Nepal Day 14 - Lobouche to Dzongla

4.2 miles, 627’ climbing

Hotel Zongla Inn, 15,846’ current elevation

Today was a short trek, a semi-recovery day. After breakfast in Lobouche, we headed down the main Everest Base Camp trail, probably the busiest trail in the region. Helicopters were up and flying. Bire told us that a lot of people hike up and book a flight back when they don’t have time for a full trek. Flying up and hiking back isn’t a viable option because of the risk of altitude sickness. 

A rider on a horse with bells galloped past us dressed in traditional clothing. We saw a pair of Kongma fly past (Tibetan Woodcock). Before we reached Thugla, we turned west off the “Everest Highway” and headed west towards Cho La, a pass connecting the Khumbu Valley (east most of the 3 valleys coming north from Namche Bazaar) to the Gokyo Valley (center valley from Namche). We will head over the pass and stay in Gokyo in a couple days. 

Although the Cho La pass and trail are pretty heavily trekked, there were only a few other trekking groups. We’ve been told that 80% of treks were cancelled due to the Iran war. It’s particularly difficult for trekkers from Europe to reach Nepal since transit would typically go through the Middle East.

The trail was quiet away from the hubbub of trekkers, yaks, helicopters in the Khumbu Valley. The trail was narrow, and in some places exposed. A stumble would be a bad idea. As we contoured around the hill, gradually gaining elevation, the trail had slippery spots with melting snow and mud, requiring some attention. Thus we only looked around during breaks. As usual, the scenery was stunning. Bire spotted a pair of climbers descending the snow field near the top of Lobuche Peak, one of the trekking peaks (under 8000 meters). Some of the trekking peaks are quite technical even though their peaks are lower than the biggest peaks here. 

We slowly picked our way through rolling hills strewn with boulders. The plants were low grasses and the fragrant suunpati. We arrived around lunch time. There are only a few lodges here. Clouds descended and it started snowing after lunch. It was pretty cold until the lodge proprietor lit the stove. 

Nepal Day 13 - Round trip from Gorak Shep to EBC plus descent to Lobouche

 8.42 miles, 1599’ climbing

Hotel New EBC, Lobuche, 16,210’ elevation

High Point: EBC 17,598’

A lot of people have trouble sleeping at Gorak Shep because of the elevation. It’s also noisy with people coming and going. We even heard a yak train pass at 2am. It’s cold, too. Like all of these lodges, the rooms are unheated and windows have gaps. Warm quilts keep you cozy and also reluctant to get out of bed. Ed slept like a baby while Sarah was awake from 2am onwards. 

A little after 7am, we started our walk to Everest Base Camp (EBC). The trail was a little rougher than most of what we’ve been on with loose rocks, small boulders to negotiate, snow, mud. 

We passed a huge number of yak trains going in both directions. We usually get off trail on the uphill side, behind a rock, when yaks pass. Today part of the trail was on a narrow ridge which made it trickier. Yaks have big horns. When loaded, they could easily knock you over. Most seem docile, but once in a while, one ventures off the track in our direction. Bire yells and waves his arms to shoo them away. They aren’t tied together. Their handler typically walks behind them, shouting, if needed, and waving a stick. They are currently making two round trips a day, 4.25 miles each time.

We also yield the trail to porters going in both directions to be considerate and to respect the incredibly hard work they are doing. A lot of porters here are making two round trips a day at this time of year, carrying expedition gear to EBC, up to 100kgs per load (220 lbs), balanced on their backs and held with a wide band across their foreheads. Besides being incredibly heavy, a lot of the loads look awkward: sheets of plywood with blue plastic barrels tied on one side, long metal frames that will be assembled into something, lopsided mixed bundles that are so wide that they catch on rocks. This is the tradition in this region, and it’s the available work, but it’s still kind of painful to see.

Everest base camp was a hive of activity when we arrived. Bright colored tents were scattered over a few square miles. Areas were roped off with rope and fabric signs where different expeditions were reserving space. Bire told us that in about 15 days, there will be no space left between the tents as mountaineering season goes into full swing. Today, yaks and porters were dropping off loads. Workers in different camps were preparing sites for tents (tricky on a melting glacier). Some larger cooking and dining tents were up. There was a hum from all the work in progress.

