Matsamuel posted an excellent trip report of his trek to Everest — actually to the summit of Kala Patthar near Everest. Ideal reading for anyone considering that trip.
Unfortunately he posted it on the confusing cluttered Travelpod website. (Actually, that site is very functional.)
Best starting point on Travelpod is his table of contents.
Or jump directly to the highlight of the trek — Everest Trek Day 10, Loboche to Kala Patthar:
… I have to admit I was a bit worried about climbing Kala Patthar. Yesterday, as we were trekking to Loboche, Noori pointed at a mountain in the distance and simply stated “Kala Patthar”. …. That’s Kala Patthar?! How the heck were we going to climb that? It looks sheer on all sides and the fact that the top is covered in a layer of ice is not easing my mind. We don’t have any equipment to make that sort of technical climb let alone the know-how or the guts.
… the top of Kala Patthar was in view and it was close. It was a real scramble across rocks upon nearing the summit but finally I had made it. I turned around to see Everest under a perfect sky. After 10 days of trekking I had made it to the top of Kala Patthar and was gazing at what is arguably the best ground view of Everest possible. That was my reward. It is just a magnificent mountain to look at. Stark black with hardly much snow with its classic triangular shape. It truly is a natural wonder. I could have stayed up there all day if it was for the fact that I was truly freezing my ass off. …
photo source…Everest, the king of all mountains, right in front of me. I was hard to believe that I was seeing all this live and with my own eyes.
Everest Trek Day 10: Loboche to Kala Patthar – trip report
His trekking partner Mazen was sticken with severe altitude sickness and did not try for this summit. They descended as quickly as possible.
Stories like this make me want to trek at lower elevations. The heavily glaciated peaks of New Zealand or Patagonia, for example, which have almost no risk of altitude sickness.
Kala Patthar – 5545m (18,192ft) – Wikipedia
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