Hike

We woke up this morning in mixed moods. I felt great, having gone to bed early and slept well all through the night. Anne on the other hand, didn’t get a good night’s sleep and didn’t feel well. This mattered because our intent was to leave early for base camp, get back for an early lunch, and then head up Kala Patthar for sunset. Regardless, Anne still wanted to give both base camp and Kala Patthar a go.

We got up for breakfast, which was a cold endeavor. At 5170m, Gorek Shep gets really cold at night. Virtually any water left out overnight freezes. The room was freezing and it took a lot of motivation to do anything even slightly resembling leaving the warmth of the sleeping bag. We suited up quickly in full down attire and went to the dining room, which was no warmer than the room. During breakfast Anne started feeling ill again and we backed the plan down to just doing Kala Patthar later that day, giving us more time to rest. We talked a little about doing Everest Base Camp the next morning, though after some further consideration it seemed increasingly unlikely that we’d ’e able to make that happen. Since I was feeling good, I suggested I do base camp and if we felt like it, we could go again the next morning. That way at least one of us would see it if something didn’t go to plan the next day. Shortly thereafter, I was headed out with Dorje to base camp, leaving Anne to rest and recover back at the lodge.

The trip to base camp was certainly a little harder than I’d thought, moving up and down the moraine with little regard for either a straight or level path. I’d lightened my pack down to the bare essentials so Dorje and I were able to travel fast (well, I was able to travel fast. Dorje was always able to travel fast). We traveled along the top of the moraine for a while, finally taking a steep path down to the glacier’s surface.

Everest Base Camp is literally out in the middle of the Khumbu glacier, so the final short section of the trail snaked around large rocks and debris on the glacier’s surface as well as huge rifts in the ice that lead to melt pools at the bottom. It’s a little hard to imagine how in the height of climbing season they are able to turn what appears to be a rocky wasteland into something that looks like a camp. The camp area itself was devoid of anything other than prayer flags that would mark the spot. What used to be a semi-permanent trash heap is now virtually spotless. The highlight by far was being so close to the Khumbu icefall. There are strict fines for venturing out into the ice field, but even from afar the cascading wall of ice was impressive. While I was looking, a large plume of snow from a collapsed serac emerged, indication of just how changing and dangerous the icefall is. Crossing the icefall is by far the most dangerous part of the Everest climb, with more climbers and Sherpas losing their life here than on any other part of the mountain.

Standing at base camp, it’s easy to see why it took so long for the first explorers to find the route to the mountain. The Khumbu valley, on first inspection, appears to end in a ring of cliffs. It’s only when you get right to the end of the valley that you can see the icefall cascading over a small breach in the ring of mountains surrounding the valley. This small opening, virtually invisible from even as close as Gorek Shep, leads to the Western Cwm and the route up the mountain. Dorje busied himself making a cairn and I took the opportunity to change out of my long johns. Yes, it was getting warm out and I was starting to overheat, so I found a somewhat private spot and proceeded to actually get partially naked at base camp (there’s a memory for the scrapbook!). I spent a while taking pictures and focused a little on grabbing a set of pictures for a panorama before finally heading back for Gorek Shep.

Dorje and I got back around 11:30am and Anne and I made plans to start for Kala Patthar at around 1:30pm. We ate some rama noodles and some maple nut Clif bars we brought from home. Around 1:30pm, as planned, we set out for Kala Patthar. Dorje immediately took Anne’s pack (as he’d done on Gokyo Ri) and we made slow progress up the hill towards the summit, which was hidden behind the ridge. The wind was starting to kick up making the ascent really quite cold and it wasn’t long before we were bundled up in everything we had. The cold was made worse by the fact that the sun was now hiding behind the adjacent hill, casting a long shadow over the trail. Several others passed us as we made our way to the top, including John who we’d met in Dingboche. John was from Scotland and his endearing feature was the fact that he wore really short shorts while hiking. Today, despite the cold, was no different. I really couldn’t imagine bearing the cold in shorts, but the Scottish are a hearty breed and John certainly was no different. John blazed on by us and proceeded to linger about the summit without pants for some time before changing into something warmer.

