Trekking into the Top of the World.....

The trek of a lifetime is best way to describe what I have done for the last 15 days. Went from 2800 metres to 5545 metres. I have been higher only once 30 years ago on Kilimanjaro with my friend Jake. I was in good enough shape to make the journey, but when it ended I was much better. The satisfaction of being able to climb 600 metres without stopping for a break is life changing for me. At home my heart rate would climb just climbing the stairs to go to bed. Now I am 40 pounds lighter and able to do so much more. How to maintain that in life ahead is a perplexing question and problem! Left to fulfill my dream of going to Everest Base Camp in Nepal on October 17th. Spent the 15th and 16th renting gear, getting permits, and getting my pack to a weight I could handle. A guy (Richard) that I was on tour with in Tibet and another guy (Adam) who was in my dorm room in Kathmandu wanted to go, so we all set out on a plane to Lukla on October 17th. We had decided to do it without a guide or porters so it was going to be interesting indeed!

Day 1

We headed to the airport at 8:00 am to catch the 9:30 flight to Lukla which is the starting point for the base camp trek. Spent five hours waiting for a flight that we were sure wasn't going to happen. Kathmandu has an airport that needs expanding but we are sure it will never happen. We caught the last flight out and landed in Lukla at about 3:30 pm. Grabbed our bags and headed down the path. We were so hyped we hiked 8 km in 2 hours and decided to stay in a place called Phahdang for the night. Beautiful little guesthouse that cost us a dollar to stay at and served a great Dhal Bat meal which gave us energy for the next day. Seemed like this was going to be an easy hike with no issues. Too quick to judge and underestimate the trail that lay ahead. No matter, we were just happy to be on our way.

Day 2

We got up with optimism and hope for the second day. We had crushed the trail the day before even though we had gone down 200 metres. We got up at 6:30 and were headed down the path at 7:30. Lots of people on the trail with trains of yaks carrying supplies to the different little communities. Porters carrying huge loads of supplies and gear for other hikers, as well as the odd pony caravan. In the sky, the helicopters were making constant runs up the valley to

rescue sick people or give healthy people rides back down because they were too lazy to walk back. Today we had to climb to 3400 metres. We started the day at around 2600 so it was going to be an exhausting day. We managed okay until we got to the final 500 metre climb. I think it was a combination of not taking the time to properly water and feed the body. Richard powered through to Namche Bazaar while Adam and I struggled up the last hills. Kind of brought us down to earth and made us realize this was no joke. Needed to do things right or get carried out by helicopter like so many others. Found a nice place to stay and immediately laid down to rest. Already starting to feel a little altitude headache. We are staying here for a day to acclimatize.

Day 3

After the reality check of Day 2 we decided to do an acclimatization hike. Beautiful hill above the town with good views of the mountains around and a glimpse of Everest. The hill was 400 metres straight up, but we we're climbing without our packs. Didn't take too long to go up and we found ourselves surrounded by beautiful scenery. Believe that if everyday is going to be like this, we may stay forever. Good hike today which helped us acclimatize and renew our confidence. Stayed on top for a while taking pictures and just relaxing in the sun. Did a wash of clothes to try to stay relatively clean. Brought very few clothes so need to wash regularly when we can.

Day 4

Time to head down the trail. Seemed like an easy day. We were going

to climb another 400 metres to about 3800. We started out well rested and had soon climbed to 3700 metres. Only a hundred more to go. Wrong! Immediately we went down 500 so we needed to climb 600 metres. It all came in one hill. I felt good today so I took the lead and headed up the hill. I soon got into a rhythm and was leaving my fellow hikers behind. Just kept going and made it to the top without a rest break. Earned the title of the goat. For some reason they didn't put old in front of that. Age really doesn't matter with these two. Just 3 guys hiking which is really nice. At the top of the hill was a place called Tengbocche where we were supposed to stay, but we pushed onto Pangboche a couple hours down the road. We really didn't want to end up at a place too early with nothing to do for the afternoon. Found a guesthouse and settled in for the night. Had taught the gang how to play 99 card game. So most nights we spent playing cards to pass the evenings. We found that by 8 or 9 we were ready for sleep. Always wanted an early start so we could get a place to stay for the

next night. Guides generally booked places ahead, so we had to beat the rush of the rest to ensure a place to stay.

Day 5

Already into a routine and the body is feeling okay. Can feel my legs getting stronger and my cardio is better. Very happy with my progress so far. Headed to Dingboche today. Starting to get up to a good height. Can start to feel the shortness of breathe. Had a good hike today. It wasn't overly difficult and it left us at a very pretty place. Need to take another acclimatization day here. There is a really nice viewpoint to climb and a nice lake to hike to. We are now at 4400 metres and the altitude is getting towards where it can be dangerous. We came up another 600 metres again today. Constantly going up is wearing on my legs, but so far I feel good and stronger.

