A trekking story by Måns Sjögren

In the fall of 2024, Måns Sjögren and his friend Oskar Normelli set off on a climbing
expedition in the Himalayas, aiming to summit the 6,440-meter-high mountain Cholatse.

Chlatse is situated in the Khumbu region of
Nepal, renowned for its iconic peaks, including Mount Everest and Ama Dablam. The Khumbu Valley is often referred to as the "Throne Room of the Mountain Gods." With numerous peaks soaring well over 6,000, 7,000, and even 8,000 meters above sea level - it truly is the heart of the Himalayas.

The expedition was to be completely self sufficient for the two climbers. This meant they carried all their gear themselves, including tents, sleeping bags, food, gas stoves, climbing equipment, and a bunch of other little things. On the mountain, they wouldn’t receive help from Sherpas or guides and would have to rely entirely on their own resources, with only the gear in their backpacks and the knowledge and experience in their bodies and minds.

After a few days of preparation in Namche Bazaar, situated at 3,400 meters above sea level, it was time to set off. Following a Puja ceremony, a Buddhist ritual where a monk blessed their expedition and climb, they left Namche Bazaar behind. With 32-kilogram backpacks on their backs, they marched steadily toward Cholatse.

After four days of trekking, filled with incredible views and experiences, they reached the base of the mountain, where they set up their base camp at an elevation of 4,700 meters. They spent a day there finalizing preparations and scouting the route they would climb: the southwest ridge. At base camp, they also took the opportunity to leave behind some gear they wouldn't need on the mountain, including toothpaste.

“For convenience, we used a newly developed dental hygiene product, Clean Teeth Enzyme tab; a tablet that’s equivalent to brushing your teeth. It’s incredibly convenient and also helped us save space and weight in our backpacks.”
- Måns Sjögren

On the first day on the mountain, they had to cross a large glacier.

“Now and then, we could see down into the
crevasses that had formed in the glacier, deep, dark abysses that didn’t seem to have a bottom, and that made you really glad you were tied to your climbing partner.”
- Oskar Normelli

After the final leg, which involved 200 meters of vertical climbing up a wall of ice and snow, they reached their first camp at an altitude of about 5,600 meters. There, they could start boiling water and make themselves at home, as much as that’s possible in a tent at 5600 meters, that is. It took them a total of 7 hours to get there.

“Up here, everything gets tougher; your body is working hard to pump oxygen, and the slightest effort feels doubly or even triply exhausting, especially something as simple as brushing your teeth, so our Clean Teeth Enzyme Tabs really came in handy!”
- Måns Sjögren

After a long, cold night, day 2 of the ascent dawned. Another 7-hour day of exposed climbing up narrow ridges, steep rocky sections, and through deep snow brought them to a plateau at 6,120 meters, where they had to dig out a ledge to pitch their tent. Once the tent was securely anchored to prevent it from sliding off the ledge, they began the classic routines one has in a mountain tent: melting snow, boiling water, inflating sleeping pads, fluffing up sleeping bags, organizing gear, and preparing their meal—freeze-dried,
in this case.

The third and final day began with an incredible sunrise. The summit was only a few hours away, and the views were breathtaking—a panorama of the entire Himalayas stretching out around them as they slowly but surely made their way up the final stretch. Finally, they reached the top at a staggering 6,440 meters above sea level. The ridge was so sharp that they had to be extra cautious up there. After just 15 minutes at the summit, it was time to head back dow —the summit is really only halfway. Twelve hours after leaving Camp 2 to begin their final push, they were back at base camp. In total, they spent 3 days on the mountain, with 26 hours of active climbing.

The expedition, "civilization to civilization," lasted 14 days—14 days for just 15 minutes on the summit!

"We are incredibly happy and proud of our achievement! It was a tough but amazing and fun adventure. Now it's time to head home and start planning for the next one!"
—Måns Sjögren