A short walk up a long mountain - a 'hike' to intermediate camp

At 5360 metres it was never goin to be easy. Every breath was hard, every step exhausting, but it was worth a go and when the Chinese team members said did I want to join them for a "walk" to Camp 1 I thought, why not!

Camp 1, Intermediate Camp isn't used that much these days. It had beeen used extensively in the 20's when expeditions like the one where Mallory and Irving were lost. But for a novice hanging at at the base of the most magestic mountian there is it was a pretty cool prospect.

I fel into line with the yak herders who whistle and throw stones to keep their animals moving along, walking wth yaks the air is always filled with the sounds of bells and hooves. Apparently this is as far as the yaks go and I can see why, indeed apparently they call Camp 1 the yak camp.
It started easily enough, crossing the flood plain of the Rongbuk River, then weaving along a good path between the glacier and the valley side. Then you leave the main Rongbuk valleywhich then opens up to reveal what I think was the East Rongbuk Glacier, that was really something.

Glipses of Qomolangma , this is a serious hill! The sight of the mountain is awe-inspiring and you can spend countless hours watching the changing faces of the mountain. But we can't stop to look, me and the yaks have to keep walking!

Maybe I should have stayed at the Monestry this is too hard, the terrain is not that difficult but ... I'm totally knackered, I guess I'll put that down to the altitude.