Day 7 - Machermo Ridge Dayhike, Christmas Day
Sherpa Purna and I climb high enough to get a great view of Mt. Everest and Lhotse, and an amazing panorama appears above the mist before we have to race back down to join the group for a cozy Christmas dinner.
15 Photographs
1
Four of us, plus Sherpa Purna, start our dayhike climb onto the ridge above camp.
2
It’s not long before we’re on the ridge itself, and are rewarded with some wide open views.
3
The path we’ll be following along this ridge looks deceptively level!
4
We’ve already come a good distance above camp, and we’re still climbing.
5
More and more of the surrounding major peaks come into view as we proceed higher.
6
Prayer flags are commonly strung on high ridges like this. Would you guess there’s a rather stiff wind blowing on us now?!
7
The fog blows in very quickly and starts closing down our view, but some roaming yaks don’t seem to care.
8
More prayer flags make a colorful statement against the snow-covered mountain backdrop during a break in the mist.
9
Purna and I continue up the ridge in the mist for a while, to our high point of 16,600 ft.
10
We emerge above the fog to a grand view up and down the valley! Here, Mt. Everest (center) and Lhotse (right) blow plumes of snow and mist off their summits.
11
Can’t forget it’s Christmas Day! I ran back down the ridge just in time for our cozy dinner celebration in the local tearoom.
12
Can’t forget it’s Christmas Day! I ran back down the ridge just in time for our cozy dinner celebration in the local tearoom.
13
Everyone enjoys the delicious Christmas dinner, complete with British Christmas pudding! How civilized!
14
For the finale, we all tear off part of the wrapper on the Christmas treat...
15
...and Rex gets to open it up... Chocolate candies, yum!