MAY-B-1

THE EVEREST TREK ROUTE AND ATTEMPT TO SUMMIT KALA PATTHAR

  1. May-B-1  Index to the May-B-series of Nepal-02 on the Everest Trek Route
  2. Setting out on the Everest Trek Route from Lukla, site of our one week of medical camp, and hiking up through Phakding and toward Munjo for our first overnight on the trek.
  3. Everest trek day #2 from Munjo to Namche Bazar, crossing swaying suspension bridges over the roaring Dodh Khosi River, hiking up the Kumbu Valley, sharing the trails with only Sherpas and yaks, arriving in the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazar in time to meet the Everest marathoners, and regroup at Trekker’s Inn for the next day’s climb
  4. Everest trek day #3: the steep trek up from Namche Bazar to Thangboche monastery in time to hear the monk’s prayers: a marvelously clear day with the whole of the Roof of the World before us: Everest, Lohtse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku: now, at 3,865 meters, and with 88% o2 saturation, I may be permitted a critique of the Buddhist prayer service: I have characterized it as a Richmond Virginia tobacco auctioneer interrupted frequently by flugelhorns and the belching blare of the didgeridoo
  5. Everest trek Day #4:  And now, the going gets high, with a few of our group feeling ill, as we visit Pangboche Monastery with the head lama and visit Lakpa’s home and family; we go higher still through treeline at the 4,200 meter altitude of Pherche, where I decide to go for a run along the glacial outflow upon arrival
  6. Everest trek Day #5:  Pushing higher, we leave Pherche through Thukla to climb to Loboche, and elect to push on higher still to the discomfort of all, as we cross through 5,000 meters on the Kumbu Ice Floe to arrive at Gorap Shep, where no one still has an appetite nor ability to turn in for a restful sleep, in preparation for the ascent at dawn of Kala Patthar
  7. Everest Trek Day #6:  Summit Day on Kala Patthar!  5/8’s of the trekkers and  3/7’s of the Sherpas make a successful summit attempt at the 5,550 meter peak of the “Black Rock” with a spectacular dawn over Everest, Lohtse, Nuptse, illumining Pumari, Ama Dablam and the Roof of the World;  However, several trekkers are miserable, and we plan a drowsy, weary, rapid descent through Loboche, Thukla and Pherche toward  Pangboche for recovery after dropping over a thousand meters to stay in Nimi’s Village
  8. Everest Trek Day #7:  Descending rapidly from Pangboche through Thangboche, the early clouds clear to a bright day in transit through herds of Tahr, and an on-the-trail meeting of Chris Tait, National Geographic photographer, returning from the “Three Sons on the Summit” shoot to return home;  we go through Namche Bazar and arrive for our final night where we spent our first night on the trek—at the Mt Kailash Lodge in Munjo
  9. Conclude Everest Trek on Day #8:  Leaving Munjo through heavy yak train traffic over the suspension bridges heading for the Saturday Namche Bazar market, I hike far ahead of the group and arrive early at Lukla in rainclouds, to post my serial letter describing the trek and walk clothed into the week’s first shower to do laundry and repacking:  the big Sherpa celebration of the successful trek and the ceremonial dinner and tip awarding at the conclusion of our trek and medical camp
  10. Leaving the Nepali Himalaya from Lukla, we return to Kathmandu to the Hotel Manaslu for shopping and a final wrap-up and a celebratory evening with Nimi at a dinner in her home
  11. My re-entry into communication and the Nepali capital of Kathmandu after isolation for a week in medical camp in Lukla, Nepal (see May-A-series 1-8) and my return from a successful Everest trek of 100 miles of “flat” hiking along the “roof of the world” with over a mile of additional altitude climbedtoward Everest base camp along the Dodh Khosi River and Kumbu Valley and Glacier; and a successful summiting of Kala Patthar, our goal of a 5,550 meter peak at dawn to look down on Everest Base Camp and the Kumbu Icefall, and to look up at the world’s tallest peaks surrounding us on a clear dawn view of Everest and the Himalayan Massif (see May-B-series 1-12)

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