For us it took a while longer, finally emerging from behind the shadow of the hill to gain some necessary warmth from the sun and bolster us in our final push. The summit itself afforded incredible views of the surrounding peaks, some close enough to almost reach out and touch. The timing was awesome, with sunset light now casting an amber hue on everything. The summit itself was small and sporty, with about 1000ft of exposure on one side that made you question every step. I was on hands and knees as I crawled up to the top. It was festooned with prayer flags, making it that much more treacherous lest you hook a foot and trip. But the flags added a great touch and made for an excellent subject along with the expansive vistas.

After 15 minutes or so on the summit, we headed down. The path was steep and we often found ourselves waiting for sections that we less steep so we could rest our knees. We were the last group down, just having to turn on our headlights as we hiked down the last short section of the trail. We were the last group to make it back to the lodge, walking in under starlight to the warmth of the dining room. We quickly ordered up some hot tea and kicked back to relax. In the dining room we did get a special treat. Another guide, Pasang Tenang Sherpa showed us a slideshow on his camera of his October ascent of Everest. He had pictures starting at base camp and working their way all the way up to the summit. Since it was October, and there were no already fixed lines. Pasang’s team of Sherpas had to set rope up the entire mountain, carrying 60 pound loads! And all this for a single client!!! On the trek, it’s really not uncommon to meet people who have summited Everest, but it was a special treat to be able to be shown pictures on the camera that made it to the top with the man who took them. It was an awesome close to the day. Tomorrow we’ll see if we make another run to Everest Base Camp with Anne. The effort today was a big one, and Anne’s lungs suffered from the altitude and cold. Anne’s not sure she’ll be up to it right now, so we’ll just have to see.

This morning we got our now typical 8:30am start after yet another cold and restless night. We had a corner room, which we learned the first night we shouldn’t get. With the room as warm as it was when we arrived, we didn’t really think about the fact that it had two outside walls. Now we really know better!

We had mentally prepared for an easy day, into Gorek Shep in a couple hours and then resting for the rest of the day. After all, Gorek Shep was really just up an easy valley floor. As it turned out, the trek from Lobuche to Gorek Shep stunned both of us as we just weren’t mentally prepared for the elevation gain nor I suppose the fact that we were now back at very high altitude. What felt like several very long hours actually only took us 2 hours and 55 minutes. This was almost exactly what our guide predicted, but not at all close to the time the guide book suggested. The first part of the path was an easy stroll up the valley, as anticipated. That quickly ended at another moraine that had a steep goat path leading up it. This lead out rapidly to a glacier that resulted in a lot of short sections of up and down that served as both a physical challenge and a mental deterrent, making the short time seem like far longer. Exacerbating the problem was the fact that we couldn’t see where Gorek Shep was to orient us to how much more lay before us. We rolled into Gorek Shep beat and ready for tea, a room, and a nap in that order.

Despite having spent three days in Gokyo (4750m vs 5170m for Gorek Shep) I came down with a bad headache. While Anne tried her best to nap, I pulled out all the down I had, wrapped up, and drank a large pot of hot lemon. Diamox, ibuprofen, and a mid-day nap quickly did their work to restore me to normal.

It was good to flake out for the afternoon as both Anne and I needed the rest. We’d essentially not had a rest day since Namche, so time to just lay back and relax was welcomed, even if it seemed as though we were squandering precious time. During the day, the room gets good light, enough that it warmed to the point where you actually want to open the window to keep a nice temperature. We’re staying in yet another “Yeti Resort” (The name seems to have special affection, and there have been numerous lodges along the trek with some form of “Yeti” name) and this one really isn’t too bad given the remote location. The dining room is cold as it doesn’t have enough windows facing the light during the day. The main hallway also smelled too much of the pit toilet, which was a little off-putting. Otherwise, it wasn’t bad.

Tomorrow the plan is to summit Kala Patthar in the afternoon to catch sunset. Maybe we’ll also try for Everest Base Camp if we feel up to it.

Stats for the day:
Miles: 3.07
Ascent: 355m
Descent: 114m
Total Time: 2:55
Moving Time: 2:00

It was another full day of hiking as we climbed out of Dingboche (4350m) and headed for Lobuche (4940m). It started bad, with a really crappy night’s sleep. As mentioned already, we added foam pads to try and make the sleeping experience better. For me, it resulted in a slope on the bed such that I felt like I was falling out of the bed all night. This induced dreams of rolling off mountains and all sorts of other falling dream badness, which kept me waking up regularly through the night. Anne didn’t fare much better and so we were both slow to start the morning.

