We Made It to Base Camp – Kanchenjunga
Alessandra Pepper • May 7, 2025
After days of trekking through some of the most remote and challenging terrain I’ve ever experienced, I’m so proud to share that we’ve made it to Base Camp on Kanchenjunga. At 8,586 metres, it’s the third-highest mountain in the world, and this section of the expedition has tested us in every possible way — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
We left Ramje at 4:00am. The stars were still overhead, and the morning was cold but calm. We were grateful for clear skies and stable weather — navigating what was ahead in bad conditions would’ve made things even more difficult. For the first hour or so, we followed a solid track leading to the trekkers' viewpoint of Kanchenjunga. As the sun rose, the mountain appeared in the distance, bathed in early light. It was a breathtaking moment of beauty and stillness — and then the real work began.
We descended onto the Yalung Glacier, a massive stretch of ice hidden beneath a chaos of rocks and boulders. There’s no defined trail, just small rock cairns that mark the way. For hours we navigated this terrain, weaving up and down, side to side. The glacier felt never-ending. Every step required concentration and effort.
To our surprise and delight, two of the amazing kitchen staff came out to meet us partway with drinks and snacks. Their kindness lifted our spirits. They then continued down to help the porters who were following behind with the gear. That kind of teamwork and support is what makes these expeditions possible.
After leaving the glacier, the trail led steeply upward, and we entered a section with falling boulders. It was intense and required all of our focus. The climb continued through a cliff face, where we used fixed ropes for safety. Finally, after nearly 11 hours on our feet, we reached the first Base Camp. We had a quick drink, then pushed on another 20 minutes to reach our own camp higher up.
We arrived at 4:30pm, completely exhausted. It was a long day: 15.1 kilometres, 1545 metres of ascent, and 585 metres of descent. On paper, it may not look like a huge distance, but out here — on rough glacier terrain, high altitude, and with heavy packs — it was enormous.
Our porters and the rest of the kitchen crew arrived safely an hour later. I’d been quite worried about them on that final, steep, snowy stretch. Seeing them walk in was a big relief.
We ended the day with a lovely dinner shared with friends. I didn’t sleep very well — not unusual at this altitude — but I managed a shower and am now resting and recovering.
This journey is a powerful reminder that growth and progress rarely come easily. It’s in these tough, uncertain, and often uncomfortable moments that we learn the most — about ourselves, about each other, and about the world around us.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support and encourage this climb. I feel your energy all the way up here.
With love from Base Camp,Allie x
latest news
🌏 I’m excited to share something very close to my heart. Saturday, Sept 20, is the worldwide online streaming premiere of my film, Limitless Above the Clouds. Filmed with Thin Air Productions, my Sherpa teammates, and myself, it tells the story of my mission to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000m peaks without supplemental oxygen. It’s about resilience, transformation, and the courage to keep going when the mountains inside feel bigger than those outside. 🎥 Watch anytime between Sept 20–27 (48-hour viewing window). 💻 Join the live Q&A on Sept 20 at 6:00pm AEST. This premiere also celebrates the launch of the Golden Goddess Alpine AP 50 — a special edition ultralight pack that I co-designed with Whippa Outdoors and tested on five 8,000m peaks. 🎁 During the Q&A, Whippa will be giving away one Golden Goddess Alpine AP 50 to an Australian ticket holder, plus prizes for our global audience. 👉 Tickets are $15 USD - click on the button below. I’d love for you to be part of this milestone — to watch the film, join the conversation, and celebrate this next step of the journey with me. 💛 Limitless Above the Clouds.
