My greatest adventure

The emotions that overwhelmed me were beyond words. My senses were fully alive, but my mind could scarcely believe what I was witnessing. The panoramic view before me, along with the high-elevation thin air, was completely breathtaking! And though I was so near a state of utter exhaustion, I felt euphoric! Before my gaze lay the Khumbu Glacier, and as I looked upward, I beheld the treacherous Khumbu Icefall, with the majestic summit of Mount Everest looming above it all. It almost seemed surreal that here I stood, taking in the fact that four friends from Ohio had achieved our goal, completed our quest, to make the long, arduous trek through the Himalaya mountains to reach Mt. Everest Base Camp! And what a journey it had been! This journey began over 60 years ago when I was just a small boy, captivated by the conquest of Mt. Everest by the renowned Nepali Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, and mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary. Their incredible story, along with those of numerous explorers and adventurers, ignited my imagination. Fueled by a sense of adventure, I embarked on a diverse range of experiences, from scuba diving to skydiving, rock climbing to extreme kayaking, backpacking the Grand Canyon and the Appalachian Trail, scaling the highest peaks of the Rocky Mountains, trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and conquering Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Each of these were truly memorable experiences. However, among all the remarkable places I have traveled, my trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal stands out as the most adventurous, culturally enlightening, and visually stunning expedition of my life. The overwhelming sense of awe and achievement upon completing the trek, with the towering peak of the world's highest mountain in sight, is an experience I will forever cherish. Our journey to Nepal began from Cleveland, Ohio, when my friends Dave Green, Bill Edie, Ben Braun, and I embarked on a series of long flights and layovers. The subsequent 36 hours tested our endurance, as we traveled first to New York City, then to Doha, Qatar, before finally reaching our ultimate destination—the capital of Nepal, the sprawling city of Kathmandu. Upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, we met our ride and were whisked away to our hotel located in the vibrant Thamel district of Kathmandu. It was in this bustling city that we would spend the next two days preparing ourselves for the trek to Mount Everest.

Walking through the streets of Thamel and exploring its numerous shops and tourist attractions proved to be a delightful and enlightening experience. The vibrant streets pulsated with life as vendors displayed an array of colorful fruits and vegetables. Skillfully crafted curios adorned the shops, and everywhere we looked, there were items available for purchase for hiking, trekking, and mountain climbing. It was amidst this vibrant atmosphere that we bought some truly unique gifts and souvenirs for our friends and family back home. One of my purchases was a small, soft, and fuzzy Freddie the Yeti, who would accompany us on our trek, riding snugly in my backpack as our official mascot.

