EBC : Part 5 - The Beyond !

I guess I am a bit spiritual after all. Not in the conventional sense of meaning, probably. But I definitely feel wiser every time I find myself right in the lap of Mama Nature. It’s crazy bipolar right! The calmest of the blissful mountains change into the most unimaginable dangerous terrain in just a turn of the weather, the bluest of sea becomes the craziest whirl-machine when it likes. The beauty lies in the extremity of it all. It is fragile and humbling. And if nothing else, it definitely teaches respect and discipline. Don't we all need some of that!

At Everest Basecamp !

Lobuche (4940m) to Gorakshep (5164m) : ~5 KM, ~3.5 Hours [Day 8 - Part1]

So here I am up and about, forcing the usual toast and omelet into my mouth at 6:30 in the morning. I am ready for the day. It is a big day today. Reaching Gorakshep is the first part of the day and after lunch, we head out to the basecamp! Gosh! It is really happening!

I miss my Sunglasses!

As I see the altitude numbers, I feel quite upbeat. From Lobuche to Gorakshep, it is ~200m of elevation gain only - easy peasy! Well, let’s face it - nothing is really easy at 5000m altitude! Also, it is going to be the longest day if everything goes as per the plan. And longer than the longest (!) if it doesn’t go as per plan!

A flattish start...

The trail goes along the Khumbu glacier. It is a gradual incline all along. But it is colder and more snowy. There is no vegetation around us. The scene is a low undulating wide spread valley of white intercepted by brown rocks and boulders.

Keep calm and climb!

After a stretch of flattish walk, there is a short climb (~10-15mins) full of big boulders. It feels tough. Altitude makes its presence felt at every step now. As soon as we push up this steep part, it feels like we are suddenly elevated to another level and the peak Pumori (7161m) appears right in front as if waiting to welcome us all along!

A bed of snow and then some more...

Until now, Ama Dablam was the most prominent peak but now it's a Pumori show! I love this peak too! In my strange eyes, it looks like Ganesha’s modak!

Pumori ! Ah, gorgeous!

The trail becomes dustier now with scrambled rocks and boulders formed by years of landslides and moving glaciers. We come across a section of extremely slippery downward slope. It is so icy that I can hardly stop my feet from doing uncontrolled acrobatics.

The tricky slope!

We don’t have crampons with us (thanks to our guide!). So we stand by as we see happy people marching past us with their sharp crampons teething into the ice. Our guide himself has slippery shoes. He still manages to go down himself but fails to help us. I tip toe with extreme nervousness but then decide to camp there itself! Whatever happens, happens! Finally, another local guide comes to rescue. He holds me and drags me down with such ease that I doubt if I was making an unnecessary fuss all this time!

Crampons were dearly missed!

We continue our icy, slippery, bouldery struggle as we cross a moraine of Khumbu glacier. Pumori, Nuptse and other mountains of the Everest range encircle us from all sides. The trail leads us to a ridge with Pumori overseeing our every step!

A Mountain Buffet !

Just before Gorakshep, you can see the glacier right beside you. You can see the deep crevasses and the clean ice. From a distance, it looks like a dry river bed crumpling up in a series of ice cones.

Khumbu Glacier!

After we climb the first ridge, our guide seemed to have lost his way. He keeps climbing up as we spot a few other people going down and around the ridge. We shout out to stop him and then guide our guide to guide us properly!

Walking down the final ridge...

A small collection of blue roofed houses appear amidst the white bed of snow. Gorakshep! Pumori stands tall at the backdrop with the Kala Pathhar just in front of it spreading out with equidistant slopes on either side and a pointy top right in the centre. It is a small seasonal town on a frozen lakebed. This is the last stop before Everest basecamp. Apparently, this used to be the base camp years ago. But then, Khumbu glacier receded and the basecamp moved further up.

Gorakshep... with Kala Pathhar and Pumori at the backdrop

As we walk in one of those blue-top houses, we check the time. We are late. Our struggle midway on that icy slope not only cost us time but also has shaken down our confidence. The time is ~12 in the afternoon, about an hour and a half later than anticipated. Now we have doubts creeping - would we be able to pace ourselves properly to reach the basecamp? would we be back on time? We ask a couple of locals if we are okay to head out towards basecamp at this hour. We get thumbs up-s from them.