We stopped at the trekkers endpoint (not allowed in the  expeditions area), snapped some pictures with Everest and the khumbu ice fall which Bire has been through many times. Bire showed us where an avalanche across the valley in 2015 caused such a shock wave that tents and ropes were found all the way up at the ice fall; a lot of people died.

We headed back to Gorak Shep, again dodging yaks and porters. Clouds were coming in. We were incredibly fortunate to get clear skies for both our days around Gorak Shep.

On a ridge, a pair of Tibetan Woodcock, locally called Kongma, walked towards us. They were unafraid and as large as chickens, beautiful birds.

Back at Gorak Shep we had lunch, then walked slowly back to Lobuche. Where it was slippery packed snow from yesterday, it was now mud or wet dirt. The day was growing cold and windy, but we could feel the difference the loss of 700-800’ makes.  

Nepal Day 12 - Lobuche to Gorak Shep plus hike up Kala Patthar

5 miles, 2514‘ climbing, (approximated)

Buddha Lodge, elevation 17,032’

Highest elevation: Kala Patthar 18,502’

We were a little slow getting started in the morning. Our distance to Gorak Shep isn’t that long, but due to some landslides in years past, there’s some up and down. The sun was out and it wasn’t windy, a pattern we’ve been fortunate to enjoy on many mornings. Some yaks were being loaded, and we even say one standing in an ice topped puddle. Clearly yaks don’t get cold ankles. 

There were a lot of trekkers making their way up and down the path, yak trains and horses too, sometimes slowing us down. We reached an icy section where we donned our microspikes. We spotted a LBB (little brown bird) for possible future identification. Helicopters were flying up and down the valley. The sky was stunningly clear.

We rounded a corner and suddenly had a stunning view of Nuptse and we stopped for a few photos. Pumo Riwas to our left. We had walked adjacent to the Khumbu Glacier, hidden behind a moraine, all the way. We could see Gorak Shep, a small and lively village, just down the hill. It’s the last stopping point for expeditions to nearby mountains, and large tents and packaged piles of gear were tucked around the buildings. There’s a heli pad.

It was still early, so we had a quick lunch at the Buddha Lodge and headed up Kala Patthar to see the views while the sky was so exceptionally clear. We put on our microspikes which were perfect for traction on the trail. 

At first the trail was mud, then slush, then packed snow. It was unrelentingly uphill, and we trudged with only a few breaks, Bire leading the way followed by the two of us, and Deepak bringing up the rear. We heard the rumble of a distant avalanche. We didn’t see too many people on the trail but exchanged greetings with Jarod from Melbourne who we met last night. At one point we saw a helicopter land in a snowy plateau about half way up, passengers discharged then reloaded after a few minutes, and it took off again. Must be a sightseeing tour.

At a saddle near the top we had an excellent view of Pumori and glacial lakes. We put on wind protection for the push to the top and picked our way through snow and rocks to the view point. We high-fived each other and took a lot of pictures after putting on wooly hats and down jackets. The sky was perfectly clear except some snow blowing off the top of Everest. We could see Lhotse and Nuptse and Lho La and other mountains. The orange tents of Everest Base Camp were visible on the Khumbu glacier as was the lumpy and forbidding Ice Fall. Bire pointed our locations of camps I, II, III, and IV. It’s hard to describe the drama of the rock faces, snows, just everything, but it certainly made the difficult climb worthwhile. 

We trudged back down to our lodge for tea and snacks and relaxation. We sat around a warm stove next to a local dog while people trickled in. We were pleasantly tired. Kala Patthar is the highest point planned on our trek.

Our lodge was full of porters who are setting up camps for expeditions. 

Nepal Day 11 - Chukhung to Lobouche

 8.58 miles, 2459’ climbing

Hotel New EBC, Lobouche, Nepal

16,210’ current elevation

It was snowing lightly when we went to bed. We had heard from a party who had arrived from the other direction that the pass was in good condition. We woke early, had extra water and boxed lunches ready, dressed in extra layers, waterproof pants and jackets and overmitts — ready to set out over Kongma La. Then Bire heard from the other guides that conditions were iffy up top. One group had set out, but they were really athletic ( this message conveyed by a gesture indicating muscles). Everybody else was going back down valley and up the main Everest highway. Outside there were low clouds and a few inches of snow covering the trail — we were the first to head down valley.

