmy were morning people like me. Even before I got up, they had already been up to some Stupa at the top of some hill. We would then walked around the entire town, and later visit some other Stupa.

Bottled water was getting expensive now. Finally, all of us were ready to trust the hand water filter that Charlie had brought with him. Just a little climb up from our tea house was a pipe with flowing water. Later, we noticed that all towns have such hoses laid out to bring water from streams above. Tea houses use the same water for our tea and food - and we had no problems with it. So we hiked up to the pipe, sat around taking turns filtering water for all of us for the next day. That ended up being a fairly time consuming activity because we needed almost 20-24 liters of water. But it was a great afternoon activity before it got dark. Passerby Sherpa were curious about what we were doing, and would stand and watch us. That was quite a role reversal!

Tue April 28 (day 10) - Dinboche to Dughla/Thokla

Now, we were really getting anxious to get to EBC. We have been walking for a week. Daily hike distances were getting shorter, and so was the elevation gain. For the first time, we were above 15000 ft (15088 to be exact.) Today, we had great views of Cholatse and Tawoche to the Southwest and Ama Dablam to the Southeast. To the north, we were staring at a 700 ft climb to Thokla Pass behind which was Everest. In the afternoon, we climbed to another little peak where they had weather monitoring system. Not too many of them around.

Interesting fact - for Summit climbers, most reliable weather forecast is provided by someone in Switzerland who uses satellites to accurately predict winds and temperatures around the Summit path. Winds at the top can be as high as 175 mph. In fact, from mid-Oct through March, winds at Everest are constantly at the hurricane force (64 knots or 74 kmph.)

Wed April 29 (day 11) - Dughla to Lobuche

After the steep climb up to Thokla Pass right at the start, the trek was fairly level and short. Lobuche is 16172 ft. Giri advised us, and then repeatedly reminded us to drink 4-5 liters of water daily (with a promise that after tomorrow, he wouldn't ask to us drink water - period!) The simplest way to protect from altitude sickness -- The more water you drink, diluted blood triggers faster production of red blood cells, which then absorbs more oxygen like your body is used to at sea level. Such a simple solution, but that also meant that we were carrying that much weight (10 lbs) in our backpacks. Most of us complied. Since we had perfected the water filtering technique, getting water wasn't an issue. (I also tried Chlorine Tablets - they worked as well.)

Mornings continue to be nice - sunny and warm and no winds (50-65 deg F) We had learnt to wear jackets as soon as we stopped for lunch, or at the end of the day. Winds on wet t-shirts is NOT a good idea. Also, while it was nice and warm in the sun, temperatures were still chilly in the shade. In the afternoon, winds picked up, fog/clouds would roll in, and temperatures dropped enough to freeze us up even with our jackets on. Filtering water became a challenge due to cold. Nights were cold but not quite at the freezing mark. Generally, there would be no winds at night.

At dinner, we saw a large group of Russians (all looked over 70 yrs.) returning from EBC that day. If they can make it, I'm sure so could we. Tomorrow was going to be a long day (to make up for the lost day at the start.) We will stop for lunch at Gorek Shep and make a round trip dash to EBC. We wanted to be there while the sky was still clear, and return before evening winds become too fierce on our faces. We were excited, we were ready.

Thu April 30 (day 12) - Today is the day! We left Lobuche (16172 ft) and reached Gorek Shep (16929 ft) for lunch. The flat lake bed behind the hotel is where the Hillary vs. Tenzing Cricket match was played just a couple of days earlier. We had met the returning teams at Namche Bazar. On the other side of this lake bed is Kala Patthar. We will climb that tomorrow morning to get the best views of Everest during this trek. To do any better, we will need to climb past EBC - which wasn't in the plans.

Nuptse

Gorek Shep has wonderful views of Nuptse at the closest. Snow-capped mountains were looming all around us here including Mount Everest. After light lunch (although we really had no appetite!), we started towards EBC. We climbed up much higher than EBC (17575 ft) and walked for quite some distance along the ridges, when finally the yellow tents beyond EBC came into view. We descended the rocky trail and finally touched ice. The icy, rocky part at the edge of Khumbu Glacier is where the official touristy EBC is located. Summit climbers go a mile past that point and pitch their tents. We had no time to go up to the tents. We were all exhausted, but so glad that EVERYONE in the group made it to the Base Camp. We took pictures at the rock where EBC and elevation is marked, with Khumbu Glacier in the background.

