Trip Reports

Mera Peak - 15 Apr to 8 May '16

Written by Leader Rob Wymer, May 2016

International Uno team tackle Mera Peak!

A small but perfectly-formed team of an Indian, an American, a Scot living in Australia (who was actually born in England but don't tell anyone) and a few Englishman, recently took part in an epic-length series of games of Uno in rural and mountainous Nepal. Some of them even found time to climb Mera Peak too.

After a brief and frenetic evening of briefings and kit checks in the sumptuous Summit Hotel in Kathmandu, punctuated only by a pause for a delicious Al Fresco meal together, we set off early the next day for our dramatic flight to the little airstrip at Lukla. After ensuring our baggage had all arrived (Jonny's hadn't but he coped for a couple of days...) we set off in the opposite direction to our objective, and downwards! All part of the cunning plan to acclimatise properly before tackling the mountain. The first few days were quite challenging in length and effort but we were rewarded with gorgeous views and delightful little villages to pass through and camp within. It wasn't long before I unleashed my secret take-your-mind-off-how-tired-you-are weapon: the card game of Uno! After introducing the game and explaining the rules, it became clear quite soon that I had created a monster. The team were hooked and we played at every opportunity, mostly at high volume, maximum raucousness, and occasionally with questionable language...

We soon left the Khumbu valley and crossed the Pangom La, descending into the Hinku valley which was to be our home for the majority of the expedition. After crossing the Hinku Khola at the bottom via an airy suspension bridge, we climbed out up the other side, and played Uno in a few different locations while travelling through some dramatic and high landscapes. We took our time, ensuring the days up high had the desired effect, and made most of an acclimatisation day by learning some summit rope-work as well as doing some laundry. And playing Uno. Our final day on the eastern side of the valley treated us to some absolutely splendid views from a high level traverse, before we dropped down quite steeply to the lovely little village of Kote at the entrance to the Makalu/Barun National Park. It's a pretty spot to stay and we camped in the middle, on what had the appearance of the village green! The newly-built cosy teahouse alongside our tents provided an ideal place to eat, and play Uno. David had taken on the regular role of scorer by now, and we were only slightly suspicious that he always seemed to be in or near the lead. Unfortunately, Peter had to leave us at Kote, and we were to miss his sense of humour and pithy comments thereafter. The following day saw us enjoying more easier walking up the valley to Tangnag where we again took an acclimatisation day, reaching 5000m on a morning walk up the hill behind the village, and again going through the rope-work. Here we sadly said good bye to Rafeeq too, but the rest of the team were really doing well in preparation for the forthcoming climb, and I was quietly confident that if the weather would just hold...... I wasn't quite so impressed with their grasp of Uno though; they were far too accomplished and I wasn't winning nearly enough. Taking my cards away and going home didn't appear to be an option though.

We continued up to the base camp hamlet of Khare where we again took an acclimatisation day, and prepared for our summit bid. Kit was packed, rope teams and tent combinations were arranged, and a final practice of the rope work required to walk safely on the glacier and to reach the summit was done. The weather was still fine and the forecast looked good. However, the head-cold that James (or was it Jonny?) had brought from the UK was doing the rounds and none of us was to escape to some degree or other. Poor David had been battling his own version for days and sadly on the morning we were to leave, it had deteriorated to such an extent that he was unable to come with us and elected to remain behind, guarding the Uno cards for 3 days. The remaining 5 of us, ably supported by our Sherpas and porters headed up the valley and onto the glacier - exciting stuff! It was tough going at times but eventually we made it up and over the Mera La and down the other side a little in order to camp just off the ice. I was glad to accompany Marc on this day and the next as his unstoppable steady pace was just what I needed as I nursed my snuffles. The weather remained good and we enjoyed an evening meal served in our dining tent, where we all agreed it was too windy for Uno anyway. The following day was a later start as we only had the relatively short journey to High Camp to complete, although there was the small matter of making it to 5800m to achieve, and the yawning mouths of several gaping crevasses to negotiate too. This final camp was again just off the ice, although perched quite precipitously near a steep slope and quite cramped too. No matter, we were only here for a few hours as a 2am start for the summit beckoned! All thoughts of Uno were banished as we nervously settled into our sleeping bags for the final time before the top, and then the morning cups of tea were thrust into the tent doors before we knew it (aren't Sherpas amazing?). Still the weather seemed perfect, and we roped up and set off up the glacier once more in the darkness. The creaking of our crampons into the ice, and the puffs of hard-won breaths were the only sounds as the wind had abated. Little pin-pricks of light from head torches were the only discernible features until the sun etched the outlines of Makalu and Kanchenjunga behind us as it rose. The skies lightened considerably then and we were able to switch off our lights at about 4am and take in our surroundings. Wow! A magnificent panorama of Himalayan giants in every direction, and we were able to recognise Baruntse, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nuptse and of course Everest too amongst others. On and on we went, and with our various levels of snuffling it was far from easy to make progress, but make it we did and then we were able to see the summit cone at last! After being reliably tailed by Marc thus far, we were unable to see him at this point and we were later to learn that he had just run out of steam within sight of the summit. Such a shame for him but he had tried his very best and had achieved so much. If I'm half as physically accomplished as him when I'm 62, I'll be extremely happy. A true inspiration to us all. The remaining 3 plus myself and Pemba, one of our Sherpas, carried on the last stretch to the foot of the final steepening. Pemba scooted up to fix a rope for the final steep 3 metres of ice that guarded the summit, and then that was it: we were there! We were elated, and drank in the stupendous scenes that we got at just over 4 miles high. It has to rate as one of the greatest summit views I've had in Nepal I have to say; just amazing. Andrew, Jonny and James all had to dig deep to find the endurance to reach that point, but find it they did somehow and were richly rewarded. Of course, the climb ain't over until you're safely down and we had a long way to go. A brief stop at High Camp again on the way down saw us provided with luscious noodle soup and drinks, before we wearily continued all the way to base camp at Khare, some 13 hours after leaving that morning. It was great to have the 6 of us together again and we were pleased to find David somewhat recovered, and Marc ok too having arrived back himself about an hour earlier. After dinner, absolutely no Uno was played whatsoever in favour of going straight to bed!

The next day when we left on our way out, the weather had turned cloudy and windy again, with a fair amount of snowfall as we reached our camp for the first night on the way down. We counted our lucky stars that we'd had the weather window we needed for our summit bid, as it looked like it was about to be slammed shut again, as so often happens. A refreshing game of Uno that night brought us some normality, although general exhaustion limited the length of the game somewhat for some reason.....

Our return journey, initially retracing our steps to Kote, but then climbing new ground all the way up to and over the Zatwra La back to Lukla, went smoothly and we were blessed with reasonable weather while actually walking on the trails, if not when safely in camp when we had wind, snow, rain, thunder and lightning! The Uno games continued apace and we even roped in one of the kitchen porters who proved far more adept than Jonny at times! Synchronised coughing became the order of the day too as we had all succumbed by now with the exception of the irrepressible Marc.

Overall, this has been an extremely successful expedition in so many ways. Everybody achieved something, and contributed something to the team effort too. We got along famously and had many, many laughs along the way. My warmest congratulations to James, Jonny, Andrew, Marc and David for all they succeeded in doing, and also to Peter and Rafeeq for their contributions too. High altitude Uno playing with a lovely bunch of people, and a Himalayan summit too? Doesn't get much better in my book!

Rob Wymer
Jagged Globe Expedition Leader

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