Day 6

Unsure why we do what we do! Today we decided to climb the 700 metres to the lookout. That was an awesome hike and left us breathless from the scenery as well as from the hike. The viewpoint was at 5100 metres and was well worth the trip. All we can see are deep valleys, glaciers, and snow peaks everywhere. Hard to do it justice in a picture and my writing skills just aren't good enough to describe this beauty. Only way to really appreciate this is to come see for oneself. After coming down from the mountain we had lunch and then decided to climb up to the lake in the afternoon. It took us about an hour to get up the 250 metres to the lake. We were in a hurry as the clouds were rolling in and we wanted to get a good view. The clouds were sporadic so we managed to see what we wanted and headed back to the guesthouse. We were exhausted from a hard day of hiking, but satisfied we made the best use of our time.

Day 7

Now we are getting close. We decided to skip the next stop and head right to Goren Shep. The problem is accommodations. We managed to get the guesthouse to call and reserve a 2 night stay at a guesthouse in Goren Shep which is the launch place for Everest Base Camp and Kala Patar which is the viewpoint for Everest. Was a tough hike today as we climbed another 700 metres to above 5100. Adam has had altitude headaches all the way up. I have been quite good with just a lack of sleep. Richard shows no signs but he has climbed over 6100 in Bolivia. We had a tough tiring hike and my irritation is starting to show. Snapped at Richard once today for a comment he made. He has a sarcastic sense of humour like me and he just caught me at a bad time. I apologized later and all is good.

Arrived to a cold, beautiful place. Now we are close to our goal and the excitement is building. We all did not sleep well at this altitude. Easy to wake up short of breath and then not get back to sleep. Very cold in the room. Temperature gets down to minus 10 to minus 20 at night. No insulation in the walls so it is lucky we rented good sleeping bags and the guesthouse supplies good warm blankets. Windows have very thick layers of ice on them in the a.m.

Day 8

Finally Base Camp. Most people get up at 4 am to climb Kala Patar to get the sunrise over Everest and surrounding mountains. They are crazy and the guides should be shot for suggesting it. This morning it was minus 10 when we got up. Earlier probably closer to minus 15. These people are not equipped or prepared for hiking up a mountain in that kind of cold. A lot come down early and never see the sights.

We decided to do Kala Patar in the afternoon risking cloud cover and Base Camp in the a.m. The three of us had made a deal that we would hike to base camp in shorts. The first to falter had to do a polar swim. When the sun came up we hiked the hour and a half to Base Camp in shorts. Was a little cold at the start but as the sun got higher it was alright. We had a beautiful sunny day and we made it to our destination without many people around. Always wanted to come here because of no other reason but to see what was there. A big glacier and lots of history was what we found. Was worth the trip for me. Accomplishment aside it just felt right to come here. Got back to Goren Shep by 11 am and had a bite before tackling the viewpoint of Kala Patar. We put pants on for this as we were going up to 5545 metres (18240 feet). I felt good today and very energized. Headed up the 400 metre hike with barely a rest. What a view! Everest was right there in front of us, as well as the surrounding Himalayan range. We felt on top the world in the cold desolate place. We had no cloud

cover so our day was a total success. We were tired but very satisfied and excited over what we had achieved. We want to do 2 mountain passes on the way back so we aren't done yet. Getting tired of the cold. Also, we have started playing a card game called 9 card brag. Will have to introduce it to the girls when I get back.

Day 9

Time to leave and start heading back towards where we started. We have hiked a lot so it is starting to wear us down. Today we are heading towards the starting point for the Chola pass. Long cold hike today with a valley wind. We headed out at a brisk pace. I have a cold now. I know! Gee hiking to base camp in shorts was a bright idea. Couldn't lose the bet, but I am paying for it today. Waited until the sun came up so we left later around 8:30. We maintained a brisk pace as we were descending to 4800 metres. Just couldn't get warm all day. Not fun and a little dangerous. We arrived at our destination to find one room with one bed (bed slept four people) or a tent. We picked the bed! I immediately jumped into my sleeping bag to warm up my body. Richard and Adam headed to the common area restaurant to drink hot chocolate and try to stay warm. I felt better after an hour and a half in the bag. Got some energy food into me and felt ready for the climb through the pass tomorrow. Going to be a tough climb as we go as high as Base Camp through a rocky snowy pass.

Day 10

What a hard day on the trail! Up through a rough rugged pass climbing about 550 metres. Then across a kilometre long glacier to finally reach the summit at just over 5300 metres. Spent the day with Adam trying get over the pass. It was a hard day for us both. Richard took off ahead while we tried to get up the mountain. When we reached the top we were so happy. Another beautiful hike that added a different element to our trip. We had a long descent off the pass down to a quaint little place. We wanted to end up at Gorkyo Lake but thought we might not get a place to stay. Weather is starting to change and the constant wear and tear on our bodies is making us wonder if we should do the next pass. We will see what happens. We found a nice place to stay with a sunny sheltered yard. Washed our heads in a glacier stream and some clothes as well. Unfortunately they didn't fully dry because of weather changes. Going to have to change my hiking clothes to something else tomorrow. Oh well, not much a person can do! We haven't showered in 10 days. Just used baby wet wipes to try to keep a little clean. Only have a couple of options for clothes, so they get dirty and stinky fast. Feels like I am back to my childhood at the farm north of Fort St John. Not much to

work with and not really caring too much about it!

