Trip Reports

Mera Peak - 7 to 30 Oct '05

Written by Leader Mungo Ross, November 2005

On the 23 October, three team members – Ray Lambert, Brian Martin and Dominic Jude, along with three Sherpas, stood on the summit of Mera Peak. All members of the group had enjoyed the fabulous trek and acclimatisation itinerary that had got us all the high camp the day before. After being blessed with great weather right up to reaching the mountain, we were hit by an unseasonal snowstorm. By sitting out a 24-hour spell of "wait-and-see", we were able to move directly up to high camp from Khare and then set off at 2.30am on the 23rd under a perfect, clear, windless night sky. It was, however, extremely cold, and this factor, combined with the fatiguing effects of altitude and walking in deep, fresh snow, caused nine of the group to turn around at various stages of the ascent.

What had looked like being a very real likelihood of a complete team on the summit turned, in only a few hours, to three out of twelve on the top, with two subsequently needing helicopter evacuation to Kathmandu with frostbitten toes. This really highlighted the seriousness of climbing ‘trekking peaks’ in Nepal. Whislt everyone was looking good at high camp, in the dark and early hours of summit day, team members discovered the effects and very real dangers of altitude and extreme cold.

Despite the ‘three out of twelve score’, the whole group found the three week expedition to be a thoroughly enjoyable and positive experience. I suspect that most, if not all, will be back for more mountaineering in the Greater Ranges in the future.

Mungo Ross
Expedition Leader« | »

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