(10/13/2024)
In the fall of 2024, we successfully reached Kala Patthar. We combined this achievement with the Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek, which is accessible from Gorakshep, situated at approximately 16,942 feet (5,164 meters) above sea level. This high-altitude settlement serves as a base for trekkers who aim to summit Kala Patthar, which stands at about 18,192 feet (5,545 meters).
After a challenging day of trekking to EBC on our way to Gorakshep, we noticed a marker indicating an adventure trek along the left side of the route to EBC.
We spent our last night of the EBC trek at the tea house Snowland Highest Inn in Gorakshep, to rest well. Out of our team of four, two of us decided to make the final ascent to Kala Patthar the next day before the end of our long days on trek, and an experienced porter, who has become a good friend, enthusiastically volunteered to accompany us.
We woke up in the pitch dark at two o’clock the next morning. I had prepared much-loved chai, which was already kept in a thermos from the previous night. Dressed in layers, we got out of the tea house past the still-sleeping guides and porters in a common area, three of us stepped out into a pitch-dark and soothing silence of no yak bells. The sky was clear, and the stars were twinkling. One of the best places for sky gazing at high altitude. I anticipated that it would be a lot of fun.
We began our hike early at a quarter past three using headlamps for visibility. Our destination was situated on the south ridge of Pumori, above Gorak Shep.
Although the distance from Gorakshep to Kala Patthar is only about 0.75 miles, we hiked slowly due to the thin air, high altitude, and steep ascents. The cold added to our fatigue, as we had already been trekking to EBC for several days. We chatted and took breaks to snack and hydrate as we continued our journey.
We began our ascent of the south face of Kala Patthar from Gorakshep, following a well-trodden but somewhat unclear path. The headlamps of sunrise enthusiasts dotted the dark landscape, resembling moving stars and marking the route up the mountain, while our porter guided us along.
After about thirty minutes of hiking, I started to feel exhausted since I hadn’t eaten anything, and my fingers were cold. I kept my gloves on, but my hands still felt icy. My companions kindly rubbed my hands to warm them, and I noticed my nose was turning blue. Not wanting to risk frostbite, I covered my nose with my woolen buff.
It’s a long way up, and I was growing mentally and physically frustrated at the thought of covering the last ~400 feet of elevation, but I was determined to watch the sunrise. It felt like forever to reach the summit.
The longer I stopped, the more I feared freezing. My seemingly hopeless struggle was now fueled by the enthusiasm of my companions. My porter friend encouraged me to follow his pace and match his steps. We left the main trail and hopped from rock to rock, racing against time to reach the summit of Kala Patthar before dawn.
To my surprise, this spot is quite popular for watching the sunrise. A queue of motivated early risers and summit baggers, fighting the urge to surrender to the cold, slowly crawled toward the summit, rubbing each other’s frozen hands and hugging to beat the bone-chilling temperatures.
As dawn broke, the darkness of night gave way to glowing silhouettes of majestic mountains, with a pinkish hue spreading across the sky and unveiling the gorgeous peaks surrounding us. The hike from Gorakshep to the summit of Kala Patthar took about two hours.
Once at the top of Kala Patthar, we had an incredible view of the entire EBC and the Khumbu Glacier below.
The sight of Mount Everest from Kala Patthar was particularly breathtaking, as it provided a close-up perspective of the majestic peak. The mountain was topped with a lenticular cloud, revealing its distinctive triangular summit along with the ridges and valleys of its massive south face.
We spent almost forty-five minutes soaking in the stunning scenery, including the visually strikingly beautiful Ama Dablam which transformed from darkness to a pink shroud as the sun began to rise. This Himalayan trek offered breathtaking panoramic views, with Mount Lhotse and Mount Nuptse to the east providing an unparalleled spectacle at sunrise, as the sun bathed the mountains of the Khumbu Region in a warm glow.
The sunrise was spectacular, with the sun rising directly behind Everest and bathing us in the crisp morning light. After taking in the breathtaking views, we began our descent, which took one hour and fifteen minutes to reach Gorakshep. The temperature had risen significantly as the sun emerged behind Mount Nuptse.
As we descended the mountain, we felt energized by the sunlight, the clear visibility of the scenery, and the thickening air. I was excited to share our adventure story with our two teammates waiting at Gorakshep.
While the Kala Patthar trek offers stunning views of the world’s highest mountain, Everest, it also promises incredible memories and thrilling adventures. To date, this has been the most challenging and highest trek I have ever completed!