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The Peaks of the Balkans Trail
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When Things Don’t Go To Plan: Climbing in Nepal
Photo credit: Joe Fisher
Introduction
The lure of climbing in Nepal has always appealed to me.
One of my great loves in life is climbing, which started over 15 years ago and led to some fantastic adventures. I've worked at Ellis Brigham for a total of six years, across a variety of roles from in-store to customer service, and now in despatch, where I handle international deliveries.
I first visited the Annapurna region in 2015, hoping to climb Tharpu Chuli. But with limited preparation and experience, we had to turn back. That trip came early in my climbing career, and looking back, I can see just how underprepared I was for the demands of the Himalayas. What I did discover was a love for Nepal and its incredible mountains. I promised myself I’d return one day.
Now, nine years later, I finally did. This time, I convinced my climbing partner Joe to come along, and together we set our sights on the Khumbu Valley. There, we found Kyajo Ri—a striking peak surrounded by the highest mountains on Earth. It offered exactly what we were looking for: a challenging alpine climb, ambitious but within reach.
The start of the journey
The Long Road to Lukla
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On the road from Lukla
The first days of the trek
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Rest day in Namche Bazaar
First views of Everest
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Into Khunde
A quieter glimpse of sherpa life
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En route to Thesubu Khola Valley
A tough climb to base camp
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Restless rest day
A rough night
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Calling It on Kyajo Ri
A difficult decision
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Rest day in Khumjung
Rest, recovery and a reroute
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Visiting the Pangboche clinic
A tough day on the trail
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Watching the sun set from Gorak Shep
The cold leg
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Reaching Everest Base Camp
A hard won milestone
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The summit plan
Testing our limits
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To High Camp
The last climb before the summit
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The climb to the summit
An early start
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The final ridge
High enough
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The view from the top
What we came for
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Nepal trekking kit
Nepal mountain gear
Nepal climbing kit
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