Trek On



Today's post will take you to my highest summit ever. Seven months after actually making it to Mount Everest South Base camp, where I'm pictured here, I'm finally posting it. Better late than never...right?

Lebuche, at 16,175 feet, became our high camp for three nights. We were originally scheduled to camp at Gorak Shep for two nights, in preparation for our big climbs. Circumstance sometimes necessitates change and the decision to stay in Lebuche was very helpful to people in our group feeling the tough effects of altitude. Our leaders recognized that we would all sleep better a little lower which would increase our chances for success on our upcoming, hardest hikes. It was a great decision for the group, but did increase the level of difficulty for our hikes to Kala Pattar and Everest Base Camp. Gorak Shep, the highest camp before Everest Base Camp is next to the trail leading to Kala Pattar and is also along the way to Everest Base Camp. Coming from Lebuche adds a few hours of hiking just to reach Gorak Shep. It was daunting to think of completing both hikes, as I was also experiencing altitude-related ailments. I told myself it would all work out the way it was meant to, but in the back of my goal-oriented mind, I wouldn't take no for an answer.



The long road from Lebuche to Gorak Shep.



While on the way to Gorak Shep, Sherpa Dipendra and one of our guides, Danika, enjoyed an impromptu climb. In the foreground is a memorial plaque to a fallen climber. In addition to the primary monument area, there are many chortens and plaques celebrating lives of lost climbers scattered throughout the region.



Heather's daypack is dwarfed by a porter's load behind her. Porters carry a type of walking stick that they use as a chair along the trail. They sometimes carry 100 kilograms or 220 pounds!



Soup with a smile... In preparation for the cold, windy summit of Kala Pattar, Heather brings some delicious soup sent by our cooks. In addition to three wonderful meals a day, the kitchen staff gave each of us a snack-filled goody bag for our daily hikes.



I'm not sure what type of bird this is. It was hanging out near our group in Gorak Shep, where we took a break before heading up Kala Pattar.



Gorak Shep at 17,000 feet is the highest, year-round village on the Nepal side of Mount Everest. On the left is Kala Pattar, which appears to be a small hill when compared with the Himalayan peaks surrounding it. At 18,450 feet, not visible in this picture, the summit was far away from the trailhead you see here.



Kala Pattar was our first hike from Lebuche and it was well worth the effort! At 18,450 feet, our highest summit on the trip, I felt overjoyed with the great views of Mount Everest and sense of accomplishing such a tough physical challenge.



We had a quick celebration, enjoyed some delicious soup served by Raj (and carried up by Heather) and I shot as many pictures as I could before heading back down.



The top of the world viewed from Kala Pattar. Because our trek took place in the off-climbing season, there are no climbers in the picture.



Mount Everest South Base Camp and the Khumbu Icefall.



I never knew how blue a glacier could be!



I had planned to shoot a panoramic view from the top of Kala Pattar and hoped to weave it together into one picture. While anchored by Dipendra, my awesome Sherpa, I spun in a circle and snapped away. Upon reviewing the pictures in Katmandu, I realized that my lens hood was loose and it caused the series to be unusable due its silhouette surrounding each frame.



I feel a little sad about not being able to create a 360 degree panaramic shot, but it's a fun reminder of how altitude can effect your brain function. The feeling of elation at 18,450 feet is something very hard to describe.



Sunsets in the Khombu are amazing. The gorgeous bronze reflection of the setting sun on the mountains is often referred to as the alpenglow.

Nine hours after leaving our camp, I returned, in the dark by headlamp, to a wonderful dinner feast. The exhaustion I felt was well worth it.



Bright and early the next morning we headed out for Everest Base Camp. (actually it wasn't bright, the sun had not quite come out when we started) The Everest Base Camp trek is not considered to be technical, but as you see in this picture, the glacial terrain can be tough, especially on very long hikes.



It's out there somewhere!



As we arrived at base camp, we saw beautiful ice formations and colorful prayer flags left over from last year's climbing season. As the glacier is ever changing, the ice moves and sometimes erupts with huge boulders on top.



Upon my arrival at base camp, I was greeted by Diane and Kaia, the other two members of our group who made it there.



Dipendra, the world's greatest Sherpa, celebrates being at base camp once again. Dipendra summitted Mount Everest about 6 months before I met him. I asked him if anything about this trek was difficult for him and he answered with a simple "no." This year (2009) Dipendra summited another peak in the region, Cho Oyu. He is simply amazing and I'm very thankful for his wonderful support and friendship.



As some of you know, I dedicated my trek to my sister-in-law, Debbie, who is fighting gastric cancer. Via satellite phone, I was able to call her from basecamp, which was part of my fundraising-project goal. I woke both her and my brother Andy, in the middle of the night with my phone call. The three of us had a great conversation and talked for several minutes. She had just had a clean scan and the mood was quite celebratory.

I'm proud that through my fundraising efforts, I raised about $15,000 for cancer research. Debbie has now taken over the reigns with her new foundation, Debbie's Dream.

I'm thrilled for her and wish her the best of luck. I am very proud that I helped to inspire such a worthy project. I am in awe of Debbie's strength. When I think about the fact that she's been undergoing chemotherapy for over a year now, hiking for 13 hours just doesn't seem like that big of a deal. I did think of her a lot that day and thank her for helping me achieve this goal. Keep on trekking Deb!!



The Khombu Icefall is an amazing site. It didn't even seem real to be standing in the midst of it shooting pictures.



On the way out of base camp, I heard a loud roar and turned just in time to witness a small avalanche. Although not very dramatic, this picture captured the very end of the avalanche. It made me smile ear-to-ear to see nature doing its thing.

13 hours after leaving, Dipendra and I arrived back at our camp in the dark. Hiking by headlamp in the Himalayan wilderness is something I'll never forget as long as I live. I was beyond exhausted and don't remember eating dinner that night. I had reached my goal and felt ready for the adventure back down to Lukla.

1 comment:

Andi Wolfe said...

Jill - the bird is a Himalayan Snowcock. Pretty cool to watch during breeding season, which is what we got to see in May.

Love the pics - I wish we hadn't been snowed in at Dingboche. I would have enjoyed doing both base camp and Kala Patthar.