Lobuche and Everest Base Camps

We were greeted with about 4 inches of snow on our rest day in Pheriche and clouds that made taking pictures the activity of the day. I personally found myself victim to a minor stomach bug, but fortunately it was much less severe than the one I got while in Bolivia last summer (another story for another time). As we struck off for Lobuche base camp it was mostly on the wane but made for a slightly smaller appetite. This is one of the reasons for bulking up before the trip. Some type of stomach bug is almost guaranteed on this trip and the extra weight helps keep up with the energy demand being placed on the body.

The trek to Loboche base camp was our first cold day in the Himalayas. High clouds blocked most of the sun and we no longer had the benefit of trees to help block the stiff wind. Oh, and did I mention it was a head wind? Even with a rest day the day before most of us were fairly tired as we made our way up to 15,500’. As we rolled into camp it marked the end of our stay in tea houses. From here on its tents. Not that I’m complaining. One doesn’t sign up for a trip like this expecting all the pleasantries of everyday life. However, think about what you were doing on March 10^th. Now imagine sleeping in the freezing cold every night since then with half or less of the oxygen you are used to getting. Anyone ready to sign up for next year??

The camp was lively that evening despite the snowy ground and howling winds. IMG’s Team 2 (we are on the 3^rd and final team) had been delayed by a day on their climb of Lobuche and were also in camp. It was our first time meeting anyone from one of the other two teams so we took the chance to shake hands and tell stories. Following dinner, which was surprisingly good given the remote location, most of us were quick to bed as the sun and temperature both dropped. The same cannot be said of the wind which only grew in strength through the night. For anyone who has slept in a tent in freezing conditions with blustering winds you’ll know the quality of the sleep we got that night.

The next day was an active rest day for Team 3 and saw the early departure of Team 2 bound once again for Everest Base Camp. I woke up feeling recovered from the minor stomach bug and was able to join the rest of the climbers and a few trekkers as we made the 1,600’ walk up to Lobuche high camp to both take in the views and help with the acclimatization process. The winds were stronger up higher so we didn’t stay long. In fact, we were back down to base camp by lunch. The afternoon saw the winds and clouds lift and we were finally able to enjoy some warmth. With no internet, cell service, and limited activities most of us napped or talked in the dining tent. Another fairly uneventful evening gave way to early bedtimes and a better night’s sleep for most. Oh, to be one of them.

A true rest day, and our last as a full team at Lobuche base camp, brought out our creative (or maybe bored?) side. We spent the morning planning, practicing, and filming a music video to the song “Ain’t no mountain high”. It was absurd but we literally had nothing else to do. The absurdity of it all, combined with the willingness of all the trekkers, climbers, AND Sherpa made it a continuous laugh fest the likes of which have probably never been seen in that small and remote valley. We did some early editing and are sending it off for refinement now that we are back in service. As soon as it’s ready to go I’ll be sure to send a link. The rest of the sunny day saw more sleeping, relaxing, and packing for our departure the following day for Everest Base Camp (EBC). It also melted off the last bit of snow from the storm 3 days prior.

We were up and eating by 7:30 and were on the trail 40 minutes later. This final stretch was the longest yet and gained the final 2,300’ to EBC. The forecasted called for a 70% chance of snow but I don’t know that there were more than 60 minutes when we felt like the clouds were less than 100% threatening. However, as we made our way up the valley the precipitation stayed at bay. We passed through the village of Lobuche (on the other side of the mountain) then up toward the moraine of the Khumbu glacier and the last village called Gorak Shep. It was just before we reach this final settlement that we caught our first glimpse of EBC. The yellow tents dotted the top of the mostly rock and dirt covered glacier. Still a solid two hours away we stopped briefly in Gorak to take in some calories and water and give the feet a break. From there on in was a march over boulder and gritty dirt as we paralleled the glacier on the south side. There were no shortage of EBC day trekkers making their way to and from the seasonal village that houses several thousand climbers, guides, and Sherpa at its peak. Just as the trail became perpendicular to the lowest of the tents the trail shot down to the base then back up on top of the glacier were it snaked its way around small ponds, over small ridges, and across boulders. The IMG camp is set up toward the lower end of EBC and the view of us who are feeling particularly good rolled into camp about 5 hours after we started.

We were greeted by both the western guides and Sherpa and shown to our tents where our climbing duffels had already been delivered. I spent the cool afternoon getting my tent and gear sorted and may have even caught a brief nap. I went back over to the dining tent area to join most of the rest of the team as we caught all 3 minutes of the snow that seemed to be looming all day. The last of the team pulled into camp at about 6:30 marking a 100% completion of the trekking portion of the trip. More commonly than not at least one person leaves early for health issues, family emergencies, or something else. It was great to see all 12 people complete the trip and enjoy a celebratory dinner at 17,300’. However, the elation soon gave way to exhaustion and we soon found our way to our tents as the temps and energy levels dropped. If I were a betting man I would have guessed my sleep last night would have been less than favorable at this new elevation. Maybe it was the 3 previous nights of terrible sleep, the long day on the trail, or the feeling of reaching the EBC milestone, but I slept better than I had since we left the trees almost a week before.

The new day brought mostly sunny skies and refreshed faces to the team as we gather for a slow and leisurely breakfast. At 10 the climbers met with our guide to dial in our harnesses, ascenders, safety backups, and a few other things that will keep us attached to the fixed lines and therefore mountain. The rest of the day has been purposefully low key as we recover from the previous day and adjust to this new elevation. At 17,300’ the oxygen pressure is about 47% of sea level. Just walking up a few feet or bending over to tie your shoe leaves you short of breath. However, the human body does an amazing job of compensating as it builds more red blood cells to increase the oxygen intake in the lungs. Our rest days give us the chance to recover and rebuild….oh, and to enjoy the views of this amazing landscape.

Tomorrow will be another relatively easy day with the climbers taking the afternoon to do an ice “obstacle course” to practice using fixed lines, traversing ladders, and rappelling. The following day will see the departure of the 7 trekkers who will start back down the valley toward Lukla via a few different routes. The climbers will return to Lobuche base camp for one night, then Lobuche high camp the next night before our summit attempt on Lobuche. We will then drop back down to Lobuche base camp for one last night before returning to EBC around the April 25^th. Since we will be out of contact again I’ll make another post when we return from our Lobuche climb. I’ll also try to update this post tomorrow with some pictures so you can get the visual.

Thanks to everyone for the outpouring of support and encouragement. I’ve received several messages on both FB and my blog. Its both humbling and encouraging and I hope I’m doing the trip justice (my proofreading skills seems to be at an inverse to the altitude). The internet is available but slow here so my response times are unfortunately equally slow. However, know that I’m reading them and will reach out when I can to say thanks!

Author: upwithwes

A blog about going high places. View all posts by upwithwes