As New Zealanders, we share a very special birthright. I'm not referring to the classic Pav or obsession with provincial rugby, but rather the fact that in Nepal, and thanks to the inspired and inspirational work of Sir Ed Hillary after his climb of Mt Everest, we're regarded as special. Nepal is an amazing place, made all the more amazing by the longstanding connection between New Zealand and the Sherpa. It's an accessible and exciting holiday destination and with a bit of training and some appropriate gear its doable by most folks.
One of our family friends, Lizzy Stevenson, headed off to Nepal with her Sister, Annie, along with some Cactus gear and had an epic adventure. We’ve been lucky enough to get a hold of her diary which was written in along the way and wanted to share it with you lot.
Something rather inspiring and even if you’re not into climbing and mountaineering – this is still a bloody good read while you’re sitting on the beach... have at it:
Backstory:
Born 1971
Lives in Khumjung. Family ancestors from Tibet. Phurba is 5th generation to live in Khumjung. One of five children. Owns teahouse in Khumjung and another in Dragnag (now managed by 24 year old daughter). Historically, family were Yak/Nak farmers. Phurba still owns livestock – 75 in total (including Yak/Naks, 5 cows (milked twice daily), two ox, one horse and a dog). Naks spend most of the time up a valley between Khumjung and Dragnag and are managed by an ‘adopted’ brother (looked after by his parents). Yak/Nak herd was inherited from his parents.
Phurba married Karma Osma, a sherpa who grew up in Phertse, a village that Phurba used to pass through frequently with his livestock and on the way to Dragnag. Phurba and Karma have five children aged between 7 and 24:
- Phurba Tashi (52 years – favourite vege is a carrot).
- Karms Osma (42 years)
- Sinem Cuhhtes (24 year old daughter who manages Dragnag teahouse).
- Sonam Pinjo (22 year old son who is a monk in Tengboche since age 11).
- Fhinjo Sonam (20 year old twin son who is in Canada).
- Fhinjo Zanbu (20 year old twin son who si in Kathmandu).
- Pinjo Palmu (7 year old daughter).
Phurba’s parents both died in 2015. Phurba’s mother passed away quite unexpectedly in April 2015, just two days before the Nepal Earthquake on 25 April (Gorkha Earthquake). Phurba was at Everest Base Camp (EBC) when she passed and returned home to be with family. Many of his friends and colleagues at EBC were killed in the earthquake. Phurba would have been there too had his mother not passed away. Phurba’s mother never approved of his climbing career and he sometimes wonders if the passing of his mother and the earthquake timing were somehow linked.
Their Khumjung teahouse suffered significant damage in the earthquake. Later that year, Phurba’s father was found to have advanced lung cancer and died only six months after Phurba’s mother.
That same year, their youngest child, Pinjo Palmu, was unexpectedly but happily conceived. After Karma had significant side effects from previous use of Depot Contraception. Pinjo became a source of great joy and blessing for Phurba after a time of great sorrow. After the earthquake and his mother’s death in 2015, Phurba decided not to continue his extreme climbing career.
Climbing:
Phurba has climbed 37+ 8000m peaks. Phurba held the record for the greatest number of Everest summits at 21 times from 2013 – 2018. Phurba worked for Himalaya’s Experiencee (with kiwi, Russel Brice) for 20 years, and has worked with Everest Mountain Experience (with Chhuldim) for 25 years.
Phurba’s Summit Count:
- Everest: 21
- Lhoise: 2
- Cho-Yu: 5
- Mensalu: 7
- Sisapangma: 1
Notable mentions:
- Favourite peak climbed: Ama Dablam
- Favourite pass: Renjo La & Gokyo
Of his Everest summits, 13 were from Northern side (via Tibet) and 8 were from the Southern side (Nepal). His first summit was when he was 28 years old. For Everest and Lhotse, oxygen is used, but he climbed both Cho-Oyu and Manaslu without supplemental oxygen. While climbing Shishapangma, he and his team were caught in an avalanche – fortunately all members survived but it was terrifying.
Interestingly, Everest does not have significant avalanche risk in comparison but the main danger, particularly for sherpas involved in expeditions, lies in the multiple crossing of the Khumbu icefall. As part of climbing, gear has to be moved and transferred from Everest Base Camp up the mountain to different camps. Sherpas have to cross the icefall at least 30 times in a single expedition. Crossings are usually made at night, when the ice is more stable and done every second night for several weeks. Many sherpas die on the south side of Mt Everest.
When climbing Everest from the South, oxygen is only required for the summit day. Each O2 cylinder weighs 3kg and contains 4L of oxygen. On summit day, a sherpa is allocated 2x O2 cylinders at 2 Bar, and the client has 4 Bar.
In 2007, Phurba summitted Everest three times within 20 days!
- Fix ropes between Hillary Step and the Summit
- North to South
- Attempted ‘double traverse’ with English partner but went North to South then partner pulled out so Phurba walked home from EBC after the first cross.
One of the Phurba’s saddest times was when young French snowboarder (Zoya Marco Siffredi) summitted Everest with Phurba (for the second time), then left him on his snowboard for the dissent while Phurba climbed down but Siffredi never arrived. They waited for two days but he never showed. His body was never found.
Phurba’s father went on climbing expeditions as a chef/cook with Sir Edmund Hillary.
Everest approach from the Northern side (Tibet) does not incur an icefall but is harder in times of altitude acclimatization. Vehicles are driven from Kathmandu to the Tibetan boarder and then can drive up Everest to 5200m. Climbers then take 1-2 days to climb above 6000m. The final ascent total altitude gain on summit day is greater than the approach from the Southern side.
Phurba, his home and family feature in the documentary ‘Sherpa’ (2015) which is based on Phurba and the lead up to his 22nd ascent of Everest which was then abandoned following the avalanche in April 2014 that killed 16 sherpa.
