Gorak Shep - Kala Patthar - Gorak Shep

Start: Gorak Shep, 5,279m above sea level
Destination: Kala Patthar, 5,644m above sea level
Date: March 22, 2023
Start in Gorak Shep: 06:32 AM
Distance: 4.86 km (including the return)
Duration: 3:23 hours (including the return)
Elevation Gain: 462m ascent, 464m descent
Highest Point: 5,644m above sea level
Terrain: Direct path upward, covered in snow
Weather: Extremely cold, fresh snow, fortunately, the sun emerged between Everest and Nuptse
Temperature: -20°C at the start
Fauna: Surprisingly, a small bird flew around Kala Patthar.

Gorak Shep - Dzongla

Start: Gorak Shep, 5,279m above sea level
Destination: Dzongla, 4,856m above sea level
Date: March 22, 2023
Start in Gorak Shep: 10:41 AM
Distance: 11.74 km
Duration: 4:33 hours
Elevation Gain: 309m ascent, 626m descent
Highest Point: 5,279m above sea level
Terrain: Simple path, covered in snow; had to use GPS to find the way just before Dzongla
Accommodation: Green Valley Lodge, Dzongla
Food: Pancake with peanut butter, toast with jam, hot chocolate, Snickers Roll, Dal Bhat

I wake up at midnight with my head pounding. The slightest movement sends explosive throbbing between my eyes. My oxygen saturation is at 72. Lying still and breathing deeply, I eventually drift back to sleep. Upon waking, I don't feel energized. I'm weak, have a headache, and my arms tingle. At this moment, I long for a comfortable bed at a lower altitude. But complaining won't help. I must get up, get dressed, and pack my backpack.

At 6:15 AM, I sit for breakfast in the lodge. I'm not hungry, but I'll need the energy. Today, I plan to climb the neighboring mountain of Gorak Shep, Kala Patthar, at 5,644m above sea level. For many, this is the highlight of the entire journey, and they set out before sunrise to experience the sunrise at the summit. I didn't want to do that. I couldn't understand why I should go up there in the freezing cold (around -20°C), where the sun rises behind Mount Everest and Nuptse. I would have preferred to experience a sunset from there, but due to the bad weather yesterday, that didn't happen. Josh had the same thought and joins me at the breakfast table after a cup of tea. We start walking at 6:30 AM.

Blue skies greet us outside the door. The most beautiful morning so far, but also the coldest. It's probably around -20°C to -15°C in the shade. Josh, as always, is already a few hundred meters ahead after a few minutes. However, the hike is a significant challenge for me. I'm incredibly cold, my arms are still tingling, my head is pounding, and I'm convinced that my fingers and toes already show signs of frostbite. I would prefer to lie in the snow and sleep. But that's not a solution. So, keep walking.

The sun is still hiding behind Mount Everest, but I can see it touching the trail higher up. With a lot of self-encouragement, I reach that spot and sit on a rock at the first ray of sunlight, trying to absorb the emerging warmth. What a relief. Minute by minute, I feel warmer. Now I can enjoy it. The sun shines through between Mount Everest and Nuptse, bringing the mountain world to life. At 8:50 AM, I stand on top of Kala Patthar, enjoying the view with Josh, a South Korean, and a little bird. In the distance, I spot the Ama Dablam. Beautiful as it stands out from the surrounding mountains. The panorama is breathtaking, and now I understand why this is the highlight for many. The Khumbu Icefall, Everest Base Camp, and the Khumbu Glacier lie at our feet. I savor the warmth, the view, the bird's chirping, and of course, snap a few souvenir photos.

After a little more than half an hour, I start descending. I left most of my luggage in the lodge in Gorak Shep. Once at the bottom, I pack everything, return the room key, and have a second breakfast with Josh. Afterward, we bid farewell to Gorak Shep and walk back towards Lobuche. It's a bit sad to turn my back on the towering peaks, but I know I'll see them a few more times. Walking under this blue sky in the sunshine is fantastic. Everything is clearly visible, and the Khumbu Glacier appears impressive once again. On the way, I meet Svenja and David. They attempted to cross the Kong Ma La Pass yesterday but had to turn back just before the pass due to too much fresh snow. They descended again and walked via Dingboche to Lobuche. Now back in Lobuche myself, I stop at the Everest Base Camp Lodge and meet Josh, Giuseppe, Matt, and Monic. They're already having lunch. I join them with a cup of tea. The next stage awaits us now. We plan to go to Dzongla and, tomorrow, cross the Cho La Pass from there.

The clouds are slowly clearing. The sun had enough strength at this altitude to melt the snow. The trail turns into a wet affair. My migraine medication has done its job in the meantime, and I'm now walking without a headache. My fingers and toes have thawed, and I feel full of energy. Going below the 5,000m above sea level mark also has a positive effect on me. To get to Dzongla, two options present themselves. A direct high path or a trail leading towards Thukla. If you choose the route via Thukla (the classic EBC route), you pass the memorial for deceased mountaineers. I would like to visit the memorial (including Ueli Steck's), but I spontaneously decide to take the high path. Otherwise, I would have had to go through the valley to reach Dzongla or walk the same stretch back. My energy reserves are not that large.

The path leads to the right away from the EBC route and high over the valley. A breathtaking view of Ama Dablam unfolds before me. What a force! I can hardly turn my back to it and keep looking back until it eventually disappears into the clouds. Since there are hardly any tracks in the snow here, I have to orient myself with GPS. Sometimes, with the now soft snow, it gets quite slippery. In the distance, I already spot Dzongla on a hillock. Now, there's another descent and then immediately another ascent on the other side of the valley. I reach Dzongla in the midafternoon and check into the cozy Green Valley Lodge. Giuseppe, Matt, Monic, and Josh (who took the detour to the memorial), also arrive in the lounge shortly after. A young German and an American join the group.

After freshening up, I treat myself to a hot chocolate and a Snickers Roll. They offer this treat in almost every lodge. It's a Snickers baked in dough—a delight for the taste buds! Since we are so early at the lodge, I lie down for an afternoon nap for the first time. I quickly drift into a good two-hour sleep. After the rough night and the challenging morning, it's a luxury. At 6:00 PM, I also join the lounge, which is already heated with yak dung. For dinner, we all order Dal Bhat. This dish became our classic choice when facing a pass crossing, as you always get a refill. Josh easily devours 2-3 plates each time. We spend a wonderful and amusing evening together, looking forward to the Cho La Pass. With my hot water bottle in my sleeping bag, I quickly close my eyes, grateful to be sleeping 400 meters lower than last night. Here's to a restful night!