Job done, the group embarked on the next phase of the expedition, a five day trek to Everest Base Camp, where they soaked up the atmosphere and talked to climbers preparing for their accents of Everest and Lhotse. Early on the 25th September the group set out on an accent Kala Patthar, a 5,550m mountain, arriving at the summit just in time to watch the sun rise behind Mount Everest. From there the journey continued to Island Peak Base Camp, a 6,189m mountain which was to prove the toughest physical challenge anyone had undertaken before. Setting out from camp at 2am, progress was slow going, hampered by the thin air and steepslopes, which reduced the pace to a laborious crawl. Reaching the snow line at sun rise the group stopped to gear up, enjoying a few minutes rest, before picking their way through the crevasses. The final section of the climb was an arduous 180m climb up an 85o snow slope, which seemed to take forever, leg muscles screaming after every step. Determined to reach the summit the group pressed onwards and upwards and at approximately 9.00am, six members summited the mountain, absolutely shattered, but so proud of their enormous achievement. The descent back to IPBC passed without incident, with the group arriving back at 2.00pm, a full 12 hours after setting out. With the mission completed, the party headed back to Kathmandu to enjoy some well-earned steaks and indulge in the much-needed rest and relaxation. Highlights of this included sight-seeing tours, a white-water rafting trip and cultural dancing where they learned more about the Nepalese culture. 42 days after setting out, the group arrived safely back in the UK, having logged experiences that most of us can only dream about. After an experience like this, returning back to normality was going to seem a little mundane ‌
www. hampshirescouts.org.uk
27