At the Base Camp marker. Khumbu Glacier behind.

Khumbu Glacier coming downhill

Yellow tents next to Khumbu Glacier.

Yaks doing the hard work

This is the NEW EBC. The original base camp is a mile or so behind, but in a trecherous area (which Hillary and Tenzing didn't know at the time.) - it is now abandoned. From the Base Camp, top/summit of Mount Everest is not visible. It is shielded by Everest Shoulder to the left. On the right is Nuptse. Inbetween is the Khumbu Glacier. Summit climbers go through the ice falls and the death zone following Western CWM - the lowest point in the valley between Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse.

For 360 degree view from top of Mount Everrest, watch: http://www.airpano.ru/files/Everest-Top-View/2-2

Sunset view from Kala Patthar is more admirable than the sunrise view, as the setting sun's rays strike the snow capped mountains resulting in scenery that is indescribable. However, we had already done two days of hike in one, and had yet to return to Gorek Shep. Kala Patthar will have to wait until the next day.

Returning from EBC to Gorek Shep was a real drag. The main purpose of this trek (of reaching EBC) had been accomplished. Now, the return trip is just a necessary evil. There was no other way but to walk back! That night, we were so exhausted that none of us would commit to going up Kala Patthar for the best views of Everest next morning. We told Giri to wake us up at 4:30 in the morning and only then we will let him know if any of us would be up to the task. (But of course we all did get up early next morning, and were ready for yet another climb.)

Fri May 1 (day 13) - Kala Patthar - Gorek Shep - Lobuche - Dughla (lunch) - Pheriche

This was going to be another long day. But this was also one of the highlights of the trek. The panoramic picture that I have been looking at for months is from the top of Kala Patthar. This 1200 ft climb would give us best views of Everest without climbing (with ropes and crampons, that is.) Last night, for the first time during our trek, there was a dusting of snow on this hill. We needed to be on the top (or as high as we could be) by sunrise. Since we were facing Everest all along, that same view was visible to us right from the start of the climb. But of course, the higher we could go the better.

We dragged ourselves out of bed at 4 am, and left at 4:45 am. The idea was to go watch the sunrise and return to Gorek Shep for breakfast. We crossed the lakebed (the cricket ground) and started climbing Kala Patthar. It was still a little dark when we started, but dawn lightened pretty quickly. This hill is brown for the most part, only the plateau on top is the Black Rock (Kala Patthar.) This is where our age differences came into play. The youngest one made it to the top of the rock. The next youngest to the base of the rock. The older two stopped half way through, and the remaining two went three quarters of the way. We all got great pictures - clear, with clouds, with sun shining on them and all. One is now hanging on the wall of my office.

Everest from Kala Patthar

After breakfast, we doubled back - literally. We climbed down to Lobuche (previous stop) and Dughla (the night before) - and that was the lunch stop. We then went another 4-5 km to Periche - but this was pretty much flat, by the Lobuche Khola river. Rocky, but level trek. By now, we were used to taking one step at a time and keep walking until our guide asked us to stop. We were now looking at the opposite side (Southwest, away from Everest) where it was a rocky landscape carved by the glaciers that have long been gone. Rock slides remain.

Pheriche is actually a nice little town. We were the only ones in our tea house. Giri of course knows all owners in all tea houses, since he has been doing this for 20 years. We had a restful night.

Everyone is now out of energy. Excitement is all gone. Appetite hasn't yet returned. Two more days before we get hot showers at Namche Bazaar.

The high point of the trek is now over. Now, only memories and photos - and may be the same sights of Everest that we saw going up. As it turned out, it was foggy/cloudy at each of those locations - Tengboche, Everest View near Khumjung, and our first view after the Hillary Bridge going to Namche. We were so lucky to have clear days going up. We would have been terribly disappointed.

