How Cold Does It Get on the Everest Base Camp Trek?

Everest Base Camp is dream destination to the trekkers who admires beauty of mountain and the adventure that mountains offers. Home to Sherpa community, towering mountain peaks, glaciers and dramatic landscapes makes Everest Base Camp Trek unforgettable. Most of the trekkers have similar types of question about Everest Base Camp and that is, how cold does it get on the Everest Base Camp Trek? Knowing about temperature and weather situations helps a lot during packing and trek planning. This blog explains about the weather situations by altitude and each seasons.

Everest base camp trekking (photo: Life Himalaya Trekking https://lifehimalayatrekking.com/trip/luxury-everest-base-camp-trek/)

Why Does Temperature Matters on the Everest Base Camp Trek?

Temperature matters the most while trekking to the colder places especially on the higher altitude. Extreme cold temperature hampers your trekking experience not only that cold temperature is so crucial at the high altitude zone that can get an individual suffer from altitude sickness and hypothermia. Exposure to cold snow by naked skin can cause frostbite. Knowing about consequences of cold temperature helps you pack the necessary things and plan your acclimatization place and rest days.

Variation in Temperature According to Different Level of Altitude

Every altitude gain about 1000 meters reduce the temperature level that can drop up to 6 degrees. Every 1000 meters altitude gain means every miles temperature drops up to 6 degrees. Lukla 2800 meters consist of mid temperature but as you reach to Gorak Shep temperature drops drastically suddenly a bearable weather turns into unbearable cold weather. Days are cold but nights are extra cold as temperature drops up to 15 degrees.

Lukla (2800) meters to Namche (3440) meters

Lukla and Namche lies on the lower part of Everest region, temperature at early morning and at night are sometimes chilly and sometimes warmer. During spring and autumn temperature in day time range up to 5 degree Celsius to 15 degree Celsius while temperature at night drops up to -5 degree Celsius. Winter season brings cold temperature even in the lower elevation like Lukla and Namche affecting both night and day time.

Tengboche (3860) meters to Dingboche (4410) meters

As you slightly trek to higher altitude you will feel noticeable cold. During spring and summer time temperature in daytime ranges from 0 degree Celsius to 10 degree Celsius and temperature at night drops up to -10 degree Celsius and even low. At this stage of trekking you need to put on proper layer clothes. Frost in the morning is noticeable to you.

Lobuche (4910) meters to Gorak Shep (5164) meters

This stage of trek is where you will feel extreme cold while temperature at the day time range from -5 degree Celsius to 5 degree Celsius, temperature depends upon the season. You will face even more cold during night time as temperature range from -15 degree Celsius to -20 degree Celsius. Flow of strong wind makes this stage of trekking colder than usual. Sunrise hike from Kala Pathhar is one of the coldest experience you will feel during Everest Base Camp Trek.

Everest Base Camp (5364) meters

Base Camp is where you feel extreme cold even in the peak seasons like spring and autumn as temperature stays at 0 degree Celsius. At the higher elevation area like Base Camp you will feel the air is becoming thin, level of oxygen is becoming low, and flow of wind is becoming faster and cold, temperature is comparatively dry. During winter season layered clothing and a proper sleeping gears are important due to extreme cold temperature i.e. -25 degree Celsius.

Spring (March - May): Warm Trekking Experience

Spring is popular season to trek in every peaks including Everest Base Camp. During this season temperature gradually raise making it warmer as compared to other seasons. Above Dingboche expect nights to be colder especially during March. Temperature at the higher altitude during the month of April is mild and can range up to 5 to 10 degree Celsius. May month offers you slightly warmer days but snowfalls are common at the Base Camp.

Summer or Monsoon (June - August): Mild but Wet

Summer brings warmer and humid temperature due to heavy rainfall. Temperature at the lower elevation range up to 15 degree Celsius and can be humid. Altitude above 4000 meters is somehow very cold especially night temperature is extremely cold ranging up to -5 degree Celsius. Fogs and wet gear makes your trekking experience harder as the cold can get worse.

