(Picture: Team on Lobuche Summit)
We’re currently at Everest Base Camp (5300m) as we bring you this update. After close to 5 years of preparation, we’re finally here!
First off, let’s conclude on the Lobuche climb we mentioned in our last update. We reached Lobuche high camp (5,200m) in good shape on 2nd April, stayed for a night and set off for our summit push the next day at 5am in the darkness. The first part of the climb was mainly on rocks and boulders and it wasn’t long before the sun’s rays hit us. Although we were glad for the warmth, the heat proved to be draining as well and we had to stop halfway to remove our outer layers of clothing.
To make our way to the summit, we had to rope up for safety reasons, as well as clear multiple steep and icy sections with the use of fixed ropes. After about 6 hours of climbing, all of us finally reached the summit (6,000m) around 10.30am.
The Lobuche climb completes the first phase of our acclimatization and we look forward to the next acclimatization cycle up on Everest.
The Singapore Women’s Everest Team formed in 2004 and aimed to send the first team of Singaporean women to the world’s highest peak. Following a rigorous 5 year training schedule, we successfully reached the summit of Mt. Everest in May 2009, placing 5 Singapore women on the top of the world.