Reflecting back, I had no doubts what so ever about my being able to successfully do this trek. The determination was always there - and the positive attitude. I had trained well (except the terrain, high altitude, reduced level of oxygen, weather and lifestyle - well that's a lot!) Even though I get out of breath quickly, I had sufficient muscle power and stamina to make it through - and I did. Like the energizer bunny, I (and everyone else, for that matter.) just kept on going and going, until we got there. I am glad that all six of us made it there and back, intact - other than minor setbacks here and there. We didn't miss any days due to health, or had to leave anyone behind. One more item checked off the "Bucket List." I saw a poster in one of the tea houses - below the picture of Mount Everest, it read simply ".. because it was there!"

Sat May 2 (day 14) - Pheriche - Pangboche - Tengboche - Khumjung

Today I lost it - my patience, that is. The day started out nice as usual. After crossing the river, we climbed straight up on the side of the hill. This is one and the only time, the trail was narrow (1-2 ft) on a hillside with a steep drop on one side down to the river. Of course, I watched our porters navigate it with ease while carrying our bags uphill. All of us managed as well. We were all slowing down a bit, but still covering two days distance in one day. Our toes/ heals/ blisters, knees and other joints were making their displeasure known. Both climb ups and downs were beginning to be painful. And there was nothing else new to see or look forward to.

After the climb, the trail leveled off until Pangboche. I saw a young man with amputated leg going in the opposite direction. He was going faster on crutches than us. Should we have a reason to complain? One day earlier, we also saw a young boy (9-10 years old) walking with ease with his father. Anyone who really wants to, can do this trek. There are really no excuses.

After crossing Imja Khola river, we were climbing uphill to Tengboche. All the descends that we enjoyed on the way to EBC, were now daunting in the opposite direction. The sherpa were good, they were with you and helped in any way they could. But you still had to walk yourself!

I was so looking forward to Tengboche and the awesome view from there. But I was disappointed - fog had already rolled in and there was no view. The next hour was downhill with dusty switchbacks to our lunch stop, Phunki Tenga. Before we started downhill, our sherpa pointed to Khumjung - straight in front of us, may be 4-5 kms away. I was so happy that we would get there in no time. But then I realized that we first had to descend 2000 ft to eat lunch and then climb almost all of it back up to reach Khumjung. I was unbelievably cranky. I didn't want to stop and eat lunch, just keep walking and go directly to Namche Bazar (which was further away.) Well, I ate.

Another two hours of all climb brought us to Khumjung. Hillary put in a lot of money in this region to build hydroelectric power, schools and bridges. Hillary High School is in Khumjung. Our tea house was one of the highest buildings - very nice view, but with a climb to get to. After a long time, our rooms had 24 hour electricity.

Another claim to fame for Khumjung is that their monastery has a Yeti head. Knowing fully well that it couldn't be, we were curious enough to go see it. The monasteries are well built, colorful and well populated with young and old monks. The Yeti head is encased in glass and kept inside a safe. Only when you paid (Rs. 100 per person, or so.) the monk opens the safe and shows you the display. The head looked very small - like monkey or a small ape - no bigger than a regular coconut. The plaque above tells the story how some kids found it and were kicking it around before it was retrieved and is now preserved here.

Sun May 3 (day 15) - Khumjung - Namche Bazar

Left at 7:30 AM this morning - the main reason to rush is so we can get to our hot showers early! Yeah!!! Khumjung - Khunde (hospital) are twin towns next to each other. Very scenic, flat with blue roof homes and rock walled potato fields. Khumjung has a high school - the only one in the area. So kids have to walk up from Namche 2000 ft every day to go to this school. School starts at 10 am so everyone could get there on time.

We reached up to Everest View point, and were completely disappointed. So early in the morning, clouds were already covering Everest. After the air strip, it was a 2000 ft staircase down to Namche. All dusty, rocky and slippery. Of course, no sweat for the Nepali children in sandals. But for us, we had to watch every step down. All children are learning English these days - they greeted us with hello and good morning as they crossed us.

