18 years after climbing Everest, 10 years after summitting K2 and 9 years after our aborted attempt on Makalu (the World’s 5th highest mountain), I am returning to the 8000 m Himalayan mountains next week for a summit expedition of Kanchenjunga, the majestic 3rd highest mountain in the World, located on Nepal’s eastern border with Sikkim, India.
‘Kanch’ which rises to a height of 8,586 m (28,169 ft) and is also India’s highest mountain, has always held a special place in my mind, being located in my former Gurkha regiment’s recruiting heartlands of Eastern Nepal; having first seen it in the early 90s on a welfare trek whilst serving in the Brigade; and long having ambitions to climb it. And, following last year’s return to high altitude mountaineering with my ‘warm up’ attempt of Pumori (7181 m) I have been preparing and planning ever since…
It is a huge mountain, remote, steep and technical, with a near vertical rock face near the summit and, above all, the longest summit push of any 8000 m mountain on Earth. The fact that there are only approx. 25 climbers attempting it this year testimony to it being one of the least climbed 8000ers.
On the trek in I will be visiting 7th Gurkha Rifles pensioners and their families gathered for their annual reunions in the Gurkha Welfare Trust Welfare Centres of Phidim and Taplejung - a role I undertook in 2022 which was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had in the country.
I will be sharing some updates from the exped, which will last for 7 or so weeks until the end of May, on Facebook and Instagram
A big thanks to California Chiropractic Center www.californiachiropracticcenter.com (Dr Charles Jones) and Dubai Podiatry Centre www.dubaipodiatry.com (Ms Michelle Champlin), two total experts in their fields, who have been support sponsors for most of my previous quests and been keeping my body and feet going for decades!
And also to Ten Twenty www.tentwenty.me for continuing to support me on website and communications.
