Words and photographs by Epic founder, Chris Lininger
They say nothing is sweeter than a redemption expedition. Or at least right now, I am saying that.
Back in October 2023, I suffered a broken foot while walking for a coffee in the Thamel neighborhood of Kathmandu. Being that I was set to lead our group of 8 team members to the summit of Island Peak in the coming days – this was indeed an unfortunate development. That epic team back in October went on to summit Island Peak with our excellent Nepali staff and recently appointed leader Vasco, and I was forced to pack it in and go home. End curtain 2023.
When I recently landed back in Nepal towards the end of March – I was roughly 5 months out from the injury and ready to jump back on the horse and head to the mountains with a heightened sense of “let’s fuc**** goooo!”.
The past three weeks in Nepal have been nothing short of magic. With a solid team of six people from 5 different countries – we experienced the complete spectrum of Himalayan challenges, triumphs, and simple moments that make this country so special.
On April 6th, around 8:30 am, we stood on top of Island Peak (Imja Tse) – 6,189 m (20,226 ft) after a solid effort through cold, steep ice and rock sections, and a battering wind that would not leave us alone.
The theme of this expedition set the tone from the very beginning: the summit is the goal, the journey is the process.
We lived and thrived by this mantra and in the end, it proved to be exactly the right approach – both before and after our successful summit bid on Island Peak.
Shout out to our Spring 2024 Island Peak Expedition Team – cheers to you all. You guys and gals are all legends and we are stoked to have shared this powerful adventure experience with you. What’s for breakfast haha?
Special thanks to our local team of guides, porters, drivers, cooks, and everyone in between. Nothing happens without all of your hard work. Bage dai and Sandip dai – you guys are the best! धन्यवाद
Below is a selection of images from the past three weeks – shot during our Island Peak Expedition – March/April 2024.
If you want to join us in October to experience the magic of Nepal yourself, please email us to learn more about how you can join the team or check out the Island Peak trip page here.
