The first significant-looking peak we see, Kusum Kanguru, 6369m (20,896ft) is just a baby by Himalayan standards!

The formal entrance to Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National park is well-marked with warnings about the hazards of over-exertion and high altitude hiking...

... but the altitude doesn’t seem to bother the native porters one bit, some of whom were carrying well beyond their body weight, not to mention body volume!

In the lower elevations, yaks were common load bearers, and common bridge blockers. The narrow bridges did not accommodate temperamental sharp-horned yaks and humans side-by-side, so we always gave the yaks right of way!

Whether we wanted it or not, the Nepalese custom was to make a full-production hot meal at lunch time. Here, our dedicated cook crew starts preparing one of many first-rate meals we enjoyed on the trip.

Hot lemonade to fill our king-sized mugs was always a welcome first course to our lunch.

The “Members” of the trip (the label for us trekkers - to distinguish us from Sirdhar, Sherpas, Cooks, Porters, Yakmen & yaks) chow down the leisurely hot lunch at a rare flat and sunny spot in the riverbed.

One of the highest suspended bridges we encountered was visible from a long way down the river, and gave us plenty of time to gather up (or lose!) our nerve to cross it.

With signs of recent, modern construction and design, we trusted the bridge to take us safely across.

The view from the midpoint of the bridge.

A rare early glimpse of the summit of Everest peeking up on the right, with the plume of snow streaming off the top.

The porters carried all the group gear, along with our “kit bags” with our overnight gear, leaving us to carry just our daypacks. They still easily passed us on the uphills!

Thamserku, 6608m (21,680ft) becomes a major landmark as we approach it from the south, skirt around its western side, then continue around it to the north.

Our lead sherpa, Dik, makes sure we’re keeping up as we reach the outskirts of Namche Bazaar.

After a good day’s hike, Ed is exuberant upon reaching our destination!

Namche Bazaar itself is nestled in a horseshoe shape around a central plaza...

...which contains the colorful trading bazaar after which the town was named.

The sun sets early in the winter. From Namche Bazaar, it disappears at around 5 pm behind nearby Nupla, 5885m (19,308ft), with frozen waterfalls on the face of its Northeastern buttress.