Triumph at Everest Base Camp: A Journey to Remember
Day 12 : Wed April 27, 2011 (Lubuche – Gorak Shep – EBC – Gorak Shep| 12 hours trek)
Embarking on the most exhilarating day of our trek, we faced the challenges of snow, landslides, and fatigue to finally reach our ultimate destination – Everest Base Camp. As we stood at the foothills of the world’s tallest mountain, surrounded by breathtaking views, the sense of accomplishment was palpable. Join us as we recount the unforgettable moments, emotions, and experiences of our triumph at Everest Base Camp.
an early start
It was still pitch dark outside when we woke up. It was only 4 am. We wanted to start by 5 am to ensure a successful summit to the Base Camp and we did. It was extremely chilly outside and the snowy rug was inviting. With snow all around and the mountains so close to us, this was one of the best walks in the last 10 days.
It was around 10 am when we reached Gorakshep. It is the last settlement in the Kumbhu region. If you wished to stay beyond this, you would have to pitch your own tents. We were to be put up here for the night after going over and coming back from the base camp. We grabbed a quick bite here before we began our last leg of this exciting journey.
We had been walking over the snow all this while, and there was some more to walk over. However, the trap was that this snow was now melting fast with the heat of sunrays that fell directly over it. We had to be extremely careful now. Everyone was pretty tired. With too much walking and everyone was literally dragging themselves for the want of making it to the base camp. Moreover, we were walking over landslides and lose gravel. This was making it even more difficult to walk. To add to the drama, we could hear the loud noise of avalanches all around. It took us around 2.5 hours of careful and slow walking to finally make it to the Base Camp.
our hearts swollen with pride
As we made it to our final destination – everyone’s face was worth a watch. The fatigue had vanished and the weary feelings were replaced by joy. Everyone rejoiced with the contentment of making it to the final destination – a feat that isn’t easy to achieve and a feat that not many achieve! Our hearts swell with pride while standing at the foothills of the world’s tallest mountain at 5360 m.
Snow surrounded us all around. Tents of vibrant shades of yellow dotted the landscape accommodating the climbers attempting to summit Everest. At a stone’s throw stood the mighty peaks of Lhotse and Nuptse, showering their blessing on all who visited here. There was a chill in the air and silence all around. It felt magical to be here. None could resist sharing this feeling with their loved ones. Some updated their Facebook status, some others called up home while many others captured these moments in their cameras to share with loved ones a little later. Together we all sang our national anthem to celebrate our success. The tunes of Jana Gana Mana broke the silence.
back to Gorakshep
We didn’t have a lot of time at hand. None of us wanted to go back from here, but we forced ourselves. Our eyes were still glued to the Base Camp as we walked when suddenly Mt. Everest showed up. It was peeping over probably just to congratulate us on our achievement. With the triumph at Everest Base Camp on our minds, we walked back talking about it all along.
Coming up next – Downhill to Periche: A day full of reflections and new adventures
