Day 9: Dingboche (4350m) to Dughla / Thukla (4600m)

🥾 5.5 Km
⏳ 3 hours
⛰️ Elevation gain 250 metres

Last nights sleep was not the greatest. The nights are getting more cold as we increase in altitude and you can dramatically start to feel the air thinning. By 7 AM we were ready for breakfast. We have now established a descent routine. Today Shannon went down to the dining lodge to place our food order and get the girls started while I stayed back in the room stuffing sleeping bags and packing gear. Little deeds like this get you on the trail faster and more efficiently. Once the morning feast was complete we paid our 2-day bill of 18,400 NRs including a stock up on toilet paper for 200 NRs per roll. We hear that the prices above Dingboche really start to climb faster than the terrain.

The first few minutes out the door seems to determine how our hike will go for the day. Lidija took one step outside and slipped and fell on the ice. For the next half hour she wasn’t very happy about hiking and didn’t want to go uphill, which is exactly what came first thing our the door. A lot of stopping for hugs followed by getting a bit off track and then returning back past the hillside Stupa and onto the correct trail was mandatory for us before the somewhat flat hiking to follow. By now any tree or speck of greenery was long in our past. All that was around us at this altitude was yellow grass, some sagebrush-like bushes and towering mountains of rock and ice. The valley bottoms were lined with glacial creeks and rivers that would surge later in the day as the sun radiated the snow above. It was sunny to start but the clouds were dancing around giving us that extra push to get moving a touch quicker. The wind was picking up and the snow starting to lightly float down on us. As we rounded the corner to the right, Dughla was in sight; we just had to cross a river and bolder field first. The trail weaved its way through the Himalayan rocks where we were presented with a very sketchy bridge to cross. I was nominated to go first but if the trains of mules and yaks had no issues my concerns were lifted. We did have to mind our footing however, as some of the many holes in the wood planks were filled with loose rocks that wobbled under our feet like standing on an exercise ball. One last short and steep scramble welcomed us to the two lodge town of Dughla or Tholka depending on what map you are using. We chose the Kala Pathar Lodge on the right as recommended by some previous conversations with fellow trekkers a few days back.

The lodge lunch room was dramatically full at high noon so we by passed them all and settled into our room upstairs. Once our packs were off loaded and exploded around the room we ventured downstairs just as the last of the lunch crew was strapping on their poles and starting the second half of their day. We consumed some lunch and relaxed in peace while the clouds rolled in causing whiteout conditions. The lodge was freezing by late afternoon so we brought our sleeping bags down to the dining room to keep warm until they lit the fire later in the evening.

The lodge owner was amazing, she took an instant liking to the girls, and for the first time in a long time they reciprocated. Enjoying each others company we all laughed and played while drinking hot lemon (1600NRs for 3 litres) and snacking on popcorn (650NRs). Once the yak poo fire was lit we took quick advantage of the heat to dry out Bexley’s hiking boot that she toppled her water over into. Spaghetti and pizza was enjoyed as the daylight quickly shifted into darkness where we found our way back to the comforts of a warm sleeping bag and a soft mattress.

The girls were adjusting to the altitude with no issues and Shannon and I were also doing quite well. This half pace was prefect! We had so much time to stop and admire the literal and figurative breathtaking scenery. We were never in a rush or had any fears of illness. We got to enjoy our holiday the way we wanted without racing about with schedules.

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Day 10: Dughla / Thulka (4600m) to Lobuche (4920m)

🥾 3 Km
⏳ 2 hrs 30 mins
⛰️ Elevation gain 320 metres

Waking up this morning was cool. So cool in fact that it was below zero both outside and inside the lodge. We scampered our way down stairs for a round of eggs and pancakes for all. Upon peering out the window it was obvious we were now high in the mountains. The clouds were thick and with this moisture brought precipitation in the form of snow overnight. After our 7900NRs bill for the last day we put on nearly every bit of warm clothes we had with us and headed for the door. After much excitement and encouragement from the amazing lodge owner, she offered the girls a parting gift of not one but two Bounty Bars as we were leaving. Chocolate bars up here are not only the life line for some hikers but they also cost a small fortune. Due to our late start, descending hikers had set the track so we were now ready to climb higher. Straight out the door is what most don’t want to experience when the weather is cold and gloomy, an uphill grind with the top of the pass being lost in the fog. While we had put every layer we had on, this first initial part of the day Trail was straight up hill. Within 10 minutes we were stopping to take off a few layers.

