Devil is in Details!

 

 Once we had finalized the EBC trek, it was time for planning the details. From the Annapurna Circuit trek experience, I had learned a few things about what not to bring and what is a must-haves. Even then I had to research a lot this time around because last time I went without any preparation and literally within 20 days of deciding to go and being on the trek. I will list out things that I considered for selecting specific brands/items and provide my reasoning. I am not affiliated with any brand, so don't worry looking for coupon code for discounts from my blog :)

Clothing:-

Typically for any higher-elevation treks, one should consider dressing in layers. The base layer is a body hugging layer, the middle layer- which is typically fleece of any kind, top layer- can be down jacket (artificial ones are better if you have to consider the rain/snow factor, whereas, traditional down jacket with down feathers are more compact/packable, lightweight and provides great warmth), and a top shell which is your waterproof layer jacket-this can be used as a rain jacket or wind jacket.

Considering the weight limitation as well as the possibility of going without showering for days, Merino wool wins all the tick marks- moisture-wicking, odor-resistant, light-weight, durable, and super light in weight. I chose Metarino brand for purchasing base layers as well as t-shirts from Amazon. Of course, these are not budget-friendly options. If you are looking for budget-friendly options then choose any exercise clothes which are moisture-wicking, and quick-dry material.

For pants, I highly recommend Columbia SPF protected pant, Prana Halle (most durable) trekking pant and Stoic fleece lined legging. For the summit days (in this case, EBC)/highest peak hiking days/nights, we need snow pants as well, as the temperatures are typically well below zero. I bought the snow pant from Amazon (read budget-friendly) and they should be sufficiently warm with base layers.

For jackets, I chose to get one made by Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer down jacket, REI- Rainier Jacket for wind/rain resistance (light-weight, packable and with pit zips let you dump excess heat) and REI Co-op Swiftland Insulated Running Jacket as my fleece/middle layer jacket. The general criteria that I consider while selecting these jackets were moisture-wicking and packable. Since we will be wearing the mid-layer jacket practically every day it had to be soft, comfortable, and not too warm. Once we start walking we tend to generate enough body heat that we won't need super-warm mid-layer. There is a saying in mountains, start bold-stay cold! Consider that as you start hiking in the morning, you will end up removing layers sooner or later. So your backpack should have enough room for storing jacket/s.

Apart from these layers, you will need a beanie to cover your head and ears, a sun/rain cap, sun hat to provide coverage for your ears and neck. Sun could be really harsh at higher elevations, and sun-burn is a real risk! Carry a buff or two which are not too thick, so that you can possibly cover your face/nose to protect from the dust. And a thick/fleece balaclava for colder nights. You will need two type of gloves- one for everyday wear and one for waterproof/snow days. Since we will be walking with poles, and exposed in sun, the everyday gloves protect your hands getting chapped and/or sun-burnt. Plus, while scrambling on the rocks, you will have additional protection. Carry enough socks with you so that you can change these as needed. Wet socks will lead to blisters, so change your socks as frequently as possible. If you can carry woolen socks then you can reduce the quantity and just air them out from time to time.

Shoes should be something you can rely on wearing for days, so be picky about shoes. I prefer ankle-length boots. I have used Oboz and Salomon, both great brands. I chose ones with gortex that is most reliable for the waterproof outer layer. So waterproof shoes are a kind of controversial concept. Because water can still enter inside if you are dipping your feet in any water source deeper than your ankle! So think about that factor too.

Having said that I am listing out my entire checklist here for future reference, please feel free to ask for anything specific.

