The effort
of Lobuche Peak had certainly taken its toll. I was tired, I had a cold, and my
cough had worsened, so I was pleased that it was a fairly short days walk to Chhukung
(4730m), and that we had a rest day the next day which I was more than happy to
spend just relaxing and drinking tea. Amelia had been in doubt about whether to
attempt Island peak and, in Chhukung, she finally decided against it, choosing
instead to take a more leisurely return to Lukla, over four days. I could
certainly see the appeal of not doing it, not having to gasp for breath, and
not being exhausted, but it was what I’d signed up for and I knew I would
regret afterwards if I didn’t.
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| Island Peak |
|
The
logistics would be that Amelia would go back to Lukla over four days with our
porter, whilst I would go up to Island Peak base camp, then to the summit and
back to Chhukung the following day, and then would have two long days with Ongchhu
to return to Lukla and reunite with Amelia. I packed all the things I wouldn’t
need so the porter could take them – since I would be wearing most of my
clothes, and would need all the climbing gear, this was disappointingly little!
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| Island Peak Base camp |
After our
rest day we set off in each our direction – me towards base camp, and Amelia towards
Lukla. I was accompanied now by Ongchhu and climbing guide Tenzing who had joined
us in Chhukung. It was about three hours walk, and the rest of the day followed
the same pattern as in Lobuche high camp – lunch, rest, dinner, and rest until
midnight. It turned out that there are two base camps for Island Peak just a
couple of hundred metres apart. It turned out that I was the only tourist in ‘my’
base camp, whilst an American I had chatted to in Chhukung was in the other.
Again, an
early start for the summit with breakfast at midnight and departure at 1:00.
Tenzing had come over ill during the afternoon, but fortunately for me there was
another climbing guide in base camp who was willing to take me up. It was a
steep, rocky trail up to crampon point at 5830m which we reached after about
three and three-quarter hours, my guide stopping at regular intervals to wait
for me – I did rather have the feeling I was slowing him down.
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| Ladder on the glacier |
Having
geared up, we headed off across the glacier roped together. It was fairly easy,
although slow, walking with just one ladder on the route to reach a higher level.
Having crossed the glacier we reached the fixed ropes up to the summit ridge,
and then it was another couple of hours with Jumar to the summit which my
American friend had reached a few minutes before me. As expected, there were
stunning views from the top, Ama Dablam especially looked incredible.
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| The view |
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| On the summit |
|
|
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| The summit ridge |
After
summit photos, we headed down, an abseil to begin with and then the walk back
across the other-worldly landscape of the glacier now clear in the daylight. After
three hours we were back at base camp, about 9½ hours after leaving it. After
lunch and a rest, we walked the couple of hours back to the tea house in
Chhukung.
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| The Lhotse glacier ending at the frozen Imja lake |
I was tired
and the next two days back to Lukla were long. My pack was fuller now as we had shared out all my extra gear - fortunately
for me Ongchhu took the lion's share of my climbing gear but it still felt considerably heavier. The first day we walked back down through Dingboche,
Tengboche and back to Namche Bazar. As we walked the landscape changed back to
the green and wooded, and the trails became gradually busier with yaks, mules,
trekkers and porters. The next day the last stretch back to Lukla. I wondered
what the new trekkers on their way from Lukla must have thought when we passed
on the trail – I looked decidedly rough, with ‘wild man’ beard, and dirty
trekking clothes – hardly an encouraging sight.
 |
| At my thinnest, looking back towards the high peaks |
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| Last view of Mt. Everest |
Reunited
with Amelia in Lukla we said goodbye to Ongchhu and waited for departure back
to Kathmandu the next day. The waiting area was filled with the sound of
coughing – it wasn’t only me suffering from the effects of the dry, cold air. After
a long wait, we eventually we got away and after the short flight we were back
in Kathmandu where Homnath met us at the airport.
 |
| Back at Lukla |
I had a day
in Kathmandu but I really wasn’t up to sightseeing, just a bit of souvenir
shopping in the morning and packing in the afternoon. The next day I was on my
home. I arrived back in Copenhagen in the evening and it was wonderful to see Hanne at the airport to meet
me. I was thin, exhausted and relieved to be home. Nepal was a wonderful
experience – stunningly beautiful, with welcoming, hospitable people, but I
feel enormously privileged to come from a part of the world where we want for
nothing.
