Nepal: Everest Day!!

For April 12

A quick peak ahead...here it is in all its glory.  Everest Base Camp, the Khumbu Glacier, and Everest (barely visible).

This was it!  The day we traveled halfway around the world and hiked nearly 40 miles for.  It was finally Everest Base Camp day!  But before we headed off to EBC, we would hike to Gorak Shep (16,995).  Gorak Shep is where we would spend the night.  The plan was to hike to Gorak Shep, stop for a brief break, and then hike up to EBC, before returning to Gorak Shep.  You are not allowed to actually stay at Everest Base Camp unless you are part of an expedition from there, so everyone traveling to see EBC stays at either Gorak Shep, or if all the rooms are full, back down at Lobuche.

At the beginning things were pretty easy; a gentle slope uphill.  Then we hit a steep set of rocks.  I was bound and determined to keep a steady pace up those rocks, and the ever loyal Pemba stayed with me the whole time.  When we got to the top of those rocks, I looked back at where we had come from and then forward to where we were going.  We were surrounded by the most beautiful mountains.  By this point in time we were in the 16,500 to 16,700 ft range so things were pretty intense.  And this was one day where it was pretty much all up, up, up…at least until we hit Base Camp.

Looking back on the way we came from.  You can see the little people who haven't yet reached the steep incline to reach us up at the top.

Where we were hiking for most of the day was in the rockfall of the Khumbu Glacier.  We were going up and over and around big and small, ankle twisting rocks.  I was going slow because my knees and ankles are already a mess and I really didn’t want to get hurt that close to the final destination (ignoring the fact we had to get back down) point, and of course the altitude and me not feeling well also tied into all of it.  

There were so many yaks making their way to and from EBC.  I can only assume they were carrying supplies and gear up to expedition teams up there.  At this point in time, there were still some teams working on setting up camp at EBC so this stuff was going to that.  One of the yak trains we saw had a young yak trailing along at the end.  He was too young to carry anything, but was old enough to tag along and start learning what to do.

Somewhere between Lobuche and Gorak Shep, we got our first view of Everest Base Camp in the distance.  You could see the brightly colored tents set up on the Khumbu Glacier.  It all seemed so close, but so far at the same time.  By this time we also had an amazing view of Nuptse, Lho La, and Khumbutse.  And we could see the summit of Everest, but not much more.  The crazy thing was Nuptse looked taller than Everest, just because it was closer, but in reality, Nuptse is half a mile shorter than Everest.

Our first view of Everest Base Camp...do you see it?

Finally we made it to Gorak Shep.  We stopped for a brief break at the tea house we’d be staying at that evening, then we set out for EBC.  My energy level was practically zero by this time, but I kept pushing.  “Almost there!  You’re almost there!”  The good news was that in the whole scheme of things, this was a relatively flat hike; only 400 feet of ascent from Gorak Shep to Everest Base Camp.  We were almost to EBC when I needed a break, and Amy and Renee told me to take the lead so we would all get to EBC together, which was nice.  After climbing over a few more rocks we made it!  It took 2 hours for us to get from Gorak Shep to EBC.  

Standing on top of the world!  Okay, not quite.  More like the base of the top of the world.

Up at EBC, there was a giant rock that said Everest Base Camp that everyone was taking turns on to take pictures.  From EBC, you can’t really see much of Everest, just the very top of the mountain.  And we couldn’t actually walk through Base Camp. I’m not sure if that’s a normal thing or a Covid precaution, though I don't think I would have had the energy anyways.  We took some pictures, and I pulled out some snacks (hello Oreos that I had been carrying with me since Namche Bazaar for celebration!) to give me a bit of energy for the way back.  Then while the others were taking pictures, I sat down on a rock and just looked up at Everest and the other mountains around me.  I figured I could take 100 pictures and they’d all look similar, or I could take the time to just take it all in and think, “I made it.  I’m staring at the tallest mountain in the world.  I’m sitting up here at 17,312 feet right now.  I’ve only ever been higher once in my life.  How cool is this!?”  

The whole group!

Speaking of cool, it really wasn’t that cold up there.  I was in layers, yes, but I never pulled out my warmest layer, and even at EBC I wasn’t wearing my puffy jacket, just two long sleeve layers and my raincoat/windbreaker.  I was prepared for all this cold weather because it was cold on Kilimanjaro, but I never really felt that on the trail to EBC.  But this was also probably because instead of spending evenings in a mess tent only heated by a small lamp, we were spending evenings in a stove heated common area.

We made our way back to Gorak Shep after spending nearly an hour at Base Camp.  The trip back took about 30 minutes less than the way there.  Must have been the Oreos. 😉  Or maybe going downhill, even if it was only 400 feet.  

I really don’t remember the rest of that evening.  We ate.  Took oxygen levels…mine were horrendously low.  And then I went back to my room to sleep.  The official plan was to wake up at 3:00 am hike up to Kala Pattar to watch the sunrise over Everest, but I had already told Anil that I most definitely did not have the energy for that. I figure if I wanted to be able to hike the 40 miles back to Lukla over the next 3 days, I would need to sleep.  Amy was also starting to not feel great so the two of us stayed behind, while Renee, Louie, Anil, and Pemba made their way up to Kala Pattar in the dark and got some amazing photos.  I wish I could have made it, but it would have been the wrong choice.

Lho La, Everest, Nuptse (center)