Kili - Everest Base Camp - something else
Discussion
So the plan is to do something special, someting big in the New Year (Feb/March).
My thoughts are climbing Kili or possibily treking to Everest Base Camp. But before I try and decide is there anything or more importantly anywhere that I should be considering ?
I am resonably fit (Squash 5 times a week, swimming and gym after, walking at weekends )but naturally this will increase once trip is selected and training plan in place.
Cost is an issue but the right trip is more important.
Have knowledge of the Mountains - North Wales and the Lakes but by no means a expert, more a keen begginer.
So everybody what have you done that was breathtaking and memorable ?
My thoughts are climbing Kili or possibily treking to Everest Base Camp. But before I try and decide is there anything or more importantly anywhere that I should be considering ?
I am resonably fit (Squash 5 times a week, swimming and gym after, walking at weekends )but naturally this will increase once trip is selected and training plan in place.
Cost is an issue but the right trip is more important.
Have knowledge of the Mountains - North Wales and the Lakes but by no means a expert, more a keen begginer.
So everybody what have you done that was breathtaking and memorable ?
From what I understand, Kili is a waste of time if you want a serious challenge... might as well climb Snowdon! Try Everest Base Camp. It'll take you a while (weeks) because you need to acclimatise... and fitness has nothing to do with it... it's purely down to physiological make up so you could be the fittest person in the world but start having problems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness) on the way up.
Or how about
http://summitclimb.com/lhotse.htm
http://www.summitclimb.com/new/default.asp?vid=677...
I guess for training, you could walk up the hardest route on Snowdon every weekend, given your location!
Or how about
http://summitclimb.com/lhotse.htm
http://www.summitclimb.com/new/default.asp?vid=677...
I guess for training, you could walk up the hardest route on Snowdon every weekend, given your location!
Edited by ShadownINja on Wednesday 16th September 11:22
Thanks Shadown, I think these might be a bit above me ! Love the challenge but maybe just a step too Far. Time is also a consideration which is why Kili appeals given that it is only 10 or so days. Everest is 18 approx which again might be pushing it a tad.
As for location I am in West Sussex so up and down both Box Hill and Bury Hill might be a bit more acceptable training.
As for location I am in West Sussex so up and down both Box Hill and Bury Hill might be a bit more acceptable training.
Oh. 
When you mentioned Wales, I assumed you were local to Snowdon. As for Boxhill, I guess if you go up and down from Ryka's to the NP cafe several times, or maybe from the stepping stones up to the vantage point. I was trying to work out a training schedule for a friend who's hitting the Himalayas but it's all really boring in comparison, in terms of challenge and interest to keep you training.
When you mentioned Wales, I assumed you were local to Snowdon. As for Boxhill, I guess if you go up and down from Ryka's to the NP cafe several times, or maybe from the stepping stones up to the vantage point. I was trying to work out a training schedule for a friend who's hitting the Himalayas but it's all really boring in comparison, in terms of challenge and interest to keep you training.A friend of mine did Kili when we were in Tanzania and also Mount Meru (2nd highest mountain) and it was a reasonable challenge. He was fairly fit as well but a beginner when it came to mountains. The view from the top is meant to be spectacular, but unless you get severe altitude sickness it won't necessarily be a challenge 
I climbed Kili a few years ago, and everyone in my group, including a keen marathon runner and a few with a reasonable amount of climbing/hiking experiece agreed it was very challenging. Personally, I found it to be one of the hardest things I've done, and I really enjoyed the whole experience.
I've done Annapurna Base Camp trek in February, and that was fine..... fair enough its not quite as high as Everest Base Camp but its still in the Himalayas.
Michael Palin did a similar route to me for his tv series and stopped at some of the same places, so its certainly a fantastic part of the world.
Up and down was about 11 days total if I remember correctly.
From the sounds of it your much fitter than me too, and I had no problem with that trek and did very little training.
Others in the group struggled a bit with sickness and the climbs, including my dad who has attempted Kili twice and only made it once.
He was with Blue Peter the first time for charity.
Michael Palin did a similar route to me for his tv series and stopped at some of the same places, so its certainly a fantastic part of the world.
Up and down was about 11 days total if I remember correctly.
From the sounds of it your much fitter than me too, and I had no problem with that trek and did very little training.
Others in the group struggled a bit with sickness and the climbs, including my dad who has attempted Kili twice and only made it once.
He was with Blue Peter the first time for charity.
Edited by P17_GTA on Wednesday 16th September 15:54
Did both base camps of Kanchenjunga a few years ago - absolutely incredible. Jannu looked beautiful! It wasn't technical but was quite long IIRC, but it's not a popular area (at least it wasn't then) so relatively un-touristy. Especially if you manage to just go with 2 porters + a guide, plus two of you trekking
my mate got back a few weeks ago from base camp - really didnt sound that great. very touristy. really didnt seem very enthusiastic about it! if you want to go hard core why not try that trek across corsica - that is supposed to be the best in the world - apparently - someone at work told me the other day!