From 10 am to 1 PM, a weather front came through and dumped a lot of rain in the entire region. All flights to Lukla were cancelled for today. Our 2000 ft descent on the staircase would have been treacherous in the rain. Thank goodness, we had left earlier in the morning.

Back in our rooms, we finally had indoor plumbing and hot showers. After 9 days, we were able to shave and take a shower. It felt so good. We also had a chance to wash our clothes. Things were now coming back to normal. Due to the weather front, the internet was down in the whole town. It came back up late in the evening. Finally had a chance to check mail, upload pictures, and charge batteries.

Mon May 4 (day 16) - Namche to Phakding

This was a climb down - easier than climbing up but still difficult on the knees. We needed to watch our steps on those dusty trails so we didn't slip or fall. Yesterday's rain didn't do much to keep the dust down. Also, here in the Himalayas, all trails go up and down no matter what the direction. So we still had to climb down, cross bridges and then climb back up several times. Though we have been through these same trails on the way to EBC, many of the details were forgotten already, or not noticed. For example, we noticed how the barren land at higher elevations slowly turned to shrubs to smaller plants. Now, when foggy, tall trees felt like rain forest. To complete the experience, it even drizzled a little along the way. It was a welcome change to our routine - it felt good.

We also noticed that on our way back, it was getting cloudier/foggier earlier and earlier. Vista points had no vistas. Had I taken the trek two weeks later per my original plan, I would have been thoroughly disappointed. Hope the weather is clear two days from now when we are scheduled to fly out of Lukla.

Tue May 5 (day 17) - Phakding to Lukla

A very short day today. It was a hike up to Lukla, reversing our descend on the first day of the trek. Today, I left a few minutes earlier than the rest of the group. In general, I went slower than the rest of the group, taking my time and enjoying the scenery, because I didn't want to get too tired and risk falling/slipping down the uneven rocks/rocky path. Going uphill, I get out of breath real easily - even at the sea level. At this altitude, our guide advised us to take our own time and not rush. And not having a reason to compete with anyone for the first place (it was after all a marathon, not a race!) I took my time to get to our next stop. Today, I think everyone was beat and no one really had any reason to rush. So, we all reached Lukla together. We took pictures of all of us at the gateway arch again, and reached the hotel.

We thanked our sherpa and porters, gave tips and sent them off for night on town. We reached our rooms, and FINALLY took off the hiking boots after so many days to wash'em off and pack in our bags. After taking long hot showers, we went out for a nice lunch. Some of us went for a walk around town - which is one street may be half a mile long - from the airport to the gateway arch. There is nothing unique or special to buy in Nepal, in general. Everything I could purchase in India for sure, or even in the US. I just bought some prayer flags as a souvenir. (Oh, I also saved the Sagarmatha Trekking permit.)

After returning to the hotel, we watched a documentary on Tenzing's son comparing summit treks today vs in 1953 when Tenzing first went. Besides, climbing is a completely different skill set than trekking. We walked on the solid ground - dirt, gravel and rocks, not snow - all the way to EBC. We had avoided watching any documentaries about Everest before this trek - mainly the unsuccessful missions. Now we were fine watching them.

Aside from little earthquakes causing rock slides, there was very little danger to our lives. There were no dangerous animals (other than yaks) to deal with. The only real danger other than flight to Lukla would have been altitude sickness, but we escaped that. The rest of the afternoon, we sat in the balcony chatting and watching the scenery change as clouds rolled in and out. Hoping for a clear weather tomorrow.

During the trek, we met many people who had done the Annapurna circuit - something I was contemplating in lieu of or in addition to EBC trek. Not sure if doing both treks in one trip is a great idea. If this was to be your only trip to the region, you might as well try doing both. In talking to others, it is amusing to find how trekkers have their own varying backgrounds and therefore reasons to be on this trek.

