11-05-2012 – Penngboche - Lukla!!

 Altitude: 3950m to 2860m

Atmospheric Pressure: 560mbar

Trek: 31kms / 7 hrs

Feeling a little tender this morning, legs, back and blisters. For breafast, I’ve ordered 2 pancakes with 2 fried eggs. When you translate this in Nepalese, this means 2 fried eggs on each pancakes!! Hence 4 eggs for breakfast, which I ate, but I couldn’t quite manage the 2 pancakes, as Adrian and Sergey had predicted.

We’re off by 7:30..ish and the weather today is much kinder to us. We can see miles down the valley, the wind is down and it looks like it will be a hot day, just to say goodbye!!

Today is the long day, Adrian expects us to take around 8 to 9 hours to get back to Lukla.

Usually, only the guides get back from base camp in 2 days, as usually, the clients are not that much in a rush or don’t quite feel like pushing themselves after the summit day.

So we set off at a fast pace, Sergey and I have our light backpack, we both carrying our precious laptops, Gortex and water, whilst Adrian still has his huge pack on, with kindle, clothes, but also no doubt First Aid and satellite phone.

We make it to Tengboche monastery in less than 1 hour. Tengboche is at the top of a 150m steep hill, on the other side of the valley. Sergey and I can’t resist but race all the way up, under the warm sunshine which is not that clever, considering we still have a long way to go. Adrian, of course, is keeping up with us without breathing too hard.

We’re walking out going a different way to the way we came in, and both Sergey and I comment on how so much more beautiful this way is, we walked through woods and along the sides of the valley are much richer than what we had seen during the walk in (via Phortsee).

It’s getting warm and Adrian decides to switch from trousers to shorts!! Ha-ha, Sergey and I can’t help but notice his calves, as Sergey says “They look like my arms!!”, we laughed!!

We take a mini break to catch our breath and take a few pictures. Even Sergey who keep his camera in his backpack (a sure sign of never taking pictures!!!) takes the time to use his camera. This place is just fantastic, with mountain tops in all directions and the monastery is just beautiful. On a sunny day and blue sky like today, it’s a pleasure to be trekking in this area.

As we set off again, we leave Adrian behind as he’s making various phone calls. Sergey leads the way. It’s down for 500m which take us 30mins. Sergey is like a possessed man, taking porter shortcuts and sometime running down. I blame the music he’s listening to, courtesy of Adrian!! To be honest, it’s very enjoyable, the path is steep, but it reminds us of Chamonix, but at the back of my mind I’m wondering how Adrian will catch up with us if we’re moving so fast, and what if we take a wrong turn?

I shouldn’t worry really, 1 hour later, as we near Namche Bazar, I turn around and can see Adrian only 50m behind…. Unbelievable, we’ve been walking, almost running for 1 hour and half, even overtaking porters and he still managed to catch us up!! The man’s a machine!!

We arrive in Namche in very good time. Adrian had predicted 4 hours, but we’re there in less than 3, but very thirsty and hungry. Luckily, it’s lunchtime!!

I drink 1.5L of Fanta as it would appear my body is screaming for fluid and not so much for food, as I only eat half my pizza.

Sergey and Adrian jumped on the opportunity of the resting time to get on their computer to work.

We’re off again by 12:30, and my legs are already feeling very sore. Luckily, they warm up again after 10 minutes and we’re off at the same crazy speed, with Sergey and Adrian racing each other while I nurse my ankle, thank God I have my walking poles to help support my weight in those crazy down hills.

This 2 leg of the journey is taking its toll on all of us. Sergey’s stomach is trying to get some attention, probably because, just like mine, it’s tired of getting sugary drinks as source of energy.

I’m struggling too, with general tiredness, similar to during a hard marathon, or the ultra I did. The body just can’t seem to be able to find quick energy anywhere, so the pace as to slow down. Despite this, we’re still overtaking people, but eventually, I beg Adrian for another stop for drinks. I’m dehydrated, and can’t stop thinking about water, to the point that I’m hoping it could rain, just so that I could drink!!

So we eventually make another stop at Phakding, for another liter of Fanta!! Although we still had 2 hours to go , Sergey and I agree, that now, it was a question of getting there, rather than racing there.

He took a couple of Imodium as his stomach was getting bad now, and we set of for Lukla, having been warned that the last hill was long and steep.

As always after a stop, the blisters on my feet were screaming, and my body was getting use to the light pain again.

We won’t racing anymore and the last couple of hours to Lukla were testing. Sergey had to stop twice for urgent, unpredicted calls of nature, and getting up that final, never finishing hill kept me entertained!! Obviously, Adrian was waiting for me at the top!!

We got to the lodge on the other side of Lukla, just as it was starting to drizzle.

