Everest 2013: Landing in Lukla

Climbers and trekkers are leaving Kathmandu for the serenity of the mountains. Many of the large commercial teams have arrived, received their permits, eaten their last restaurant meal and have flown to start their trek to Everest Base Camp.

Those climbing from the north, will not start their week long journey through Tibet to the north side Chinese Base Camp until early April.

Blog post are already starting with revealing comments as they see the Khumbu for the first time.

Daniel Branham, climbing Everest with a team organized by Wally Berg posts this as he trekked from Lukla to Phakding:

History is all around us, as the mountain heats up with expeditions, we are reminded of those that came before us, and we all feel lucky to be in such a special place.  

Most teams take a fixed winged airplane from Kathmandu to Lukla. but the flights are notorious for being canceled at the last minute. Lukla sits at 9,400 feet and often is shrouded by low clouds or rain.

The runway at the Tenzing-Hillary Airport is short, only 1,510 long and 66 feet wide (460 by 20 m) at a 12% slope. It takes a special aircraft to land and takeoff on such a short area. Known as short-takoff and landing or STOL planes, the fleet of Twin Otters, and Dorniers flown by Yeti Airlines, or Sita Air fly climbers and trekkers for about USD$140 one way. Safety is always a concern, but if you need some extra assurance, perhaps flying with an airline named Buddha Air might be .

Lukla bound flights have become infamous for crashes with seven since 2000 killing over 50 passengers and crew. This is serious. The runway sits at the top of a 2,000 foot cliff and ends where a high mountain wall begins. There is no opportunity for a missed landing or equipment failure. However, to keep these tragedies in perspective, there are thousands of passengers safely flown each year between Lukla and Kathmandu.

Adventure Air

The phone rings in your Kathmandu hotel room at 4:00AM. There are no lights due to the roaming blackout that occurs almost daily in this poor country. But like magic, as you take your last indoor shower for weeks or months, the single light bulb flickers to life in your tiny tile bathroom.

Along with your teammates, you load the duffels onto the bus or van for the short ride to the airport. It is quite different at 5:00AM in Kathmandu. The only sign of life is the occasional stray cat .

Going through the check-in at the airport feels like an episode out of “I Love Lucy” in the chocolate factory but again, everything works. You are starting to admire how the Nepalese get things done.

A bus takes the entire team plus some strangers across the tarmac just as the sun rises over the hazy Nepalese horizon. You see the plane. The small plane sitting there. Bags are loaded as voices in a strange language exchange information. You cling to your backpack as if it is a life vest. But you will not be flying over an oceans today.

Once on board, you select the single seat or the tight two seat side. The seat is on row one, aisle so you can look out the cockpit window. A flight attendant walks sideways down the narrow isle passing out a single piece of hard candy and a wad of cotton. You hold the cotton in your hand, lost in translation.

As you settle in your seat, camera in hand, the propeller starts up with a loud roar. A small smile comes across your face you understand the cotton and quickly stuff it in both ears. The taxi is short and the takeoff shorter. Now you know why it is called a STOL.

The flight over the Nepalese countryside is amazing. First trip or 100th, every pair of eyes look out the window tracing the rivers deep in the mountainous ravines. You sight houses built on 45 degree angled hillsides and wonder how.

Potato fields are neatly arranged on any available flat spot. Trails are now the only roads. Travel is by foot or animal, no cars, motorcycles or even bikes. This is not a flight to Lukla but a flight back in time.

You feel the airplane slightly descend. You pull on your seatbelt one more time remembering what you read about Lukla. Glancing at the pilots, they do not smile. One has his hand on the throttle, the other on the yoke.

The landscape looks uniform now but suddenly a long white line appears out the cockpit windshield. The runway. You see the sheer cliff in front and behind the stripe. This will be tight.

In your mind you know these pilots have done this hundreds of times, this month alone, but your anxiety heightens. You look over at one of the Sherpas flying with you. He is asleep.

Then in a blink the Otter’s wheels meet the ground hard. The plane bounces. The engine roars as the prop reverses. You glance out a side window to see a blur of motion. Will we stop in time? You lunge forward as the brakes bring the small aircraft to a halt. Everyone applauds. Smiles of relief are spontaneousness and involuntary.

Welcome to Lukla.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

A video I took from my 2008 landing:

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