Himalayan Flats (Everest - Part 7)

It started out uphill, it continued uphill, and despite my toes informing me of all the downhill segments, somehow we still ended at a higher altitude.

After a forced but much needed unplanned rest day, we trudge along to the highest pass of the trek. I say trudge because by this point - the exertion, insomnia, and all the coughing, sneezing, and lack of soap has caught up to me. I'm now battling a cold in addition to everything that comes with being at an elevation that no tree wants to live in.

Trekking up to the pass, my calves aren't even burning anymore. Not because I became elite over 24 hours, but because my steps are so tiny. Karen (the watch) registers only half of them as steps. I am getting obsessive about keeping my heartrate in Zone 2. Any sudden exertion causes a spike - forcing a stop to catch my breath. This triggers sweating, then the wind blows which turns into a cooldown, which then triggers feeling cold, making it even harder to get going again.

Traversing the crater is tranquil. How fresh and sharp these mountains look - and even despite their youth we are not even a blip on their time scale.

As always there's a handful of false summits. From the last few days I've learned not to believe my eyes, so as to not break my own heart. Just one foot after the other, one false summit after another. Break for water or a ration of a Snickers bar. When things get really bad, pop a piece of caffeine gum for a burst of energy.

The final boss level is a scramble up on the slippery scree to the highest point of the pass. It's perhaps one of the most rewarding views I've ever seen. Picture perfect blue-green lake, snow caps all around, and the most brilliantly blue sky. I don't think any place will compare to this - not only will all other mountains look like hills, but all blue skies will look gray.

A quick snack on top of the pass, balancing on sharp rocks in between gusts of wind. It's not particularly comfortable, and it's a long way to the next hut, so we can't stay long.

Now it's down down down not in a walk - but in a "controlled" fall on dry gravely rocks. As I half slide, I try to not set rocks loose that catapult down and knock someone out below me. If it was my guide I might not mind (I've not forgiven or forgotten the ascent into madness from a few days ago), but he practically flew down the slope and is already at the bottom.

This time I make gratuitous use of my micro spikes more as a safety blanket than actual help. So far the only unnecessary thing I packed was pajama shorts. Considering I sleep in a minimum of two pairs of pants and cocooned in two blankets, this was an incredibly uninformed move.

Once down the slippery rock slide I can see the end in sight - but it's still another 2 hours away. A zip line here would be much appreciated.

I've learned my lesson about false summits, but now it's time to fully appreciate the Himalayan "flat" - a is steep up and down over and over again. It evens out to the exact same elevation as before, but exhausts you by 5x.

We climb over an endless number of rocks and I find myself in an increasingly foul mood. Just 10 years ago this was a huge glacier and in another 10 years it won't be here at all. Just like everyone else in the western world I'm contributing to this demise, and at a loss for how to reverse the course - not just rearrange chairs on the Titanic.

Finally we reach the main track at Lobuche, joining the throngs of people going the quickest way to Everest Base Camp. I'm getting the feeling I won't be very happy on this section.