With hopeful eyes, we rest our legs in the teahouse warmth, looking at Kala Pathhar (5643m) to our right as we wait for some fuel (read - soupy noodles) to arrive…

Gorakshep (5164m) to Everest Basecamp (5364m) : ~3.5 KM, ~2 Hours i.e. ~6-7KM, ~4 Hours round trip [Day 8 - Part2]

Legs feel like jelly as we set off for the basecamp. Physical exhaustion is one part of it. But at this point, we are so mentally drained out that every step feels extremely heavy.

EBC calling...

The trail from the hotel goes through a flat valley. There is supposedly a lakebed here but right now a white snow cover stretches as far as the horizon. As you set off, you have the perky modak i.e. Pumori on your left and the Everest range on your right with the Khumbu glacier in front.

The 2nd Half of the Day Starts..

It is a short trail to EBC from here on and not a difficult one either. You basically meander through the glacier moraine. What makes it challenging is the - low oxygen, cold wind, end of the day fatigue and the rocky terrain.

Funny snow formations

Most part of the trail is flat with a soft gradual incline and a few rocky boulders to cross. All along the trail, you can see the elusive peak of Mt. Everest sneaking from behind the beautiful Nuptse on your right. The Khumbu icefall is visible too with its ominous yet alluring cascade of bluish grey ice blocks.

En route...

Our porter is with us, not for business but just to give us company on a nice afternoon stroll! He smiles broadly as he points his finger and says - Sagarmatha. And I cannot explain why but his innocent broad grin, the softly uttered Sagarmatha, the gentle awe and love in his voice - is one of those precious and pure unadulterated moments for me on this trek.

The most obscure tiny one - The Everest :)

The final leg of this trail is a sharp descent full of loose rocks after which you cross the glacier and voila! You are at the Everest Basecamp!

When the Journey is as beautiful as the Destination

Everest Basecamp (5364m) :

A little cairn stands alone at a height amidst this large area full of soft snow. Tiny colourful flags flutter around it in the wind. A few meters ahead, the Khumbu glacier stretches out its prickly crevasses. The snow-covered tops look like ice cones. The Khumbu icefall spreads out its smooth icy blocks.

The vastness of the area is encircled by tall towering peaks on all sides. Their humbling height reaches up to touch the cobalt blue sky. Soft, feathery clouds brush up the top of Pumori. The Nuptse massif beams in pride. And the ever elusive Mt. Everest shines in the afternoon Sun, shyly behind Nuptse.

Everest Basecamp ! Finally!

I stand there speechless for a while. Sagarmatha - I whisper. Sounds perfect! 

Lots of emotions flow…hugs, tears and smiles…a sense of joy, humbleness and peace…a rush of ecstasy, adrenaline and calmness.

Frozen poodle in the glacier

We click dozens of pictures but nothing seems to capture the monochrome beauty around us. We sit down, have a snickers each and soak in this surreal dreamscape around us.

Khumbu glacier extends in front...

We see a long queue of people (yep! queue ! - you read it right) waiting in front of the big rock that has got Everest Base Camp written on it in a graffiti style. I don’t like it. I prefer the flagged little cairn on top instead. I still queue up though!

Don't really like the graffiti..Yet following the herd! :D

Back to Gorakshep :

You would not want to return from such a wonderland. But as the wind picks up and hunger strikes, we begrudgingly take a U-turn. Time to return to Gorakshep for the night.

Getting Windy...

A red breasted tiny puffy bird taps its tail right in front of me! Suddenly, it adds a splash of colour and fun in this otherwise monochromatic splendour! Delightful!

Alpine Accentor (possibly)

We come back to Gorakshep in the evening just before it gets completely dark. We are starving already. I satiate myself with a double serving of bhaat-daal-sabzi. We talk to a few people at dinner, everyone is super excited, each with their own experience of the Everest basecamp.

Heading back to Gorakshep

When I hit the bed at night, I feel very tired but strangely, no muscle cramps. As soon as I put my head on the pillow, I see a floating cloud just above my head. I touch the cloud very gently and a snow valley unfolds. The colourful flags flutter. Nuptse stands tall in front of my eyes. And I hear a soft lullaby - Sagarmatha !

Is it a dream!