Day 13 - Lobuche to Gorak Shep

Rob McCarthy
Oct 30, 1988
2 min read

Today we move up to our highest camp at Gorak Shep, at close to 17,000 feet, where we plan to spend 3 nights. It is a relatively short trek of only 3 miles or so up the left side of the Khumbu Glacier, over rocky and uneven terrain made up of glacial moraines.

Gorak Shep sits on a dry lake bed on the northern edge of the confluence of glaciers that meet to join the Khumbu Glacier, flowing slowly down from Everest. Directly above Gorak Shep lies Kala Pattar, a brown hill that we plan to climb tomorrow for its excellent views of Everest. Towering over Kala Pattar is the stately peak of Pumori. The summit of Everest is just visible, peaking over the left flank of Nuptse

We arrive before lunch as the camp site is being set up. Despite Kala Pattar being the goal of most trekkers in the Khumbu region, we have Gorak Shep to ourselves. Many trekkers will attempt Gorak Shep directly from Lobuche, or even further to the south at Pheriche, which makes for a long and exhausting day. Being at Gorak Shep should allow us to be on the summit of Kala Pattar early, before any cloud forms, and also give us the chance to explore further up the Khumbu Glacier towards the icefall and Everest Base Camp.

I am feeling good and well acclimatized and try a little experiment. I run about 20 yards over level ground and very quickly run out of breath. Everything needs to happen in slow motion with measured steps to avoid running out of breath.

Some cloud moves up the valley in mid-afternoon, but by the evening it is clear again. As the sun sets it becomes bitterly cold, but I sit in the tent door to see the last light of the setting sun which turns the summit of Everest a bright orange color, a scene that only lasts for a few minutes. After dinner we all head for the relative warmth of our sleeping bags via a toilet stop. The last thing you need is to have to get up in the night. I sleep wearing my down jacket.