Trip Reports

Khumbu Climber - 9 Oct â€“ 5 Nov '09

Written by Team Member, December 2009

The post monsoon weather lived up to it’s reputation and our 28 day trip through the Khumbu was blessed with almost perfect weather conditions. Blue skies, cold nights and a grand finale of a full moon can’t be too bad. Our team was fairly eclectic with an age range from 29 to 73 years and a mix of nationalities with 4 Brits, 2 Aussies and a Dutchman, with at least half the team on all three summits and a full complement on Gokyo Ri.

Leaving Katmandu was the usual rush of packing and repacking to get our weight limit down and then the lottery of weather and flights for Lukla. We seemed to “hit the ground running” at Lukla and, despite some delayed bags, moved rapidly into the daily pattern of trekking from lodge to lodge up to Dingboche alongside the crowds of Base Camp trekkers.

From Dingboche we left the crowds and moved into mountain mode with a night each at Pokalde BC and HC and then our summit day. Three of us plus team leader Dave and 2 sherpas were successful, whilst the other 4 recovered from various altitude associated ailments. The itinerary then moved quickly on to Island Peak, with a very dusty and windy night at BC and then a move on to the cramped HC tucked in amongst the boulders. Again, we had 3 summiteers with Dave and 3 sherpas jostling against the strong winds along the fixed line of the summit ridge.

Following a rest day in Dingboche for a bit of R & R, we all moved up to Lobuche BC . This is set in a quiet valley, which we had all to ourselves! The next day saw the inevitable move to HC and preparations for the next day’s summit attempt. Five of the team set out, with Malcolm turning back early on and Sue waiting at the fixed ropes. This left the other 3 to summit in perfect wind free conditions. This was a long day as we had agreed to descend from the mountain to beyond HC and round into the valley towards the Cho La. It was just getting dark before we were all finely back together and summoned by the evening cry of “soups ready”!

Following a rest day, we made the journey over the Cho La and eventually ended up in the lodge at Gokyo and the inevitable multi-national crowds. However, it was good to all ascend Gokyo Ri – a stunning view point for Everest and Cho Oyu as well as being a “real” little mountain in it’s own right.

The trek out from Gokyo was quite beautiful and relatively quiet and our next night at the Mong La was spectacular in a lodge perched on the crest of the ridge with an almost full moon – our last real viewpoint. From the Mong La “it was all down hill”, with a lunchstop at Namche and then our final night at Monjo before arriving in Lukla. Leaving Lukla was surprisingly swift and hassle free, so much so, that we arrived back to the luxuries of the Summit Hotel by 9.00 am.

Sue Walsh« Previous report | Next report »

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