Category: alpine

Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles.

To Everest Base Camp.

Up the rugged Khumbu glacier moraine …

Sadly, there were very few tents at Base Camp 5360m (17,600 ft). But they set up as close as they can get to the Khumbu Ice Fall.

As I’d often heard, it’s a God Awful place to camp. It must take forever to build new tent platforms each season.

The weather was superb. Above freezing, the glacier collapsing upon itself with melt.

Some hiker goofing at the entrance sign …

Later I learned that nudity is not allowed near sacred mountains. Israelis who hiked nude over the Thorong La on the Annapurna Circuit were fined $100ea and had their camera SD cards confiscated.

I didn’t linger long as I proposed to backtrack same day all the way to Dingboche. For the first time I could hike as far as I wanted as I would finally be losing elevation.

From Dingboche I could resume the Three Passes of Everest itinerary, via Kongma La. This perfect weather was an incentive to hurry.

The only sidetrip on the decent was to checkout the “Italian Pyramid“, a high altitude scientific research station.

It was dark by the time I reached Dingboche. But with every step I felt, psychologically, that the air was more oxygen rich!

see all photos from day 9

… on to day 10

days: 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12-13|14|15|16|17| info page

Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles.

Namche Bazaar is the last village of (comparative) civilization before the high Himalaya. My batteries were literally and figuratively recharged after a rest day there.

Aside from other errands, I visited the library and bank. (You need enough Nepali rupees and American dollars in cash in case you might need emergency evacuation.)

Almost all hikers leaving Namche head towards Tengboche 3,867m (12,687 ft).

I did, as well, intending to do the Three Passes of Everest trek, a relatively new itinerary. It’s basically a big lollypop loop hike as shown in red above.

Tengboche is not all that difficult a hiking day as the gain in altitude is reasonable. But the scenery quickly becomes more dramatic. Meet Ama Dablam, soon to become my favourite mountain in the region.

Many guest houses sell “hot showers” for about $3. That gets you 20 liters of solar heated luke warm water. I washed, instead, as do the Nepalis, in a freezing mountain spring or from a standing tap.

The mountain women all have lovely, thick long hair. But washing it and staving off lice is challenging.

Tengboche is a popular stop because of the famed Buddhist monastery, the largest in the Khumbu region. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1989.

I love these colourful monasteries having visited dozens in Tibet 11yrs ago.

But the highlight for me that day was meeting a Sherpa who had 5 times been to the summit of Everest working for Russell Brice of Chamonix Experience. He shared great stories with tourists and monks, there as a guest for a big Puja. High altitude Sherpas are wealthy celebrities in the Khumbu.

Rarely can I pass by any bakery. The one in Tengboche is particularly good.

I was tempted to set up the tent. It’s a charming place.

… But with a couple of hours of daylight remaining, I decided to gain another couple of hundred metres. Altitude and attitude are everything when trekking up to Everest.

If you feel ill, stop. If you feel good, climb higher. As an independent hiker, I had this option. I was not bound by the itinerary of any group. In fact, most hikers stricken with altitude sickness are in groups, denying illness, trying to keep up.

I trekked on alone, the trail deserted after 4PM.

all photos from day 5

… on to day 6

days: 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12-13|14|15|16|17| info page

Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles.

To Namche Bazaar.

After 2 days sick, I finally felt great. Ready to make a push up to storied Namche 3,440m (11,286 ft).

First stop was the office of Sagarmatha National Park.

Here you must sign-in if you are hiking independently, showing your TIMS (Trekking Information Management System) card. And also your (US$13.50) Park entry fee.

I got mine in Kathmandu in advance. But you could get both at the Park entrance, as well. (So long as you remembered to bring 2 passport size photos with you.)

At the Park entrance begins a series of suspension bridges, the topography much more rugged.

It was explained to me that the Maoists never have bothered trekkers much in the Everest region because this one entrance can be so easily policed.

This section of the trail is crowded and dusty. Best not cross a bridge if you see pack animals coming from the other direction.

Actually, the porters can knock you to the ground, as well. They have limited visibility.

Despite bridge delays, I was psyched to get to Namche. And it did not disappoint. One of the great hiker’s towns in the world.

Here’s the vista from my $3 room.

Finally I felt I was on the way to Mt. Everest. Namche is “the gateway to the high Himalaya”.

This is why I had come to Nepal.

all photos from Everest trek – day 3

… on to day 4

days: 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12-13|14|15|16|17| info page

Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles.

Is it safe to trek independently in Nepal?

Is it safe to trek solo in Nepal?

Yes. And yes.

On the other hand, while I was there posters were up for a missing Russian trekker. And a missing Chinese trekker.

The majority of hikers in the Everest region hire a guide, porter(s) and/or pack animals.

But there are many, many hiking independently. And solo. I feel Nepal is one of the safest places to hike solo anywhere in the world. I met many women traveling solo.

The trails are packed with people! It’s difficult to ever find yourself alone on a trail.

Certainly independent hikers are experienced. They know what they are doing. Have proper gear. And carry a good guidebook.

… No independent hiker takes a suitcase with wheels to Mt. Everest.

Still feeling fatigued, I didn’t go far day 2. I set up camp early afternoon on a sand bank on a side stream, the Monjo Khola. And enjoyed a day hike up the side valley away from the crowds on the main trail. A rough trail leads to Kusum Kangru base camp, the most difficult of the Nepal trekking peaks.

It was an early night reading the one novel I carried up to the mountains. (And later listening to audio books on my two iPods.)

By late evening my stomach was feeling better. I was getting acclimatized.

all photos from Everest trek – day 2

… on to day 3

days: 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12-13|14|15|16|17| info page