Everest Base Camp Trek Day 6: Lobuche memorial for the fallen

– Since this post, I’ve been to EBC and other treks in Nepal several times. In fact, I’ve written many guidebooks about all Nepal between then and now! This post is in its original format from my first trek to Everest – I hope you enjoy it.

If, however, you are looking for up to date information on the trek then do head over to my practical travel guide on the Everest Base Camp Trek where everything from costs to getting a guide is covered. Also, do visit my about trekking in Nepal page and use the menu there to read more about this and many more treks. Meanwhile, enjoy these posts about what it’s really like to trek to Everest Base Camp –

Lobuche mountain on Everest Base Camp Trek
Tired and battered … this windy monster now awaits!

Extra acclimatization or move on to Lobuche?

Morning started at 3am. No sleep for me. But, I was feeling a lot better. My headache is only a dull ache now. Though I still feel as though one does after a battle with a fever. I think I’ve beaten my mental barrier on the Everest Base Camp Trek.

Over breakfast the Korean girl announces she was going home and the Canadians announce they were going to spend another day here. The Canadian girl was still feeling sick with altitude sickness and wanted another day of rest. This was a good sensible choice.

The idea of spending another day should have appealed to me too. I discussed it with Narayan. He asked the tea house owner about others coming through. Then looked out the window at the mountain weather.

Snow was our next challenge.

We needed to get moving before the snow came. It was my choice. Something told me it was time to move on.

Breakfast of champions to trek the steep incline

I devoured a plate of macaroni with cheese, a hot lemon and filled up my bottles with hot water. The trail started steeply from early on. And, apparently was going to continue on like this until base camp.

I can only recall the days before briefly now. Rather than impending doom and an invisible wall I just felt a little daunted. But my wasn’t pounding as much so this helped.

Naked Russians on a frozen river in Nepal
Naked Russians on a frozen river in Nepal

Slow steps and lots of breaths were needed. But, we were moving. Until my boots slipped back two steps every other step.

Barren landscapes and a rising wind as we make it up to 4,900 meters

The air is thin and very dry. I am thirsty all the time. Dust keeps blowing, and at times so strongly that it’s hard to even hear the dry dirt under my slipping feet.

All around us is wasteland. Little if anything can grow at this altitude. Moreover the terrain is more of those monotonous ups and downs I hated so much. Turns and twisting valleys of endless barren brown do little to inspire.

We can look down at the vast lower trail from Pheriche. This would be our route back. For now we were headed towards the last of the steep climbs.

Naked Russian spies and the great climb

On approach to Lobuche we run into a team of super Russian soldiers. Well, I really don’t know what else they could be. Dressed in black body suits they are equipped with a satellite radio (the old type in a briefcase), and a host of other strange gadgetry.

Of the team only three laughed and joked. The other four looked mean and serious. Watching everything around them. Including a brief joint, and a very loud striptease plunge into an icy river from the top-tier of their team.

What can I say, Nepal brings out all sorts of people.


Again, please keep in mind I did this trek in the off peak winter season. If you are thinking about trekking in Nepal in off or peak season then please read my article on What to expect when trekking in Nepal


Lobuche the final big climb

It looked daunting. A forty-five degree incline that got steeper on the way up. But, as steep as it looked, I was glad not to be doing the whole up a bit, then down a bit routine any longer.

Just give me the hard climb and keep the laborious monotonous trails

So we set off. A long climb over rocks and boulders. Tough, but the wind was dying down and the sun was warm. What’s more my broken boots didn’t slip on the boulders, unlike the gravel strewn trails previously.

Lobuche from the top looking back
It always pays to look back at where you just came from … (click to enlarge)

Memorial of the fallen climbers in Nepal

At the top of this mountain trail lies a memorial for fallen climbers. We stood alone surrounded by stupas and small stone walls marking out the memorial area.

It was remote, and solitary. It wipes the smile from your face as you realise where you are now.

The explorers before you are remembered here. Those chasing dreams and paying with their lives.

This was a place I felt deep within my being.

Ode to a dream:

On my journey to find a place to called home many fail to realize the ultimate destination if I fail. This is no ordinary travel blog. This is a true life venture that’s pitted with reality.

I read the brass plate on one stupa:

“May he have accomplished his dreams”

I am not ashamed to stay I struggled to hold back tears.

More than just mountaineers, these were the people who fought for their dreams. A rare place on this planet where their efforts are remembered in solitary glory. A bleak and desolate place at this time of year that few come across.

Climbers memorial in Lobuche Nepal
Climbers memorial in Lobuche Nepal (click to enlarge photograph, email subscribers please visit the blog page to view the video below)

I am reminded of how very important it is to keep a record on the things you do in life such as this. So much so I wrote the article “documenting your life with a journal“.

