Scaling New Heights: A First-Time Hiker’s Experience Trekking The Nepalese Himalayas
My trek of the Nepalese Himalayas provided far more than just spectacular views, writes Katherine Knight
Years back my partner Ryan had suggested the idea of trekking the Nepalese Himalayas. Curious to understand more about what it was like, I did some research on YouTube. My hands began to sweat immediately at the thought of going over the suspension bridges, being on mountain ledges and, honestly, going without a hot shower for days on end. Being afraid of heights and having a penchant for comfort, the Himalayas were quickly struck from my bucket list.
Fast forward to the summer of 2021, post-pandemic, I was in need of a new personal challenge. Trekking to Everest Base Camp suddenly became an enticing idea. However, the more we considered our itinerary, the greater the challenge became. In addition to trekking to the base camp (5,364m), we had decided to extend our route to include two mountain passes: Renjo La (5,360m) and Cho La (5,367m), followed by notable peaks such as Gokyo Ri (5,357m) and Kala Patthar (5,545m). The grand finale? To summit Island Peak, a stunning 6,189m mountain that appears as an island within a sea of ice from below. It would take a total of 22 days in the mountains. We would be absent from modern comforts and a reliable internet connection: it was the perfect disconnect.
Without too much thinking on my part, mostly to avoid any self-doubt, I swiftly signed the necessary documents to secure our guiding service, helicopter insurance and gym memberships for training. I had never ‘mountaineered’ before, nor been to a gym in years. I don’t even think I had camped more than one night consecutively… but all that was about to change. “How am I going to do this?” I mused. Well, as the mountains taught me: with my head down, focused on the now, one step at a time.
Once I started my journey in Nepal I had no idea what day it was and all at once, I found myself without distractions or inner dialogue. No notifications, no internet, no deadlines. It was as if our trip had been a sort of physical meditation that shook out my constant stream of thoughts. Unaware at the time, this was the turning point where mindfulness had started to take over. Breathe, step, breathe, step… focusing on the path ahead had simultaneously pulled me out of the past, the future, and had put me in the present.
10:35AM, April 13th, 5,360m, Renjo La pass After having ascended almost 1,000m in altitude that morning, over glacial scree and boulder ‘steps’, I finally saw Everest for the first time. We had reached the top of Renjo La pass. I had been training for months in preparation for our ultimate summit ascent. However, what I did not anticipate was that the rest of our itinerary would actually be equally challenging, spurring unexpected moments of physical growth while my body slowly adjusted to the ever-increasing altitude, and mental growth as I learned to be in the present and shut out doubts when things got tough. Renjo La pass would be the first of several tests to come in the days that followed.
4:48PM, April 22nd, 5,500m, Island Peak High Camp
Day 13 of no shower. “Katherine, believe in yourself and don’t let negative thoughts in,” I wrote in my journal as we prepared for dinner then an early night’s rest. “Stay positive, one foot at a time and be safe.”
1:00AM, April 23rd (Alarm rings, tea arrives with a ‘knock’ on our tent. Snooze isn’t an option – granted, did we even sleep anyway?) The final summit push begins.
7:10AM, April 23rd, 6,000m, Island Peak Glacier “Ma’am, you’re almost there; almost. Keep going,” calmly cheered our Sherpa guide, Dawa, as I neared the top. With 51 per cent oxygen available compared to sea level, each step was a marathon. One more step. It was always the same – one more step. Would it ever end? The headwall seemed interminable.
Due to climate change, the 150m glacial facade had melted considerably more than we’d expected, creating a demanding surface of mixed rock and ice. Not only are the presumed footholds adapted for taller climbers (i.e: men) but for the first time my muscles began to cramp as I struggled to grip the icy rock with my crampons. I was dehydrated, but there was nothing I could do about it. My water pack and drinking hose were frozen. My head and body rested against the wall. “Ma’am, take this! Energy,” Dawa said as he popped a hard candy into my mouth to, perhaps, distract my visibly defeated thoughts. At that moment, I was convinced that he could read my mind. The citrus candy worked, perhaps a placebo effect, but I was refocused. One more step. C’mon, Katherine, you can do this.
7:30AM, April 23rd, 6,189m, Island Peak Summit Out of breath, I sat down, stared over the valley and after a few moments, I cried. “First ones here,” Ryan said, looking at me proudly. I stared back blankly and managed to pronounce, “I did it,” inaudibly, to myself. “It was tough,” he stated. “It was really hard,” I confirmed, as I began to cry even harder into my North Face Summit Series mittens. Without much air to catch my breath, the tears flowed uncontrollably.
This was it. This was the moment I had been preparing for mentally and physically for the past seven months. And in this moment, I was the woman who could do anything she put her mind to, just as I had known. I felt alive, grounded and content. Note to self, whenever in doubt: You can do it… one step at a time.
Photography: Pritish Banushali, Unsplash
By Katherine Knight for Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s September 2022 issue.