Trip Reports

Mera Peak - 7 to 30 Oct '11

Written by Leader, November 2011

The Expedition got off to a great start in London, with all the clients (less Gordy who was to meet us in Kathmandu), meeting at Costa Coffee at terminal four, on meeting the team for the first time it was like they had been working well together for some time. The team had set up its own Mera Peak facebook page with all the participants having contact for some time previous to the trip. Some of the clients had also attended the snow and ice skills in Scotland and the Mera Peak information weekend in Snowdonia. The camaraderie of the team was very apparent from the start and this was to continue as a one of the teams strengths throughout the time away.

The flight out to Kathmandu via Delhi was superb with Jet airways staff looking after our every need. There was plenty of leg room for the taller members of the expedition, we were met at Kathmandu by the Summit staff and quickly transferred to the tranquillity of the Summit Hotel where we met Gordy.

The next morning saw us taking an early breakfast for our early morning flight to Lukla. After an exhilarating flight into Lukla, we met our Sirdar Ang Dawa, to be informed that three bags had not made it on to the flight. We decided to wait out the luggage, by 5pm one bag (Mark W) was still missing thankfully Mark could replace most of his missing clothing and equipment in Lukla.

Tuesday 10th October saw the team start the trekking, the first few days of the trek saw us using routes that have been in use since people stared using the valleys and passes for trading encountering rural life that seems to have unchanged for years, one pack horse train that we encountered had over eighty mules and ponies carrying goods towards Lukla. Many of the terraces we walked through were being cultivated encountering Wheat, Millet, Potatoes on day two we were to get our first view of the south face of Mera Peak. This first few days of trekking saw the team adjusting well to the altitude and by day four sleeping at 4200m. During this phase of the trek we saw very little of other groups heading towards our final destination. By Saturday 15th October, we found ourselves heading back into the Hinku Valley towards Kote, from Kote we would rejoin the main approach route to Mera Peak. Kote is a meeting point for many trails into the area, that evening we had buffalo curry, all the clients agreed that it was a great meal. The next day we headed for Tagnag at 4360m, following the Hinke Khola, mountains towering over the expedition, on route we stopped at a Gompa in a cave where the local Lama performed Puja (or blessings) on the success of the expedition.

Eventually the route brought us to Khare at 5100m our plan was to take some rest days here, although rest day is probably the incorrect phrase, from here we did some acclimatisation treks including one day trekking up to the Mera Glacier and practicing snow and ice climbing techniques including ascending fixed ropes and abseiling. Unfortunately at Khare the weather changed bring in a twenty four hour snow storm delaying our move to the Mera La base camp.

Saturday 22nd saw the weather clear with great views of Mera Peak, we left Khare for Mera La base camp, on route Gordy dislocated his knee, whilst the team carried on the base camp, after treating Gordys injury I with the help of the climbing Sherpas, evacuated Gordy to a helicopter landing site where in a short time we had Gordy in a helicopter and returning to Kathmandu to professional medical attention.

That evening saw the team settle down to camping at 5300, with temperatures being recorded at -10’ in tents. Here the climbing Sherpa’s worked hard bringing food to the tents. All the clients had a good nights sleep, waking to find the temps risen so we had breakfast outside in the bright sun looked over by the mighty Makalu.

From Mera La we moved roped up to high camp, this was a great opportunity to practice roped movement, it was a welcome sight when we reached the exhilaratingly high camp precariously perched tents positions over the Glacier, From high camp there were fantastic views of Everest, Lhotse Ama Dablam, Cho Oyo and Makalu.

Two pm saw bed tea brought to the tents quickly followed by porridge and packed lunches for the summit attempt. All nine clients left high camp at 3.30am for the summit. The conditions were very challenging, with very cold temperatures with the conditions underfoot taking its toll. Although teams had summited the previous day, the snow conditions ensured that fresh trail had to be broken by the climbing Sherpas. The going was slow and cold coupled with fatigue this led to three team members reaching their personal ceilings above 6100m and returning to high camp. This left six members battling for the summit at approximately 0900 the six approached the summit of the central dome, to find a fixed line in place once this had been ascended the six were on top of their worlds. After much congratulating and pictures taken the return trip commenced it was a very tired but elated group that finally made it back to base camp in Khare at 4.00pm to a much welcome cup of tea!

The final phase saw the team walk back to Lukla in three days via the Zetra la, just when everyone one thought it was over, we had to be on our toes for the steep icy conditions of the pass. It’s a long slog down hill from the Zetra la to Lukla, but the sense of achievement when we reached Lukla at 4.00pm in the afternoon was quite evident. That evening we had a celebratory party with the trekking team, were I believe in excess of twenty jugs of chang were shared with the trekking team and clients, after the second kettle of chang, the clients were dancing like they’d been born in the Khumbue region.

After another exhilarating flight from Lukla to Kathmandu, the team arrived to find Gordy at the hotel, and more celebrations started, some team members staying in the peaceful and tranquil setting of the Summit hotel, with some clients heading in to Kathmandu to soak up Thamel.

All in all a successful trip with a great bunch of clients, I feel that we all enjoyed each others company and that everyone worked hard to make this a trip to remember. I would like to thank all the team for being wonderful clients and getting on with life on expedition. Good luck in all your future mountaineering endeavours.

Ian Coxan
Expedition Leader « Previous report | Next report »

Jagged Globe Newsletter

We publish an email newsletter with trip reports and latest availability, plus features, competitions and general news of our climbing, trekking & skiing activities.