Dorje brought us a hot cup of Tiger Balm laced water, the follow up to the previous night’s Tiger Balm vapor therapy. With a slow breakfast we strung out leaving till the sun at least close to peeking out from behind the valley, hoping the sun would help warm everything up and help make breathing easier for Anne. Then we packed up and made a very cold trek up to the top of the ridge overlooking Dingboche.

I stormed up the hill, trying my best to get and stay warm. It didn’t take long to gain the first bit of sunlight hitting the ridge where I warmed up and waited for Anne and the rest to join. From that first ridge, most of the walk to Thukla makes its way slowly upward over grassy plains, wide open with intertwined and myriad paths to choose from. The walk also looks over the valley below, full of empty yak pastures and stone houses. In the summer, this is where yaks are brought to graze.

We ate lunch in Thukla, a convenient stop since it is immediately before an arduous climb up an old moraine ridge to the higher valley that Lobuche sits in. Anne was still not feeling her best, so I grabbed her camera to try and lighten her load as much as possible and slowly trudged up the steep path. Renche and I bolted ahead at the paces we were comfortable with, Anne making her own slower pace with Dorje.

At the top of this climb was a whole field of stone memorials, marking the passing of climbers who had perished on the surrounding slopes. We found the marker for Scott Fischer, founder of Mountain Madness who died as part of the disaster on Everest in 1996. I placed a stone on it to honor his memory. It was a moving place, sitting under the view of high peaks like Pumori, Lhotse, and Nuptse who’d taken these people’s lives. An unerring reminder that you don’t conquer mountains, they allow you to climb them.

The rest of the way was mostly flat, following the non-glacier side of the moraine up the valley. We rolled into town and started the search for a lodge. It’s an unnerving process since it’s impossible to judge the real quality of the lodge from the outside. Often it takes overnight to know the place sucks. However, we lucked out and landed a nice and new lodge with rooms upstairs from the dining area that catch the evening light and allow them to stay toasty warm late into the day. Indeed, the room was so warm we could wear just our base layers.

There were a couple interesting happenings as we started to relax. The first was a helicopter rescue of two trekkers suffering from advanced AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). They’d apparently been up Kala Patthar and gotten severe nausea and vomiting on the way back. They loaded these two onto the helicopter and lifted them down to lower elevations. A third trekker suffering less advanced symptoms was also there, and they were being escorted down to lower elevation that night.

We also had an interesting misunderstanding with our guide and porter about the timeline we were on. We thought they were trying to cut us short a day of our trek by telling us we had to fly out on the 19th day (we’d paid for 20 days). We wrote out the schedule and were able to clear it all up, but was an indication of exactly how problematic some of the trip was given the very basic level of English that Dorje spoke.

Tonight, hopefully both Anne and I will sleep well. Getting a good night’s sleep for the day tomorrow would be nice, since every night at higher elevation makes sleeping harder…

Stats for the day:
Miles: 4.91
Ascent: 739m
Descent: 175m
Total Time: 5:20
Moving Time: 2:53

Today we “turned the corner” from the valley that goes to Gokyo to the valley that goes to Everest. It was a long day, the elevation gains were supposed to be around 200m and 300m before and after lunch, respectively. However, even before we hit Pangboche for lunch, we’d already racked up around 400m gain. Again, this was along a trail that followed a contour line between the two towns that was more like an up and down squiggle. The most interesting part of the trail was a section we named “The Wiggles” after the famous section of trail in Zion leading up to Angel’s Landing. This little section of trail switched back tightly, gaining 70 feet or so in the process. Once at the top, it was possible to look nearly straight down on those coming up inviting vertigo for the faint of heart.

Once in Pangboche, we stopped at the gompa to take pictures. Gompas are fantastically interesting places, with lots of detail to shoot. I broke out the tripod (since they are also very dark inside) and started snapping away. You don’t wear shoes when you’re in the temple, and given the altitude, seasons, and closed space the floor was exceptionally cold! I quickly reached my limit and headed outside into the sun to warm up (feeling a little like a lizard looking for a hot rock to bask on). Anne took her time, meticulously working over the inside of the temple and doing some HDR.