For one couple, the wife wanted to do both Annapurna and EBC before she was to be 50 years od. Her 50th birthday was coming up later this year so they did both treks back to back.
Another pair from Germany were into hiking as well. They were pretty much with us the entire itinerary. They both drank beer everyday (everyone in our group refrained until we got back) - and the wife was a chain smoker. How she retained her stamina for hiking, only she knows.
Another couple was going to the Philippines right after this trek to relax on the beaches.
Two women friends were going to a Safari in Nepal after EBC trek.
Another two women traveled together everywhere - when one gets a job in some country, the other tags along and they do treks together.
One couple wanted to start the trek by taking a bus from Kathmandu and then hike up to Lukla to continue where we began our trek. They said the bus ride was so bumpy up and down hill that they got sick on the bus. After that the 12 hour ride, the hike to Lukla is another 5-6 days. By the time they reached Lukla, they were already exhausted and had to really slow down for the rest of the trek. (When we missed our flight the first day, we were so anxious to leave that we asked our guide why we couldn't take the bus instead. I am glad we didn't.)
So many of us initially wanted to add on Gokyo to the itinerary, which is one additional day detour. For one reason or the other (mainly fatigue), we ultimately dropped the idea. I remember us being so cranky on the way back, and having no desire to climb anymore than necessary!
There were a lot of Russians and Eastern Europeans, in large groups, trekking to EBC. Many were older (60s and 70s) and in varying levels of fitness, but they all seem to have made it. With enough money and determination, it seems you can do anything.

Wed May 6 (day 18) - Lukla to Kathmandu

Our hotel in Lukla had the most luxurious hotel room during the trek. In room toilet and hot showers, one queen and one single bed, nice blankets. We got up early for breakfast at 6 am, and left for the airport -only 10 minutes away- at 6:45 am for 8 am flight. Our porters waited until our bags were checked, and then rushed off as quickly as they could to return to their homes - they still had another 3-day walk at their speeds to reach home. But this time, they'd have no luggage to carry except their own backpacks, and lots of money in their pockets.

The airport has only four parking spots for airplanes so at most only four flights - from different airlines - could come in at one time. Since airlines are anxious to make as many trips as quickly as they could while the weather is good, they start early and turnaround quickly. Typically, a 35 minute flight and 10 minutes to empty and reload - and repeat as long as there are passengers or loads to carry. First group of flights leave Kathmandu at 6 am, the second around 7:30 am and so on. We were in the third batch, so naturally our flight was a bit delayed. But we were in no hurry - nowhere in particular to go. Of course, waiting in the airport lounge is never pleasant. Weather was clear, so we got our final few photos of Lukla. Some of us walked out on to the tarmac to warm up in the sun. I wondered about the security at that airport. There was none. They allowed us stand outside only when there were no planes on the ground. As the next batch of planes arrived, they huddled us back inside the terminal and then called each flight as soon as they could.

I had a window seat on the right side of the plane facing the Himalayas. Of course, mountain peaks look completely different from different angles, and therefore, were unrecognizable. During that short 35 minute flight, I noticed that scenery changed quite a lot - from white and green mountains in the beginning to dry red soil - almost desert looking. There was practically no human presence along the way except in some valleys near rivers.

Kathmandu was as usual smoggy and hot. It was almost a shock to our bodies after being in the colder climate for two weeks. At the airport, shuttle bus wasn't waiting for us. Apparently, our driver got stuck in traffic and was delayed by about 15 minutes. We returned to Hotel Shanker, back to the five star luxury and picked up our left luggage.

During our trek, we had heard that Prime Minister of Nepal had resigned over his disagreement with the President. Trekking/climbing in Sagarmatha National Park is unaffected by the political realities in Nepal (or China, for that matter.) That region sustains itself on tourist dollars during its short tourist season, and manages to work only around the Himalaya's whims - nothing else matters.

Security was almost non existent in the Sagarmatha region. Namche Bazaar was the last police station and it had only one police officer. Airport security at Lukla were young locals - unarmed. However, we didn't see any scuffles, arguments or fights during the entire trek.

Things were different back in Kathmandu. One road back to our hotel was blocked off. Supporters of Prime Minister were protesting against his resignation. Protests were peaceful. Security was heavy, but most police were unarmed.

However, that scene was enough to spook our group. We had talked about going back to one restaurant that we had liked, and then go shopping. The group scraped the plan and decided to remain in the hotel for personal safety.

