Lobuche - The Pyramid - Gorak Shep

Start: Lobuche, 4,910m a.s.l.
Destination: Gorak Shep, 5,279m a.s.l.
Date: March 21, 2023
Start in Lobuche: 09:12 AM
Distance: 5.98 km
Duration: 2:29 hours
Elevation Gain: 362m ascent, 112m descent
Highest Point: 5,304m a.s.l.
Trail Profile: Simple, snow-covered path
Lodging: Himalaya Lodge & Restaurant, Gorak Shep
Weather: Initially sunny, but clouds quickly rolled in
Temperature: Up to 10°C
Fauna: A few birds flying around, mules in Lobuche, and yaks on the way
Food: Porridge with cinnamon and sugar, ginger tea, vegetable fried rice, Snickers, vegetarian curry

Elevation profile Lobche - Pyramid - Gorak Shep (own tracking via Garmin)

Gorak Shep - Everest Base Camp - Gorak Shep

Start: Gorak Shep, 5,279m a.s.l.
Destination: Everest Base Camp, 5,364m a.s.l.
Date: March 21, 2023
Start in Gorak Shep: 14:07 PM
Distance: 8.35 km (including the return journey)
Duration: 3:54 hours (including the return journey)
Elevation Gain: 301m ascent, 289m descent
Highest Point: 5,399m a.s.l.
Trail Profile: Simple path, covered in snow

The night is not restful. Once again, I wake up shortly after midnight with a headache. I take a sip of water and eventually drift back into a dreamless sleep. At 6:00 AM, I wake up again, but the view out the window immediately sends me back into my sleeping bag. Zero visibility. So, I sleep until 8:20 AM. When I can at least see the neighboring building from the window, I get up. I feel swollen (and look like it too) and lack energy. I get up, pack my things, and have a hot bowl of porridge with cinnamon and sugar in the lodge's common area. It's still very cold inside, and the warmth of the cereal feels good to my entire body.

Today's plan is to walk to Gorak Shep. Along the way, I'll make a detour to the research station 'The Pyramid'. In Gorak Shep, I'll leave most of my luggage at a lodge, then go to Everest Base Camp and back to Gorak Shep. Josh and Giuseppe are also late risers today and are joining me. Since The Pyramid is an Italian research station, we secretly hope to get a good espresso.

At 9:15 AM, we're outside and ready for today's hike. Despite some thin clouds, the sun is incredibly strong, and the fresh snow is blinding. I quickly put on my sunglasses. The sun's rays, as well as the small reddish birds flying around us, warm and uplift our spirits. On the trail, we encounter some yaks without loads on their backs after a short time. After 20 minutes, we reach the signpost for the Pyramid and follow it. Ten minutes later, we're already at the research station, whose pyramid top we could see from the Kong Ma La Pass. Unfortunately, the research station is closed, but there's a teahouse in front of it where we take a break. While there's no Italian espresso, to our surprise, Jane is sitting in the common area, drinking tea. I had already seen Jane during the crossing of the Kong Ma La Pass. The 70-year-old law professor from the USA is traveling solo. While Josh orders an Indian breakfast and Giuseppe a chicken soup (aka broth), we chat with her. She tells us about her travels to India and Nepal in the 80s and what has changed since then. I listen attentively to this inspiring and friendly woman. Hopefully, I will still be able to explore the world in forty years as well.

After the gentlemen are full and I have drunk my liter of tea, we continue walking. Jane stays for another night in this lodge. The sun is now hiding behind the clouds, and snowflakes fall on us. I'm grateful that we were able to cross the Kong Ma La Pass in better weather yesterday. The path to Gorak Shep takes us over the Lobuche Pass and is entertaining. As we are traveling parallel to the Khumbu Glacier, we occasionally get a great view of it. The masses of ice impress me every time.

At 12:40 PM, we reach Gorak Shep. The few houses make up the last permanently inhabited settlement before the southern ascent of Mount Everest. I haven't heard much good about the accommodations here. Apparently, the owners take advantage of the fact that tourists have to stay here anyway and put in little effort. Let's see if this turns out to be true. We spontaneously decide on the first lodge on the left in the village, the Himalaya Lodge & Restaurant. We each get a room, reduce our luggage to a daypack, and have lunch in the common area.

