The end of superlatives

I give up. I just don’t know how to describe what we’re seeing. Each day has been a wondrous adventure and I keep using words like spectacular, wondrous, beautiful, awesome, and while each of these words are accurate, they in no way describe the absolute enormity and scope of the sights. Plato talked about the pale shadows in the cave, and finding words to describe what fills the eyes each and every second of this portion of the trip is just lacking in explanation. The five of us talk in the evenings about how we’re going to explain all this, and we’ve come to the conclusion that we just can’t. Sometimes we can’t even explain it to each other and we’re standing side by side looking at the same sight. Because of breathing considerations, we’re down to a lot of: “Wow,” and just shaking our heads. The other person will nod, appreciating the fact that words just ain’t gonna get there.

Trek Day 5
Today was the most perfect and beautiful day of the trip, (see what I mean) okay I know I’ve said that already, but let me explain
Manoj told us last night that if we were lucky and had a clear morning, we might see Everest in all her glory. We’d get up early and take a short walk to enjoy the total vista. But before dawn Carol got up for a bathroom call at 1:30 and came back to report that it was totally clear, and that by the full moon, everything had this magical and mystical quality. The mountains just across the gorge seemed even closer, and Everest was just looming there, with nothing in between to disturb the view. Everest by full moon. It was truly magical, she said. I said: “Wow,” and decided that I’d look at it in the morning. I was snug in bed and didn’t want to venture out of the tent into the cold night if I didn’t have to.
By the time we got up at six, the early dawn light had begun to put enough light that we could see we were in for a treat indeed. About 6:15 the first sunlight hit the top of Everest and the show was on. For the next hour and a half the light trickled its way down the mountainside and the picture was ever changing, but always glorious. It was not just clear sky around Everest, but there was not a cloud in the sky in any direction. Lhotse, Makalu, and the dozens of other majestic peaks shone brilliantly. . It did not disappoint!! Only 15 miles away, it seemed right there in front of us.
We noted our watches and want to check when we get home to see if, just as we were enjoying the spectacle, somebody was cresting the summit and having their own moment of reverie. (As it turned out, as of this date the 24th of May, no one had summited)
Although there are a lot of climbing groups now trying to summit from the various base camps. Kangshung is probably the least populated because it is the most difficult. We will walk to that base camp on Tuesday. Then after the trekking portion we will drive to the North face base camp, still in Tibet. The one side of the triangular mountain that we will not see is the Southwest face, in Nepal, supposedly the least attractive view of Everest, but the most popular climbing route because it is the easiest technically, and the easiest politically. But it seems to be perfect climbing weather (in actuality, no one had succeeded in reaching the summit because there were winds of 150 per hour on top, and two people literally got blown off the mountain to their deaths). Groups that are part of the various expeditions will reach what is called the South Col, ready for the final assent when weather conditions permit. For that final assault they will leave that camp about 11p.m. or midnight so that they can get to the summit at the earliest possible time. There are so many groups going up and down these days that there are literally traffic jams trying to get through the “Hillary Steps.” Sometimes these delays have resulted in death when the weather changes quickly and people can’t reach the safety of their advanced camps. There are more deaths on Everest on the descents than on the ascents.
This view was the reason we had come on this trip. The Kangshung face of Everest is the East side. Where the morning breaks and shines on the mountain, it put on its best face. It is also the White side with the storms always hitting this Tibetan side rather than the Nepali side. The face is a sheer 6,000 foot wall, only partially conquered, never totally, whereas the Nepali side is a relatively easy climb, as climbs at 29,003 feet go.
We broke camp at 9:30 and for the next four hours walked with Everest always in our sight. Tony had called her a tart yesterday for only showing her bottom and not her top, but today he announced that she was showing the full monty, and was living up to her hype.
It was such a glorious day!! The first cloud in the sky did not appear until 1:30 in the afternoon and as we climbed and descended and came around new corners, we were continually stunned by the crystal clear air and the visions it brought forth.
Naturally, since yesterday was a climb day, today was a descend day, giving back all he elevation we had gained. It’s just the only way to get from point a to point b. You can’t go around these things. You have to go over them.
But our path was brightened by a continual lining of the way by the flowers of the Himalayas. Little clusters of Primulas, Forget-me-nots, and their relatives, the Get-Losts, (it’s true), yellow buttercups, and the ever present miniature azaleas and rhododendrons . The air here is so thin that the juniper plants only grow 10 inches in 25 years. Not exactly a big hit as yard plants.
We stopped three different times for a minimum of a half an hour each just to bask in the view. Nobody worried about what time we’d get into camp, we just knew that we didn’t want to miss anything. We knew this would never happen again to us.
So tonight we’re camped at another beautiful spot with the tall mountains flanking us on two sides. I haven’t checked tomorrow’s itinerary to see what we’re doing, (we must be climbing, we descended today) I’m just totally enraptured to be here with my best friend and enjoying and experiencing the glory of this moment in time with Tony, Dave, Kathleen and Manoj who have become good friends and with whom I’m happy to share these precious moments.
Carol and Jim