I crashed on the benches and started to feed my body other things than Fanta, sherpa milk tea, hmmmm.

Sergey arrived a few minutes behind us and we started to compare how tired we all were.

And that was it, the end of the last day of my Everest dream. We’d eventually pushed ourselves silly, even if this wasn’t to get to the summit, it still was a hard day’s work, a day to remember from this trip.

We were so lucky Adrian was the guide who came with us, I’m not sure how many guides would have been willing (and able) to race like this all day, looking for pain.

This has been one of the nice things in this trip, meeting people (few) with similar attitude, rewarded by pushing themselves, enjoying the challenge. How refreshing!

Tomorrow, we’ll fly from Lukla to Kathmandu, and as I felt I was really starting my trip by arriving to Lukla, I’ll probably feel the door closing on my 2012 Everest attempt.

Maybe another time….

10-05-2012 – Base Camp – Getting out!!

Altitude: 5300m to 3950m

Trek: 21kms / 4 hrs

I slept fairly well, considering I knew we were going home, perhaps the pressure was off, now that the decisions were made, and there was nothing I could do, perhaps I was finally accepting the facts.

At breakfast, Adrian told Sergey and I he would be walking down with us!! Hourrey!!!!!

Having Adrian go down with us guarantied a steaming pace!! We will be having fun!!

We’d agreed with Sergey to go up to see the Patagonicas Brothers and Georgie before we left to apologies for not joining them and thank them for their welcome.

Adrian had also organized an early lunch for all 3 of us, just to make sure we get to the lodge in daylight.

As we got to the Patagonicas brothers, we were, yet again welcomed with snacks and a great friendly atmosphere……. meaning we stayed a little longer than planned!

The early lunch back at Himex almost turned into a late lunch, and we finally set off at 2pm, with 20+kms to go, keeping in mind we were still at 5300m, that could take us a while.

Sergey and I have always been fairly well match in fitness, pace and stubbornness, even at altitude, and I enjoyed having somebody to share the pain with.

Knowing that Adrian would be able to catch us up, we set off with our light day pack and Sergey set the quick pace on the way to Gorek Shep, every now and then, spending time on the phone to try and organize his flight back home.

We were pushing hard, overtaking trekkers, porters and yaks. What a pleasure to be acclimatised!

Sergey, listening to music, was, like me, still chewing about not being able to go back up the hill, letting out occasionally some Russian swear word.

Adrian caught us up at Lobuche Base Camp, 2 hours in. Although this was expected, as he is awesomely quick, despite us pushing hard, I wasn’t quite ready for the size of his backpack, my shoulders were aching, just looking at it!! He’s a beast!!

To add to the mood, it was slitting, the chilling wind in our face and visibility reduced to 50m ish. We stopped off at Pheriche for a short break, drink and energy food, before setting off again.

We finally arrived at Pengboche at 18:00 after 4hrs of fast walking, up and down the multiple hills thrown at us, and full of aches.

We set out to re-hydrate while waiting for our overnight bag, Sergey electing to go for beer while Adrian and I asked for tea.

Despite my trekking shoes being well broken in, as I’ve had them for years, I can feel blisters on my feet, probably from the slightly higher pace than usual…..

Our night bag arrives as we’re having dinner, so none of us stay up for very long, eager to get some rest, ready for tomorrow’s journey.

We’ve come down quite a bit on altitude and the extra oxygen should delight my body, but I’m still coughing a lot, probably from the cold and humidity and my ribs are hurting.

Eventually, I manage to go to sleep, lucky I have my own room so I didn’t keep the others awake too much.

09-05-2012 – Base Camp – Expedition Rescue plan

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 560mbar

Trek: 0kms

As agreed with Georgie yesterday, she came down to join us for lunch at Himex, and she also brought down the paperwork for us to read through and sign prior to joining their expedition.

There’s quite a bit to go through, so we agree that Sergey and I go through it and prioritise organising the payment. We can return the paperwork later on.

It was nice to have lunch outside, enjoying the sunshine and looking up at the Western Cwm, knowing we’ll be going back up soon.

After lunch, got back to my tent to start reading the paperwork, but decided to laydown and rest my eyes first……… Next thing I know, I was rudely awakened by Adrian’s voice shouting amongst the tent for Sergey and I, calling us for a meeting.

I’ll summarise what happen next as “we’ve run out of options to go back up the mountain”!

This was such a shock, we had it, we were going back up, but this was not to be, no more options were possible for us.

Sergey was fuming and I was boiling inside, but that was it, we were going home!

We both went back to our tents, for a couple of hours of “chewing on things”, then I decided to go and see Sergey.

We agreed to get out as soon as possible, and if feasible, to do it in 2 days to Lukla.This would no doubts help us to take our mind off our frustrations.

