Base Camp, the Final Adventure – April 26

Tomorrow we trek to Everest Base Camp. For a destination so long in the coming, it is remarkable that the day has finally arrived. Tonight we are staying in the extremely remote and desolate village, Lobuche, at approximately 16,200 feet. We hit the trail at 7 am to trek to Gorak Shep, where we will drop our packs and carry light loads of water, snacks and warm clothing to Base Camp. The elevation at Base Camp is approximately 17,450 feet. We will stay at Gorak Shep overnight, then trek to Kala Pattar the following day (18,750 feet), then descend to Pheriche.

Today’s trek was tough. In addition to the challenges a body endures at such high elevations, my head cold has give me a splitting headache, intense sinus congestion and a rasping cough. I so rarely get sick back home, but with the combination of less than ideal diet and sanitary conditions here, altitude, physical stress and airborne bacteria, it’s taken a toll. It won’t set me back from achieving this lifelong goal, although I am cognizant of the dangers of altitude sickness from pushing too much and too fast. My teammates are all very supportive of each other and many of them have also been afflicted by the “Khumbu cough.” Unfortunately we lost two team members today and yesterday to chest pains, dizziness and physical limitations. They need to descend the mountain and will be unable to trek to Base Camp or Kala Pattar.

We trekked in the snow today from Dingboche, another remote village seemingly on the edge of civilization. Electricity and running water are scarce. Water is heated with solar cookers or on a yak dung-fueled stove. Fields are plowed by hand and with the help of yaks. Potatoes are a staple food, as that is one of the few plants that will grow here in the cold and at this altitude.

After another difficult trek from Phortse to Dingboche, we were grateful for an acclimatization day in Dingboche so we could wash clothes and rest. The local cafe in Dingboche played the movie “Everest,” which is not the most uplifting flick to watch before ascending to Base Camp, but a good reminder of how extreme this place is. The mountain is the goddess, over which we have no control. All we can do is try to survive in her midst and respect the raw power that can wipe a person from her face with no effort.

We are grateful to our Sherpas, who are very experienced in mountaineering in the Himalayas. They force us to walk slowly, drink lots of water and rest frequently to avoid altitude sickness. It must be painstaking for them to hike at such a slow pace, as they could cover the ground from Lukla to Base Camp within two days. One of our guides, Tashi, summitted Everest last year. He now leads many groups to summit the high peaks in this area. The Sherpas say I am strong, and I accept that as a great compliment.

Tomorrow is the day we have been planning for over a year. It will likely be extremely cold and snow on us during the trek, but I don’t anticipate that will dampen our spirits. I am fortunate to share this adventure with some incredible people. This adventure will form a bond among us forever.

Base Camp, here we come! Hang your prayer flags for us, please. I’ll write more the next chance I have access to WiFi. Love to all at home.

Namaste,

Cat