Take Only Pictures - Mera Peak, Nepal, 1997

Mera Peak alpenglow

In October 1997, we fulfilled a long held wish to travel to Nepal to trek in the Himalayas. While much of those 4 weeks is still surprisingly fresh in my memory, such was the culture and grandeur of Nepal, the passage of time will undoubtedly have changed our recollection of individual events and experiences.

At 6476 meters, Mera Peak is the highest "trekking" peak in Nepal. But what it lacks in technical climbing, it more that makes up in beauty and isolation (at least it felt like that in '97 - possibly very different now?). From Lukla, the gateway to the western Himalayas and Everest Base Camp), Mera Peak is a 55 to 65 km trek over 6 to 8 days, including acclimatisation, with a day of two less on the return journey. After passing over the Zatrawa La, a 4600 meter pass above Lukla, the route descends for what seems like forever to the Hinku valley, which it follows upstream, gently gaining altitude, to the village of Thagnag. At Thagnag, in the shadow of the impressive pyramid of Kusum Kangguru, the route abruptly changes pitch and climbs the Mera Glacier to the Mera La, where onward trekkers can descend into the even more isolated Hongu Valley. From the Mera La, the final trek picks its way across snow fields and between crevasses to high camp and the final steep climb to the summit.

While this was first and foremost of trekking holiday, it was also an opportunity for a few pictures! I had never photographed at high altitude, but this was a once in a lifetime chance so, I invested in a new camera - a Canon EOS 50e - and lens - an EF 20-35mm. Both are sat on the windowsill next to me as I write. We had to travel light, so a medium telephoto zoom completed my kit. This was in the days before digital, so I took 14 rolls of Kodachrome 64 and a single roll of Ilford B&W film. I thought this was extravagant - I can now shoot the equivalent number of shots in a single day!