Trip Reports

Mera and Island Peak - 10 Oct to 8 Nov '08

Written by Leader Caroline Ogden, November 2008

An enthusiastic and clean team meets at Heathrow and during the journey to Katmandu, which goes without hitch! We all meet up at the Summit Hotel make some introductions. There are 9 team members plus myself.

Very…very early the next morning we are on the plane to Lukla. Well some of us are on the plane to Lukla! Eventually we all make it, though at this stage it is too late to trek to the first camp, so we stay in Lukla. John Armstrong is running a trip parallel with us to Mera peak.

We then settle into the routines of life on the trek and acclimatization journey to Mera Peak. Bed Tea, Washing water, more Tea and Breakfast! Firstly walking through beautiful mature Oak forests and then as we get higher rhododendron forests and grasslands. Paul & Tim teach the team their favorite card game called “nomination”. As we get higher they decide that they can adapt the “lake Louise scale” (a scale designed to measure adjustment to altitude) to this game! Dr Susanna educates us all on the importance of slow mastication at altitude and then completely surprises us all by eating a live moth!

At Tagnang we say goodbye to Sheena who has been having a lot of pain from a toe and decides that she cannot continue, she joins Paul Donavan’s team on their descent. I am surprised to see our very reserved Sirdar Karma give her a big hug!

Mera peak summit morning, dark and cold but not windy…and eventually the sun comes and all is well. Adam, Paul, Tim, John, Mark, Arthur and Caroline all summit with the help of Sirdar Karma. Unbelievable views of Everest, Makalu etc from summit and on descent.

We then spend the next few days walking up the beautiful Hongu valley. Many of us are rather under the weather, having been struggling with a cold/flu that has been going through the group, nevertheless it is hard not to be impressed by the stark beauty of the valley. At this stage Adam shows us his unusually skinny feet! Some people loose weight from their faces first, Adam his feet!

The crossing of the Amphu Labtsa goes flawlessly. The 3 fixed ropes up vertical ice steps are all greatly enjoyed by the team on the Hongu side. Many photos are taken! Then on the Khumbu side more fixed rope and some assistance from John gets everyone safely down the abseil.

Island Peak summit day and the weather is still superb. We manage to hit a relatively quiet day on the hill so no long waits at fixed ropes. The whole team stood together on the summit at 8:45 am. Caroline, John, Tim, Paul, Mark, Adam, Steve, Arthur, Sirdar Karma, Sherpa Tenzing, and Sherpa Nurbu. Thanks to Mark’s encouragement and a large amount of determination Steve and Adam summited with us.

The walk down the Khumbu to Namche was resplendent with autumn colours and a chance to get to know the Sherpa better as everyone was more relaxed and talkative. Stunning views of Ama Dablam. The Sherpas seemed enjoy teasing me about my next trip! Steve (Team banker and information supplier) updates us on the USA elections and world financial crisis!

We celebrated in the usual style in Namche. Tenzing cooks us an amazing meal of yak burgers and potatoes and then we disappear to some dive of a bar in the bottom of Namche. Arthur assures us Pink Floyd is the best band ever to exist. Though later in the night we are dancing to anything!

We are very lucky in Lukla as the weather clears just as we are scheduled to fly and despite Lukla being full of people waiting to fly, we fly exactly to schedule.

Thanks to our Sirdar Karma. The master of non-verbal communication! Our Cook Sherpa Tenzing who did a very good job of keeping us healthy. And the other Sherpas Tenzing, Nurbu and Surnam.

Good luck in all your future mountain adventures everyone. It was a pleasure to spend the month with you all.

Caroline Ogden, Expedition Leader« Previous report | Next report »

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