Swan Lake on Everest

Marina Cortês fell in love with altitude while visiting Nepal with the plan a quick three-week Everest base camp trek in 2012. She stayed 4 months in the Himalaya. She trekked solo in the Khumbu for 4 weeks including the treacherous Cho La, East to West alone and Gokyo Ri. She completed the Annapurna Circuit and traversed the Thorung La in 3.5 hours from Thorung Phedi to  Muktinath.

The next summer she summited Stok Kangri (6145m) with only 4 days acclimatisation from sea level to summit. The Summer after that she went straight for the  eight thousands, summiting Cho Oyu (8201m) and becoming an eight thousander herself. In 2017 she was bound for Lhotse with Mingma G but was halted by injury and rescued by helicopter straight from Everest Base Camp. The family’s 2020 Everest summit plans were halted in march by Covid.

*Finally*, it appears to be possible to fly to Nepal and go at it again. An all-Nepali team. With the best of the best, Mingma G.