Nepal October 2019

01. April 2020

Due to our delayed return to Kathmandu, we had to say goodbye to Kari, Beate, Egil, Gunnar, Terje, and Jacob on the same day we arrived in Kathmandu. Stephen returned to Argentina the following day. After two wonderful days of massage, good food, hot showers, and laundry, Bjørn Arne, Kristoffer, Pepo, Matoco, Lhakpa, Lhakpa, and I boarded the plane heading west.

A short night in Nepalgunj, which held up as such, and a short flight to Juphal, where we could start walking.

For the first four days, we walked about 70 kilometers along the Thuli Bheri River and ended up in the small village of Kakkogun (3400). No one in the group had been in this area before, so we didn’t know what to expect or where to go.

The next day, we began the ascent and ended the day on a mountainside at about 4400 meters. It rained heavily that night, and we crossed our fingers, hoping it would stop. Unlike the first three weeks in the Khumbu Valley, we now slept in tents every night. I really love camping, so it suited me well!

The next morning, we set our sights on Base Camp. Finally, properly in the mountains!

We arrived at Base Camp (4940) on Friday 27.09.2019. Everyone was in good shape and the mood was high!

On Sunday 29.09, we went on our first hike to Camp 1 (about 5500), where we spent one night. We carried quite heavy loads up to Camp 1, all of the climbing equipment, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads. Everyone was still in good shape, so we decided to “just” visit Camp 2 (about 6200), without sleeping there. We returned all the way to Base Camp, so this day was a long one. The next day was a rest day in Base Camp.

It went by quite slowly, and we mostly talked about (good) food and what we were looking forward to when we got back down. Every time I went to the bathroom (the tent bathroom), I walked past the helicopter landing site and hoped so much that we had managed to reach the top when we were to be picked up here in a few days.

Quiet before the storm

On October 2nd, we went to Camp 1 for the second time. After a night here, we continued to Camp 2. In sunshine and beautiful weather, we reached Camp 2 after about 4 hours.

Everyone was still in good shape, and the atmosphere was great. After some dinner and cuddling in the tent, we went to sleep.

The plan was to start the summit attempt at midnight. Around 8 pm, the wind started to pick up. We were in a steep mountainside, and it was storming and snowing. The wind was blowing hard and shaking the tent. I was worried, mostly about avalanches. I was in the tent with our guide Matoco and Pepo. Matoco probably realized that I was scared and said that he had received a weather report that a storm was coming around 9 pm. I just thought, “God, is it going to get worse than this?” And it did! I (who never get scared) was terrified, and I was sure we were going to die on that mountain. The tent was getting smaller and smaller as the snow piled up against the sides. I didn’t sleep a second, and the storm didn’t let up. Matoco received a new weather report saying that it would get better after 2 am.

When we had been walking for two hours, I asked Matoco how far we had left to go. None of us knew for sure, but he estimated that there were between 3-4 hours left.

We continued, but after 4 hours Bjørn Arne said we had to stop and look at my toes. I was so happy when he said that! Lhakpa and Bjørn Arne took off my shoes, warmed my toes, and put on heaters. It helped!

We continued upwards.

We thought we saw the top 3-4 times before we finally, after 9 hours, reached Putha Hiunchuli (7246).

I cried behind my glasses and was so happy that everyone had made it to the top!

​We started the descent and after 18 hours we were back in Base Camp. So tired, happy and grateful that the goal was achieved and that everything went well in the end. Thanks for the trip, guys <3 Kristin <3