I conquered both Everest and Lhotse in one week

Conquering two of the world's highest mountains in a row is not a challenge for everyone.

My relationship with the Himalayas began in 2014, when I had yet to conquer any peaks there. In 2023, I climbed my first peak, Mera Peak. Standing at an altitude of 6,476 m, I was amazed by the magnificent view. At that moment, I thought to myself: "Standing on the top of Everest is much more beautiful."

As if on cue, I planned to conquer the "roof of the world" in 2 years. Mount Everest requires climbers to have skills, physical strength and mentality. Accidents every year are a reminder of the challenge this peak brings. The harshness must go hand in hand with the distribution of strength. Therefore, I trained through each height milestone such as Ama Dablam (6,812 m), Manaslu (8,163 m)... to make sure I was strong enough to conquer.

I am Nguyen Manh Duy (41 years old), a businessman and mountaineer currently living in Hanoi. This time, Temba Bhote - who has been with me on 5 trips to explore the Himalayas - continues to accompany me.

On April 4, taking a flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Lukla (Nepal), I began to realize my dream of Everest.

5 days to the top of Everest

In September 2024, when I conquered Manaslu, I went straight from Base Camp to the summit, without going through the altitude acclimatization process. That was the last time I chose this crazy summit method. This time, I climbed in circles so that my body would not go into shock when entering the death zone - the area above 8,000 m. The total journey to climb Everest took 35 days, including the altitude acclimatization and summiting time.

On April 7 , I climbed from Lukla to Base Camp (about 5,364 m) with some snow climbing equipment such as ice axes, hooks, locks, oxygen tanks... The travel and waiting time here took about 2 weeks. Then I went to Camp 1, Camp 2, Camp 3 and returned to Base Camp.

I spent 2 years preparing financially, physically, and seeking support from the climbing company Adventure 14 Summit.

After a month of acclimatizing to the altitude, at 2am on May 7 , I started my journey to conquer Everest. From Base Camp, I climbed straight to Camp 2 (about 6,400 m high), and stayed there for 2 nights to regain my strength. Groping my way across the high slopes in the quiet dark night, I continued to Camp 3 (about 7,500 m high). The weather here these days is quite favorable, the higher I go, the thicker the snow becomes, dyeing the mountain ranges white. The sunlight shining on the snow creates alternating patches of light and dark.

The day I reached Camp 4 (about 7,950 m), Everest was reinforcing its climbing ropes, which became an unexpected challenge as I waited for a long time at the edge of death. The oxygen level was only about 30%, so low that it put a lot of pressure on my heart, respiratory system, brain… My brain and eye blood vessels were slightly bulging, but I was still healthy and had no symptoms of altitude sickness. But this also meant that the distance to the summit was shortening.

Everest greeted and said goodbye to me with spiraling iridescent clouds on the summit.

Following the southern slope, the higher I went, the clearer I could see a part of Tibet, and on the other side was Nepal. Nature is truly magical. When I passed the Balcony, looking to the East, the sky would turn pink, and on the Nepal side, the sky would light up later. In particular, the scenery at Hillary Step - almost at the highest altitude in the world - was magnificent beyond imagination. I could see the entire Himalayas, even the curvature of the terrain according to the Earth's crust.

At exactly 9:09 am (Nepal time) on May 11 , I set foot on the 8,849 m high Mount Everest, becoming the first person to summit this year's climbing season. The first thing I did was to rip off my oxygen mask to celebrate with my family and friends.

No one can understand the dream of conquering the "roof of the world". Only when standing on the top of the mountain, in the vast space, can happiness truly overflow.

The first Vietnamese to reach the top of Lhotse

Initially, I only planned to conquer Mount Everest, but my companion suggested an extension: climbing the world's 4th highest peak Lhotse (8,516 m). I immediately nodded.

Located in the Himalayas, Lhotse is often called the “Everest challenger” because it is only a small mountain range away from the summit of Everest and is on the same climbing route. However, the terrain is rugged, with dense snow, ice, rocks and crevasses. To reach the summit, I had to go through windy gorges, cold enough to cause frostbite or hypothermia in an adult.

Lhost has a harsh and challenging climate.

On May 12 , the Lhotse summit journey started from Camp 4, located at the Everest and Lhotse climbing route (about 250 m from Everest's Camp 4). The slope of this peak is several times steeper than Everest, with absolutely no flat spots to stabilize the heart rate. The closer to the summit, the steeper it gets, I had to hold on to the rope to keep my balance on the high cliff.

Weather conditions also change rapidly, from clear skies to storms. This year, the wind at Lhotse peak was so strong that it seemed like the tents would be blown away, and the vines were constantly buried under snow, and I was pulling as I went. Some groups could not stand the wind and gave up, so I went back down to Camp 3.

When the wind died down, I continued to climb Lhotse. The crucial point was the last 300m, a steep, rocky ravine prone to dangerous rockfalls. Without a good level of fitness and extensive experience in handling the situation, conquering this peak would have been a gamble with one’s life.

Lhotse Peak is only wide enough for one person to sit on.

On May 13 , I was once again overwhelmed when standing on the top of Lhotse, unable to believe that I had successfully conquered another peak in less than 48 hours. I was also the first Vietnamese person to leave footprints on this peak, as confirmed by the travel company Adventure 14 Summit and 8K Expedition (specializing in organizing Himalayan mountain climbing groups).

To describe the feeling of 40 days in the Himalayas, I would use the word "rebirth". After many hardships, even near death, I returned safely with a completely new vitality. Everest and Lhotse brought me blessings, awakening the energy of consciousness, inner self and will.

For me, climbing mountains is not about conquering nature or satisfying the feeling of conquest. Every step is a step back, observing myself. The higher I climb, the more I learn to bow my head.

znews.vn

Source: https://lifestyle.znews.vn/toi-chinh-phuc-ca-everest-va-lhotse-trong-mot-tuan-post1553591.html