One hour and twenty minutes in, by 10:30 we had reached the Thulka Pass sitting at 4830m. The clouds had started to lift a bit now and a rest break was in store. The girls were indeed wanting to try their new chocolate bar and after ascending over two thirds of the vertical climb for the day first thing out the door we didn’t deny them. The Tholka Pass is a perfect place to turn around and look back on where you came from. You get some astonishing views not just to Dughla but all the way down the valley. It is hikes like this where you often forget to examine the places you came from and the treasures they hold as you spend most of your time gazing up at the brilliant mountain tops overhead. Between the colossal Himalayan peaks and the lack of oxygen it can be slightly more challenging to concentrate on things. The pass is actually made famous for more of a grimacing past. Here you will find rock cairn after rock cairn and plaque after plaque of mountaineering legends that never returned from their summit dreams. The famous Rob Hall and Scott Fisher from the 1996 disaster have their memorials in this location. We even found a father and son tribute that both lost their lives attempting Everest with numerous years between their expeditions. It is a bold reminder of just how fragile we are and just how vicious nature can be.

We continued on the rather casual gradient with the Khumbu Glacier on our right until we reached Lobuche (4920m) just before lunch. As we set our eyes on the New EBC Guest house the owners were elated to see our little girls walk through the doors. As the owner escorted us up the set of stairs to our triple room for 1000NRs he also put an “Out Of Order” sign on the bathroom door next to us and said it would be reserved just for our little hiking family. Dal Baht and macaroni is our new staple as we fed our hunger in the dining hall while the sun’s rays warmed the lodge as it passed through the strategically placed windows. It is places like this that makes every traveler and hiker fall in love with a country and its culture. People were coming and going, always willing to share and listen to the adventures of the trail. We embraced our mint tea (1000NRs) and popcorn (350 NRS) as we took in the warmth of the Yak dung fire while we watched the weather swirl around the valley.

With the girls only walking the three kilometres and completing it before lunch they were keen and eager to explore the hall. They wrote in their journals and even set up a store under the table where they would “sell” our stuff back to us. With dinner complete and hydration capped in the early afternoon we didn’t make it much past 8:00 before saying our good nights to the fellow trekkers and casually made our way back to our room. By now we are all sleeping in toques and our clothes are tucked inside our sleeping bags to keep the morning chill off when we wake ten hours from now.

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Day 11: Lobuche (4920m) to Gorak Shep (5130m)

🥾 5 Km
⏳ 3.5 hrs
⛰️ Elevation gain 210 metres

It was -7C at 7:30 am. We could hear helicopters flying over head so that means there was blue sky and the sun was shining. You can really feel everything warm up when the rays peak over the mammoth mountains in the valley. The sun really is the key to life. We slinked our way downstairs for an egg on toast (850 NRs), French toast (750NRs) and muesli with hot milk (550 NRs) breakfast. By 9:00 our daily bill of 8100 NRs was paid and our feet were on the soil and in motion. As traditional generosity and pure kindness of the Nepalese people the owner met the girls at the door with four bananas to take for our journey upwards. Fresh fruit at 5000 m, these people are what dreams are made of!

Both girls were excited to push on; by now they knew we were getting close. The yaks were on their way so we followed along side them with the brilliant mountain scape backdrop complete with a light dusting of snow. Bexley tripped on some loose rocks which needed some comforting followed by another stop to peel off some layers. We continued along the Khumbu Glacier where we reached the lower section of the Lobuche Pass. Being at the highest altitude on the hike so far the incline feels much more dramatic than expected. It is only really a 100 metre gain with a couple switch-backs but your mind and body feel it differently. We slowly dragged one foot in front of the other and pushed on step by step. The girls now felt it as well. We could tell that the altitude was starting to effect them as their emotions were starting to get a bit more fragile and the comforting was taking longer. We were forced to slow down, take more breaks, but that also gave us more of an opportunity to enjoy the memories we are creating. It is secretly a blessing in disguise. The Lobuche Pass is just like any other, you eventually drop down the back side and lose all that precious altitude you just gained.

