Page 14 - AVRO News Issue 3 May

Base Camp Everest (EBC)

AVRO Region 10 representative Stephen Smith, together with his friend Alex Mangan
and their trusted Nepalese sherpa, Gokul Magar, trekked to Everest Base Camp
Base Camp Everest Raising The Boleyn Recovery down the mountain!
(EBC) as told by flag at EBC was a poignant
Stephen Smith moment for Steve as he nearly I promised everyone who
previously supported me, after
didn’t make it because of the
effects of AMS. tapping them over the years for
The EBC trek was an arduous,
but rewarding experience that various charitable donations
pushed Alex and Steve to the At 13,800 ft (4200m) ‘I had a that I did this trek for myself
limits of their endurance. There particularly bad night, waking instead of charity, much to their
is only 50% oxygen at 17,500 at 3 in the morning as I couldn’t relief...... however..... Our time
ft (5,500m) and night time catch my breath. I felt I was in The Himalayas was made
temperatures often slump to suffocating no matter how possible by the help of our
minus 10, inside. hard I tried to draw breath. guide, Gokul Magar, and it is
Apparently this symptom of his story I want to tell.
AMS is quite common but
‘When the exhaustion and
the lack of oxygen hit you at it nearly led me to being Gokul, like all Nepalese, is
17,000 feet you find yourself evacuated by helicopter on generous, helpful, friendly and
shuffling along, moving only day 4. humble but has no material
inches each time you lift your trappings. In fact, whilst
leg’ Following the advice of our trekking to EBC we learnt of his
guide and allowing an extra terrible tragedy following the
The altitude sickness affected day to acclimatise meant 2015 Earthquake. Gokuls home,
turned to rubble
me, constantly, in waves ‘our bodies slowly became in The 2015 Earth-
of nausea, dizziness and accustomed to less oxygen in When Gokul was only 22 he quake
lack of breath. My appetite the air’. lost his family home in the 2015
disappeared (when I needed to
eat more to keep my strength On the last day of our trek to
for hiking). EBC, we scaled a ridge at
17,500 ft (5350m) of the great
Khumbu glacier. There’s no
We both suffered with
headaches and diarrhoea and path, just a rock strewn lunar
slowly, over the course of the landscape that is moved down
trek, we felt our strength ebbing the mountain by the glacier at
away, so even resting was hard 4ft per day. After a 3.5 hour
work. gruelling trek we could see the
pastel coloured tents of EBC
The effects on your body at perched alongside the giant
high altitude, together with the and deadly glacier, our goal
gruelling 12 day schedule of was in site.
bad food, cold, 12 mile hikes
and 3300 ft (1000m) increase On arrival at EBC fellow
in elevation started taking their trekkers congratulated
toll. These obstacles together themselves, took photos, read
with the harsh environment are family letters and spent time
put in place by nature to make alone absorbing the moment.
reaching EBC a great personal Then, after half hour or so we
achievement. turned round and went back

14 AVRO NEWS