GHT Fun Facts

Taplejung – Simikot 127 days

Trail slogan: “And we climb, and we climb, and we climb.”

Distance covered: 1263 km

Average km/day: 13,5 km

Total vertical gain/loss: 123930 m
Ascent: 63640m
Descent: 60290 m

Average vertical gain&loss/day: 1318 m

Number of times we climbed Everest from sea level: 14

Number of walking days: 94

Number of zero days: 34
Zero days for sickness/injury: 9
Zero days chasing agents and permits: 11
Zero days spent in jeeps getting to/from trailheads: 5
Zero days acclimatising: 3
Zero days that were actually just about resting: 6

Number of passes crossed: 36
Number of +5000m passes crossed: 10
Number of +6000m passes crossed: 2

Body changes
Eef 21/09/2017
Weight: 72 kg
Hips: 98 cm
Thighs: 66 cm
Calves: 38 cm
Waist: 75 cm
Arms: 27 cm
Chest: 88 cm

Eef 03/02/2018
Weight: 61 kg
Hips: 82 cm
Thighs: 57 cm
Calves: 36 cm
Waist: 66 cm
Arms: 25 cm
Chest: 82 cm

PJ 21/09/2017
Weight: 74 kg
Hips: 92 cm
Thighs: 53 cm
Calves: 36 cm
Waist: 79 cm
Arms: 29 cm
Chest: 94 cm

PJ 03/02/2018
Weight: 62 kg
Hips: 90 cm
Thighs: 49 cm
Calves: 34 cm
Waist: 76 cm
Arms: 25 cm
Chest: 87 cm

Number of days spent at/above 4500m: 22

Top speed: 6 km/h (Annapurna)

Slowest speed: 200m/h (Makalu high passes)

Longest day (distance): 27km, Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve

Longest day (time): 13 hours of walking, 16 hours awake (4AM – 8 PM), Sherpani Col and West Col

Highest point: 6180m, Sherpani Col

Lowest point: 650m, Dobban

Number of nights in a tent: 24

Number of nights in a teahouse: 73

Number of nights in a hotel: 20

Number of nights in someone’s house: 9

Number of days with snow: 9 (lucky!)

Number of items with holes/stitches or broken: 16 (Eef)

Number of times I stitched up my pants alone: 10

Longest amount of time without a shower:
Eef: 30 days
PJ: 36 days
Marylene: 20 days

Number of showers taken between arrival in Nepal and the end of the trail:
Eef: 6 (+2 baths and 2 hotsprings)
PJ: 6 (+2 baths)
Marylene: 8 (+2 baths and 2 hotsprings)

Favourite trek (overall):
Eef: Dhaulagiri south & Dhorpatan
PJ: Makalu high passes
Marylene: Num to Makalu Base Camp

Favourite trekking area:
Eef: Makalu-Barun
PJ: Dhaulagiri
Marylene: Annapurna (but it’s hard to choose)

Most scenic trekking area:
Eef: Solokhumbu (Everest)
PJ: Solokhumbu
Marylene: Solokhumbu

Easiest section:
Eef: Annapurna
PJ: Everest trek
Marylene: Annapurna

Hardest section:
Eef: Makalu BC – Mera – Lukla (crossing high technical passes Sherpani Col & West Col)
PJ: Thame – Tashi Labsta Pass – Na
Marylene: Ruby Valley

Least favourite trek:
Eef: Milky Danda
PJ: Milky Danda
Marylene: Milky Danda

Number of mental breakdowns:
Eef: 4
PJ: 2
Marylene: 2

Number of injuries:
Eef: 2
PJ: 1
Marylene: /

Number of times any of us pooped our pants: 3

Most beautiful mountain:
Eef: Ama Dablam (Solokhumbu) (Fishtail is a close second)
PJ: Ama Dablam
Marylene: Ama Dablam

Most beautiful +8000m mountain:
Eef: Makalu
PJ: Makalu
Marylene: Makalu

Hardest +5000m pass:
Eef: Sherpani Col (6180m)
PJ: Tashi Labsta (5755m)
Marylene: Sherpani Col (6180m)

Most scenic +5000m pass:
Eef: Renjo La (5420m, Solokhumbu) (followed closely by Sherpani Col)
PJ: Renjo La (followed closely by West Col)
Marylene: Renjo La

Most scenic lower pass:
Eef: Phalgune Pass (4070m, Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve)
PJ: Chankeli Lagna (3595m, Humla)
Marylene: Lauribina Pass (4610m, Langtang National Park)

Easiest +5000m pass:
Eef: Thorong La (5416m, Annapurna)
PJ: Lobuche Pass (5120m, Solokhumbu)
Marylene: Thorong La

Number of times I seriously thought I would die: 2

Number of times I nearly pressed the beacon SOS button: 3

Approximate percentage of the time we were lost: 20%

Number of dal bhat meals: 40

Longest period of time without seeing another westerner: 30 days