We now reached the convergent crossing of the Changri Nup and Changri Shar glaciers. From here on it was a rocky, unpredictable, twisting mess of a trail that weaved its way around open voids in the snow for the remainder of the way to Gorak Shep. We were not walking on snow or ice but all the lateral and terminal moraines that were mixed overtop of it all where these two glaciers merge. Some of this debris was waist high on the girls, but they were determined to make it on their own. This was one of the bigger struggles as if it felt like you were lost in the boulders with no end in sight. In due time we popped up over a ridge and finally the lodges were on display. This very same moment a heard of yaks were making their way towards us so it gave a pleasant break for us as we pulled over and watched them go by. Their mission of delivering goods was complete so they we now progressing downwards with empty backs and emotionless faces. If they could only realize how important of a job they were doing for us.

Come 12:30 we were back on tera-firma and the skies had clouded over hiding their secrets within them. Gorak Shep (5180 m) was steps away and we were ready for it. The girls’ eyes always light up when the tea houses come into sight. It always gives them a second wind and they start running as they know this is the end goal for the day. We checked into the Bhuda Lodge (1000NRs per night) and got back into our routine. The dining hall has more of a sports bar feel to it with flags and banners of previous basecamp accomplishers. As we sat down for lunch of spaghetti and dal baht we couldn’t help but notice the chill in the air and the dimly lit atmosphere. Gorak Shep is 100% powered by solar panels and recent storm activities resulted in only the necessary lighting being available. As per unexpected usual the tea-house owner made his way over to us and treated the girls with a chocolate bar and a pack of coconut cookies each for their efforts on making it this far. After a short conversation we discovered that his sister was the owner of the Kala Pathar lodge in Dughla that we stayed with two days prior.

The fire was stoked by 3:00 just as we started to feel the walls radiating their chill. Surprising enough, the dining hall was full of lively people with smiles of accomplishment in their eyes. Many had just returned from the iconic Basecamp rock and others from the summit of the near-by mountain, Kala Pathar. You could tell in the commotion that a lot of people had achieved some life long dreams that day.

Sitting in front of us on the table was our regular two litre pot of hot lemon (2000 NRs) and a steaming plate of macaroni with tomato and cheese (1000 NRs) next to a second plate of steamed cheese momos (1100 NRs). Our days consisted of hiking followed by eating, hydrating and keeping warm. Hydration was now one of our issues. We heard that the water in all of Gorak Shep is not of the highest quality. In all the prior tea houses we have always got our bottles filled in the kitchen for free then we would drop in our purification tablets to confirm consumability. Gorak Shep however is a different beast. They have had so many issues of people getting sick that they won’t even offer you “tap” water. The only option is to buy bottled water (400NRs per litre) that has been hauled up from Dingboche. Too many people got to sick in the past and any illness in these conditions could be catastrophic. The other challenge confronting up at this elevation is the toilets. The entire trek up we have been pleasantly surprised with western toilets. Again, we are not at sea level any more. These toilets end up freezing and breaking so your only option is the squat toilet. Running water is never present so hand sanitizer is your only option if you remembered to bring it with you. Hygiene is taking at hit above 5000 meters.

Either way, we made the best of what we had. We slipped away from the heated luxuries of the dining hall to the ice chest of a room where we disappear inside our sleeping bags for hope of a peaceful and relaxing sleep. 7:30 pm seemed early, but we were all exhausted.

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Day 12: Gorak Shep (5130m) to Everest Basecamp (5364m) to Gorak Shep

🥾 7 Km
⏳ 6 hours
⛰️ Elevation gain 234 metres, loss 234 meters

Today was tough, not going to sugar coat it. We woke up to three inches of snow covering the ground and questioned if the girls short hiking boots could even handle the final day’s journey. After a warm breakfast I went outside to check the trail conditions and temperature to make a decision on the day. The socked in clouds seemed to be thinning and the numerous porters and other tourists had already boot packed a trail. Temperatures were warming as every ray of sun broke through the clouds. Today seemed descent and tomorrow was for sure an uncertainty.

It was time, today was the day. By 9:30 am we were geared up with every bit of clothing we had and hit the trail with one goal in mind. The signed path started out considerably flat with a few undulations here and there. Starting with snow covered stones we eventually weaved our way through boulder fields then climbing minor hills. Soon the weather changed, the clouds pushed back down into the valley and we then came to realize there were no helicopters flying today.

