Blog: johnloguk

SEE EVEREST AND DIE!

Apologies for the dramatic title of this blog, it isn't a recommendation but the subject of an amusing anecdote that I heard on my first trip to Nepal. Apparently when the first trekking companies offered trips to Nepal they were so expensive that the only people who could afford them were elderly American millionaires. They weren't much used to walking, tended to be rather overweight and therefore took the lazy option at every available opportunity. Rather than take the long walk-in to the Everest region from the road head, they would fly in to a small airstrip above Namche Bazaar at 12,000 where there was (is?) a luxury hotel. The shock of stepping out of a plane at 12,000' is considerable, especially on an unfit body, and far too many of these original paying punters dropped dead immediately on seeing their fabled mountain.

So I definitely wouldn't recommend this approach if you want to see the highest peak in the world, and there are a myriad of options available now to suit all levels of fitness, ability and size of wallet. As with all these things the internet is a marvellous source of information, but you need to shop around and seriously think of the sort of experience you are after.

If you just want to see Mount Everest as painlessly as possible then fly to Lukla and walk up the blazed trail to base camp. But a word of warning, altitude is an issue for everyone so take it steady and give the body plenty of time to acclimatise. Young, fit men tend to have more problems with the altitude, because they think they are invulnerable and dont need as much time as lesser mortals, WRONG it doesn't work that way! The other thing to be aware of with a trek to Everest base camp is that it is very very busy. The scenery may be spectacular, but if you want solitude and a wilderness experience you won't find it here.

You can increase your experience by taking a more adventurous route and not slavishly sticking to the main trail, but even these are very busy in the Khumbu. The side trip to Thame from Namche Bazaar is good for acclimatisation. It is also the birthplace of Sherpa Tensing and has a nice monastery. Everyone will go through Namche Bazaar on the way up and back down again, but try to be there on market day if you can. Namche market sees a rich melting pot of people, as lowlanders come up to trade goods with those from the higher villages. The contrasting appearance of the different ethnic groups is fantastic, you don't have to buy anything, just sit and watch!

The other side valley that many groups visit en route to base camp is to the village of Gokyo and it's three pretty lakes. The adjacent Gokyo Peak, at about 18,000' offers stunning views, including east to the Everest group itself and north to Cho Oyu, the world's 8th highest mountain. So long as you have acclimatised to the altitude the ascent of Gokyo Peak is nothing more than a steady walk, similar to a Lake District fell in the UK.

If snow conditions are favourable you can cross a high pass direct from the Gokyo valley to the Khumbu just below Everest base camp, otherwise it is a trek back down the valley to join the blazed trail again. The main route takes you past the famous Pangboche Monastery, with it's yeti scalp and claw. Far be it for me to ruin a good tale, but these artifacts have been tested and they come from far more mundane creatures than a yeti. To the north of Pangboche is the towering ice peak of Taweche, and this hides one of the great secrets of the Khumbu, Taweche Towers. Very few groups offer a trip up to the Towers, and I'm in no hurry to turn them into a major attraction, far better for the discerning scrambler to seek them out for themselves. They are stunning, by far the most spectacular place an average scrambler could ever hope to reach, and you'll find a photo in my section to wet your appetite.

There are many other things to do and see on the trip to Everest base camp, but eventually you get up to Lobuche and decision time. Do you visit the actual base camp, just to say that you have rubbed shoulders with serious climbers, or do you take the steady stroll to the summit of Kala Patar at about 18,500'? There are no views of Everest itself from the base camp so I'd recommend Kala Patar everytime, and from it's summit the views are simply awe inspiring.

The trek back down always seems to be over much too quickly, despite taking several days, and you really will struggle to take it all in. Most people go to see Everest assuming that once they've done it that will be it, but sadly this is rarely the case. Once you have visited the Himalaya you simpy want to keep going back again and again, totally destroying your bank balance! Most of us also want more of a wilderness experience second time around, and/or the chance to climb much bigger "proper" mountains too.

Although the Maoist insurgents have affected tourism to some parts of Nepal in recent years, there is still so much to offer everyone, just keep looking until you find what you want. Kathmandu is an incredible city in its own right, and you never have enough time there, but just be prepared for the smell. There is white water rafting on many of the big rivers and the Chitwan National Park offers excellent safaris. Both of these are great ways to relax after a long trek in the mountains too.

But the Himalaya are the main attraction, and even they offer something for everyone. From the blazed trails to Everest and around Annapurna, right up to the big 8000metre peaks for the serious climbers. There are also 14 "trekking peaks" between around 19,000' and 22,000', which offer real climbing expeditions without being too extreme, most well within the reach of the "average fit" climber. There are also remoter valleys for those who want to really escape the rat race without doing technical climbing, just decide what you want and go for it.

But don't forget, if you do go you will get addicted and have to go back again, and again, and again..............

by johnloguk on 17:15 on 30th May 2007