I cannot help but think of those like Scott, a man who tried to be the first to make it to the South Pole, only to be beaten, and die on the way back. He, and his team, kept journals. They kept journals right up until they died from hypothermia, starvation and thirst. If you have the time I recommend you read this article about Scott of the Antarctic.

Lost in a field of dreams

The wind picked up and told us to move along. My mind was still stuck on the fallen. Feeling the cold as we descended to the camp ahead I realized that I’d left my hat behind. Leaving all our things here, Narayan made the effort to go back for it. If there is one person who goes beyond the call in Nepal, it is Narayan.

From here we trekked to Lobuche for a final night at 4,930 meters/16,174feet.

Surprisingly there were people there. Quite a few. Most coming back from base camp due to the worsening weather. There was an air of celebration about the place. I’d forgotten what day it was of course.

Adding to this …  snow began to fall.

What they were actually celebrating was the fact they’d made it to Everest Base Camp before the snow cut it off.

Were we too late?

Coming Soon

Everest Base Camp Trek Day 7 ( Disaster strikes in the form of heavy winter snow as we reach the highest altitude on the trek … time to turn back?)

Note this trek took place in late December/early January during the off peak winter season


The Everest Base Camp Guide:

Planning a trip to Nepal and trekking to Everest Base Camp? For all the details on what to do, when to go, permits need, costs, maps and much more check out my dedicated Guide to Everest Base Camp.


Get the best Trekking guide book to Nepal!


Liked this page? You’ll love my guide book to Trekking in Nepal! I cover Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, Annapurna Base Camp, Mardi Himal, Ghorepani Poon Hill, Dhampus plus side treks to Gokyo and Tilicho Lakes. With day-by-day detail trekking details along with photos of what to expect, extensive preparation chapters, budgets, where to find a trekking guide plus the costs & much more!

It’s only guide book to Trekking in Nepal with color maps that you zoom right in with!

The book can be read on tablets, laptops or mobile devices & is printable. Quite honestly this will help you more than any other guidebook to get the most out of trekking Nepal.

Trekking in Nepal guide book

Get a special discount offer on this book here!

Liked this post?

Never miss a post!
  
* indicates required

13 Replies to “Everest Base Camp Trek Day 6: Lobuche memorial for the fallen”

  1. Naked Ruskies! I guess they really like the idea of an ice bath eh!

    Great post!

  2. It is amazing to see that on top of the world there is a place that marks the memory of all those climbers. I read somewhere most of the bodies are left on top of Everest. Any idea if that is true?

    1. Yes, there are still bodies on Mount Everest. It’s not easy to bring a dead body down, nor always feasible. But there are none along the trails to Everest Base Camp. This Lobuche is a memorial site.

  3. Towards the end of your video when it’s showing the prayer flags, is that the Mt Everest at the back?

    Nepal’s mountain range never ceases capturing my heart.

  4. I was just curious, when you were at the memorial, did you have any realizations of where you feel like home would be or what further dreams you’ve not accomplished? (aka is there anything you’d regret?) Sometimes, I feel like moments like that pop up the most amazing realizations.

    I have every confidence you’ll make it back alive. No, this isn’t an ordinary travel blog about traveling RTW, solo or how you quit my miserable job/ perfect life. The story you have isn’t travel cookie-cutter and I like that you take us on that journey. 7 yrs on the road in search of home? This blog needs be turned into a book!

    1. Hmmm interesting question. No, is the answer. Being at the memorial site and reading that plaque just welled me up with emotion on people who “Dared to Dream”.

      I really feel there are few people who truly pick up the mantle and run with it. More so people who are quickly forgotten.

      It’s here that lie the epic stories that are lost in time like tears in the rain. People’s quests to be strike out to accomplish something and die trying. Who remembers them? We only tend to remember the people that succeeded. I think this is what brought all this “home”, to me.

      Thanks for the kind words. I better stop writing everything down here otherwise there will be nothing left for a book!

      1. True, but I’ll play devil’s advocate on this one:

        When we’ve given something our best effort, but don’t get recognized for it, is that failure? Not everyone can be remembered for their “greatness”; most go throughout their lives w/o even being recognized as half that.

        At the end of life, the only thing man will regret are the things he didn’t do. Those that dared to dream and died trying, would have less regrets than those who failed to do both.

        Just my two pennies. ;-)

        1. Good pennies too!

          Very much agree on the regret thing. Die having dare to dream and reach out to the void to grasp them. No regrets.

          Don’t know if you know the history of the former British PM Margret Thatcher. Mixed feelings my many. But, I watch the movie Iron Lady last week. Recommended.

Comments are closed.