Trip Reports

Mera Peak - 1 to 24 Oct '10

Written by Leader Jeremy Windsor, October 2010

By the time we’d all finally met at Heathrow it was clear that this was going to be one of the fittest groups to attempt Mera. At check-in, conversation was of mountain marathons, long distance cycle rides and challenging walks through the mountains of Norway. This, plus talk about the merits of power bars, rehydration packs and warm up routines made me a bit uneasy. Clearly, my normal position at the back of the group was going to be for more than just “safety reasons”! Fortunately Ang Dorjee and our Sherpas were in no rush and we quickly settled into a slow and steady pace for the first part of our acclimatisation. From Lukla we headed south and then east through the lush green foothills of the Himalayas. Our route was perfect. Not only was the path dry and even underfoot, but the route meant that we were exposed to plenty of altitude before returning each night to a comfortable height to sleep. Away from the traditional Mera trail we were also able to see a lot more of normal, daily life in the Himalayas. This was best seen during visits to the homes of the Sherpas who were part of our expedition. Here, we were offered tea and the chance to enjoy the company of the youngsters who were intrigued by our presence. Unfortunately our objective couldn’t be resisted any longer and after six days spent in the foothills it was time to face Mera. From Khore we headed north to Tangnag and Khare, each one colder and more remote than the other. Fortunately our spirits remained high, buoyed by memorable nights spent in lodges and tea houses along the way. At Khore, we celebrated Joyce’s birthday with a freshly baked cake and were joined by the Sherpas for a raucous game of Jenga. Later, at Tangnag we were joined by another British team and had an excellent quiz night, losing out overall, but recovering some pride by singing the best Christmas carol! Although the altitude was increasing, our preparations had served us well. We were free from the worst excesses of AMS and eager to go higher! This was confirmed in Khare after a day spent practicing on the nearby glacier. Old hands Tony and James led the way zipping up the fixed ropes set by Pertemba and Wangchu, however it was the stylish performances of newcomers such as Kit, Emily and Andrea that made us all realise something – Everyone Was Ready!

On the morning of the 14th October 2010 we set off for the Mera La, arriving an hour ahead of schedule in one of the most famous camp sites in the Himalayas. Ang Dorjee and the Sherpas quickly set about burning juniper and arranging prayer flags around the camp whilst the team came to terms with their new environment. Our summit attempt had now begun! The next day dawned clear and bright and we were soon heading to Advanced Camp. At the back I began to struggle to keep up with the team. Terry and Paul, our mountain men, were striding up the slopes, gliding along at a fine pace. A few steps behind, the rest were doing their best to make it look easy – taking the time to chat and occasionally pause to stop and point out the views. Special mention must go to Mark who was finding it so comfortable that he was able to film “on the go” without even pausing to take breath! Within just a few hours we found ourselves in Advanced Camp, a small perch of crumbling rock situated at the start of the long snow slope to the summit. As the afternoon turned to evening, the Himalayas unfolded in front of us. Cho Oyu, Everest and Makalu were now bathed in golden light, trampling the pale white clouds that had hidden them for most of the day. Reluctantly we turned towards our tents and tried to snatch a few hours of sleep before the “big push”. Summit day began soon after midnight. Together, Chukra and Danbeen hauled the huge tea pot to each tent filling up cups and water bottles as they went. Their good humour and enthusiasm were infectious and we soon found ourselves outside our tents and dressed for the adventure that lay ahead.

Above us the sky was clear, the faintest of breezes brushed over our tents. The weather was perfect. We divided into three groups and tied onto our ropes. In silence we set off following the flickering head torches of other teams that marked the route ahead. At first our progress was slow. However with each step we seemed to grow more purposeful. Perhaps we would all make it? The snow underfoot was in perfect condition and the path to the summit was clear. Paul, Terry, Bruce and Joyce had found a rhythm and slowly began to pull away from the rest of us, whilst the second group of Andrea, Tony, Mark and Nicola found a perfect pace that looked like it could be sustained to the top of Everest! What could possibly go wrong? As small sparks of sunlight began to appear on the horizon, the third group began to slow. Tied on at the end I was getting worried. We just weren’t moving well. Was the breathlessness and discomfort proving too much for us? More breaks were asked for. Ang Dorjee was asked to slow down. Unfortunately nothing seemed to work. Eventually I stopped and nervously suggested to the group that it might be time to turn around. Foolishly, I remember telling Kit that perhaps it, “wasn’t her day”. No words were exchanged but the strength of her stare said enough – we were carrying on. I quickly rejoined the end of the rope. Whether it was a change in angle or the result of our brief exchange something happened. Our pace improved and the need for rest stops disappeared. Quickly we began to overtake other groups and as dawn turned into morning the summit finally appeared. By 7am we were standing on Mera Central. The climb had taken less than five hours. We were all there. The Sherpas were delighted. Later, Ang Dorjee told me that they’d never had a whole group who’d made it to the top together before. As we retreated the weather changed and the mountain became quickly covered in mist and snow clouds. In Khote the following morning we awoke to a carpet of thick snow. Our perfect summit day conditions had vanished and those behind us were faced with trickier conditions. Our return to Lukla was accompanied by a series of rainstorms. However nothing could spoil our mood. At Thuli Kharka we celebrated Bruce and Joyce’s 30th Wedding Anniversary, a fitting end to a fantastic journey! « Previous report | Next report »

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