It was serene in the snow. We saw small animal tracks and could trace them to their homes. Intermittent sun and clouds and no wind made it a quick and pleasant walk down to Dingboche. We angled up the ridge and turned towards EBC (everest base camp) on a high plateau with fairly easy walking thru shallow snow, slush, and mud, gradually ascending. After a few hours, we approached our lunch spot, the village of Thugla. Here the low trail merged with the high trail, and trekker traffic became thick. We descended to a bridge, crossed, then had a short, steep walk up to an outdoor terrace where we ordered tea and ate our boxed lunches (Tibetan bread, hard boiled egg, some mild cheese, KitKat bars).

It was cold and windy and steep and busy on the long climb out of Thugla. We trudged slowly up the hill, yielding the path to porters carrying heavy loads. When we reached the top of Thugla pass, we found ourselves in an area covered with chortens, many bearing brass plaques with dedications to mountaineers who died in Nepal. I looked at a couple and happened to see Scott Fischer’s name from the 1996 Everest disaster. 

On we walked, along a snowy trail, more mud, more boulders, more horses and yaks. More huge mountains were visible in front of us. Bire pointed out Lobouche Peak, the route to the top of it, where camp 1 was usually placed. He said that for Everest, all the expeditions who have permits generally pitch in together for route fixers who will put ladders and ropes thru the Khumbu ice fall, then fixed lines to the the top. This all starts long before the expeditions arrive; he estimated they would have already fixed lines up to camp II by now.

We saw the north side of Kongma La where we had planned to descend today. It looked snowy and challenging. We were happy with the decision to bypass. 

Our lodge, the Hotel New EBC, is cute and busy, full of many nationalities. We had hot showers though we didn’t wash our hair since there’s no way to dry it. It used an on-demand gas heater, and it felt great. We chatted with Bire and others before, during, and after dinner.

Nepal Day 10 - Dingboche to Chukhung and acclimitization hike

 5.65 miles, 1891’ climbing

Highest elevation: 16,059’

Chukhung Resort & Restaurant, Nepal: 15486’

It was cold overnight, but as soon as the sun rose, the day warmed up. After breakfast, we headed up the valley for Chukhung, passing some yaks on the way. A dog followed us part of the way. A lot of the dogs  are cute and look friendly, but there are problems with the dogs, so we’ve left them alone, hard to do with a dog as cute as this one that laid and waited for us every time we paused.

The sun was out and the sky was clear. We had more views of big mountains (Lohtse and Makalu) and glaciers and snowy ridges in every direction. The walk to Chukhung was fairly short. We saw a few porters and locals, but no other trekkers until we arrived. It was very serene.

After lunch we climbed a nearby hill to help with acclimitization. The snow was slushy and a little slippery in places. We could smell the sunpati, a fragrant shrub that is burned for incense and has a spicy smell similar to a mild cinnamon. As we descended, the wind was picking up and it was getting cold. This is the weather pattern we’ve had for the past couple of days: sunny, still mornings, clouds forming mid-to-late morning, breezy and colder in the afternoons. We relaxed in our cold room for a couple of hours. There’s a thin layer of ice on top of the blue plastic water barrels in the indoor, shared powder rooms. It’s cold here!

We met other trekkers already at the lodge or arriving, from the UK, Czechia, Korea. It’s a friendly international scene with everyone, including guides and porters, taking seats around the common room perimeter or pulling a chair up to the central stove. The WiFi is good here, and we used Google Translate a little to communicate with the Koreans. 

We heard that groups have gone over the Kongma La pass today and yesterday without issue. We intend to go over the pass tomorrow so it was good news. It can have deep snow or ice requiring ropes or a change of plans, but now it is in good condition. Tomorrow we will rise early for our long day over Kongma La to Lobuche. A “la” is a pass, and Kongma La is the first of 3 passes we planned for our itinerary, though plans are subject to change.

Nepal Day 09 - Shomare to Dingboche + acclimitization hike

 3.9 miles, 2930’ climbing

Hotel Stupa Inn, Dingboche, 14129’

Highest elevation: 15112’

We saw a couple dzopkyos passing on a narrow path between our room and the toilet (in a small shed), when we headed to bed last night. It was still snowing slightly. Thankfully we didn’t see any dzopkyos in the dark of night.