Nanga Parbat continues to test every ounce of Allie’s courage and endurance as she moves closer to her goal of another 8,000m summit – without supplemental oxygen. Her recent updates from the mountain capture just how demanding and unpredictable this climb has been so far. Here’s a look at her latest progress: On 21 June, Allie and Mikel reached Camp 2 at 6,045m after nearly 11 grueling hours on steep, icy terrain. Exhausted on every level – mentally, physically and emotionally – they also faced a terrifying close call when a massive boulder broke free 800m above them. Miraculously, it missed them, but a smaller rock struck Allie’s arm, leaving her bruised but undeterred. The next day, 22 June, they climbed higher to 6,400m, but made the smart decision to turn back and rest rather than risk pushing too hard before the final summit bid. On 23 June, the descent back to Base Camp turned into its own adventure. Frozen ropes, sharp rock and a cut rappel line forced Allie to tie her rope off with one hand mid-descent – a moment that could have ended very differently. Back at Base Camp, the sudden contrast of green grass, birdsong and flowers felt almost dreamlike after so many days in the harsh, exposed world above. On 25 June, Allie shared a raw reflection about the mindset that keeps her moving forward: “Even though it’s hard AF here on the mountain, after doing a hard thing, I feel amazing. Just because it’s hard and scary doesn’t mean I will run away. To make our biggest dreams become reality we have to step into the unknown. The more we do it, the easier it becomes.” After a short rest, the plan shifted. By 27–28 June, Allie confirmed that the rope-fixing team would push ahead to aim for a 3rd July summit, with Allie and Mikel following a day behind to establish Camp 4 above 7,000m and aim for the summit on the 4th of July. On 30 June, they left Base Camp for Camp 1, moving through worsening conditions with melting ice, waterfalls and loose rock. They reached Camp 1 in just over 3 hours and rested briefly before setting out again at midnight to climb to Camp 2 under cover of darkness – the safest way to avoid dangerous rockfall. By 1 July, they made it to Camp 2 after a punishing 9-hour night climb up endless rock and hard ice. Allie described front-pointing hundreds of metres up the steep face as “extremely painful” but was relieved to tick off this critical stretch. And on 2 July, they pushed higher still to Camp 3 at 6,800m. The climb was brutally tough – more unstepped ice and constant rockfall meant more danger and fatigue, but they made it. Now at Camp 3, Allie is resting and watching the weather and the route carefully before moving up to Camp 4 and the final summit push. Through it all, she continues to remind us what resilience really looks like – facing danger, discomfort and fear head-on, yet still holding onto her vision and purpose. Allie will share more as she pushes for the summit in the days ahead. Thank you for following and supporting her journey to stand on top of Nanga Parbat. Stay tuned – and keep sending her your good energy! 💙🏔️✨
Allie Pepper is currently deep into her Nanga Parbat expedition - and what a journey it has already been. Over the past week, she’s pushed through extreme physical and mental challenges, dangerous moments, and the relentless demands of one of the world’s hardest 8000m peaks. Here’s her latest update from the mountain: First Steps Towards Base Camp On 16 June, after a long 19-hour journey to Chillas and just 4 hours of sleep, Allie and the team set out on foot towards Base Camp. They trekked 10.85 km with 1247m of ascent through dry, arid landscapes where even the local farmers manage to grow crops in harsh conditions. The camp for the night was at 2800m altitude - still below the mountain, but getting closer. Arrival at Base Camp (17 June) The following day, Allie and the team made the final approach to Base Camp at 4235m. The trek was beautiful - forest paths, streams, green grass, and wildflowers gave way to a stunning base below the towering Nanga Parbat massif, which rises nearly 4000m above them. “This is the best Base Camp I have been to,” Allie reported. The grassy base offers a great environment for recovery between rotations on the mountain. Pushing Higher: Camps 1 & 2 On 20 June, Allie climbed to Camp 1 at 4910m, moving across a glacier under bright blue skies. From there, she continued to Camp 2 at 6045m on 21 June - a demanding 10+ hour climb through steep ice and rock. “It was so hard,” Allie wrote. “I am absolutely exhausted on every level - mentally, physically, emotionally. We also had a dangerous incident… I can’t even explain.” Safety always comes first, and she wisely chose to rest and recover before attempting to go higher. Rockfall & Danger on the Mountain On 22 June, the mountain threw yet another test their way: a massive boulder fell 800m above them, sending debris their way. “I was certain we were dead,” Allie shared. Miraculously, the team was unharmed apart from Allie’s sore arm. They pushed on to 6400m before deciding not to go further and risk unnecessary fatigue ahead of the summit push. An Epic Descent The descent on 23 June proved as dangerous as the climb up. Frozen ropes, cut lines, and razor-sharp rock demanded total focus: “At the base of the wall, I noticed my rope had been cut - I managed to tie it into an old rope with one hand, avoiding a 1000m fall. We had 100m rappels with stuck ropes… finally, at 8:30am, we made it to Camp 1 - safe, but it wasn’t easy coming down to the glacier.” Back at Base Camp, the contrast was surreal - flowers, green grass, birdsong - but the knowledge that the mountain will demand another push soon is ever-present. Reflections From the Climb As Allie says: “Even though it’s hard AF here on the mountain, after doing a hard thing, I feel amazing. I was so outside my comfort zone but I know it will be easier next time. We don’t build resilience in our comfort zone. We don’t learn to adapt when things don’t go to plan in our comfort zone. To make our biggest dreams become our reality, we have to step into the unknown. The more we do it, the easier it becomes. You are capable of more than you can possibly imagine.” What’s Next The plan going forward: Allie and the team will attempt their next rotation at night, to avoid the worst of the rockfall and shifting conditions. Each step forward is calculated with experience, care, and respect for this incredibly demanding peak. This is, in Allie’s words, “the hardest 8000m mountain I have been to.” But the dream remains: to reach the summit - and to come home safe. Stay tuned for more updates as her journey continues.