It’s taken us 10 days to walk up to base Camp, but this was to give us time to acclimatise.

The 50+kms back to Lukla are usually covered in 3 to 4 days for us clients.

This is more “civilized”, but also gives plenty of time to the porters with or bags to keep up with us.

I expressed our wish to Russell and Adrian who agreed to look into organising this, but highlighting that there will be no way to get porters to follow us with all our bags, and they will be at least a day behind. The best we could get was to share an overnight bag who will be at the lodge each night, carried by 1 porter.

Last dinner in Base Camp then!!!!!!!!!!!!

08-05-2012 – Base Camp – Expedition Rescue plan

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 560mbar

Trek: 0kms

Is today the day when we get back to thinking about climbing?

After sleeping on the cost of switching team, lots of thoughts cross my mind, am I going too far, should I just go home? Is it worth the money? Where can I find the extra money from? How about the risks? This whole thing is now costing me a huge amount of money, most of it borrowed. Bloody mid life crisis!!

Fact is, I’m here, healthy (ish) and acclimatised, it’s now or never. There won’t be another opportunity before a long time. As somebody I know says “If in doubt, push like F@@@!”.

So, let’s not give up so close to knowing whether I can make it to the top of the tallest mountain, not yet.

It’s funny how everybody else in the group has gone home (apart from the soldiers) didn’t those guys think it was worth continuing? How bizarre.

So it’s just Sergey and I (and the soldiers) left from the group.

I’d like to meet up with the new expedition to try to negotiate the cost and they’ve invited us for dinner tonight in their camp, should be interesting.

Until then, my mission for today is to wash my high altitude clothes, I’d put that on hold in case we had to go home, but now it’s looking likely we’ll go up, might as well make most of the sunshine.

Then, after lunch, I, decide to go down to Gorek Shep to update the blog. I haven’t done it since the last rotation, and since then, lots of stuff has happened, sorry about the delay with the updates.

I feel tired going to Gorek Shep, my legs not feeling as strong as I’d like, still, it’s a nice walk down, in a little less than 1 hour.

On the way there, I text my sister to see if she would agree to lend me the extra money at such short notice. A little later, she replies saying that she’s happy to let me have the money, but not so convinced about the level of risks………

Half way down, I overtake a long queue of yaks carrying Himex gear and on the way back I realize that most of the tents have been taking down….. We’re pulling off the mountain. By the 12^th, there’ll be nothing left of the Himex Base Camp…. Ouch.

After getting back, I just manage a quick nap before it’s time to get ready for dinner.

Monica, Adrian, Sergey and I head off for the Patagonicas Brother’s Camp. We set off at 6:30 and arrive at 7pm, just on time. The camp is at the complete opposite end of Base camp, right at the top, near crampon point.

We’re received by Georgie (Base Camp manager) and Damian (Owner, one of the twins) who has just come down from the mountain after having helped fixing the ropes above the Yellow Band (7400m) and up to the south Col, he is a little tired…..

Dinner if fantastic, great food and good atmosphere, those guys seems easy to get on with.

Adrian clarifies a few logistical things (sleeping bags requirements, stove, food, oxygen and masks, radios, shit bags). We then go onto the cost, but unfortunately, those guys are not open to negotiations, it’s that price or nothing, bummer!!

We leave, agreeing that Georgie would bring the paperwork down at lunch time, ready to be signed….. We’re climbing again!!!!!

On the long way back to our Base Camp, we get lost and it’s snowing, well, that the mountain.

It’s great to see Adrian as excited as us about going for a summit push. It’s really great to have him going up with us, there’s no way we would consider going without him, and I think he’s excited about going for yet another summit, he really loves the mountain!!

Also, Monica is trying to stay behind in Base Camp, to support us on the radio, and make sure we’re OK. It’d be great to know she’s around.

Those guys are amazing!!

07-05-2012 – Base Camp – Expedition Rescue plan

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 560mbar

Trek: 0kms

After having investigated 2 potential rescue plan for my expedition yesterday (Phurba and Adventure Consultant which turned out negative), we started the day with another option (PeakFreaks), which also turned out to be a dead end once we’d walked to the camp and spoke to Tim, the base camp manager.

Having walked back to our base camp, and fed back to Monica and Adrian, they, yet again, came up with another possibility, the Patagonicas Brothers, a small outfit,

led by 2 experienced twin brothers.

They are the first outfit to be able to take us on and it’s now a question of cost.

Because of Adrian with us, they’re happy for us to mix with them, or to do our own thing, which is great.

Adrian and Monica have been awesome in helping us in our quest, using their contact and experience and never giving up.

The atmosphere in the camp is poor, most of the soldier guys are gutted and want to get out of here, but need to wait till the 12^th a they have a big sponsor do on the 10^th.

