This Autumn I was in Nepal again, guiding on Mera Peak for Jagged Globe. The full team assembled in Kathmandu ready for their climb of Mera Peak after a smooth journey from various start points. We had a short space of time to check kit and make final preparations before an early departure to Ramechhap for the much anticipated flight to Lukla. Shiv welcomed the team and gave them a rundown of the trip, while between the two of us we ensured all the necessary arrangements were in place.
Flying to Lukla
We were accompanied to Ramechhap by Kewal, who impressively facilitated our baggage and us through the bustle of the airport – so important to have an influential local team helping you out. Excited team members boarded the little little aircraft which buzzed off towards the mountains! Just as we could see Lukla the pilot called through that they had closed the runway and we had to turn around! Noooo! With all you hear about this runway it’s encouraging to see they take safety very seriously… Kewal fixed us up with an emergency place to stay and we passed what felt like a very long day waiting for round two with the Lukla flight – all part of expeditions to this part of the world…
We waved goodbye to him early the next morning, the team having explored all of Ramechhap and keen not to return again! Dawa our head Sherpa and the team met us on the runway in Lukla and the team breathed a sigh of relief that we were in the mountains and after breakfast we set off on the approach to Mera Peak!
Trekking to Mera Peak
Over the next five days we followed beautiful valleys and ridges to Chanbu Kharka, where the team first felt some effects of the air being thinner as we climbed over a pass at 4400m. Above the trees the hills opened up and it felt like we were finally getting into the mountains, with beautiful lakes and glimpses of snowy peaks. The weather here was fairly Welsh (wet and cold!) and it didn’t particularly appeal as a rest day venue, so with team consensus on this we carried on our journey into the valley that leads up to Mera Peak.
The team were all excited to have access to a proper shower at Kothe, and with a nicer climate and fancy tea houses, our changing of the rest day made total sense. It was up to Tagnag the next day where we spent a couple of nights and took a half-day acclimatisation walk to nearly 5000m – the team all showed good ability at height so it was really encouraging for me! With the big hills looming all around excitement was growing to get up to Khare the next day, where we’d start our final preparations for the mountain…
Khare (4800m) was bustling with expeditions, but Dawa had got us in a great spot at the top of the village with a really comfy tea house to keep warm in the evenings before retiring to the tents (though you could splash out and stay in the tea house if you wanted!). Many of the team made use of the ubiquitous German Bakery, and there was also a chance here to hire or replace bits of lost/broken kit. We took a couple of short acclimatisation walks on the hills above camp, getting up to 5000m each time, and spent a few hours looking at the fixed line kit which was a first for some team members. The team were going really well – now we just needed the weather to play ball for us in a couple of days time!
Climbing Mera Peak
As we headed over the Mera La we got onto the glacier for the first time during the expedition. A very benign section with no crevasses saw us arrive at camp at 5300m. What a beautiful spot – lovely and flat and as ever well catered for by the incredible cook team. Relaxing in the afternoon sun with noisy snowcocks pottering around and the route ahead visible, everyone a mix of excited and nervous for the next 24 hours and what it may bring!
With only a short walk up the glacier to high camp at 5700m there was no need for an early start. Slow and steady was the key. As we turned the side of the rock tower and the team saw the position of camp there were wide eyes! The local staff had worked hard to find spots for all the tents amidst an array of not particularly flat platforms with different degrees of stability – none of them as “out there” as the toilet tent – which we fixed a line to through the camp to avoid any unwanted stumbles!
A 2am wake up call and this was it – summit night! We had been so well looked after by the Sherpas and cook team, the weather was cold but windless – we couldn’t have asked for better conditions!
The team slowly trudged through the night, pausing occasionally to snack, drink and catch their breath. There were other teams making their way to the top today and looking back there was a chain of headtorches lighting up the mountainside. As the sun rose many of the highest mountains on Earth were lit up – Everest, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, Lhotse and Makalu amongst a sea of others. The views and warmth of daylight kept motivation high, and the first of our rope teams summited Mera Peak, 6461m, a couple of hours after dawn.
The second team followed about 45 minutes later, and followed in the footsteps of the first on the way down, pausing at high camp for some delicious noodle soup and lots of hot Tang. A long day saw us all back in Khare, where tired but elated team members remembered the last 24 hours through hazy memories!
Heading home..
With the tantalising luxury warm showers of Khote tempting the team, we opted for a long day the next day, followed by a rest day, showers and the German Bakery. In Khote, not ready to return to “civilisation” I clung on to the immersive mountain experience as long as I could and took one last wash in the river, but in doing so had one of my highlights of the trip – as I wandered down, towel in hand through the mist, three red pandas jumped out from behind a boulder and darted across the bridge and off into the forest… Luckily another team member was there to witness it so they couldn’t call hoax!
After a well deserved rest day, the next section was back to Lukla over the Zatrwa La, a pass that’s still over 4600m. We experienced the wintriest weather of the trip, and everyone remarked how Scottish it felt! Trying to separate frozen tent poles was a real test before the pass itself, thankfully we were able to warm up in the ever-present tea house! Once over the pass the weather turned beautiful, and the long decent to Lukla went without incident.
All that was left was a day of shopping for our Secret Yeti (Nepalese Secret Santa), absorbing the atmosphere of Lukla, and the much anticipated final night party with the Sherpas and cook team. Such a great way to say thank you to the team for all their immense hard work, and always a highlight of mine! With bodies less achy and the memory of summit night less hazy, the team enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate a successful trip and a mountain climbed. After a little rum punch and much dodgy dancing, as is the custom on the last night party in Nepal, it was early to bed for our flight the next morning to Ramechhap where the flight left first time without incident – phew!