November 5

For the first time, I slept practically all night, waking up at 7 AM. For breakfast, I had scrambled eggs and chapatis again. Julie had French toast, which looked good. She remarked how happy she was to have her Thermarest sleeping pad. I have one too, but mine is thinner. They are very comfortable. She also has the chair kit (which I also have, but left home), that converts it into an inflatable seat. The Germans at the table commented that outdoor equipment is much more expensive in Europe than America. Julie said she sometimes sends things to friends in England. She said she has more outdoor equipment than anything else. She really liked my compression stuff-sacks and wanted to look for some when she got home. She has an older model, but it is not as nice. She especially liked my radial compression sack in which I kept my down jacket, which is designed to attach to the outside of a pack.

Before we left for the day, a rescue helicopter arrived at another lodge. Someone must have been having serious trouble there. The beginning of the trail to Lobuje was wide and flat, crossing yak pastures along the valley. Eventually, we descended to an icy river and crossed a bridge. On the other side, we stopped in Dugla for tea. The route to Cho La Pass begins above Dugla. Lal inquired about its condition, in case we decided to take it to get to Gokyo. The condition was said to be good, so we could go that way. It would be faster than going around, as I had originally planned, and would probably have very nice views, but would be cold and somewhat snowy. There are two new lodges on the other side of the pass, which would take about five hours to reach from Dugla.

After having tea, we began a grueling climb up a very steep hill. People were walking like zombies. We could not go very fast. On top, were many stone stacks, plus some mani stones and an excellent view back down the valley. The remainder of the trail was gently up-hill along the Lobuche Khola river in a barren valley, to Lobuche, at 16175 feet. Yaks grazed in the stony fields. Lobuche is a very small town with just four inns. Three were already full, but the fourth had some space on the top bunk. We stopped there, and I had noodle soup with sugar biscuits and mint tea for lunch. Lobuche had reportedly had sanitation problems recently, and numerous cases of food poisoning, so I was a bit nervous about eating there. I put iodine in my tea. The problem may be that the outhouses are uphill from the water supply, and contaminate it.

Lal was worried that his pants were not warm enough for here and Gorak Shep, our highest stop. In fact, he didn't want to stay at Gorak Shep, but use Lobuche as a base for climbing Kala Pattar. Sleeping at Lobuche is sometimes recommended to avoid altitude problems, since Gorak Shep is 17000 feet high and most people have trouble sleeping there. However, I wanted to stay closer to Kala Pattar, so I could climb it at the best possible time, in case clouds came for part of the day. The inns at Gorak Shep are reportedly nicer, as well. Also, I had been thinking of making a side trip to the Everest Base Camp, although Lal said this wasn't worth the trouble, since there was no view from the base camp. I lent Lal my pair of Columbia nylon pants to wear over his other pants, but was afraid this wouldn't help much, since they are thin. Also, he is smaller than me. I didn't have any extra thermal pants.

Nuptse, seen from near Lobuche

I climbed the hill overlooking Lobuche, which I mistakenly thought would begin our route to Gorak Shep, since I saw people climbing the steep trail that way. Toward the top of the hill, there was no obvious trail through the rocks, but there were a lot of small rock stacks. On top, I found good views of Lobuche and of the massive face of Nuptse, which dominates the valley. In the other direction, a glacier was visible, and more ridges of rocks I assumed we would be crossing tomorrow.

As the sun got low, some clouds moved in and it became cold. I got out my pile pants, and for the first time, put on my down jacket. This was the most primitive lodge yet, with dirt floors and no dining room table. We sat on platforms around the edge of the dining room, with a stove in the middle. There was a kerosene lantern, so it was rather bright inside. Most people, including myself, ordered dal bhatt, which was rather crunchy here. I was careful not to break a tooth. Dal bhatt is generally an all-you-can-eat meal, and they came around with seconds, but one serving was plenty for me. Someone ordered it with boiled potatoes, and got a plate of about a dozen small boiled potatoes first. He was full before he even finished the potatoes. Boiled potatoes are a staple food of the Sherpas. They are served in their skins, and must be peeled. Hot sauce or ketchup may be added. Dal bhatt, the most popular meal in the rest of Nepal, is expensive in the Khumbu region, because rice does not grow this high.

At night, this lodge was very noisy. Campers outside were talking all night. Not much can be expected of the high-altitude lodges here, which are few, primitive, and expensive. The stars were beautiful tonight, and I saw meteors. There was no moon.

Copyright Scott A. Yost, 1994. All rights reserved.