Natimuk trio reach base camp
Acompleted trio of Natimuk locals have
an arduous journey to come within seeing distance of the world’s tallest mountain.
Willie and Jeff Hansen, together with Lachlan Hick, have made the trek to Everest Base Camp, Nepal, which sits more than 5000 metres above sea level.
Willie Hansen said the group had the idea to make the journey prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Mr Hick continuing conversations ‘for some years’.
“We flew out to Kathmandu on Saturday, April 29. On the Monday, with our guide Dhana and porter Polo, we made our way to the village of Bhandar,” Mr Hansen said.
“Kathmandu to Bhandar is a 219-kilometre journey via road that took us 12 hours.”
Mr Hansen said the trek was made through perilous tracks, with all the roads on the edge of a cliff.
“You could never imagine the track that we went on. It was wet, rocky and the roads aren’t really built.”
Mr Hansen said from Bhandar, days consisted of six to 10-hour journeys between villages and tea houses.
He said the group started five days in advance of the time it would take to reach their destination, in order to acclimatise to the high altitude.
They acclimatised in Lukla, which, Mr Hansen said, was renowned for having the most dangerous airport in the world because of its mountainous terrain, air density and short runway.
“From then on, it’s more of a tourist track,” he said.
“As we got higher up the mountains, we did a few treks off the main route.
“One was a two-day stopover, so we could acclimatise at 5000 metres.”
Mr Hansen said the road to Lobouche was particularly memorable due to all the rocks and massive boulders.
“To get there you went across Khumbu Glacier. That was all rock and we had to follow flags,” he said.
He said the hospitality the group received from locals was appreciated throughout the journey.
“All the Nepalese people were so friendly, giving us meals and somewhere to sleep. They were excellent
– you couldn’t fault them. It took us about three hours or more to get to Gorakshep, then we walked four kilometres to base camp.”
Mr Hansen said there was almost a continuous stream of people making the trip both ways near to the base camp.
“Once we got to base camp, it decided to snow,” he said.
“A couple of people were still heading up there on horseback.”
Mr Hansen said preparations for the trip were difficult because of the uniqueness of the trek.
“We had done a little bit of walking, but in Australia there is nothing like
it,” he said. He said while you could not actually see Mt Everest from base camp, the group had the chance to see it from Kala Patthar.
“We were a fair way off still, but it was a high peak,” he said.
Mr Hansen said the group had no plans of slowing down, health-permitting, with another trip in the works.
“We’d like to cross England from east to west, while we still have fitness on our side,” he said.
“It won’t be mountains; we’ve done our trekking and it was tough.
“Across the board it was an eyeopener.”