During our full day in Kathmandu before embarking on the trek, we were incredibly fortunate to have Bishnu Bhattarai as our guide to show us some of the many highlights of the city. Bishnu was quite friendly and engaging and extremely knowledgeable about the many UNESCO World Heritage sites he guided us to, including Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bouddhanath Stupa, and Pashupatinath Temple along the banks of the sacred Bagmati River. Our tour concluded with a visit to Swayambhunath Stupa, also known as the Monkey Temple due to the playful presence of numerous monkeys. It was so fascinating to learn about the ancient history, the heritage, the traditions, and religions of the people of Nepal. Bishnu and I struck up a great friendship that has continued to this day through email. The first day of our trek with a lot of excitement and a hint of apprehension. Rising at 1:00 am, we eagerly piled into a compact white van, ready for the adventure ahead. The winding journey through the foothills of the Himalayas awaited us as we made our way to the small airstrip at Manthali in Ramechhap. We were about to embark on a flight to ‘one of the most dangerous airports in the world’, high on a mountainside at the village of Lukla.  I am not certain whether my adrenaline rush was due to this supposedly scary flight or because of the thought that our quest to reach the foothills of Everest had finally begun. Our guide, Pasang Dawa Sherpa from Ace the Himalaya, greeted us at the hotel that morning and would accompany us throughout the entirety of our trek. Pasang was absolutely amazing. He not only led us with unwavering dedication, but his positivity and encouragement were ever-present. A friendly and humble man, he effortlessly assumed responsibility for every aspect of our journey. In each village we visited along the way, Pasang commanded respect and admiration from all who knew him. Pasang had a great sense of humor and unlimited knowledge of the mountains, the culture, and the history of the Khumbu region we were hiking through. We actually had a short and smooth flight, and a safe landing in Lukla. Upon arrival, we met our Sherpa porters, Sunny and Lhakpa, who were like Superman carrying our extra duffels up the mountains. While our communication was limited as they didn’t speak English, they were kind, friendly and helpful to us. As we strolled along the narrow village streets of Lukla, we left behind the modest shops and dwellings, gradually making our way toward the majestic peaks adorned with glaciers and snow, already looming tall in the near distance. Upon reaching the small village of Phakding, we found shelter for the night in a tea house, which was the designated accommodation for each leg of our trek. These tea houses consisted of modest plywood-walled bedrooms designed for two occupants, as well as a common dining area. The walls were thin, and the nights were bitingly cold, but after a long tiring day,the wooden beds were somewhat comfortable. As the nights grew bitterly cold, the dining room provided some respite with a small round wood stove fueled by dried yak dung, emitting a comforting warmth. In the bedrooms, the only defense against the sub-freezing temperatures came in the form of mummy-style sleeping bags rated for -20 degrees Celsius, layered with blankets for added insulation. The middle of the night trips to the communal hole-in-the-floor toilet became a true test of endurance. The next day, we made a steep climb to Namche Bazaar, renowned as the cultural hub of the Everest region. We have entered the Sagarmatha National Park, home to an impressive collection of the world's tallest peaks, including the majestic Mt Everest. It is also home to animals such as the snow leopard, red panda, and, according to legends, even the elusive Yeti. Alas, the only encounter we had with a Yeti throughout our adventure was with our adorable fuzzy mascot, Freddie the Yeti. On the first few days of our trek we crossed a number of high foot bridges including the Hillary suspension bridge below Namche at over 400 feet above the Dudh Koshi River. A fear of heights is not helpful on this trek. But these bridges are a good way to face your fear!  If you come across a yak train, it is a good idea to let them cross before you do!  Religion plays a large part in the lives of the Nepali people and here in the mountains, the bridges were lined with colorful prayer flags.  Along the trail, we came across numerous prayer wheels and large boulders inscribed with religious writings and symbols. A couple days during our trek were set aside as acclimatization days in which we would hike high up on a mountainside and then descend back to the village we were staying in. These days helped our bodies get a little more accustomed to the extreme elevations we were hiking in. On these extra days, following our acclimatization hikes, we were able to explore the villages, mingling with the Sherpa people, the yaks, and fellow hikers. We could also immerse ourselves in the scenic vistas as well as take in interesting sights such as the large statue of the most famous Sherpa of all, Tenzig Norgay, perched above Namche with Mt. Everest looming in the background. It was a wonderful tribute to an incredible man! The higher we climbed each day, the scenery became even more awe inspiring as we trekked towards Mt. Everest with the peak constantly appearing before us like a beacon drawing us closer with each step.  As we hiked through the next week, we passed through the Sherpa villages of Tengboche, then on to Dingboche, and Lobuche, before finally reaching the tiny village of Gorakshep.  From here, we would make our final leg of the journey walking the rough, rocky terrain of the  Khumbu Glacier to Everest Base Camp. Along the way we would visit such beautiful and reverent places as the renowned Tengboche Monastery and Thukla Pass, site of memorials dedicated to the Sherpas and climbers who have lost their lives in the Himalaya Mountains. Those were highly emotional and memorable experiences. Returning from Everest Base Camp to Gorakshep, we found ourselves waking up in the early hours of the morning, ready to embark on a challenging climb through the frigid darkness and thin air of Kala Patthar Mountain to watch the sunrise casting its golden glow over the towering peaks of the world, including Lhotse, Changtse, Nuptse, and the mighty Mt. Everest. The cold-numbing, heart pounding and breathtaking climb was so worth the gold glow that greeted us with its reflection off of the snow and the ice of the high Himalayas. It was a sight captured by my camera and imprinted into my memory. Back at Gorakshep, we embarked on a helicopter ride, soaring through the high mountain passes and flying over lakes adorned with mesmerizing turquoise hues back to Lukla and then onward to Kathmandu. The helicopter flight itself stood out as one of the true highlights of our entire expedition, providing an exhilarating bird's-eye view of the landscapes we had trekked over the past 10 days. After a day of rest and a little more time to explore the city, we were transported back to Tribhuvan International Airport where we departed Kathmandu for our homes in Ohio. Our trip to Nepal with its unmatched scenery, fascinating history, and amazing people was the greatest adventure of my life. I am so looking forward to my next trip to Nepal to reunite with my friend, Bishnu, and further explore even more of Nepal’s many wonders!