Day 11

To Gorkyo Lake and the Gorkyo Ri lookout. Walked across an old glacier path. Very rocky and rugged. We were heading for Gorkyo Lake to go up to the viewpoint and to go over Renji pass. Difficult trek today climbing over boulders and scree. At one point after the glacier going up the other side, we experienced a rock slide. The first was far away, but the second was close and not comfortable. We waited until all was quiet and then hightailed it across the area. All was good, but it did shake us up a little. Arrived at Gorkyo Lake and quickly grabbed a room knowing it was a busy place. We threw our bags in the room and headed out to climb to the Gorkyo Ri which was around 5400 metres. Was a really hard climb. It was about a 600 metre climb that was quite steep. Combined with the altitude it

made a very difficult ascent. We managed to climb it in about 1 1/2 hours and were rewarded with another angle of Everest and the Himalayan range. The weather held until after we were down before the clouds came in. With what we saw and the way the weather was closing in, we decided to not go over Renji pass. Instead we would head south down the valley and start back to Lukla.

Day 12

When we got up in the a.m, we realized our decision to head south was right. The weather was cold and the pass was socked in. We bundled up and headed down the valley. We hiked hard and fast trying to get as far south as we could. We gave ourselves 3 days to get to Lukla. We went as far as a little town called Phortse Thange. We were tired and there was a big climb to go to the next spot. Worse it was starting to snow. The guesthouse told us there was no

room but they could reserve a place for us at the top of the hill. It was a 250 metre climb and very steep. It took us 45 minutes to get there and it was a painful cold climb. After arriving we decided it was good we did this as it was behind us now and made the next days hike easier. We snuggled into a friendly nice warm common room and had an enjoyable night of cards and conversation. Crazy how you can take a negative thing and it turns it into a positive. We had a pleasant night and thoughts of an easy hike tomorrow!

Day 13

Today we hiked back to Namache Bazaar. Finally back full circle to the first days of the trip. Really was an easy day as we worked our way downhill to the same hostel we stayed at when we were there. It was a nice day until the afternoon, when it socked in and started to rain. We decided to go for a few beer now that we were far enough

down in altitude where it was safe. Had a good relaxing day which was really the first of the trip. Went to an Irish bar (which really wasn't Irish) and had a pint to end the day. We know tomorrow is a big hike day and we wanted to get a good start. We have tickets booked for the 31st and we need to hike the 19 kms tomorrow to catch our flight the next day.

Day 14

Last day of hiking on the EBC trek and it was a tough one. We headed out at about 8:00 am. We had to go down about 600 metres to Lukla. We went down about 900 metres and then back up 300. We were so tired as we pushed the pace as hard as we could. Richard was leading the way with a torrid pace while Adam and I tried to keep up. We lost track of him with about 6 kms left. Finally after climbing into Lukla we sat back and breathed a big sigh of relief. We had just

accomplished the Everest Base Camp trek. Not as easy as we had thought and probably the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. Anybody who says this trek is easy needs to come do it without porters and guides. We had a lot of fun and laughs, but also a few times of unhappiness and negativity. In the end we made it and are still friends. Great couple of guys helped me get through this adventure and I am better off because of it. Unsure what we are going to do next, but it would be fun if we could do it again together.

Day 15

Back to Kathmandu. Arrived at the airport around 8:00 for our 9:00 flight. As per usual it just doesn't work that way here. We finally were processed for our fight around 9:30 and boarded our plane around 11:00. We got 3/4 of the way to Kathmandu and all of a sudden we had to make a quick landing at a remote airstrip. The pilot said it was weather in Kathmandu, the stewardess said it was a weight issue. We figured they were short on fuel because they did an extra cargo shipment before picking us up. The uncertainty of not knowing what was going on made one wonder if there was something else wrong with the plane. It was a real remote beat up place that made it look out of some movie. We grabbed a bag of chips and a Pepsi from a little vendor stand and we were in the air again after an hour wait. Ended up in Kathmandu a couple of hours after we started for a 45 minute flight. Crazy times but something else for us to remember and talk about. Caught a taxi to the Zostel Hostel which took about an hour to find out they were full. We walked down the road to find another place. We booked a room and after a dog pooed in the entrance to our room we went hunting for another place. What a dive! We found a better place for tomorrow but stayed the night at the dive. Now we have to figure out what we are going to do next. Tomorrow we will spend the day figuring it out.