Everest area in Dec. / Jan.?

[Anders]

Hej!

I and my companion is planning to trekk the Base Camp Trekk from mid Dec. to mid Jan. this year. I assume it will be very cold, but how cold? Is it passable and are the accomodation to find the whole year? How many minus degrees should the sleeping bag be able to manage?
Is it reasonable safe to trekk from Jirri?

Would be very greatful if anyone could give me some info. regarding this!
Thanks and Kind Regards,
Anders & Sofia

[yakshaver]

It depends on the altitude you are at. If you travel from Jiri, the lower elevations (up to about 3500m) will still be mild. At 2000m for example temperatures might vary between +18 and +5 degrees Celsius. At 3600 (Namche Bazaar) the minimul might be - 5 at night and early morning, and +10 during the middle of the day. At Gokyo 4700m (which I prefer any day overe the EBC) you can encounter -15 or even -20 during the early hours of the morning, with the temperature raising at or close to 0, or just above 0 during the day.
A good four-seasons rated sleeping bag should be enough. Bear in mind that what you wear to sleep can also increas your perceived warmth by an average of 5 or so degrees per extra layer.
By all accounts the Jiri to Lukla stretch is safe. No one has been threatened or molested over there. There were some reports that the maoists in the Jiri to Lukla area have occasionally imposed "taxes" on trekkers, 500 rupees or so, in the same way as the Nepali Governement asks you to pay National Park fees... They gave tourists receipts, so that they are not "charged" again in the next villages. Still, not all trekkers over the last year reported this type of stuff, and all those who posted reports seem to have enjoyed the experience. The area from Lukla onwards is the safest area to travel in Nepal as far as conflict is concerned.
Bear in mind that the Mao Mao are not against tourists, in fact despite some "reported threats" from the American State Dept (not confirmed at all by the Brittish Foreign Office for example) the maoists have a stated policy of not harming toursts.
But once on trek you will ask yourself what the fuss was all about.

[naresh]

dear Anders & Sofia,
there is no problem to do trek up to basecamp where ever you want do, many people do that, I have been there many times with my clients. yes there are cold can be cope, there are abvialbe accomodation up to basecamp, the normal sleeping bag is ok. the hotel provide a nice blanket. I suggest you that better to take flight kathmandu to lukla. feel confident there is no problems, yours truly naresh.

[Lars]

Anders,

Last time I was in the area, Nov 98, I chatted with the owners of the lodge in Pheriche. IIRC the only lodge, or at least the best one.

The man told me that that lodge is a family operation and that they are actually residents of Kathmandu. They only come to Pheriche for the trekking season, other than that the lodge is closed down and left with just a caretaker.

As I recall he indicated that come early December they pack up and go.
No one home, no heat, no food.

Now this is only the lodge in Pheriche. I don´t know about the others, but
I would not be surprised if much close down by the time the snow start staying on the ground through the day. It will be difficult to do any walking anyway.

Personally I would not go beyond Namche between early December and late March.

Pheriche is between Thengboche and Lobuche.

Lars