Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club (BMTC) has summit Mera Peak (21830 ft) of Himalayas on 30 September 2007 at 4.45pm

 

We are happy to inform everyone that we, four members of Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club (BMTC) has summit Mera Peak (21830 ft) of Himalayas on 30 September 2007 at 4.45pm. The members are M A Mohit (Team Leader), Sajal Khaled, Nur Mohammad and Nishat Majumder. It is actually 2nd expedition in Mera Peak. The first attempt was failed in 2005. Mera Peak is the highest summit peak by any Bangladeshi so far. Most probably it was the toughest expedition by us due to snow storm. Two Europeans teams before us and 4 teams after us left their expedition but we were there till our last strength.

We started out trekking from Lukla on 20 September 2007 with our guide Ganesh Magar and two porters Lalit and Lochon. On the fifth day (24 September 2007) we  reached a place called Khare crossing the Chatrala Pass (13776 ft). We had plan to stay one extra day at Khare for acclimatization. At the first day it was snowing softly but on the next day we wake up with surprise to see 4 feet snow outside. There were two more team from Germany and Spain, they also had no other way but waiting for good weather. We waited there 4 days but there was not a single Minuit without snow. 

On the 5th day at Khare (28 september 2007) we started to base camp caring all of our mountaineering equipments and two days fuel+foods. There was 4 feet snow all over we could see. After some hours it started snowing again. We were locked by a 170 ft long rope to save life from craves. We were unable to see anything for white out. The trail had several craves between base camp. After 6 hours of tough time we reached on Mera Glaceer. We had no other choice but setting our tent on the glacier (18500ft) for heavy snow storm.

The days were long and tough on the glacier. Sleeping on ice world is not easy. We were four person in a small tent and our porters and guide were in another tent. There was no water as the temperature was about -10 degree. We were ready to start to summit at the midnight (1am). Unfortunately the snow storm didn't stop for a minute till the next day. We were worried as we had shortage of foods. Then we decided to bring foods and gas fuel for two more days. Our porters agreed to go back to Khare as we offered them a good amount of bonus. The porters went back to Khare and brought foods at evening following our foot prints. As the weather was little clear our guide Mohit and I went to make some route for the summit. Unfortunately we had to come back to base camp after an hour for storm.

The second day on glacier was also tough as earlier. We were tired and becoming sick for lack of energetic food. We decided to start that midnight if the weather is little clear. But unfortunately at the night weather was not clear at all.

We were desperate on third day (30 September) for starting. Our guide and porters were scared and wanted to go back anyhow. At 10am the weather was little clear and we didn't wait a minute to use this opportunities. We packed our tents and bags and started to go to high camp. Before high camp suddenly snow storm started again. We were suspecting frost bite to our fingers and toes. We decided to stay that place instantly as we had no other choice. From this place there are two routs. One is safe but long and another is short but dengerous.

We were waiting and shivring from cold. At around 2pm suddenly the sky become clear and we decided to start to summit that time instantly. We were crazy for summit. We started at 2.30 pm with the dengerous route as we had very less time. In the men rope our guide was at first and then were Mohit, I, Nisho and Nur. Our guide was looking confused for the craves though he has 20 years of experience in high altitude. I was advising him the route. So he offered me to lead the team. Then I lead the team to summit solving puzzles of craves at 4.45pm.

We celebrated our summit for 10 minuets. It was about -15 that time. The weather become bad again and we started running back to our camp. We stayed that day on our established high camp and came back to Khare on the next day. After Khare we reached to Lukla in three days and came back to Kathmandu by a flight.

If things goes well we shall come back to Bangladesh in several days.