The Final Push: Triumph at Everest Base Camp!
Today was the day.
After what felt like an eternity of trekking, the final push to Everest Base Camp (EBC) was finally upon us! We woke to glorious sunshine, a welcome sight after a brutally cold night where temperatures had plummeted to −22∘C. Our thin plywood walls and lack of heating meant we felt every single degree deep in our bones.
It was a challenging morning for a few of us. Martina’s persistent cough was still bad despite the antibiotics, and both she and William had lost their appetites, making fueling up tough. Our expert guides checked us over and confirmed our oxygen levels were good, so with the crucial reminder that safety is first and we could turn back at any point, we agreed we were good to go. As we left the small cluster of buildings that make up Lobuche, the clouds closed in again, once more swallowing the mountains and our view.
The Relentless March to Gorak Shep
The air was noticeably colder and thinner than ever before. Energy levels were low, but a mix of nervous anticipation and sheer determination (and plenty of chocolate bars!) kept us moving. The hike to Gorak Shep, though only about 5 kilometres, felt like a relentless uphill climb over increasingly rugged terrain.
The route wasn’t overly busy, but it was tough. As the trail wound its way along the lateral moraine of the magnificent Khumbu Glacier, we were encased in a desolate, otherworldly landscape. All we could really see through the thick fog was the high moraine wall on our right and the edge of the mountain on our left. There is absolutely no vegetation here—just a stark, raw, rugged canvas of rock, ice, and glacial debris. The path wasn’t steep, but it was a gradual, continuous ascent at extreme altitude. The weather started to close in with strong, icy winds and driving snow, making every single step of the 224-meter elevation gain significant. We found ourselves taking frequent, short breaks, hyper-focusing on our breathing and the rhythm of our steps. We knew the views were supposedly utterly breathtaking, but with the low clouds and snow, we couldn’t see a thing.
And then, just as quickly as the clouds had arrived, they parted! For a brief moment, maybe just a few seconds, there she was—EVEREST in all her glory! A fleeting, spectacular view that fired us up instantly.
After roughly three hours of steady, demanding hiking, the small, windswept hamlet of Gorak Shep appeared out of the gloom. This collection of basic teahouses, nestled on a frozen lakebed, is the last inhabited outpost before EBC. At approximately 5,164 meters (16,942 feet), we had reached our highest altitude yet, and the energy—a mix of relief and pure excitement—was palpable.
Our hike to EBC: The Hardest Hike of Our Lives
After a much-needed 30-minute rest and a very satisfying snack of hot chips in Gorak Shep, it was time to pick ourselves up and bundle up for the ultimate goal. The final push to Everest Base Camp is only a 7-kilometer return journey, but the combination of the relatively modest 200-meter elevation gain, the sheer altitude, and our exhaustion from the morning made it incredibly demanding. The snow and biting wind made what was already a monumental effort feel like the hardest hike of our lives.
Our pace was slow, which wasn’t surprising given Martina’s health struggle and William’s low energy from not eating. What did surprise us, however, was the sheer volume of people on the trail—at times, it felt more like a busy pavement in central London than a high-altitude mountain path!
The trail from Gorak Shep continues across the Khumbu Glacier’s moraine, a rough and uneven path of loose rock, scree, and sometimes ice. It’s a constant up-and-down scramble, winding through the debris left by the moving glacier. The path is narrow and rocky with steep drops to the side. The air is so thin here that every step is a conscious effort; we were all breathing deeply, constantly feeling like we couldn’t quite get enough air. The spectacular view we’d been promised was nowhere to be seen, hidden behind a thick shroud of clouds and snow. We stopped every few hundred meters for a rest and a much-needed sugar boost, sometimes forced to stop as the human queue snagged up.
A Base Camp Surprise!
After a solid three hours of hiking, we finally spotted the small dots of a camp in the distance. Everest Base Camp! The line snaked slowly through the fog and snow, and we headed down the final slope toward EBC and the legendary rock—but the crowds were something else. It was immediately clear we wouldn’t get a chance to take a photo at the iconic spot.
But our guides had a fantastic plan. Unlike the crowds, we continued our journey a little further up the valley to the private Base Camp of Elite Exped. There, we were able to warm up, rest, and enjoy a delicious hot chocolate and coffee before an amazing slap-up lunch! It was a true slice of luxury and warmth in this harsh environment.
After an hour’s rest (and a cheeky ask to stay the night!), we sadly had to leave the beautiful tents and return to the cold for the hike back to Gorak Shep. However, something incredible had happened while we were inside: the cloud and snow had completely cleared, and the sky was now a stunning blue!
Though the day was late and the sun had fallen behind the mountains, the view was absolutely awesome and spectacular. We hiked back down the hill to the famous EBC rock. With the massive crowds gone, we had the place practically to ourselves! We spent a huge amount of time taking photos, shooting videos, absorbing the incredible achievement, and reflecting on the journey. We had truly arrived at Everest Base Camp (EBC) at approximately 5,364 meters (17,598 feet). It’s not a summit with a grand panoramic view of Everest’s peak (Nuptse often blocks it), but it is an exhilarating moment of triumph. We felt so lucky to be in this most special of places, steeped in history, dreams, and immense human endeavour.
Everest Reveals Herself
We began the long path back to Gorak Shep. Though the journey is generally downhill, it’s still tiring on exhausted legs, full of ups and downs. It was made infinitely easier as Everest decided to come out from behind her shroud of cloud and give us the most spectacular view of the mountain! Being on that mountain with just our group, we knew we were one of the few who got to see Everest today, and we felt incredibly fortunate.
We were running late due to our slow pace and extended stop at EBC, and as night began to roll in, we were grateful we had packed our head torches. Due to the pace, we split up, with Dad and William going ahead while Ben looked after Mum as she made her way down slowly. At one point, Dad took a wrong turn after losing sight of a guide but quickly corrected his error. We also came across a few hikers who had lost their groups and were panicking, a reminder that in the sheer vastness of this location, it’s easier than it seems to get disoriented.
To add to the drama, a huge thunderstorm was brewing down the valley, and in the darkness, the bright glow of the lightning filled the sky. We all wondered what would happen if that storm made it to us before we arrived back at the tea house!
After a long walk and dropping temperatures, we finally made it back. We were utterly exhausted and tried to eat, but in reality, all we wanted to do was sleep. We hoped the feeling of immense satisfaction would kick in, but alas, all we wanted was sleep, which is often hard at this altitude, and at −22∘C, even harder!
The accommodation here is extremely basic—truly a poor man’s shed with no heating, shared toilets, and a communal mess room. The mess room is busy, hot, and can feel airless and claustrophobic, but it’s the only alternative to being in your sleeping bag in an ice-cold room. Despite the discomfort, we made it. We conquered the final push! Everest Base Camp: Achieved!
Family Russell-Smith Travel 