First Ascent of Burke-Khang-Part 2

Costa Mesa, Ca.
August 22, 2015

Dear Family & Friends:

In October, I will travel to Nepal to complete a first ascent Burke-Khang, the Himalaya mountain that was named after me by the government of Nepal in May of last year. I will be joined by a small, tight-knit, group of climbing friends, most of whom have completed the 7 Summits. Once the team has been finalized, I will introduce each member in a later post.

This expedition will be fully equipped like any other alpine climb. We will employ climbing Sherpas, porters and a cook. As part of the expedition, we are offering a trekking option for those adventurers who want to enjoy the beauty and splendor of the Goyko Valley, with an option to visit Everest Base Camp on their return to Kathmandu. The climbing expedition is scheduled for 1 month, and the trek is scheduled for 3 weeks.

We will fly into Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and spend a day gathering our provisions and getting ready for the trek to Burke-Khang. From Kathmandu, we will fly to Lukla, the tiny village carved into the the mountainside. Lukla is the launch-point for Everest expeditions. The airport at Lukla is rated the most extreme in the world because of the short, uphill runway. From Lukla, we will move up the Everest Base Camp trekking trail to the famous village of Namche Bazaar, the gateway to the high Himalaya and the main trading center and hub for the Khumbu region.

The airport at Lukla

Namche Bazaar

After spending 2 days in Namche, we will leave the EBC trekking trail and trek up the Goyko Valley, stopping in villages along the way to sleep and acclimatize. After 4 days of trekking, we will arrive at the village of Gokyo and spend an extra day relaxing and acclimatizing at the beautiful Goyko Lake and enjoying the spectacular scenery. I doubt that anyone will bring a bathing suit and snorkeling gear for this glacial lake, but, with this group of intrepid travelers, you never know.

Gokyo Lake

Gokyo is the last village on our trek to Burke-Khang Base Camp. For the remainder of the trek, we will sleep in tents and cook our meals. Upon departing Gokyo, we will move up alongside the Ngozumba Glacier until it reaches the Guarana Glacier, where we will make a sharp right turn and proceed up the Guanara Glacier to its fountainhead at the foot of Burke-Khang. There, we will set up Burke-Khang Base Camp. The trek from Gokyo to Burke-Khang Base Camp will take 2 days.