As we step outside at 2:10 PM, it's still cloudy. Regardless, off to Everest Base Camp! It feels surreal to be able to 'simply' take an afternoon trip to Everest Base Camp. I have no expectations; it's not supposed to be the highlight of my journey. Nevertheless, I'm excited to have the opportunity to see the place I usually only read about. Hikers pass us, including Monic, Matt, and the Canadian couple with the 4-year-old twin girls. The trail is simple, still covered in snow and sometimes ice. We overtake porters taking a short break. They carry enormous loads to the Base Camp, with tables and huge wooden boxes on their backs. It's incredible what is being hauled up here. We also pass a group of Indian tourists who clearly feel uncomfortable in this area. They walk hand in hand with their group leaders and are hesitant to take a step in the snow. It will take a while for them to reach the camp. Why do people go to such an area if they clearly don't feel comfortable? Perhaps this is their big dream, which they are currently fulfilling, or they are overcoming their fear. I remind myself not to judge and hope that they, too, will reach their goal.

The weather is not getting better. Visibility is poor, it's snowing, and the wind blows coolly against us. Josh, as always, is very fast and soon pulls ahead. Giuseppe and I are taking our time, savoring the experience. At a crevasse, he jumps over it without hesitation to take a closer look. When he slips in the snow, my heart rate skyrockets. Fortunately, he can catch himself immediately. I wouldn't have been equipped for a crevasse rescue. Mamma Mia.

After about 90 minutes, we stand in front of the boulder spray-painted with 'Everest Base Camp, 5,364m.' Two Indian tour groups are gathered, singing Happy Birthday loudly and presenting a birthday cake to a man. We have no desire to deal with these 'crowds,' so we walk directly past the stone on the left. The groups usually stop at this stone and return to Gorak Shep from there. However, we want to go into the Base Camp and are not satisfied with a 'spray-painted' stone.

Since we are still in the offseason, only a few tents are set up. The tents are not as I expected, on a large flat area, but directly on the Khumbu Glacier. The surface is uneven and covered with debris. Due to climate change, it's no longer certain that the camp will be on the glacier. The plan is to move it about 200-400 meters lower down by the 2024 season. This year's expeditions will start in the coming weeks, attempting the final summit push in May. According to a local, around 400 climbers are expected. They will be accompanied by about 600 Sherpas trying to reach the summit. For those interested in the ascents of the 8,000ers, Alan Arnette's blog provides daily fascinating reading during the season. In the end, 478 permits for Everest were issued from the Nepalese side (in addition over 1,200 Sherpas). A record! On the summit, 250 climbers and 350 Sherpas made it (as of June 2, 2023).

We don't want to go that high. Instead, we absorb the impressions from the camp. Porters and yaks are finally unloading their load in the camp, the ice towers of the Khumbu Glacier rise immensely and intimidatingly into the sky, and the ice continuously makes crunching sounds. There are no other tourists around, and we can move freely through the camp. In front of the colossal Khumbu Glacier, we take some memorable photos. As I later read on Alan Arnette's blog, the 'Icefall Doctors' had just finished installing the fixed ropes through the Khumbu Icefall at that time. The icefall appears incredibly intricate, brittle, dangerous, and almost screams that this is not an area for humans. Unfortunately, this is confirmed annually by the fatalities.

Porter on the last meters to Everest Base Camp

The visibility remains poor, and the summit of Everest stays hidden in the clouds the entire time. We return to the large stone; the tour groups have started their way back, so we have the boulder to ourselves. We quickly take a few more photos there. The wind blows very strongly and icy cold. When I take a photo of Josh standing on the stone, I realize that we are not alone. Crouched under the rock is a woman who has been waiting for her friends for over two hours (the ones walking hand in hand with the guides). While she continues to wait, we begin our return journey. I keep looking back, hoping to catch a glimpse of the peaks. And indeed, for a few seconds, the sky clears, and the summit of Mount Everest briefly reveals itself. Unbelievable that there would be another 3,500 meters of ascent. Happy that I don't have to go up there today, we quickly walk back to Gorak Shep. In addition to my arm sleeves and long-sleeved shirt, I now also wear my down jacket and hardshell jacket. Eyebrows freeze in no time, and I try to keep my fingers warm through movement. On the way, we encounter the group again, which, holding hands, struggles for every meter. I doubt they will reach the boulder before daylight.

After about an hour, we are back in our lodge. Glad for the shelter of the four walls, I do my quick wash-up (brrrr) and look forward to changing clothes. The tea in my water bottle has frozen by now. Almost all the tables in the room are occupied. Together with Matt, Monic, Josh, and Giuseppe, I review the day and enjoy a warm vegetarian curry. The room itself is uncomfortable and very cold. I prefer my thick sleeping bag, into which I crawl at 8:00 PM with a hot water bottle. By the way, yes, that was the worst accommodation throughout the entire trek. The food was mediocre, the room uncomfortable, my room had a broken window, and at the sight and smell of the pit toilet, I had to muster the courage not to jump out immediately. Well then... good night at over 5,200 meters above sea level.