'It was magic': Island woman reflects on trek to Mount Everest base camp

Located at the foot of the world's tallest mountain, the Mount Everest base camp in Nepal is a coveted destination for hikers and climbers around the world. 

Islander Kim Bailey recently reached the 5,364-metre high base camp after lots of training and an eight-day trek.

"Mount Everest is the pinnacle, and getting to base camp would be the closest I would ever get or hope to get to trekking to the summit,"  Kim Bailey told CBC Island Morning host Mitch Cormier. 

As a frequent long-distance runner and fitness enthusiast, Bailey said she couldn't say no to the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the thrilling climb. 

A total of 12 days, the trip to the base camp involves climbing up rocky terrains, walking on dirt paths and wide-open valleys and crossing over deep river gorges on high suspension bridges, reaching altitudes of more than 17,000 feet. 

"Some days our distance was 11 kilometres, but it would take us, you know, nine hours to do," Bailey said, and going slowly was one of the best ways to ward off altitude sickness. 

Part of her training for the intense climb involved preparing for high altitudes. Bailey said she did this by wearing a weighted backpack while using a stair climber until she was out of breath.

Strength training were also helpful to brace for altitude changes, she said. 

"There was nothing familiar about it," Bailey said of the trails, adding she was completely out of her comfort zone. 

Although the idea of crossing swinging suspension bridges — often alongside yaks — was "anxiety producing," Bailey said she prepared herself by watching YouTube videos of people crossing those same bridges to combat nervousness. 

With seven other climbers and four Sherpa guides in her group, Bailey said they would start their days as early as 4 a.m., and arrive at tea houses to eat and rest during the evenings.

The tea houses were often crowded and cold, and instead of firewood, dried yak dropping were burned for warmth. 

"It felt like I was in the shadow of giants," Bailey said on what it was like to be on the mountain. 

Being close to the Khumbu icefalls also felt unreal, Bailey said, as it's one of the places where many people succumb to their deaths while hiking to the summit.