Himalayas: Trekking & Island Peak ascent

“From the Everest region to Island Peak: a trekking adventure full of twists and turns” The idea for my trekking adventure in Nepal was born at the beginning of 2023 together with Alex. Originally we planned an Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek in conjunction with her guiding business and my role as photographer and assistant guide. We quickly decided to organize the tour not only for business, but also to start a social project for the region and to support the Sherpa we knew through you. Unfortunately, the story took an unexpected turn and Alex and I went our separate ways.

However, the tickets were already booked and my curiosity for the big mountains grew steadily. Determined to make the best of the situation, I changed the plan and opted for the longer and more challenging “3 Passes Trek” with the ascent of Island Peak. From the very beginning, it was very important to me to plan and carry out the evening on my own. Of course, I always had the support of Ang Gombu Sherpa when questions arose and I could always rely on his advice.

With Michael Shaw at my side, who also has a great passion for the mountains and is committed to sustainability in our lives, I found a motivated companion for the project, the trek and the mountain ascent.

The end of October was approaching, and thanks to my experiences and intensive training in the Alps last year, I felt well prepared. But sometimes life plays unexpected tricks. Two weeks before departure I had a dental emergency and a stomach infection the night before I left. Not the ideal start, but I set off for Nepal at the end of October 2023.

Once we arrived in Nepal, our journey began by helicopter from Kathmandu to the remote village of Hill to personally assess the situation at the school and deliver toys and some basic materials to the local children. From there, our trek began with 25 kg on our backs and without the support of a porter.

Day after day we climbed higher, acclimatized well and crossed the first pass at 5600 metres. The altitude didn’t cause me any problems, but after a while I caught a cold on the trek. About 6 days before we were to reach our destination, the base camp of Island Peak, my condition worsened. I was faced with a difficult decision: Continue to bite through or prioritize my health and prepare for the next two months in Antarctica? Despite my heavy heart, I abandoned the ascent and set off on the descent so that my body could recover at a lower altitude. It was definitely the more difficult decision for me, but in the In retrospect, it was definitely the right decision, as the cold quickly developed into a lung infection.

The longing for higher mountains is still present. Whether it will be Nepal again is questionable, but the plans for the near future are growing in my heart, and it was certainly not the last project in this direction.