The Everest Marathon
Onto the Glacier. Dingboche to Lobuche
20.11.2003
The Trek After two nights at the village of Dingboche everyone has to get over to Pheriche to get back onto the course, and the quickest way is to climb across the ridge between the 2 valleys. It’s an ideal viewpoint, with the spire of Taboche rising up above Pheriche, Ama Dablam looming across the Dingboche valley and Island Peak and Makalu further in the distance. There is a plateau here on the glacial moraine and you can still just make out the rough ‘runway’ used by a microlite expedition many years ago.
Its only a short crossing to Pheriche (4242m/14,050 feet), where the Himalayan Rescue Association has a clinic. The resident volunteer doctors give yet another talk on ‘altitude sickness’ here and while everyone is gathered in one place, and it’s not too cold, the medical team run through what to do if an injured runner is found during the race.
The valley here is a broad glacial basin swept by numerous water courses and is surprisingly flat. The trail passes yak herders huts then turns up onto the moraines at the snout of the Khumbu glacier, crossing an outflow stream before some lodges at Dughla (4593m/15,075 feet). Its well worth scouting around here as it’s easy to get lost on race day with so many minor trails to choose from.
It’s a grind climbing the rocky track up the moraine from here, which steepens considerably. At the top is a pass and plateau full of cairns and chortens, placed there to remember those who have died on Everest, mostly Sherpas. There are some inscriptions on the rocks too and the memorials stand silhouetted against a backdrop of mountains. It’s a bleak, beautiful and moving place.
Now Ama Dablam drops from sight and the Khumbu Glacier lies ahead with Mount Pumori one side and Nuptse the other. The yak herders valley is left behind now to cross glacial mountain terrain. A narrow trail skirts the moraine, drops down to cross a frozen stream and then makes its way up the side of the glacier through a jumble of boulders. The face of Nuptse comes into full view nearer Lobuche (4930/16,175 feet) and it catches the light at sunset, turning from grey, to crimson, to black.
Lobuche is the point from which most groups make for the viewpoint on Kala Pattar summit, so it can be very crowded. It’s a cold and uncomfortable spot, but there are some big lodges, and it’s lower and warmer than Gorak Shep (where the race starts), so 2 nights are spent here.See All Event Posts