The few others are leaving tomorrow, by heli or by foot to Lobuche or Island Peak.

Tonight, as I was settling in my tent at 21:30, I heard Monica, Adrian and Sergey shouting my name across base camp. They’d finally got the cost for switching team and wanted me to know and sleep on it to make a decision on whether it was sensible.

To be honest, it wasn’t, GULP!!!

Lets sleep on it!!

06-05-2012 – Base Camp – Expedition Rescue plan.

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 560mbar

Trek: 0kms

Good night sleep, it’s good to be back in base camp….. for now.

I’ve been doing some thinking, helped by Sergey, about ways to perhaps to still make it to the summit.

We’re fit, in Base Camp, and acclimatise….. so close!!

Very professionally, Russell is sitting down with every expedition members to get their opinions and how quickly they would like to get out.

Some are happy to walk back down casually, the Walking With The Wounded need to stay a further week as they have a group of trekkers coming up to base camp for the charity. They are also those who prefer to catch the helicopter to Lukla tomorrow, hence saving them 3 days of walking.

After having had a couple of discussions with Adrian and Russell, a first it look like there might be a couple of options to push for the summit with another expedition, and Russell was very supportive in helping us with that, using his contact around base camp.

However, by the end of the afternoon, it was clear that none of the other expeditions had spare sherpa for the summit push, and although we Sergey and I were described as “strong” clients, we’re certainly no match for sherpa power on summit day, to carry oxygen or if something was to go wrong. Adrian was also willing to go up with us, which would have been awesome, but the lack of available sherpa close the deal for us……….. we’re going home!!!

To take our mind of things, Sergey convinced me to make the trek back to Lukla in 2 days rather than 3 like the rest of the group. Yet again a logistical challenge for Russell, but he never says no to those!!

So we’re off to Namche first thing in the morning, with a daypack, with 45kms to carry up and down the hills at the altitude of Mont-Blanc!! Should be a good laugh, and it should help us sleep at night!!

Off packing now, keeping in mind that the kit we’ve left in Camp 2 will be coming down tomorrow morning and will need to be added to our bags (for the porters to carry down to Namche)!.

This is now a reality, we’re going home!! 6 days of climbing left after 35 days of expedition but  this was not to be!

I still respect Russell decision for pulling the plug, even (and let’s hope) if there is no accident after we’ve gone, the risks are too high for such a big group and our sherpa.

Unfinished business!!

05-05-2012 – Base Camp – Expedition cancelled!!

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 560mbar

Trek: 0kms

It’s snowing lightly this morning, and the clouds are not lifting as they usually do in time for breakfast, so I decide to delay my washing by a day.

After last night’s party, only a few of us make it to breakfast, either due to sensitive stomach, or just being tired.

Around 11:30, Monica thinks she betters checks on some of the English youngsters who still haven’t made it out of their tent, just to make sure they haven’t chocked on their own vomit. Turns out, it was a close call for some of them!!!

At lunch, Russell called a meeting in the WhitePod for straight after lunch.

So we all gathered in the WhitePod, climbers, guides, film crew and sherpas.

One look at Monica tells me this is not good news.

Indeed, Russell goes on to explain how scared the sherpas have been everytime they go through the icefall and how Phurba had raised concern about the activity in the icefall. Both the icefall doctors and the sherpa reckon the icefall is 50% more dangerous than the previous year.

We all know too that for our groups, out of 2 journeys through the icefall we both got scared by seracs fall, with the 1^st group having ice blocks tumbling between their legs and our group being swallowed by the snow cloud of another one.

Russell also reminds us that we were lucky when Amanda and Annie decided to stop at Camp 1 rather than push to Camp 2, hence avoiding being brought down by the avalanche from Nupsee.

He also mentioned the multiple meeting with the icefall doctors, trying to think of a different, safer way up.

Finally, he said that the sherpas, having gone through the icefall 10 times, needed a further 8 journeys to get all the kit required to support US to the summit push, making it more like a suicide mission!

Phurba then spoke, to apologies for not accepting to support the summit push, Harry, the guide involved with the injured soldiers, spoke to say that he’d seen the near misses and he knew we’d been close to disaster and he’d rather pull the plug on the expedition rather than call family members to tell them something went wrong.

So that was it, Russell explains that it was the end of the expedition, the first time he’s had to do this. He was very emotional and believed that there would be an accident very soon and it would be inconsiderate to ignore the signs.

The people around the room were displaying all sorts of emotions: shocked, crying, agreeing and even thankful for Russell to make such a tough decision. Better be safe than sorry.

I must admit, personally, of course I’m disappointed, but I’m also very aware that in the mountain, those who listen to their gut feelings are those who survive to tell the tale and try again.

So that’s it, the end of this year’s dream!! Official!!!