Autumn (September - November): Clear Visibility and Chilly Weather

Autumn is an ideal season as this season offers you a wide range of experience in friendly weather where visibility of mountains and sunrise is clear navigating routes are easier. September is considered as the warm month in autumn season meanwhile November is slightly cold. At the higher altitude temperature at the day time range from 0 degrees to 10 degree Celsius and at the night time temperature drops up to -15 degree Celsius but it can go even lower.

Winter (December - February): Harsh Cold Temperature and Isolation
You will experience extreme cold at the lower elevation as well as in the Base Camp. Temperature at the day time is unbearable due to extreme cold. Temperature is constantly zero degrees especially above 4000 meters, night temperature range up to -25 degree Celsius and even goes lower at the Base Camp. Trials are not much filled with trekkers but skies are visible. If you can't handle cold then this season is not meant for you.

Wind chill and Constant Cold

Pressure of the cold wind is very high at the high altitude even -5 degrees feels like -25 degrees. Climbing to Kala Pathhar for the sunrise view is very difficult due to strong pressure of chill and cold wind. If you are planning to trek then you have to get wind proof jacket as the wind is in the form of snow. Stay warm in the cold temperature by wearing a proper layered clothes.

Inside of Tea Houses in Cold Situation

Tea houses offers you basic room facilities with shared bed, shared bathrooms and a dining hall that runs with stove. Heating bedrooms are not available. Dining are only operated at evening time especially at the altitude above 4000 meters. Temperature at night can range up to -20 degrees so bring a comfy and warmer sleeping bag with you.

Clothing Tips for Cold Weather

Put on a base layer cloth that can soak up the moisture of your body, to layer it up wear a suitable sweater and to top off the look put on some down jacket then on the top of down jacket wear water or wind proof jacket. For neck put on muffler or thick scarf. Wear hand gloves, socks and thermal hats to be safe from cold. Don't wear cotton clothes as it traps the moisture of your body.

Packing Essentials for Cold Weather

You might get basic room facilities in tea houses so bring a sleeping bag with you. Hot bags and hot bottles to keep yourself warm. Body care materials like cream, sunscreen and lip balm.

Dealing with Cold While Trekking

Avoid pushing yourself, pushing yourself results shortness in breathing. Start fast move slow. Follow proper acclimatization technique. If you sweaty try to change your layered clothes as wind capture the wet part and let the cold wind hit your body. Due to cold temperature batteries drain quickly. Keep batteries and mobile close to your body.

Frostbite and Hypothermia

Frostbite and Hypothermia are the real and most risky condition you will suffer at the cold temperature. Frostbite affects the part of you body that is exposed trekkers suffer from frostbite on the body parts like toe and fingers.

Hypothermia affects the temperature in your body making your body temperature low. If you get the sings like shivering, stuttered voice and fatigue immediately descend back.

Mental Preparation for Cold

Mental strength is more essential than physical strength. Fighting with risk like frostbite and hypothermia needs a strong will power as the key to fight these risk is to not panic and stay calm. Staying at the isolated and cold place for few weeks or days is extremely hard for normal people. Being homesick and no internet connection is mentally tiring. You should be prepared about all of these matters.

How Do Local Handle the Cold

Sherpa are the common tribes that lives in the Everest region. They spend most of their time on extreme cold situation letting their body adopt with the weather and climate situation of the surrounding. They mainly wear woolen garment, insulated boots and double layered clothes. On their hoses they use thick woolen blankets and thick bed sheets to keep themselves warm. They use Yak dung stoves as cylinder gas is not available easily and cost high as usual. They drink hot soups to fight with cold.

Conclusion

Everest Base Camp temperature is harsh but we need to learn from the life style of Sherpa people they have been living here since a long time and we are just there spending a week or days. Being safe on this hard temperature is hard but it's not impossible following acclimatization and packing techniques will help you a lot during this trek. Are you ready to beat the cold?
Read more - https://lifehimalayatrekking.com/trip/luxury-everest-base-camp-trek/

99 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, United States

About MSNBlogs
https://MSNBlogs delivers diverse, engaging content on technology, lifestyle, and business. It connects readers worldwide with fresh ideas and insights.

This release was published on openPR.