Kala Patthar, Base Camp, Lobuche – Easy

We got up at 4.30am, feeling jaded and uncomfortable. It had been peeing it down heavily throughout the night and with corrugated iron roofs these places make a racket in the rain. Brahms’ third racket. Thanks John.

We are aiming to climb Kala Patthar, at around 18,300 feet the highest point I have ever climbed. Returning back to Gorak Shep we will trek up to Everest Base Camp and back before moving back down to Lobuche.

I must admit I had second thoughts at the prospect of a four hour climb up Kala Patthar in the dark, rain and cold. For the only time this trip I’d put on long trousers. I was disappointed that I’d let Dan down, as he was wearing his trademark tennis shorts.

The weather was not going to improve so we pushed off in the dark at 4.45, torches strapped to our noggins. Dan moved ahead and we overtook a large group of South Koreans. Although we are a few weeks away from peak season there were one or two groups at various heights in the dark in front of us. Visible by their head torches, weaving backwards and forwards along the footpath hairpins.

The cloud cleared slightly at the top as Dan got there, and it became light enough to take photos westwards, away from Everest, which was still well hidden.

We joined Dan shortly after, the last boulder strewn 20 yards taking a lot longer than it should have, as we huffed and puffed. We had made it. We were less than 2kms from the China border. Wonder if we could get sweet and sour chicken delivered?

We hung around in the half light, until the South Koreans caught up and swamped us at the summit, and it was apparent that we would not get a clear view of Everest. On the way down the helicopter landing point and memorial near the bottom were barely visible, as the cloud had intensified.

Looking down over the last ledge, Gorak Shep and its frozen lake were clearer.

Holing up in the guest house all that we could do was have breakfast and defrost. We packed our kit and left it in the rooms to collect it later. Then set off uphill again along the Khumbu glacier towards Everest old base camp. I’d put my shorts on and it was much warmer at around freezing point. There were a few groups, including around a dozen youngsters from Israel, but not as many as I had expected.

The glacier was what we had come to expect. With a huge wall of snow hanging over it halfway up Nuptse opposite us.

But this spectacular avalanche was way beyond our expectations! Dan had spotted some snow slippage starting and caught the main event on camera.

An avalanche hit Base Camp in 2015, killing 24 people. Triggered by an earthquake at the busiest time of the year for climbers hoping to summit Everest; April.

We made it comfortably up to Old Base Camp, despite our exertion up Kala Patthar this morning. The old place is noticeably closer to a deepening and widening crater filled with icy water. There is talk of not allowing people to it, due to the danger of collapse, although this is a particularly safe walk if you don’t arse about. Which means it’s dangerous for a twit like me. This is such a tourist money-spinner that I can’t see them scrubbing it.

Popular with folk like us.

Best just to get an American heavy duty helicopter and shift the rock a bit. Nobody will notice.

Dan wanted to waltz about on the glacier so I followed him some of the way

I’d promised our lass that I wouldn’t chuff about and risk my safety, which we all know is half the fun. And anyway I was a bit tired. So Dan wandered off with Bikram.

Funnily enough I’m just reading a Bear Grylls autobiography and he fell down a crevasse not far from here, only being saved from death by a relatively flimsy rope. I’m not sure what I think about Bear. In fairness he’s done some good stuff and had a very exciting life. Just a bit clean, if you know what I mean. However I love the girl who gave me the bookmark. One of my favourite paintings.

Heading back towards Gorak Shep Nir said that this was a local ambulance. When we’d left EBC we noticed an American kid looking ill. We’d spoken to his dad yesterday further down the valley and he must have organised an emergency call.

Lunch in Gorak Shep and then down to Lobuche. This isn’t a packhorse. It’s a packman.

Tomorrow the party splits. Dan is keen to do some mountaineering and him and Bikram will walk up to Lobuche East High Camp with a mountaineering guide. At 1.00am the following morning the guide will wake Dan and take him to the summit of Lobuche East (20,800 feet) and back down to Lobuche, picking up Shane MacGowan on the way. Chapeau Daniel! I couldn’t do it. Well I could but we would need a High High Camp to spread the effort over three days or more!

I will be going down to Dingboche with Amit and Nir to have a rest day and to climb Nangkar Tshang. I think that without a mountaineering guide, and associated equipment, Nir and I will only be able to climb up to around 17,000 feet and not the more problematic summit.

I set out with the goal of:

Renjo La pass ✅

Cho La pass ✅

Kala Patthar ✅

Everest Base Camp again. ✅

Anything else is a bonus.

Night night.