Challenge 8000 - The Makalu Diaries

April 20/4/99

ALAN HINKES, UK'S TOP EXTREME-ALTITUDE MOUNTAINEER, STRUCK DOWN BY VIRULENT
INFECTION EN ROUTE TO MAKALU BASE CAMP
Britannia Movers International Ltd rescues expedition and puts Challenge8000 back on track

Alan Hinkes, the UK's top extreme-altitude mountaineer, has been struck down by a very virulent Giardia infection (a parasitic intestinal infection) whilst trekking to the fifth highest mountain in the world, Makalu, in Nepal. The infection threatened to jeopardise the next stage of
Challenge 8000, Alan's attempt to be the first Britain to climb all fourteen mountains in the world over 8000 metres in height, but a rapid response from Britannia Movers International by supporting Alan with a helicopter has put him back on track.

On Monday 5 April, Alan set off from Kathmandu for base camp at Makalu. The first leg of the journey, a short flight on a light aircraft, took him just above the road-head, from where he began an arduous twelve day trek to base camp. The first part of the trek took him through hot humid foothills, with strenuous ascents and descents over ridges, gradually getting higher and cooler. By Saturday 10 April Alan was beginning to feel very weak and shivery with cramps and pains. Used to suffering and physical deprivation, Alan determined to overcome what he thought was a minor ailment and pushed on. By Tuesday 13 April, dehydrated and debilitated, he was unable to go any further and was helped back down to the village of Tashigoan where he called for a medical helicopter to take
him straight to hospital at Kathmandu.

Tests determined that he had contracted a virulent strain of the Giardia infection, which can be picked up from infected food or water. The hospital prescribed medicine, rehydration and complete rest for a few days. Alan's equipment, which was being carried by 40 porters, continued on to base camp with Dawa his Nepalese Sirdar as foreman, arriving on 18 April. For Alan to have any chance of attempting the summit of Makalu during May, before the monsoons arrive in June, he needed to catch up with his equipment and begin his acclimatisation process without spending any more time on the long trek into base camp, especially the dusty and overbearingly hot foothills. Britannia Movers International, who had air freighted his equipment out to Nepal, made a rapid decision to help Alan, by paying for a helicopter to take him to within one day's walk of base camp.

After seven days rest, Alan, who hopes he has now made a full recovery, left Kathmandu in a helicopter on Tuesday 20 April. It dropped him close to base camp and he will resume his attempt and acclimatisation. It is not possible to get a helicopter into base camp at 5000m as this is too high for a helicopter. It would also be too big a leap in altitude for Alan, and would have resulted in acute mountain sickness leading to death from pulmonary or cerebral oedema.
"The Giardia infection completely knocked me out - I could hardly move", said Alan before he left Kathmandu. "At one point I believed that it had finished my chances of attempting Makalu. Even with a quick recovery, I was faced with the prospect of tackling the arduous twelve day trek to base camp again and losing many valuable days on the mountain. The weather window already limits my climbing options on the mountain, with less time my chances of summiting would have narrowed further.

The heli has enabled me to catch up so that I will be only a day or two behind my original schedule when I reach base camp. It is amazing that Britannia Movers International have responded so quickly to my request for help - I can't thank them enough."
John Court, Chief Executive of Britannia Movers International, expressed his pleasure at being able to help. "Alan has embarked on a challenging and demanding plan to tackle the highest mountains in the world and we admire his determination and fortitude. We were pleased to be able to help Alan and wish him the best of luck in his attempt on Makalu."