If only ABC were as easy as 1-2-3!

Tori Nixon, Lead Nurse at Nomad Russell Square, recounts her and a friend’s experiences climbing to Annapurna Base Camp.

At 8,091 meters, ‘Annapurna One’ is the world’s tenth highest mountain, reserved for the professional only.  Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) on the other hand, is a glorious vantage point at 4,130 meters and constitutes the trekker’s terminus.  Yet, above 2,500m the risk of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) are equally genuine for trekkers and professionals alike.

ABC has a demanding schedule, as do many treks, such as Kilimanjaro.  This factor particularly increases the risk of altitude sickness – you are gaining in altitude quickly with little time to let your body aclimatize.  The trek takes you above 4,000m, an altitude above which you can begin to exhibit symptoms of the conditions High Altitude Cerebral Oedema or High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema.  But what is one to do when the mountains are places where historic tales and endeavor become intertwined – not an opportunity to miss!  With our tight schedule in mind, we decided  the key to help prevent us being hampered by potential severe illness was to take the altitude medication Diamox as a preventative measure.

On Day 1, to the fore were outstanding views beckoning us up the valley.  Maintaining our hydration and not feeling any strain or discomfort, we continued to increase in altitude.  A brief stop for ginger tea in a Cornish mug made us feel a lot better!

On Day 2, we felt quite a time pressure as we were hiking on the cusp of monsoon season and as a result the Annapurna Trail was about to close.  However, we set off with only the mildest aches from the previous day.  Passing us on their way down was a woman being carried aloft by three sherpas, each taking their turn to piggy-back her using supporting Nepalese head straps, in order to bring her down in altitude quickly.  She looked severely unwell, and on enquiring if she was OK, were told she had quite rapidly begun to show symptoms of altitude sickness; increasing tiredness, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and severe headache.   Descending not far behind her was a Nepalese guide with his party of young trekkers.  He explained that half his group had got ‘Altitude Sickness’ and one girl had to be evacuated in the middle of the night!  We pushed on, reassured of our decision to use Diamox.

On Day 3, we continued upwards to 3,700 meters with no ill effects of altitude, and for once it didn’t rain.

Day 4 found us easing up the gradient and pushing through the 4,000m mark, (a level where AMS cases can genuinely be fatal if not addressed).  We had made it, in an ever-thinning atmosphere!  The cloud cover which had draped the base camp for several days dissipated soon after our arrival to reveal a spectacular Himalyan ampitheatre.   We didn’t know where to look first – we had to stand back, breathe deeply, and admire to take it all in.  The prayer flags were still as there was no breeze, it was amazing!

It was just a pity our hostel room on our return to Pokhara was on the 4th floor, we could hardly make it up and down the stairs…

ABC had been successfully accomplished.  A feat which may not have been achieved without plenty of physical preparation, sound medical advice on AMS (talk to your local Nomad Nurse) and safely prescribed Diamox for that which we could not otherwise prepare for.

Nomad Bishop’s Stortford

www.nomadtravel.co.uk