Trip Reports

Mera Peak - 30 April to 23 May '10

Written by Leader, May 2010

As the British summer began the warm up the country we heard that an omnious black cloud was on the horizon set to spoil our best laid plans of flying to Nepal and embarking on a mountainneering trip of a lifetime. Of course I mean the volcanic ash cloud stealing it’s way from Iceland into British air space. For the best part of two weeks we were put on hold. Helpless at the bereft of cyclonic winds and the civil aviation authority. Jagged Globe office staff worked tirelessly to keep us all informed and re-book flights. We were delayed for nearly fourteen days but the good news came - we were going!

We flew to Delhi and then onto Kathmandu in Nepal andwere taken by coach to our hotel. We relaxed in the plush Summit Hotel with it’s delightful garden and laid back charm. The next day and our flight to Lukla another hitch; the Maoist Communist Party has set up road blocks and I had to go out with our in-country agents to try and find a way through these blocks. We moved slowly through three stoppages and to the airport. We were hurridly checked in and boarded the small Dornier 228-212 plane. This flight was delightful flying at low altitude above hills with cultivated terraces. We landed in Lukla on their STOL (Short take of and Landing) airport and were meeted by the smiling faces of our Sirdar (Darwa) and the porter and sherpa team. We went to the Tara Lodge tea house and sorted out our gear before walking to Poyan our first stop on our three week adventure. It was hot and sunny, large butterlies and birds were everywhere as we past small farm steads, crops of sweet corn, barley and potatoes grew ever upwards racing to a sun they’d never meet.

These first couple of weeks took us through a range of terrains, farmland, gave way to beautiful Rhododendron forests, to high moorland environments. We had a range of weather from sun to rain to snow. Throughout which the hospitality of the sherpa people never diminished and no request was too much for our sherpa team to provide. We were treated to sweet tea in a monastry in Pankgonma by the monks and every now and then stopped to rest in tea houses. The weather brightened up as we got to Khorte. We were pleased on the itinerary and it’s altitude profile, which had taken us as high as 4,700 metres by now, judging by the slow pace of other teams. Who had ascended the direct route from Lukla over the Zawtra La pass, we were in fine fettle.

We walked up to Tangnag and rested here gaining nearly 5,000m on an acclimatisation walk. At Kharte some members managed 5,300m. We went up to the Mera La to the glacier where we brushed up of snow skills and the use of fixed ropes. Then it was the preamble to the summit push; up to Camp 1 (Base Camp) then to high camp (ABC) at 5,800 metres. We discussed summit strategy and decided tomorrow would be a good weather window. We left during the night in the still of the pre dawn air. Everyone was strong, Mark graduated from hill walker to mountaineer as he discovered what the inside of a crevasse was like; no harm was done and we pressed on. The summit forever in our sights and minds. We reached the col between central and north summit. North summit being the highest of the three Mera Peaks and our goal. Around a corner and with some breathlesness up a short section of fixed line we were there – the top of the world, well not quite but we had made 6,490 metres and were treated to clear views of the ‘real’ top of the world;- Everest, and also Nupste, Lhotse, Island Peak, Baruntse, Cho Oyu, Makalu, and in the far distance Kangchenjunga. We were in lofty company. After signing a Union Flag along with the climbing sherpas, left on the summit. We made our way down with a lot of satisfaction. We had summitted on the 16th May after five hours hard work from high camp.

The walk out back to Lukla was good, we were going lower and hence were strong in the oxygen rich air. We tried sherpa tea, and chang alongthe way. Both of which are somewhat of an acquired taste. In Lukla we went to a Dumji festival in the local monastry which celebrated sherpa people and the buddhist religion. It was fascinating to be invited to this festival. On our last night the sherpas threw us a party and there was a lot of dancing; a range of east meet west could be said! Back in Kathmandu we arrived back at the laid back Summit Hotel and went sight seeing; the monkey temple and Durbar Square, as well as having a celebration meal in the famous Rum Doodle restaurant.

It was my pleasure lead such a strong committed and experienced group. Who I am sure would agree wouldn’t have made it without the amazing team of sherpas and porters we had with us. Whom Ithank enormously for their efforts. One question remains ‘Will Jerry remember how to ask for ‘two spoons of sugar’ in Nepali on the next Jagged Globe trip he books’?

Lee Farmer
Expedition Leader – Mera Peak, May 2010 « Previous report | Next report »

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