Category	Item
Clothes	Fleece Jacket
Clothes	Rain/Wind Jacket
Clothes	Down Jacket
Clothes	2 Baselayers- one for day/one for night
Clothes	4 pairs of merino socks, 1 pair of thick socks for night
Clothes	4 Half sleeves tshirts
Clothes	4 full sleeves tshirts
Clothes	1 light weight SPF Protected pant
Clothes	1 Snow Pant
Clothes	1 Prana Hele type trekking pant
Clothes	1 Legging/shorts/convertible pants
Clothes	2 Night dresses
Clothes	1 pair of hiking shoes- water resistant
Clothes	1 pair of shoes for teahouses- down booties/sliders, or such.
Clothes	Inner Garments 6 to 8
Sleep System	sleeping bag liner
Sleep System	down blanket
Toiletries	tooth brush, toothpaste, shampoo-soap, facewash, hairbrush
DayPack	Sunglasses
DayPack	Cap
DayPack	Rain Cap, rain jacket, extra layer
DayPack	Beanie
DayPack	balaclava 2
DayPack	Sun/Wind resistant gloves
DayPack	Thick gloves
DayPack	Headlamp
DayPack	Band-Aids, antibiotic cream, sprain spray, Benadryl, ibuprofen, cough drops
DayPack	Hand Sanitizer, Sunscreen, Lip balm, small Vaseline
DayPack	Toilet paper, wet wipes
DayPack	Quick dry towel-mid sized
DayPack	Liquid IV packet, snacks like chocolate/nuts/salty snack, aamsula
Misc.	Nail clipper
Misc.	bhimseni kapoor
Misc.	anti perspiring spray
Misc.	blister treatment
Misc.	Dryer sheets for keeping clothes smelling fresh
Medicines	diarrhea med
Medicines	fever med, cold/cough medicine, kanth sudhark vati/ginger candy/cough drops
Medicines	diamox
Snacks in bigger bag	Seed crackers
Snacks in bigger bag	Healthy Laddu
Snacks in bigger bag	Almonds/Salted Peanuts
Snacks in bigger bag	Electrolyte packets(22)
Snacks in bigger bag	Protein powder/Chia Seeds
Cough Remedy	Dry powder of flax seeds+turmeric+ginger powder+cloves powder+jyeshth madh
Water Purifier	Aqua Mira drops from REI, Lifestraw Bottle, chlorine tablets for emergency.
Day Pack	22Ltrs from Kailas brand (Amazon find)
Duffel	Mountain Hardware 95L Duffel/Backpack

 

 

 

 

Dreaming the EBC!

 

    Since my last Nepal trip, going to the Everest base camp had been on my mind for a while. Recently my daughter started accompanying me on hiking expeditions. She has been showing enthusiasm for early morning hikes, as well as joining on long and tiring ones too. In 2022 we went to Humphrey's Peak (the tallest peak in Arizona) and the Grand Canyon rim to the river and back in one day as well. Those two hikes are must-haves for any hiker in Arizona. In the past, we had been on Havasupai hike as well. She was keen on joining on multi-day hikes and I am gaining more confidence in her capabilities than mine. Therefore, I started planning to go on an EBC trek with my daughter in 2023. This could be the last year when she can spare missing out on school and might have a relatively slow summer when she can take summer off. I started approaching my friends/contacts in India, asking for dates-pricing for EBC. Although October-November seemed to be busy months for the trekker companies to plan winter treks and they were not planning for the summer or post-April treks yet. So I had to be patient.

    Meanwhile, we went to Diwali party at a dear friend's place, and one friend randomly asked me about going on the EBC trek. He had heard that I have been on Annapurna Circuit in 2020, and thought of asking me to join the EBC trek. I immediately said yes, thinking this could be one of those plans that I seem to make with friends/family which everyone knows are never going to happen. Regardless, it seemed like serendipity for sure. A couple of weeks after that conversation, I went on a hike with another friend in our community. As always while hiking we were discussing where else we should be hiking in the future, and she asked about my next Himalayan expedition. I mentioned that I am interested in going to EBC and my recent conversation with other friends during Diwali party. She as well wanted to join us and asked me to keep posted. These were good enough signs from the universe that it is the time!

    I will not bore you with all the other details, but after filtering out many tour operators and considering the recommendations, duration, and experience we finalized on going with Open Skiez Outdoor Leadership, LLP operated by Rahul Deshpande and Leena Deshpande. They are school friends of another friend of mine who is accompanying us on this trek. Rahul and Leens have been taking Himalayan expeditions while and they introduced us to Vikas, who has summited Everest! Once we finalized the tour company, things started moving quickly. Soon enough what had started as a casual conversation started shaping up as a solid plan. As the news spread, we got friends of friends joining this trek and we finally had a total of 15 group members! 10 from Chandler, 2 from France, 2 from New Jersey, and one from India. 

    By mid-January, we started hiking regularly more or less every weekend. Rahul and Leena were keeping us informed on periodic zoom calls to go over our questions/concerns and to share the details of what to expect on this trek. Vikas as well joined on a few of the calls and asked each individual about their fitness/exercise routines/physical limitations. Soon enough Vikas shared the individual training plan for each of us for the next 5-6 weeks. So that we can be prepared for the strenuous trek. I will be honest that I have not been super regular with this plan but started being more religious about daily walks of 5-6 Km, yoga on most of the days, and weekend hikes. I added squats and lunges to my weekly routine along with some plank and weight training once a week. Could I have done more, yes, but did I do it? No, and time will tell if this was enough or not. Honestly, I feel each trek is different, I would even say every hike experience varies a lot depending on how you slept last night, your attitude, hydration, food intake, weather, elevation, and so many other factors dictate how you feel on each hiking day. So I am not going to worry about if I am prepared or not and believe in the famous saying that mountains will take care of us!