It started with blowing snow but we chose to push on. The wind picked up and would blow the frigid snow in our face then down our neck line. We had now made our way onto the Khumbu glacier itself rather than skirting around the edge. There was a spine ridge that had us extremely exposed and pulling aside for the yak trains and obscurely loaded porters was challenging at best. We were hiking in early spring before any of the Everest attempters were there but this made for endless gear runs getting prepped for the May climbing season. They were carrying everything including the kitchen sink. The clouds were now hovering a couple hundred feet over our head but horizontally we could see infinite piles of rock and ice with no end in sight. Every so often glimmering shades of blue from open crevasse or a glacial pond across the valley would tease our colour pallet with something other than a dull shade. When your visibility is limited and colours have been restricted to greys and white it is hard for your brain to focus on anything but your body. The more we climbed up hill the more things started to go down hill. The girls were complaining of very cold feet and our pace was slow. The trail was now firmly packed and nearly polished to ice. With tears in their eyes our littles stated that they could not go on. We made the decision for the first time in the 65 kilometre journey to pick them up and get them up into the inward facing, front carrying, Trail Magik carriers we had been toting along unused for the last 11 days. We were so close now, we chose to push forward rather than return to Gorak Shep.

We walked the bony ridge for another 100 metres before the trail drops down sharply. The compact snow sent butterflies in our stomach as fears of falling was amplified in our minds. Reaching the base we rounded a few more corners and noticed the unmistakable five colour Tibetan pray flags flapping in the wind with a large rock spray painted red beneath. It reads, “Everest Basecamp 5364 m”. Our girls, at four years old were 400 metres shy of hiking the entire distance from Lukla to Everest Basecamp on their own two feet. We could have encouraged them to hike on, fight through the cold, played some more mind games and sing songs in hopes of them completing it themselves, but in the moment we knew that was not an option. I soon realized that there is no other way I wanted to reach this goal. My last few steps were taken with Bexley tucked in close, sheltering from the wind and snow with her face buried in my neck for warmth. I then looked over an saw my incredible wife in the same position with Lidija. Arms wrapped around our little girls with just as much comfort for us as it was them. As a child your parents are the most amazing people you know, but in this moment our two little babies achieved the unthinkable.

We off loaded our packs and tucked the girls down into a sheltered area. We removed their boots and slipped on an extra pair of socks and fleece-lined wool booties purchased back in Kathmandu, even loaded up on those chemical hot packs on their feet and hands for added warmth. We new we couldn’t stay long because we still had a 3.5 kilometre journey back to shelter and the weather is always questionable. A couple other tourists arrived after us so we posed for photos with a backdrop of clouds. 1:00 we were now fully loaded with packs on our backs and kids on our fronts and for the first time on this family adventure we started to retrace our steps back to where we came from. We were now officially half complete. The weather managed to stay constant for the two hour return journey but the path was much more iced up. It was a slog with the 45+ pounds strapped to our bodies, not to mention the altitude. The mental stress of ensuring every step was a safe one was exhausting. Passing through the Bhuda Lodge doors safely fulfilled a sense of accomplishment, but soon the sensation of exhaustion set in. Returning to our room we swapped out any clothes that needed exchanging and headed straight for the dining hall to secure our spot for the afternoon. A heaping pile of macaroni with tomato and cheese along side a family-sized pot of hot lemon soothed our bodies.

Both the temperature of us and the lodge began to rise. The rest of the day was spent mingling with others and snacking on popcorn. We even found a Canadian flag hanging from the ceiling with signatures of BC achievers which we proudly added our names to. The girls had recovered perfectly and were now back to drawing and fluttering around the lodge. Come 7:30 pm we had returned to our room to spend a fairly uncommon second night at Gorak Shep. Bundled up and bedded down, the four of us faded fast asleep.

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If you are just joining in now, please see the links to our previous days trekking to EBC below.

Everest Basecamp Trek with kids: Days 1-3

Everest Basecamp Trek with kids: Days 4-8

Everest Basecamp Trek with kids: Days 13-17

Everest Basecamp Trekking With Kids

Everest Basecamp Packing List