In late 2012, HCS member Gordon Papworth and long-time friend Ray Elliot embarked on the experience of a lifetime. Their story can be read below.
Gordon, Ray and The Big Pointe Rock (Everest)
In early 2012 Gordon Papworth and Ray Elliot visited âThe Scott Foundationâ in Cambridge. After an inspiring morning, a long lunch and probably too much wine Ray asked Gordon if he had anything left on his âBucket Listâ (things you want to do whilst there is still a remote possibility of achievement). âI always wanted to trek to Everest base campâ, replied Gordon âbut never got around to itâ. âIf youâd like to go, Iâll come with youâ, said Ray with a noticeable slur.
Gordon had some past experience of mountain walking, having successfully completed the 3 peaks challenge (Ben Nevis, Scarfell and Snowdon in 24 hours), and also walked on the Great Wall of China. Ray’s only experience of going up mountains was riding his trail bike in Enduro Races in the Brecon Beacons and walking uphill back home from Costa Coffee in Hitchin!
With the exception of Rayâs coffee walk, these exploits were all done when they were much, much, much younger (Gordon was soon to be 73 years of age and Ray 70), so it was obvious that they had to enter into a serious training program. Having committed to their Everest expedition for December 2012, they started exposing their sadly degenerating bodies to a fitness regime in an attempt to revitalize what was left of their muscles.
Gordon Joined Bannatyneâs Gym at Fairfield and Ray choose X-change Fitness in Hitchin, (itâs closer to Costa). They both worked diligently on their gym programs every week and supplemented that with regular country walks of 10-15 miles.
The Trek
The entire country outside of Kathmandu exists without any roads and virtually no infrastructure. Communities have grown up at strategic points like a fertile stretch of valley but they exist without running water, electricity and sanitation. Even the âwheelâ is a useless invention, as it cannot be used on the rough tracks. Movement between communities has to be on foot with loads being carried by Yak, Mule or Sherpa.
The party consisted of 11 trekkers whose ages fell into every decade between 20 -70, so a broad spectrum. They were managed by three Sherpa and helped by two yak herders, a husband and wife with 3 yaks.
The trek and nightly âlodgingsâ had been arranged in advance by Silas, with the backing of Exodus the trekking Company and there was no leeway on the timetable, it was keep up or stop and retreat. Each day usually started at 6:00 and the group were back in their sleeping bags by 20:00. With temperatures as low as -20C it was a case of walk and keep warm, eat, or sleep. Little time for anything else except the breathtaking scenery en route.
Each Trekker had a trek bag to fill with a sleeping bag, clothes and any other belongings at a max weight of 12 kilos; these were carried between lodges by the three yaks and their herders. Everyone carried a day pack of whatever weight as long as it included the obligatory 3 litres of water and essential first aid etc. Each day the group ate breakfast at a lodge, usually cooked on a wood fired âpot-belliedâ stove, which invariably consisted of porridge, egg or omelette, and toast. The trekkers aimed for a lunch spot, usually another lodge or just a âsnackâ bar where they could eat a sandwich of cheese or jam, usually avoiding meat, then made for the next lodge for an evening âmealâ. This would be a curry type meal, eggs or omelette, hash brown potatoes etc, rarely anything sweet and never any wine!
The group of trekkers gelled well, there were no âPrima Donnasâ, no exhibitionists, no one automatically took front spot and even the fittest were happy to walk at the back with the slowest. Although we had a number of cases of altitude sickness and acclimatisation difficulties they all came through those problems, some with medication, some without. Gordon and Ray reached Everest Base Camp successfully after 10 days trekking, pictured below.
Gordon had walked in The Lakes, Wales and Scotland, Europe, China and America but the vastness of the Himalayas and the heights and distances they had to achieve in a day far exceeded anything he had dreamed of. The total height gained during the 10-day trek into Base Camp exceeded the total height of Everest itself and whilst the weather was fine, it was becoming ever increasingly colder. Gordon commented that it was âThe hardest, yet the most satisfying adventure I have had.â
Ray and Gordon funded their own trip but they also wanted to encourage support for the less fortunate and so raised sponsorship for their local Garden House Hospice in the process.
Gordon Papworth and Ray Elliot