After spending maybe 30 minutes wandering around the gompa, we headed just up the small hill to grab a bite before heading on towards Dingboche. At lunch, we met two folks from Canada who were trekking together. The gentleman was from Kelowna, BC and the woman was from Winnipeg. Anne engaged them in conversation during lunch, and we talked about Gorek Shep and the EBC and Kala Patthar hikes.

After lunch we set off for Dingboche, another two to three hours walk away. Surprisingly, there were few steep grades, most of it a gradual uphill that took us through a nice plain with expansive views of Ama Dablam and Lhotse along the way, the river below us to our right. The final grunt up a hill was immediately after a bridge crossing, which then leveled out to 4400m as we crested another small hill and Dingboche sprang into view.

It was near 4pm when we got into town, trying to follow Dorje as closely as possible to ensure that we got a lodge that was adequate. Sure enough, just as in Namche, Dorje went for the lodge that was clear across town, the highest up the path we would take the following morning. Having learned from some previous night’s sleep that you should mind the foam pads on the bed, we protested the poor quality and nearly non-existent padding. This prompted the addition of 3 more foam pads for each bed, which provided more than enough padding.

I’d also determined to try and wash a couple things, having not done a proper wash of any clothing for several days. I mustered some hot water and quickly got to work. However, it wasn’t fast enough and just as soon as I’d hung my items to dry on the line, the sun set behind the hills. In about 10 minutes my wet clothing was completely frozen, resembling cardboard more than merino wool. I brought the stiff clothing into the dining room, where by now the stove was warm and proceeded to start drying it all that way. It took several hours, but by the end of the night I had clothing that was both clean and dry.

The most interesting part of the night was teh impromptu steam treatment that Dorje brought out for Anne. He’d gotten a large bowl of hot water, added some Tiger Balm, and brought the whole thing out with a large towel. Since Anne had started suffering from congestion at Gokyo, Dorje had been somewhat insistent on minor local treatments like Tiget Balm, garlic soup, and hot water to drink. Tonight, it hit a whole new level. The Tiger Balm laced steam was enough to make you cough at a distance. Anne gave it a go for a while and then I stepped in (now also starting to have my own sinus issues). I’ll tell you that I’ve never been cleared up so fast in my life, it was like detonating an A-bomb in your sinuses. We both went to bed clear as newly forged bells.

Tomorrow we’ll head out of town and aim for Lobuche. That will set us up for Gorek Shep on the following day assuming all goes well.

Stats for the day:
Miles: 7.96
Ascent: 948m
Descent: 471m
Total Time: 7:16
Moving Time: 4:24

Big day today as we made our way all the way down the valley to Phortse. We knew it would take hours so we got an early start, which wasn’t hard because neither Anne nor I slept well last night. I only finally got to sleep at around 3am, and I have no idea about Anne.

It was also possibly the coldest morning yet. The room seemed noticeably colder than previous mornings probably due to the clouds last night. The frost was thick on the window and the water in the water bottle was slushy, the first time we’ve had problems not keeping the water in the sleeping bag.

We rolled out just after breakfast, around 8:20am or so and started slowly down the trail we came up just three days prior. Crossing the river just after the first lake, we made our way quickly down and crossed the river again on a small wooden bridge that was still slippery from the nights frost. Along the way, we crossed over braids of the river several times, finally making our way down the valley following a “contour” which lead us higher and higher above the river falling away in the valley below us. Despite this “contour,” there were still numerous short and steep sections where the trail would fall just to gain back the elevation, some apparently made on what appear to be the whim of whatever yak first walked the path.

We ate lunch at around 12:30pm in Thore, which looked across the valley and down on Dole. Given the long hike thus far, lunch was both well timed and tasty (probably all the more for the appetite we’d worked up going up and down so much). It was also plentiful and Anne and I were both stuffed. Which is exactly the point at which Dorje brought out a whole plate full of boiled potatoes! Anne and I were both touched by the gesture but at the same time horrified that we couldn’t possibly eat a bite of it! In the end, I took the plate back to Dorje, thanking him profusely for the offer and explaining that we were both far too full from the food we ordered to be able to eat any more.

