After years of saying “we should totally climb Island Peak someday,” my three best friends and I finally took the plunge last spring and holy moly, it was everything we dreamed of and then some! The Everest Base Camp trek was this perfect mix of challenging and breathtaking (literally and figuratively), giving us time to bond, acclimate, and just soak in those mind-blowing Himalayan views. We laughed till our sides hurt at 5,000m, had deep talks under more stars than I knew existed, and ate way too many Snickers bars.
Then came Island Peak itself and let me tell you, that “little” mountain doesn’t mess around! The early morning summit push had us questioning all our life choices (why did I volunteer to lead this again?), but our guides from HC Treks were absolute rockstars, patient when we needed it, firm when we needed that, and always making safety priority #1. The moment we all reached the summit together? Pure magic. The kind of euphoria that makes you forget how much your legs hurt and how little oxygen there is.
HC Treks completely nailed it from adjusting our pace when one of us got mild AMS (no shame, we learned it happens to everyone differently) to the little surprises like hot lemon tea waiting at camp after long days. We came home with not just summit certificates, but inside jokes we’ll be cracking for decades and that deep, quiet confidence that comes from pushing your limits with people who’ve got your back.
