Trip Reports

Mera and Island Peak - 13 Oct to 11 Nov '06

Written by Leader Mungo Ross, November 2006

Our team met at London Heathrow on the 13 October to make up this Mera and Island Peak expedition. The flight to Kathmandu, subsequent flight to Lukla, and trek in to the mountains all went to plan, alongside Andy Chapman's group going to Mera Peak. Some unsettled weather, and some problems acclimatising began to set the scene, but following the itinerary saw us all at high camp for Mera on 27 October. Waking at 2.30 am, John decided to stay in camp; then after an hour at around 6,000m, Charlie and Jeff opted to turn back, leaving three team members with Mungo and our Sherpas continuing through fresh snow and extreme cold to the summit. We were rewarded with a clear sky and fine views of the Everest range of the Solokhumbu.

The next day, after descending into the Hongu Valley, Jonhn's condition got worse, demonstrating symptoms of AMS and suspected Cerebral Oedema (later confirmed by medical examination), which prompted immediate helicopter evacuation. The rest of us continued up the Hongu Valley to camp at 5,500m in preparation for crossing the Amphu Labtsa, which is probably the highlight of this trip. On waking on the morning of the 1 November however, Jeff presented a sufficiently high score on the AMS scale to make it imperative that he did not ascend any higher. This meant calling for helecopter evacuation, which unfortunately could not materialise that day due to bad weather lower down in the valley.

The subsequent outcome was that Jeff, his friend Rob, Mungo and two sherpas decided to trek back down the Hongu Valley to lose altitude, and escape what looked like threatening weather, and to get to a more suitable place for helicopter access. Helicopter evacuation to Kathmandu the next morning, then another helicopter flight to Namche Bazar the next day for Mungo, enabled a reunion with the rest of the group at Pangboche, who had sucessfully crossed the Amphu Labtsa, but descended the Khumbu Valley, deciding to give Island Peak a miss in the circumstances.

This has been an expedition that demonstrates there is no guarantee with high altitude mountaineering. All six members of this team are going home having learnt valuble lessons, richer and wiser for the experience, and with memories of much more than simply trying to climb two mountains. Respecting process of acclimatisation, the need to live and work as a team, and having experienced the support and culture of the Nepalese people; these are the kata scarves that fly from the summits of this Mera and Island Peak team.

Mungo Ross, expedition leader« Previous report | Next report »

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