Before leaving I went to go use the toilet. This is relevant because it was possibly the most horrifying toilet I’ve ever used. To get to it, you first had to head around the lodge and down the hill into the yak pasture. There was a small wooden hut with a small square door about the size of a Hobbit. After squeezing through the door, you were greeted with a wooden floor that looked more like my grandfather’s attic than something safe to stand on. Some of the boards were loose, threatening to either give way or fly up and whack you in the shin. Of course the toilet was really just a hole in the floor that meant navigating all the rest of these dangers. Even by standards on the trek it was a little bleak.

Barring mishap in the outhouse, we got under way after a longish rest in the sun. We’d hoped the rest of the way would be downhill to Phortse, but sadly that was not the case. Not more than 10 minutes out of town we again ran into a steep 50m descent followed by an immediate ascent of the same order. Three or four times we rounded corners only to see some steep descent followed immediately by a steep climb to a pass. Anne’s reaction: “Oh God!” It summed up the feeling perfectly and I couldn’t help but chuckle and share the same emotion.

We finally got to Phortse around 4pm, spent some time looking for a lodge and finally found the “Peaceful Lodge.” The name was only partially apt. We picked a comfortable and well-appointed room, unpacked, and then found that there was no key for the door lock. We found the key and found that the door lock didn’t actually work. Finally, we changed rooms moving from room 5 to room 4. We also took some time to do some mundane chores like minimal laundry, trimming nails, and washing up.

Tomorrow we’re off to Dingboche and then Lobuche, though as Dorje is starting to understand better, we’ll change the schedule as desired to fit our needs!

Stats for the day:
Miles: 9.96
Ascent: 505m
Descent: 1389m
Total Time: 7:38
Moving Time: 4:52

Today we’d intended to hike to the fifth lake and/or Cho Oyu base camp. We got a pretty early start, with breakfast at 7:30am or so. Since we went to bed so early last night, it was really easy to get up with the dawn. The main dining room was cold as the staff they hadn’t really gotten the fire going much at all. Since the nights get cold (-15 to -20 degrees Celsius) and Gokyo sits in the shade until around 9 or 10, it stays really cold in the lodge until later in the morning. Both of us ordered hot tea and soon we were warming ourselves from the inside out. We both had a quick breakfast and we gathered some boiled eggs for lunch since they packed relatively well and don’t crush easily. Then we headed out.

We made the fourth lake in good time under an outstandingly beautiful and blue sky. Just past the fourth lake, we were walking along in a nice flat section and Anne took to opportunity to blow her nose. At this point, with the cold evenings and dry air, we were both suffering from runny noses. Anne had a worse time of it than I, suffering something much closer to a full blown cold. Anyway, as she blew her nose, she also passed out for a second causing her to careen over to her side only barely catching herself before hitting the ground. I’m sure it was more shocking for me than her, she actually described it afterwards as “quite peaceful,” and while she made a case for continuing on I insisted that we head back and get some rest.

We got back to Gokyo quite quickly (always stunning how quickly you can go downhill) with Anne feeling great and me wondering if I’d done the right thing by turning us back. Anne did, however, take the afternoon to rest while I explored a little of the lateral moraine to the glacier that sit just behind Gokyo. I walked a couple kilometers up the valley on the moraine ridge, looking over the glacier and surrounding peaks up to Cho Oyu. The glacier itself was pretty hard to comprehend in terms of size. It’s also hard to comprehend the mass the glacier has lost and how big it once was as you look out and see the “high glacier mark” etched into the wall of the valley across the glacier. It was several hundred feet from the high point to the surface of the glacier today, and this pretty much constant up and down the miles of glacier to be seen.

I got back to town about one and a half hours after leaving and dried some clothes in the remainder of the sunlight, we both washed off using our trekking wipes (baby wipes for adults), counted our money and sorted out tips for our guide and porter. I also prepped for some evening photography, getting out my tripod, changing filters and the like.