When we rose, it was bright and clear. Water, including one of the toilets, was frozen. The sun rose over the peak of Ama Dablam. The day was already warming and the snow that lay over everything was starting to melt.

During breakfast, it was again just us, our 2 proprietors, our guide and porter, and a neighbor who stopped in. We all had tea and breakfast while a lot of lively conversation took place in Nepali. Bire told us that the neighbor had attempted to carry a load to Everest base camp, but there was too much snow at Gorak Shep (deeper than near us), so he came back to wait for better weather. A tea pot was placed on the solar oven on the terrace, and chairs were carried out to take advantage of the sunshine. We felt like we were seeing a glimpse of the life of regular nepalis who live in the region. 

The morning was spectacular with views of rocky and snow topped peaks in every direction, steep ridges connecting some of them. Snow covered mani walls with the carved Tibetan writing. The river below was rushing over rocks, bluish from dissolved minerals due to glacial melt. Helicopters ferried loads up and down the valleys. Our walk was mostly easy. We crossed the river, deviating from the main trail to Everest base camp. We climbed a hill and soon reached our lodge in Dingboche. We had tea on the terrace and watched the snow slide off the roof in slabs as the day warmed up. Our room is very nice with an attached powder room, and the common room is inviting with carpet covered benches around the perimeter with tables in front of them and a yak-dung burning stove in the center of the room. A small counter in one corner has snacks and sundries for sale, menus to order food from the kitchen, and some dishware. This seems to be the classic design for the common rooms in the area.

After lunch, we climbed the hillside behind our hotel to a viewpoint. In one direction we could see Taboche and Cholatse and the glacial moraine coming down from the direction of Cho La pass. Across the valley from Dingboche was Ana Dablam. Up the valley we could see the dark triangle of Makalu. Spectacular! A large group of crows glided above us on the breeze, mesmerizing  to see until Bire commented that they sometimes pooped on your head, and we all laughed. A raven scolded us later from on top of some prayer flags. 

After our hike, we had tea and relaxed the rest of the day. There are a number of other trekkers here, Dingboche is a common destination to take an acclimatization rest day.

Nepal Day 8 - Deboche - Shomare

 4.4 miles, 1448’ climbing 

Hilltop Lodge, Shomare, 13,360’ elevation

It was still snowing when we rose for breakfast with a couple of inches accumulated on the ground. We felt somewhat better but not completely recovered as we headed up the trail wearing waterproof pants and jackets, gloves, and overmits.  We passed thru rhododendrons with clumps of snow on every branch. We saw a few locals walking down the trail with no jacket or gloves; it looked very cold.

At one point, our guide spotted a group of tahr on the hillside above the trail, nearly 20 animals. We looked at them and they looked at us.

After a couple of miles, we took the high trail to the village of Pangboche where we stopped for a cup of tea in a tiny trailside restaurants. We then walked one circuit around the monastery next to it, spinning all the prayer wheels. Then we entered the monastery after removing our shoes. It is older than the monastery in Tengboche and considered very important. The monk in attendance showed us around the interior, telling us about paintings, books, hangings. There was a statue of a lama at the front from the 1600s (?). He befriended a yeti, and the yeti helped him find food and water, but the yeti was killed in an avalanche. The monk then opened a wooden box and showed us a skeletonized yeti hand impressively large, and a yeti scalp, presumably from the yeti of the avalanche. The whole interior was covered with old paintings, very beautiful. The monk said there were 20 monks at the monastery, ranging from young to old, and that they go back to live with their families when not at the monastery. 

We continued up the trail to a lunch stop at a family run lodge in Shomare. We decided to stop for the night since we aren’t feeling our best still. The proprietors of the lodge, our guide and and porter, pulled up chairs around the fire and we joined them, listening to their lively conversation. A few neighbors stopped by. The trekking group from our lodge in Deboche stopped by for lunch. It was a lively afternoon, an enjoyable way to take a rest.

https://youtu.be/dgFXdzvFVPU?si=tTxupNT85P21q_1t

Some video from the past couple days.