Mt Everest base camp – Nepal

The following are taken from my Jet setting Josh Facebook page and personal Facebook page, of all the training hikes I completed for the Mt Everest base camp campaign that I did in 2017.

24 June 2017

Completed my third weekly mountain training hike in the same number of weeks, going up and down Mt Ainslie twice with my backpack weighing 6kg. A couple of months ago I tweaked my training routine to incorporate more strength and endurance like running, cycling and lifting lighter weights and upping the reps. Was a great day for a hike today and there were a lot of people out and about in the great outdoors. Last week I walked up Mt Taylor and the week before that Mt Majura in Canberra Australia.

1 July 2017

Another training hike done for the week and what a cold hike up and down Black Mountain twice this morning it was. I started the hike at 9am and it was 1 degree. There was some ice on the southern side in the shaded areas. There were a few others hiking along the centenary track and cyclists going up and down the road so I’m not the only one getting up early on a saturday in the cold and getting some exercise. This mountain is steeper than Mt Ainslie but not as high as Mt Majura.

22 July 2017

3 more hikes in Canberra completed in the last 3 weeks. Lately I have had the pleasure of mates doing the hikes with me. Has been cold every hike but really worth getting out and exploring what the great outdoors can offer. Devil’s Gap, One Tree Hill and Gibraltar Peak

12 August 2017

One month to go till I begin the Mt Everest base camp hike and have been busy doing some more hikes, some with friends, some solo and the hikes are getting more difficult. Having been doing all my training hikes in Canberra ACT during winter, the weather has actually been pretty good and not as cold as previous years. Mt Tennent and Mt Domain hikes done.

26 August 2017

A couple more training hikes completed with my 10kg backpack. Camels hump hike was awesome with snow on the peak. Today I hiked Mt Majura then Mt Ainslie then Mt Majura again. That was the longest and equals the most elevation gain hike I have done since I starting my training a couple of months ago. This is the last hike till the Mt Everest base camp journey begins. Had a really great time hiking in the nations capital. Thanks to those people that joined me on some of the hikes and for everyone else’s likes and comments. Keep an eye out next week for a surprise sporting event that I have registered for.

3 September 2017

Completed the 14 km Canberra Times fun run officially in 1 h 09 min 10 sec. Not bad for pretty much no running due to training for Mt Everest the past couple of months. Roughly only 3 mins off my PB 😀. Next up, starting to ascend the highest mountain in the world. Happy fathers day.

16 September 2017

First day of the trek to Mt Everest starting from Lukla. Click here to see the airstrip landing into Lukla. Was intense.

17 September 2017

Trek from Phakding today was long, 8 hours with 1000 m vertical climb. Bring on the yak steak from dinner tonight.

17 September 2017

Walked from Namche Bazaar. First glimpse of Mt Everest.

17 September 2017

Trekking adventures with the Base Camp Bandits.

25 September 2017

Finally made it to Mt Everest base camp. Was a tough trek but with great fellow hikers, we all made our goal. Don’t give up. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

The 130 km return, 2700 m elevation gain trek took 12 day and I had fun the whole way chatting with everyone and taking in the fantastic scenery. I did get altitude sickness the day before the reaching the base camp but all was ok. Only started to get slightly sore in my little toes the day before we arrived back into Lukla.

26 September 2017

Selected photos taken from Lukla to Mt Everest base camp and return. What an amazing two weeks in the Himalayas of Nepal. Click here to see the helicopter ride out of Lukla.

Thanks to the guides and porters on this intrepid trip because if it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have made our goal.

Mt Everest base camp route map