9 Apr 2014 – Lobuche BC to EBC

Overnight low 27F. Starting altitude 4785 metres (15700 ft). Ending altitude 5260 metres (17260 ft). Gain of 475 metres (1550 ft).

Today was the final push to our final sleeping destination: EBC. Everest Base Camp. As we set out, we grabbed a shot of the view on the horizon. I have wondered if we would get tired of looking at this type of thing, or taking photos of it. So far, we have not.

Awesome vista is awesome

Our route today would take us straight up the Khumbu valley. The valley is filled with, and the valley floor consists of, the Khumbu glacier. On the whole, the trail was not as difficult as the hike up to Lobuche BC – at least not in terms of grade. Granted, there were multiple relatively short stints that had just as steep an incline, but for the most part it was a relatively steady gentle climb. To the extent there was any difficulty, it came in the form of the fact that there was a fair amount of traffic on the trail – going different directions and speeds – and the trail was relatively narrow. The traffic consisted not only of humans but of the occasional yak train.

The landscape is exactly this colorful all the way to EBC

The other bit of difficulty manifest itself simply in terms of altitude. I found that a comfortable pace at this altitude was roughly the same pace at which I would have tackled a moderately steep uphill grade at the beginning of the trek. It is hard to overstate the lack of energy that exists this high up. It’s not that the muscles are tired (necessarily) – they simply have no oxygen. It’s possible to pick up the pace for ten or twenty paces or so and walk briskly. But then it would be necessary to stand and pant for a minute. That, or fall over.

I had been monitoring the altimeter on my watch very closely, waiting to get a shot of it as it turned over 5000 metres. However, it senses at intervals, and I went up a steep bit, and when all was said and done it ended up jumping from 4995 straight to 5005. There was, ahem, no way I was going to go back down 5 metres and wait for an update to get the shot I wanted. It’s important to keep a sense of perspective about these type of things.

Like watching a car’s odometer turn over, only more satisfying

In short order, the trail was actually on the glacier itself. Every now and then, a sight would appear to remind you that below the moraine was a slab of ice slowly snaking its way down the valley. We all thought it was pretty trippy.

Groovy, man…

Roughly two thirds of the way to EBC is the town – if you can call it that – of Gorakshep. Most EBC trekking packages involve overnighting in Gorakshep, then getting up, trekking to base camp or climbing Kala Patthar, and then going back down again. We will be staying at EBC for four nights. Much better in my view than just running up and ‘ringing the bell’ before heading back down again.

Gorakshep, we hardly knew ye…

The brown hill behind Gorakshep is Kala Patthar. There is a good view of Everest from the summit of Kala Patthar. Behind Kala Patthar rises Pumori.

It is not possible to see Everest from Base Camp. As noted, there is a good view from Kala Patthar. Just past Gorakshep, however, a notch in the mountains provides a teaser view of the Everest summit.

Waaaaaaay windy up there today

Finally, after winding our way along the valley for about four and a half hours, we got our first view of base camp. In fact, base camp covers a large swath of glacier. The yellow tents in the photo below are in fact part of the Himex base camp.

Turns out the most welcome view of the day is often yellow

The camp is set up on glacier, and in fact the entire flat area in the photo above is glacier, though it is divided between white ice on the right and the grey moraine covered ice on the left. On the right side of the photo about a third of the way from the top you can see the Khumbu Icefall descend into the valley.

After lunch, I wanted nothing more than to unpack my gear and take a nap.

View from my tent

Exploration of the greater base camp area would have to take a back seat to rest and acclimatization.