What Climbing a 5000m mountain Feels Like
In May of this year, I spent three incredible months in Nepal.
I was with a group of 12 other people on a Where There Be Dragons program.
Nepal is truly a hidden gem, often overlooked for its breathtaking beauty.
It’s the most stunning country I’ve ever visited, and I urge everyone to visit at least once in their life.
One of the highlights of my trip was trekking in the Himalayas.
We took on the Langtang trek and climbed up to Kyanjin Ri, which stands at a staggering 5,000 meters.
The journey was amazing, and I learned so much along the way.
Here are some key realizations I had during my adventure.
1. Sherpa guides are insane
As we trekked up the mountain, we each carried a backpack weighing between 10–20kg.
The real heroes, though, were our Sherpa guides.
They carried all the heavy stuff — tents, sleeping pads, cooking gear — about 50kg of equipment each.
Some Sherpas even told us they can haul up to 100–120kg on their backs.
And keep in mind, these guys are pretty small, averaging about 5 foot 6.
Despite this, they would literally run to the next checkpoint, arriving before us every time.
By the time we got there, they’d have camp set up and food cooking.
And they weren’t just strong; they were some of the goofiest, funniest, and most caring people I’ve ever met.
They always slept in one big tent together, playing games, chatting through the night, and building big campfires.
Watching them was truly wholesome.
2. Dealing with a lack of oxygen is pretty hard
On our final summit day, we had a four-hour hike that felt like it was straight up.
It was all uphill trekking in the snow.
The higher we climbed, the less oxygen there was, making it exhausting.
Even though I’m a pretty fit guy — I ran a 70km ultramarathon earlier this year — my cardiovascular system was really put to the test.
It was physically tough.
Before this trek, I always thought climbing Mt. Everest was something I could do.
But after this experience, I realized it’s not happening.
Everest is a 24-hour summit hike with no breaks, all while carrying oxygen tanks.
I can’t even imagine how tough that would be.
3. The feeling of reaching the summit is unmatched by anything else.
That feeling when you reach the top is indescribable.
Your legs are sore, your chest aches from breathing in the thin air, and your arms are beyond tired.
For the past four hours, all you’ve seen is vertical mountain and snow.
The only thing that keeps you moving is the thought that you’ll reach the top soon.
Your toes and fingers are frozen, and your nose is sore from constantly pulling snot back in.
And then, out of nowhere, the summit appears.
Suddenly, you can stop, rest, and take in what is undoubtedly the best view you’ve ever seen in your life.
It’s this rush of pure dopamine you get which makes climbing so worth it.
I’m Soyal, a 19 year old creator on Medium. I’ve been writing on Medium every day for two months, and I’m committed to writing for 365 days straight.
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