Mt. Everest: Paying Our Respects


Mt. Everest:  Paying Our Respects
Thukla to Loboche
September 19th
(Day 7)

It is only one day before our grand moment on top of the world.  We are trekking to Lobouche, starting at 5:30 am.  This is only a 3-hour trek but with much lower oxygen it is a struggle – each step is a bit labored (ok a lot labored).  We are at 15,339 feet.


We shared the path with the Yak for a good part of the day.  They manage quite well up here.  Ironically, they can’t survive at the lower altitudes.

Our travels take us through a memorial site.  The landscape is populated with stupa-like monuments, reminders of those who never made it or made it but never returned from their trekking and/or climbing quest.  Many died from altitude sickness.  Some were ambushed by soldiers from warring nations.  The list of reasons is as long as the trek itself.   Many of them were seasoned adventures, too many were young, less experienced, and over confident.


We take some time to show our respects and then it is time to keep moving forward.  We continue, in part, in respect for their courageous efforts. 

The paths are getting narrow again.  You can see global warming in front of your eyes – where there once was a glacier and then a lake you see instead a dust bowl.



We arrive at Lobouche Village with the knowledge that tomorrow it will be a 6-hour trek to Everest Base Camp.  We will take 3 hours to arrive at Gorak shep and 3 more hours to reach Everest Base Camp.  Our anticipation is only rivaled by our exhaustion.

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