Our Virtual Everest Trek Back At Base Camp

Base Camp in all its glory

Did anyone ever tell you that coming down was easier than going up? Well, take it from me – it isn’t. OK, you don’t get so breathless and in a sense there’s less effort but you need a lot more concentration. And then there are the ‘jelly legs’. Try walking downhill for a few hours and you’ll know what I mean. It feels as if all the strength has gone and the muscles actually hurt. It’s worse in the morning when you haven’t walked off yesterday’s stiffness. Heaven knows how people managed it before the days of fixed ropes. 

Anyway, here we are back at Base Camp. When we arrived here on our way up it felt like we’d got to the ends of the earth. Now, knowing what we’ve been through, it seems quite tame. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still a pretty bleak place but compared to the Icefall or the Lhotse Face or a white-out at 24,000ft it’s quite friendly. And it’s good to see everybody again. Of course they already knew we’d made it to the top but it didn’t stop them coming out to meet us, hug us, slap us on the back and generally make us feel quite special. We‘ve missed them and let’s remember, it was a pretty major effort for some of them to get this far.

                      We made it!

Looking back I have to pinch myself to realise what we’ve done and where we’ve been. There we were, definitely a mixed-ability trekking group, and we achieved what some thought impossible. (Are you there, Dowting?) My own worst moment was setting off in the dark on the day we climbed to the top. It was eerie and very frightening. But one thing about fear: you conquer it or it conquers you. I think Everest teaches you something about yourself, whether you get to Base Camp or to the top. You’re never quite the same person again.

Another thing I remember: On one of our rest days we started singing to pass the time. Somebody said we were like the last of the summer wine and somebody else said, “More like Fred Karno’s Army.” Well, that was it. We sang the old WW1 song and then started fiddling with the words. We managed some pretty fruity versions but eventually came up with one that we thought everyone would like and that summed up our view of ourselves. We adopted it as our ‘anthem’ and, when we had enough breath, even sang it while we walked. If you really want a treat you can listen to us singing it (words included).

 Just click HERE

So here we are, a collection of old lags who did the impossible. Some were undercooked, some were overweight, some thought it was a jaunt, some got very hung up about it. A few probably shouldn’t have come at all and a few more wished they hadn’t. One had a replacement hip, another a replacement knee and I think Dowting felt most of us needed a replacement brain. And perhaps he was right. Perhaps we shouldn’t have come. But that’s the challenge and it’s a challenge we all took on because of the charities we support and because we’d like you to show your support by sponsoring or donating. Covid has been a dreadful scourge and we want to help families and individuals whose lives have suffered because of it. So please, help us to help them – via the JustGiving button on our website or on Facebook.

The President all smiles at Base Camp

Now that our climb is over I sometimes have the oddest sensation. I feel tired, I can recall what I’ve seen, all the excitement and all the people we met but occasionally, just occasionally it’s almost as if I’d never really left home at all, as if I’ve imagined the whole thing. I expect the feeling will pass but I can’t understand why it keeps coming back to me. . . . .

Luke N Brightside

Information Officer

I can’t tell you how relieved I am to get them back to Base Camp and all in one piece. We had a couple of alarms on the way back. Nearly lost one down a crevasse and another succeeded in loosening himself from the fixed rope. Heaven knows how he did it but he was very nearly the first back to Base Camp – by the direct route. The ones we left here were ecstatic when we got back. I don’t think they ever expected to see their friends again – with good reason. 

But there we are. This collection of oddballs, has-beens and never-weres have done what they set out to do and good luck to them. I said I would eat my hat if they got to the top. Well braised Rimjhim isn’t exactly dish of the month so instead I’ll take my hat off to them. Well done! The important thing now is for you, our readers, to reward their efforts by sponsoring or donating to their expedition. You’ll find the JustGiving button below or on Facebook. Thankyou.

So that’s it. What a story! You couldn’t make it up. 

Sherpa Dowting 

Head Porter