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Lobuche East (20,075ft/6119m) is a trekking peak.  The main peak of Lobuche, Lobuche West (20,161ft/6145m), requires an expedition peak permit that is considerably more expensive.  Himex members climbed Lobuche East twice to avoid climbing through the Icefall to acclimatize for Everest. [_EVE090122]Hiro took this of Shinji and me on our way to Lobuche Base Camp.  I was not doing well.  Two days before during skills review I felt some pain in my chest.  That night I was up coughing and the pain grew worse.  At some point during the hike to Lobuche Base Camp, I made a simple movement that resulted in what felt like a spear digging through my chest.  It was like a golf ball with spikes on it lodged in my heart.  [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_2959]Lobuche Base Camp with Lobuche Peak in the background  [EVE09_0149]Lobuche Base Camp  [EVE09_0140]Lobuche BC as Team 3 goes up to camp 1 - I stayed behind to give my muscle time to recover.  [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_2989]The view from the summit of Lobuche East.  After taking a strong anti-inflammatory for a few days, I joined Eugene, Monique (Eugene's mother), another trekker and two Sherpas for the summit climb.  [_EVE090248]Eugene and his Mother, Monique, at Camp 1 [_EVE090240]Climbing Lobuche - These photos were taken on another day by Hiro.  The card in my camera was full!  [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_3153]I left the trekkers early on summit day and went ahead on my own.  [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_3188]Climbing Lobuche [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_3213]Climbing Lobuche [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_3239]Climbing Lobuche  [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_3496]Climbing Lobuche [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_3554]Thomas, just below the summit at high camp  [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_3593]High Camp with Everest in the background  [Photo by Hiro KuraokaIMG_3599]The summit of Lobuche - I reached the summit in just over 4 hours, which was a tremendous relief.  Although I only climbed Lobuche once, it didn't seem to matter for my acclimatization.  [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_3680]
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Thomas, just below the summit at high camp [Photo by Hiro Kuraoka IMG_3593]



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