I felt safe enough to venture out. I wanted to make CDs from everyone's digital cameras and share. So I walked around and found a place that could have the CD ready in a couple of hours. On the way back, I went by HGT office and found that Giri was still there (he had already said his goodbyes to us, so I had expected him to be on the bus back his home by now.) Given the uncertainty of flights from Lukla, I had not made return reservation from Kathmandu to Delhi. When we returned from Lukla, I called Naba of HGT and within minutes, he had confirmed a flight for me. I picked up my ticket and returned to the Hotel. By then, the protest was over and things were back to normal.

The rest of the group was having lunch at the hotel restaurant. They were back to being non-vegetarians and beer-drinkers again. After I told them that everything was fine outside, four of us went out for last minute shopping. One wanted to buy some Nepali Tea and prayer flags. Another brave soul wanted to buy jewelry to get a matching pendant for the earrings he had purchased elsewhere. That is a near impossibility - and it turned out that way. We spent a couple of hours hopping from one jewelry shop to the next in search. Because there was no power in the city that day, matching colors for those stones was a great challenge. Any case, we picked up the photo CDs and returned to the hotel.

For dinner, HGT took us to yet another nice restaurant called Rum doodle, at 40,000 1/2 feet - a cute name. As the tradition goes, after dinner, they give you a cardboard cutout of a human footprint on which you write a message. It then goes on their walls. This is the last stop for all trekkers.

Thu May 7 (day 19) - Kathmandu to Delhi. After a nice breakfast at Hotel Shanker, we were to depart for the airport. Tourist season was already winding down, so breakfast was set up in a smaller area now. Power was also out part of the time, so we enjoyed candlelight breakfast! All five US based trekkers were leaving today - around the same time, so we left for the airport together around noon. Naba and Giri accompanied us to the airport and wished us goodbyes with the traditional silk cloth (Dupatta.)

I was wondering why they were rushing to take us to the airport 3-4 hours before the flights. Soon I found out. We were standing in no fewer than 7 lines before making it to the plane. First, it was check in with the airline. That was relatively painless. I was the third person in the line. Then, walked upstairs for Immigration. Here, there were several lines - each with no less than 50 people. After immigration, things got worse. There was ONE long line for Security Check. Later we realized that those were actually two lines - one for men and another for women. Women's line was much shorter. From time to time, someone would come by and ask people WITHOUT any hand baggage to move ahead. Because the lines were so long, even people with hand baggage would also go with them. The line discipline was broken. X-ray machines weren't working so people were being wand-ed. After that, hand baggage would be hand checked. Finally, I reached the gate area for my airline (Jet-lite - no frills) and waited for them to announce boarding. That was just a short wait. Once again, a line to check our boarding passes. Then wait for the bus in pre-boarding area. Then, a line for the bus. When we got out of the bus, another bag check by hand, then physical check, then they took our boarding passes, and FINALLY, we were on the plane. Amazingly, after all that hassle, the plane left Kathmandu on time and reached Delhi on time.

Another surprise awaited at Delhi airport. It was medical check for Swine Flu! Anyone who had been in the US for the past 6 days had to be tested (I wasn't!) Normally, you experience such things when entering the US, not India. I happily proceeded from the bus directly to a no-wait Immigration officer (not knowing about the medical check.) who promptly sent me back to fill out the medical form and have it stamped before returning - without explaining why. There was a row of doctors who were barely asking anyone any questions and just stamping their forms away. My doctor did asked me if I was in the US for the past 6 days and whether I had a cough or any other symptoms. That's all. That wasn't too bad, just unexpected.

After that, immigration, baggage pickup, customs (green channel) was pretty fast. I was out in less than one hour. Because I knew exactly where I was going, I took a pre-paid taxi to my niece's home. She had seen me just before the trek, and so had a frame of reference. I had tanned a lot and lost some weight. I was feeling great; I had a wonderful experience; and a lot of stories to tell. And then there was this project I had to embark on as soon as I reached Mumbai....

Trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal

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Sunday, July 19, 2009

Everest beckons...

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Before the trek actually began..

Friday, July 17, 2009

Trek started ..