When coming down from Gokyo Ri the previous night, I’d wanted to take some twilight shots of the surrounding mountains but the light was too low. This evening, my intent was to head up Gokyo Ri about 100m or so, break out the tripod, and go crazy. That would allow me a nice overview shot of Gokyo, the lake, and the peaks beyond. Dorje caught me as I was leaving, insisting on coming along and also on carrying my pack. It was a gesture I certainly didn’t turn down! Without the extra weight, we both made really short work of the climb and spent the extra time working our way over the hill and away from the trail to find a nice vantage point that allowed me to see both Gokyo and Cho Oyu. We had to wait about 20 minutes for the sun to set and in that time, the clouds started to roll in. They provided a nice scenic flooring to the valley, but also threatened to obscure the shot entirely in addition to just making it plain cold. Frost quickly started growing on everything exposed to the air. I was able to get some shots before getting completely socked in and bailing for the comfort of a warm fire.

Tomorrow, we’ll head to Phortse, circumnavigating the Cho La pass. Anne and I both don’t think it wise to head over the high pass given her blackout today. It’ll be a long day, but it won’t take more days to get to Gorek Shep and we’ll have the advantage of heading downhill and getting to thicker air, so it’s really no loss at all.

Today we rested in the morning in preparation of climbing Gokyo Ri in the afternoon. I woke early, grabbed a hot lemon, and waited for Anne to wake up.

After breakfast, we took the cameras down to the prayer flags marking the “entrance” to the town of Gokyo and took some pictures. There was an especially photogenic yak that moved about, giving us the opportunity to try and capture it against the mountains in the background. All up, it was a pretty restful morning and a nice change from the now daily routine of waking up, packing up, and moving villages.

The previous night, we’d made friends with an Israeli family. They’d taken a year off to travel with their kids, ages 5, 8, and 10, and had trekked up to Gokyo after having completed the Annapurna circuit. The 5 year old had actually walked all the way from Lukla herself, helping reinforce the frequently forgotten notion that kids are actually far more resilient than we give them credit for. Just the day before, the 8 and 10 year olds had “summited” Gokyo Ri. As we returned from our little photo outing, we found the family packing up and making their way back towards Namche.

After lunch, we packed out bags and started the trek to the summit of Gokyo Ri. The trail was really steep, honestly we’d probably call sections of it a goat trail in the Cascades. As such, it took a lot longer than I think either Anne or I had expected. At a couple points, you would think the trail was just about to crest at the summit. However each time the trail would open up before you in a seemingly never ending slog uphill.

We reached the summit of Gokyo Ri around 4pm, in time for some awesome evening light. There were expansive views across a range of famous mountains: Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori, Cho Oyu, Ama Dablam… It was pretty awesome. As with nearly everything in Nepal, the summit of Gokyo Ri was draped in prayer flags, making the scene that much more interesting. We left the summit before sunset proper, wanting to get back to the lodge before dark and avoid any trouble we might have making our way down the trail.

Needless to say, it was tiring and we both grabbed dinner and went to bed early (around 7:30).

Stats for the day:
Ascent: 718m
Descent: 718m
Total Time: 4:40

Woke up early this morning to the now famililar headache.  Anne was worse off than I was, a turn from the day before.  Regardless, we picked ourselves up and made the hike to Gokyo in about 3.5 hours, rolling in after noon hungry and ready to eat.

The hike in was amazing.  There were incredible views of Cho Oyu almost all the way up.  We climbed a short and steep section up what looked to be a terminal moraine that lead to the first lake and a cairn fairy land.  The first lake was incredibly beautiful, the sort of milky blue like you’d see in Lake Louise, made all the more amazing with the Ruddyshell ducks that were swimming about.  The second lake was slightly less awe inspiring, but still a sight to behold.  Overall, the scenery was breathtaking, adding a hop to the step in baited anticipation of the next corner.

After we rolled into town and secured the room, we grabbed a quick lunch and Anne settled in for a nap to try and finish off her nagging headache.  I was feeling adventurous so I took off for Renjo Pass where there were promised views of Everest and a myriad of other surrounding peaks.  It was a tough haul but I made it to 17,050 feet (well short of the pass, but the best I could manage with the remaining daylight) and had some spectacular views of the promised peaks.  I blasted back to Gokyo just in time to see the last of the light and secure a warm seat in the dining room.

Stats for the day:
Miles: 4.56
Ascent: 510m
Descent: 131m
Total Time: 3:29
Moving Time: 2:20