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Everest
Base Camp Trek by Shaun O'Boyle |
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| Journal
April 13, Thyangboche Monastery, 12,688 ft. Incredible views of Ama
Dablam and Nuptse, Everest is now burried in clouds, earlier I could
see it with the snow plume coming off the summit. Thyengboche is just
a georgeous place situated on a saddle betwen two valleys, there are
fantastic views in all directions. Namche was a real turrning point
in the trek, the landscape has since become much more rugged, much steeper
climbs, the climb up here from the Dudh Khosi was steep but very nice
walk through a forest, excellent views up high and steep deep canyons
below. |
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| Thyangboche
Monastery. The center of religion in the Khumbu area and one of the
most beautiful places I have ever been. The mountain views from here
are just breath taking. I spent a couple day here doing short day hikes,
and getting acclimated for the final push toward Everest basecamp. |
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| Sir
Edmund Hillary was there and I spent a day helping him and a group of
New Zealand volunteers build a school house at the monastery. I carried
rocks all day. I stayed at the monastery for a night in one of the lodges
the monks run. From my bed I could look out the window at Mt. Everest.
Incredible! |
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| Journal:
I met Sir Edmund Hillary this afternoon, shook his hand (sort of), he
is here at Thyengboche building a school for the young monks so I volunteered
my labor for the afternoon hauling rocks from the front of the monastery
through the courtyard and dumping them for fill under what will be the
floor of the school. Hillary was very friendly and jovial, a bit pudgy
and he has bad teeth. My bed is right next to the window and I can glance
out right now and look at the summit of Everest peering over the Nuptse
Lhotse wall, the summit of which he was the first to climb. Hillary
is now ambassador to India from New Zealand. A very froindly group of
New Zealanders are with him volunteering their labor and i worked along
side them today. Many local shepras are employed as stone cutters, stone
layers and stone carriers, as many as 30 hammers were tinking away squaring
off the stones for the foundation wall. Hillary is seen supervising
the activities like a boss, he thanked me for my efforts and volunteering
my time as he shook my index finger, as I was carrying a bucket full
of stone. The lodge is packed tonight with trekking groups, one particular
obnoxious group singing and getting drunk oblivious of everyone else
in the place. The mountains are just spectacular out my window, Ama
Dablam glows gold in the setting sun, Everest with the ever present
plume of snow blasting from the summit. |
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| Mani wall and stones. |  |
| Looking up valley from Dingboche. |  |
| Up valley from Pheriche toward the end of the Khumbu Glacier. A spectacular sunset from here with the sun setting at the head of the valley. |  |
| Hotel Snowdown in Pheriche where I stayed. |  |
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| View
up valley from Pheriche at dusk. |
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