November 20, 2012
Posted by Ramon in Alpine, Arctic & Antarctic Tundra, Budget, Glaciers, Hiking, Mountains, Nepal, Passes, Province 1, Solo Hike
EBC Day 13 – Cho La Pass
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Leaving Dzongla
Nepal
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*When someone tells you that the Cho La pass is closed because of snow, be sure to take what they say with a pinch of salt. Porters and guides have been known to tell hikers this to try to dissuade them from crossing the pass*
It was still chilly that morning but the perfectly clear skies were an indication of good weather. I added an extra layer to keep me warm but began to perspire as soon as I started walking, so was forced to quickly take it off. Sweating in cold weather can be quite dangerous as sweat that is not wicked away can freeze and will end up lowering one's body temperature. Read more
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The day before had been the first day of the entire trip where I would actually have considered myself to have been exhausted. Perhaps that is why my dreams at that point were so vivid.. or maybe it was just the altitude? The dream that I had that night was strange and very muddled, yet was somehow very clear. Some researchers think that the decreased oxygen levels at altitude somehow affect the recollection of dreams, Read more
November 19, 2012
Posted by Ramon in Alpine, Arctic & Antarctic Tundra, Budget, Class 5, Glaciers, Hiking, Mountains, Nepal, Province 1, Solo Hike
EBC Day 12 – Kalapattar
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Kalapattar
The day before had been the first day of the entire trip where I would actually have considered myself to have been exhausted. Perhaps that is why my dreams at that point were so vivid.. or maybe it was just the altitude? The dream that I had that night was strange and very muddled, yet was somehow very clear. Some researchers think that the decreased oxygen levels at altitude somehow affect the recollection of dreams, Read more
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That morning, a sad farewell took place in Lobouche
(elevation : 4940m) amongst a group of hikers from New Zealand. One of the party members apparently had been suffering from a bad headache and had just begun mumbling unintelligibly. It was wisely decided that he would need to make a quick descent back down to lower altitudes, whilst the rest of the party continued up to Gorak Chep (elevation : 5164m). I say wise because the ataxia and altered mental status indicated an onset of HACE. Read more
November 18, 2012
Posted by Ramon in Alpine, Arctic & Antarctic Tundra, Base Camps, Budget, Glaciers, Hiking, Mountains, Nepal, Province 1, Solo Hike
EBC Day 11 – Everest Base Camp
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Altitude Sickness
That morning, a sad farewell took place in Lobouche
(elevation : 4940m) amongst a group of hikers from New Zealand. One of the party members apparently had been suffering from a bad headache and had just begun mumbling unintelligibly. It was wisely decided that he would need to make a quick descent back down to lower altitudes, whilst the rest of the party continued up to Gorak Chep (elevation : 5164m). I say wise because the ataxia and altered mental status indicated an onset of HACE. Read more0
November 17, 2012
Posted by Ramon in Alpine, Arctic & Antarctic Tundra, Budget, Hiking, Mountains, Nepal, Province 1, Solo Hike
EBC Day 10 – Dingbouche to Lobouche
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Onwards to Dughla
(elevation : 4530m - I stayed in 'lower' Dingboche though at an elevation closer to 4300m) that morning completely enraptured after having watched the glorious sunrise crawl slowly down the face of Ama Dablam (elevation : 6812m). The early part of the trek to Lobuche was pretty straightforward, with barely any elevation gain until reaching Dughla for lunch, which bode well for a few of the members of Sophie's group - one not feeling too well with a bad cough and a headache, and another with a swollen ankle. Read more0
The plan was to spend a day acclimatising once again here in Dingboche (Sophie's group was doing the same, before heading up to Lobuche via Dughla the next day). I had decided to carry on with them for the next day or two and to skip the high-altitude pass of Kongma La since the pass was not on the GHT pass list. This meant that instead of trekking up to Chukhung from Dingboche, climbing up Chukhung Ri and then crossing Kongma La to Lobouche the next day, I would instead head up the path that lead to Chukhung (elevation : 4730m) for a while before coming back down to Dingboche for the night. Read more
November 16, 2012
Posted by Ramon in Alpine, Arctic & Antarctic Tundra, Budget, Hiking, Mountains, Nepal, Province 1, Solo Hike
EBC Day 09 – Acclimatisation at Dingboche
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Dingboche Acclimatisation
The plan was to spend a day acclimatising once again here in Dingboche (Sophie's group was doing the same, before heading up to Lobuche via Dughla the next day). I had decided to carry on with them for the next day or two and to skip the high-altitude pass of Kongma La since the pass was not on the GHT pass list. This meant that instead of trekking up to Chukhung from Dingboche, climbing up Chukhung Ri and then crossing Kongma La to Lobouche the next day, I would instead head up the path that lead to Chukhung (elevation : 4730m) for a while before coming back down to Dingboche for the night. Read more
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November 15, 2012
Posted by Ramon in Budget, Hiking, Montane Savannas & Grasslands, Mountains, Nepal, Province 1, Solo Hike
EBC Day 08 – Tengbouche to Dingbouche
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Tengbouche Monastery
for the morning puja, an act of devotion that involves acts such as bowing, making offerings, and chanting. As we approached the monastery, a monk leaned out one of the second-storey windows and blew on a huge conch shell called a 'sankha' - a trumpet that is customary to be blown before the morning puja. Read moreFollow me on Facebook
