Though Pokalde is a fairly short climb and a high camp not strictly necessary, it was also to be a sort of rehearsal for the two bigger mountains to come, and we wanted to have time to acclimatise properly. As a consequence, we would walk only 2 hours that day, ascending a few hundred meters to a cluster of lakes below the Kongma La pass. Still young, full of energy and stupid, I got up before sunrise and climbed to a plateau a hundred meters above camp to catch up early morning light. Unfortunately, the views proved quite disappointing, though the Nuptse-Lhotse wall, now very close, was as impressive as ever. Later, as we ascended to High Camp, I began to feel a bit more tired but still went with John and Mungo on a sidetrip to the Kongma La pass, an hour away. This is when the headache started. I put it on dehydration as it had been a very hot day and went to sleep on it. Our alarm was set for 4am. Pokalde was on.

The summit of Taboche showing up at sunrise.

Unidentified mountains to the south-east of Ama Dablam, at sunrise.

Taboche above morning frost on the plateau above Pokalde BC.

Base Camp at sunrise from the plateau. Pokalde is the snowed-up summit on the right side.

The Nuptse-Lhotse wall almost in its entirety.

Ascending to Pokalde High Camp, with Ama Dablam in the background.

Mark and Ama Dablam.

Karma handling a yak while another sherpa was fastening a load which had fallen.

Torben coming up to High Camp.

Makalu from Pokalde High Camp.

Mungo on the way to the Kongma La pass. Pokalde High Camp can be seen just above the lake.

Prayer flags marking the Kongma La pass, in front of the Nuptse-Lhotse wall.

360° panorama from the Kongma La pass. Pokalde is the summit at the end of the ridge, on the right side of the picture. Both Makalu and the Nuptse-Lhotse wall can also be seen.

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On the other side of the Kongma La.

Our High Camp below Makalu.

Mungo looking up at Pokalde from the Kongma La.

Prayer flags on the Kongma La.

Chyote, our sirdar, in front of Makalu during sunset.

Sunset scene from Pokalde High Camp, framed by Lhotse on the left and Ama Dablam on the right.

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Sunset view from High Camp.