Page 129 - AGC-Journal-2016

AGC JOURNAL 2016

Yaks and porters were carrying supplies of
food, wood and even cupboards weighing
up to 100 kg. I tried to carry a 40 kg basket
and only managed a few metres.

Snowfall

Following an acclimatisation day, we
climbed an extra couple of hundred
metres. The air was thin, but what
left me breathless was a white and
gold monument dedicated to the first
to attempt the summit of Everest. We
moved on and visited a monastery in
Tengboche (3860 metres) where a monk
dressed all in orange, showed us inside
to a beautiful room filled with rich and
colourful paintings of Buddha. Overnight,
the snow had settled in and waking up
in the morning was a sight to remember.
Already a beautiful place, the snow
added that extra touch. The view of Aba Everest Base Camp The Highest Point
Dablem (meaning ‘Mothers Cradle’) was
incredible and one of my favourites. After Day seven started with a temperature of Another early start for day eight with
another acclimatisation day, we started minus 12 centigrade. No one wanted to get low temperatures that signalled today
by crossing the Khumbu Glacier and came out of their sleeping bag, but knowing we was going to be tough. The incentive
across a collection of stone monuments would reach Base Camp gave us the push was to reach our highest point at
that remembered those who had fallen we all needed. The initial leg was endless Kalapatar (5,550 metres). This was
attempting the summit of Everest. It was and the cold was a constant bugbear. our hardest day, a steep climb with
a very moving and touching part of the Worst of all the water in our camel many of us feeling under the weather.
trip. We reached Luboche (4,950 metres) packs had frozen. When we eventually We achieved our aim and reached
and visited a research centre run by reached Everest Base Camp (5,348 metres) the summit in time to witness sunrise
the Italian Government that monitors I felt very emotional, especially after over Everest – a truly incredible site.
global warming. It was a glass pyramid all the effort I had put in. The views Afterwards the descent to Pheriche
building in the middle of the world’s were incredible, we were surrounded by seemed to take forever. Exhausted on
highest mountains, very out of place but mountains of ice, but what hit me most arrival, we simply ate and collapsed
interesting to see. were the prayer flags and a single rock into bed. The next day, we came
with ‘Everest Base Camp 2016’ written on across a village memorial sculpture,
it. After a few selfies, and a quick brew created in the UK, for all those that
with cookies to celebrate, we headed back had died trying to summit Everest. The
down to Gorak Shep (5,140 metres). number of people on the

Main Picture: Lisa Jones on the first acclimatisation day
and the first view of Everest
Left: The route to Namche Bazaar. One of the eight
suspension bridges. Lisa Jones with other members of
the team behind

Top: Lisa Jones on day 3 outside the world’s highest
hotel

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