Fundraising trek to Everest Base Camp

Our Nepalese doctor was excellent in caring for us and soon spotted signs of difficulty in about six of our group who he treated promptly allowing them to continue. In addition the professionalism of the mountain leaders in programming the daily treks and the acclimatisation routine ensured that we had no serious problems with the altitude. Unfortunately on the first two days two of our number fell and injured themselves on the paths and had to return prematurely to Kathmandu.

On our second day out we also learned that a plane flying into the airfield had crashed on landing killing all but one of the crew and passengers who were trekkers just like us. This could have been a serious problem for us but it was then that the strong relationships we had formed as a group and the fact that we were doing the trek not just for ourselves but also for our respective charities meant we went on with renewed strength, if a little breathless.

On we went, gaining height and losing heat and the landscape becoming more barren. We passed through and stopped at a number of Bhuddist monasteries and nunneries; past many Bhuddist shrines and thousands of prayer flags; through villages full of friendly people and smiling children; across swaying suspension bridges and some very rickety timber bridges without guard rails.

We avoided "caravans" of heavily laden yaks and jokyos and made way for the many porters carrying unbelievably heavy loads up and down the trails at speeds which amazed us. Our daily treks varied between 8 and 12 hours and the first half an hour every morning was the hardest as we were camping and had to repack our sacks while suffering from early morning breathlessness.

It felt as if we had worked for a day before we started walking. However once everyone was into their walking and breathing rhythms the talking and singing would begin. The last two nights before we approached Base Camp saw frost appear on the inside of our tents and waking in the morning we saw the jokyos covered in white.

The final approach and return from Base Camp involved a 12.5hr trek and some of us returned to camp in the dark as the snow fell. This day was not really trekking but more rock scrambling. As the Khumbu glacier has receded over the years Base Camp has moved nearer to Everest.

In fact we spent our night after returning from Base Camp at the spot where Sir Edmund Hillary had established his Base Camp for his climb. As a result the route to the new base camp was across the rocky moraine left by the receding glacier.

click on any image to enlarge

Nothing marks Base Camp although in the spring climbing season it looks like the old pictures of the Klondike gold rush with acres of tents and temporary buildings. When we arrived there was only one camp and the area looked like the surface of the moon. However nothing could take away the sense of achievement we all felt and most of us found time for some solitary reflection on our achievement which for me was an emotional moment.