:iagree: - we organised our trip ourselves, including a sweetner to the relevant authorities as only "trekking parties" were allowed into that part of the country. We needed to take porters due to the duration of the trip, but we provided the right gear for them etc. We also ate with local families, and often ate with the porters from other trips.
Fortunately we managed to avoid the other groups for most of the trek, but I remember meeting up with one group and having dinner with them. It was horrible!
We were used to eating dhaal, and if we were lucky potatoes, and once even some goat and some chicken, but these guys had it all laid on - western style food, a shower tent, a toilet tent, at lunchtime they arrived to a pre-prepared lunch, their tents were put up for them, and warm water brought to them to wash with in the morning.
YUCK
We had to learn a bit of Nepalese, we saw things they would never have seen, and got to sample the local "brew" (toomba and another nasty spirit I've forgotten the name of, but toomba is really nice!).
COuld never do the big trekking group thing
Fortunately we managed to avoid the other groups for most of the trek, but I remember meeting up with one group and having dinner with them. It was horrible!
We were used to eating dhaal, and if we were lucky potatoes, and once even some goat and some chicken, but these guys had it all laid on - western style food, a shower tent, a toilet tent, at lunchtime they arrived to a pre-prepared lunch, their tents were put up for them, and warm water brought to them to wash with in the morning.
YUCK
We had to learn a bit of Nepalese, we saw things they would never have seen, and got to sample the local "brew" (toomba and another nasty spirit I've forgotten the name of, but toomba is really nice!).
COuld never do the big trekking group thing
ShadownINja said:
From what I understand, Kili is a waste of time if you want a serious challenge... might as well climb Snowdon!
A lot of people seem to think this but it is not true at all. Snowdon does not go up to 19000 feet. Coping with half the oxygen we are used to makes it a much greater challenge than just moving over the terrain. How did you cope with it SN?Everest base camp is at a similar height so similar challenges but it generally will take much longer to trek there with a lot more up and down to get there. This helps with acclimatisation.
As has been said both are done best with minimum allowable guiding and portering to make you feel like you have achieved someting.
On Kili you really get that 'top of a continent' feeling. You really can see for hundreds of miles. The contrast from the base and the summit is phenominal going from forest through savannah up to the glacier.
Base camp is different. You are at a similar height but surrounded by enormous beautiful mountains that tower up above you. Makes you feel you are at the start of something rather than the end. Equally impressive and you also get some fantastic views.
Best to do both!
KingJeff 4th said:
Try mont blanc.
Decent challenge but not stupid, local(ish) and only a 5 dayer.
But not in february.... Decent challenge but not stupid, local(ish) and only a 5 dayer.
Tour du Mont Blanc and then summit at the end, great holiday.
I think some of the Siberian Mountains are starting to open up a bit more, slighty of the beaten track
Gargamel said:
KingJeff 4th said:
Try mont blanc.
Decent challenge but not stupid, local(ish) and only a 5 dayer.
But not in february.... Decent challenge but not stupid, local(ish) and only a 5 dayer.
Tour du Mont Blanc and then summit at the end, great holiday.
I think some of the Siberian Mountains are starting to open up a bit more, slighty of the beaten track
As for kili, well it isn't technical at all and generally isn't difficult but the altitude can effect you badly, I've been told one person a month (during the climbing seasons)dies on the mountain (there's loads of mementos to dead climbers on the summit) so make sure you take the longest of the trips on offer as some operators cut a day off to keep the cost down but the summit rate dives to less than 45% if you take this option. Summit day however, is a really tough challenge to anyone as you'll get maybe an hours sleep then up at midnight and on your way at 1am, you will summit in time for sunrise if you have no problems and are reasonably fit/acclimatised so that's 5-6 hours straight up or like climbing up Snowdon then keeping going again and one more time and all with half the amount of O2 you get in Wales. Then you have the descent which will probably take you 3-4 hours. So in all you will have had 2 hours kip in 30 hours.
I hated kili at the time but do look back on it fondly now and with a definite sense of achievement.
Coneyhurst Blue said:
At the moment I am leaning towards Kili. The sense of acheivement would I'm sure be imense.
So if that is the way to go which company do I give my money too ? Any suggestions ?
No one seems to have abad word to say about jagged Globe except they are usually the most expensive. I went with exodus who were good and well organised. Drop a post onto UK Climbing.com, there's loads on there.So if that is the way to go which company do I give my money too ? Any suggestions ?
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