Lhotse Trek

Day 5

Dingboche to Lobuche

Started the day with the delicious breakfast of potatoes, eggs, toast, and coffee. Said goodbye to the clean and lovely countryside lodge and began our trek to Lobuche. We encountered Sharose and hiked with him most of the way.

Had a brief lunch in Tukla but this was one of those places I was afraid would make me sick, so I stuck to hot Ramen, soup and Coca-Cola. Sadly, I left my bottle of hand sanitizer at the lunch spot.

After lunch, we made our way over Tukla Pass. At the top of the pass stands a large memorial dedicated to those who have lost their lives on Everest and surrounding peaks. The Everest Memorial in Thukla carries profound emotional significance for climbers, trekkers, and the local Sherpa community. This sacred site serves as a space for grief and reflection, reminding all who visit of the inherent risks and sacrifices involved in mountaineering. It offers solace to the families and friends of the fallen climbers, providing a physical space where their loved ones are remembered and honored. It is not only a tribute to the climbers but to Sherpa’s and mountain workers who have died in this region.

Memorial to people who have died on Everest and surrounding peaks

We were staying at the Oxygen Lodge, which, to my dismay, was large, crowded and not all that clean. My room had a gigantic bed with fuzzy pillows, which clearly could not be washed easily. The toilets were foul. The first order of business was to buy a new bottle of hand sanitizer which was triple the price it would have been in Kathmandu. There was no way to stay in that lodge and not constantly use hand sanitizer and survive. Dinner was fun because two women from Utah joined me. They were getting ready to climb Ama Dablam. Apparently earlier that day a man had told them that it was too hard for them. I suspected these two would have no problem on Ama Dablam and it turned out they did reach its summit a few days later. I always hate when people tell other people they are strong enough to do a climb when they no nothing about the person they are talking too except their gender.

Headed off to my not so clean room to go to sleep. Sleep was hard to come by and I think I slept for less than four hours. For some reason, the people above me were clearly moving furniture around.

Support Ascend Leadership Through Athletics

I am raising money for Ascend. After years of climbing some of the world’s highest peaks, I believe it’s crucial to support the communities living in the shadows of these mountains. During my travels and climbs in Pakistan in the summer of 2023, I was disheartened by the lack of Pakistani mountain guides, particularly women. Observing this situation ignited a heartfelt desire within me to empower young women in these areas. That’s why I’m teaming up with Ascend Athletics.

Ascend Athletics is an international nonprofit dedicated to empowering young women through mountaineering-based leadership training and community service. Their mission deeply resonates with my own dedication to fostering female strength and resilience.

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