Trip Reports

Mera Peak and Mera and Island Peak, October 2024

October 2024 team on the Mera La
Trip Report

Written by Leader Edward George Chard (Ed), November 2024

I’m often asked why I lead expeditions to places that I’ve already been. My answer is always the same – it’s not place that makes the trip; it’s the people. This trip was no different; I’ve been to Nepal many times and also to Mera Peak and Island Peak on several occasions but I still left the UK bound for Kathmandu excited and looking forward to the month ahead.

We’d set up a WhatsApp group before we left so I had a good feeling about this team.

The group I shared this autumn with couldn’t have been more diverse, enthusiastic and adventurous. Mixed ages, backgrounds, lives and experiences meant we had fascinating dinnertime chats, stories and anecdotes throughout the trip.

Nepal had been hit by a very late surge in the Monsoon in late September so we were expecting some roads and bridges to have been damaged, our journey to the mountains started with a late night bus ride to avoid the worst of the damage and congestion. Early morning saw us arriving in Ramechhap, a small airport in the foothills. A high speed check in was  followed by a short but intense flight to the gateway of the Khumbu Valley; Lukla.

Our trek to Mera Peak base camp took 2 weeks, starting in near jungle at low altitude, through thick forest and gradually gaining height over small passes to high mountain moonscape. Each major height gain was followed by a rest day, incredibly important to let us acclimatise to our new environment. Our local support team were fantastic, cooking all meals, carrying kit bags and making us all feel welcome in their back garden,

On several occasions we saw other trekking groups, they were all given various nick names and one group had the dubious honor of being given their own sound track; whenever they walked by a rather dourer looking group of Americans were treated to a ‘hummed’ version Darth Vader’s theme tune!!

Mera Peak has several ‘base camps’, the first being a village called Khare. There are now tea houses and dwellings where once stood just a couple of Yak Herders shelters, the positive for us was good shelter from the overnight frost and a comfortable base to reorganize and become mountaineers and not trekkers. Two further days of getting to over 5000m and returning to Khare (4800m) meant we were ready to go higher, firstly to the Mera La (5300m) and then to High Camp (5800m).

Summit days are strange experiences, often starting at a time when most people get home from a Saturday night out and finishing when others go out for afternoon tea! This one started cold and clear, a good track on solid snow led away from high camp into the darkness. Head torches picking up the sparkle of ice crystals and the hot breath from straining lungs. Short stops now and then for hot water drinks and kit adjustments are moments of clarity of what’s around you and what people around you are doing, smiles and hands on hips in equal measure as folk start to see the sun coming up in the East.

The last sting in the tail of Mera Peak is the short but sometimes steep slope to the top, often around 40m but it’s hard won at nearly 6500m. The top is spectacular with 360  degrees of Himalayan giants and Indian sub-continent, photos and hugs are obligatory. As always with all summits, you’re only halfway home, getting going and setting off down is never far away.

Back at high camp, noddle soup and lemon tea give just enough energy to continue down to Base Camp.

It was an emotional good bye as we split up into 2 groups on the Mera La, the Mera Peak team started their journey back to Lukla as the Island Peak and Ampthu Labtsa group set off into a new valley and another 8 days of adventure!!

It was a great trip made even better by great people and only made possible by Jagged Globes incredibly Professional local staff.

Thanks folks, see you soon. X

Ed Chard, November 2024     

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