Nepal, April 2011

Everest Base Camp - Frozen Lake with Rock Island

For months Joe Myers and I had planned a trip to Nepal, intending on leaving April 22nd to hike to Trevor's memorial and then to Everest Base Camp.

However, on April 6th we received an e-mail from the US Embassy in Nepal stating that remains had been found on an island in a large lake at Everest Base Camp and the description fitted that of Trevor.  Also found close to the body was a Nikon Coolpix camera, the same as what Trevor owned. The discovery set in motion a rapid change in schedule for Joe and myself to leave for Nepal sooner than April 22nd, as I felt the need to still hike to Base Camp as planned, but to now bring his remains down the mountain myself. It was important for me to do that. The decision was made to keep his remains in an ice cave for the 10-14 days it would take for me to travel and hike up.  

On April 2nd, Dr. Luanne Freer, who is in charge of the Himalayan Rescue Association of Nepal, was manning the clinic at EBC and was contacted by a sherpa who went to collect water from a lake and noticed the remains. Drs. Freer and Lohani as well as Lhakpa Sherpa traversed down a steep embankment and went to the island in the middle of the now frozen lake and took photographs of the remains and the surrounding area. Approximately 15' away and over a mound of large boulders the camera was found but the straps had to be cut to release it as the rocks had firmly jammed it in place. According to Nico Smeets, our guide, and others who know the area well, this was most likely owing to the exposure of the rock mound in the center of the lake and to the fact that the water level of the lake had receded significantly, either due to drainage from glacial movement, higher than usual temperatures and/or the lake drying up. 

Given the extensive search conducted in July 2005 when Trev went missing, his falling/slipping into the lake is the most likely scenario, as his body would have been found at the time had it been on the surface. Although the lake was frozen when we were there now, from the photos retrieved from Trevor's camera, it is clear that in the month of July the area lakes were not frozen. 

On Wednesday April 14th Joe and I arrived in Kathmandu and on the next day, Friday April 15th at 6.30 am we flew with my friend and 'guide', Nico Smeets, to Lukla and started the walk to EBC. Nico is the man who headed the original search for Trevor in July 2005 and has been in touch with us over the years. He  is special.

As we got off to an early start, we hiked to Monjo the first day instead of only to Phakding, which made the second day to Namche Bazaar much less strenuous. Dr. Freer, who was returning to her home in Montana after having been at Base Camp for three weeks met me in Namche Bazaar and gave me Trev's camera. After an emotional goodbye we continued the 8 day trek with us hiking up to seven hours each day. Some of the days were extremely challenging. The trail is very uneven and dusty and is shared with many people as well as animals such as yaks. After Namche we hiked to Tengbouche/Debouche, a long day of steady climbing with a gain of about 2000'. The next day was to Dingbouche, with most of the day trekking in a snow storm and then the following day a short hike to Thukla. We woke very early to give us enough time to paint the memorial before the afternoon winds and clouds came in. A short but hard walk from Thukla took us to the chorten field (altitude 15,200'), where we started our work, changing the prayer flags and painting the memorial. After about 2 hours we were done and hiked to Lobuche. 

The next morning, Friday April 22nd was an early start as I wanted to go all the way to Base Camp  as there was a possibility that bad weather was coming in. We arrived at BC to a wonderful reception by all the doctors who were expecting us. The doctors and a few sherpas took us to the area where Trevor's remains were found.  This involved having to be helped down a steep embankment, approximately 20 to 25 feet in depth, by two sherpas using ice axes.  Once on the frozen lake, I walked across to the rock island and explored the area to see if I could locate any other items of his.  That night Joe and I slept in a tent (elevation 17,300') and awoke on the Saturday morning to a temperature of 17 degrees in the tent!!  It truly was quite an experience.

The morning of April 23 was still, without a breath of wind. The sun rising over the mountains was special. This was the morning the charter helicopter was to take me with Trevor's remains to the Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu.  At 9.15 am I boarded the chopper and left Joe and Nico to walk down the mountain together. I was much more emotional than I thought I would be. 

I arrived at the Teaching Hospital and Trev's remains were taken for processing prior to being released by the police to my custody and we flew back to Dallas.

It was extremely comforting to have had the backing and the emotional support of Daniel del Castillo and the rest of the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu.  I cannot thank them enough.

The burial was on Friday afternoon, with only the family present. Rabbi Mendel Dubrawsky conducted the limited service.