Langmile – Makalu Base Camp

We all woke with an air of anticipation as for most of us we will lay eyes on Makalu for the first time today. The frozen air once again was beaten off by the sun and our al fresco breakfast was the perfect start to a memorable day. By 0750 we were all on the trail along the valley for the final time and after a short distance the group had split up related to pace with Colin inevitably at the front with a spring in his step. Despite this being his 3^rd visit to attempt Makalu’s SE ridge he was as excited as a young child on Christmas Eve. On the trek in his stories of previous unsuccessful attempts have really added to the drive within the group and the ambition was constantly palpable. As we all progressed at our own pace up the valley we could see Chamlang (7321m) dead ahead and other un-named peaks either side. At Shershong (4600m) I found Colin, Rob, Ben and Matt sat in silence all leaning on a dilapidated stone lodge and staring to my right. Uncertain as to what they were all fixated on I turned my body to the right and was metaphorically punched in the face by the imposing site of Makalu’s southern face. It made the other peaks in the vicinity look insignificant and I was literally awestruck by the presence of the mountain. When we all managed to pull ourselves together and scramble to our feet we set off in convoy along the final few kilometres to base camp. That final hour of undulating terrain was one of the most memorable moments of my life. I’d never seen such a majestic natural sight with my own eyes and it was immediately clear that comprehending such a sight would take more than a few days.

Finally after 8 long days of the most contrasting terrain possible we’d arrived. Our home for the next 8 weeks was going to be a small raised meadow above the valley floor at 4800m. The trek in had brought some blood, far too much sweat and a few tears of joy. This was going to be the location where our bodies and minds were subjected to extreme altitude, weather and degradation to a level that most of the team had never encountered before. We’d gelled as a group and we’d all learnt a huge amount about ourselves and each other. I know it sounds like a corny American teen flick but we’d left the UK as a group of strangers and arrived at base camp as great friends willing to risk anything for each other in the hope of conquering the world’s 5^th highest mountain by the notorious SE ridge.

Simon