Intrepid Arran scales the heights in the Himalayas
An intrepid Scottish Woodlands employee has returned to the UK after conquering a 21,000-ft peak in the Himalayas.
Arran Smith, a Senior Forest Manager based in Melrose, joined a three-week expedition to climb the towering 6470-metre Mera Peak in Nepal.
His group braved a challenging final climb, the aftermath of a cyclone and windchill temperatures as low as minus 27 degrees C.
Arran flew to the Nepali capital of Kathmandu, and onto Lukla, then trekked through the stunning Hinku Valley. The trek to base camp (5300 metres) took a week and a half, and the group spent a night in a tent at base camp before heading up the Mera Glacier for another night in a tent at ‘high camp’ (5800 metres).
Arran recalled the final push to the summit; “Our guides woke us at 1am for breakfast before leaving camp to head for the summit at around 2.30am. The climb took around three and a half hours and we reached the summit at sunrise, about 6am. The last 50 metres or so were on a fixed rope, due to the slope angle and exposed edge.”
“The wind chill at the summit was around -27 degrees! After a few photos and admiring the views across 5 of the 14 highest peaks in the world (including Everest), we headed back down to high camp for a second breakfast and a couple of hours rest before trekking back down to the lodge at Kahre.”
Arran continued: “Six of the group of 7 made it to base camp and high camp - but 3 then stayed at high camp due to struggles with altitude. As only 3 of us attempted (and made it) to the summit, I had a guide to myself, which was brilliant as I could go at my own pace!”
The challenge wasn’t over, as the group had three days trekking back to Lukla - and a cyclone had hit Nepal on the evening before the final day, which meant they had to negotiate heavy snowfall and winds to get back to Lukla.
Arran explained: “That was by far the toughest day for keeping up morale, but we were extremely lucky to get a weather window for the whole trip. A cyclone hit a couple of weeks before, as well as at the time we were leaving and some climbers were stranded and there were avalanches.”
