|
Everest Introduction
|
Day 13: Everest Base Camp to Pheriche After a cold but not completely uncomfortable night (I did sleep off and on), we decided to take a morning trek to Everest Base Camp. The fresh snow of yestarday afternoon still lingered making it an especially bright spectacle all about. The trail winded up and down and sideways amongst glacial rock deposits in terrain that could be classified as 'Nepali flat' for we did not gain much elevation but it sure felt like it. After nearly two hours we reached the base camp where it was tent city in every direction. This was the main climbing season and there were 14 or 15 expeditions aiming for Everest in early May. I wanted to talk to people in different expeditions and I briefly met someone from the gigantic American expedition sponsored by Ford (these guys were well equipped). Even nicer people were some Italians in a small group and a guy in a corporate expedition from Seattle. I didn't learn much new except that people had reached Camp III and were about to set up Camp IV (the last camp on the South Col). Everyone I saw looked really well-equipped and professional although a few people who were climbing were a bit old and maybe a bit fat (the Americans of course). On the way out I went over to another small expedition and it turned out to be Russians climbing Lhotse. I wanted to ask questions but I got answers like "Gorak Shep is that way" and "my English isn't so goot". The walk back to Gorak Shep was agonizing because Suk and I had brought one Mars bar each and the lack of food on the four hour hike had drained our strength. Frequent rests were taken and the site of Gorak Shep was welcome. I can't remember now, but I think this was the day that my face got sunburnt. I was too lazy to put on sunscreen (really stupid actually). Back at the lodge, I sat comfortably in the warm midday sun, ate some dal bhat (I think), and regained my energy. After saying good-bye to Marc from Arizona, the East German guys, and the Americans from Colorado Suk and I reversed our course southward out of the high Himilayas. Gorak Shep to Lobuche was more pleasant and less strenuous this time. Lobuche still was miserable but at least the sun shined. Suk was feeling tired but regained strength after an extended tea break. The relatively very sunny day clouded up a bit as we pushed on to Dulglha (basically one lodge that mainly serves lunch). I thought we would stop here, but this place was somewhat depressing. Pheriche was an hour a way and I thought we should push on. The distance to Pheriche was somewhat longer, but the wide open valley with a little vegetation was a nice change in scenery. Pheriche was a long way off, but we traversed the open valley relatively fast. Ama Dablam standing above Pheriche was a sight for sore eyes. ...
|
