From summit to home: Lovell climbers reflect on journey beyond the mountain

Two weeks ago, readers followed Lovell’s Kyle Leithead and Pete Baxendale as they chased a long-held dream into the Himalayas, trekking through Nepal toward Everest Base Camp and eventually summiting 20,075-foot Lobuche East.

What began as a casual idea turned into months of preparation and a grueling high-altitude journey through some of the most rugged and awe-inspiring terrain on earth. Along the way, they faced thin air, physical exhaustion and unfamiliar conditions, while also experiencing a culture and landscape far different from home.

But reaching the summit was not the end of the story.

What followed proved just as meaningful, a descent filled with moments that will stay with them long after the climb itself fades into memory. From encounters with local people to the realities of leaving family behind and returning home, the second half of their journey revealed a deeper side of the experience that stretched far beyond the mountain.

Most of those moments came not on a summit ridge or glacier, but during simple interactions with the people who made the trek possible.

Throughout the journey, the two gained a growing appreciation for the lives of the porters, guides and workers who support climbers in the Himalayas. Supplies, food, fuel and gear were carried up the mountain trails largely by local Nepalese workers, often under incredibly difficult conditions.

“Every egg I ordered, every bed I slept in, every convenience we had were transported on the back of these Nepalese people,” Baxendale wrote during the trek. “To most of us a small amount of money is nothing, but that is the daily wage of many of these people carrying our bags full of things they may never own.”

The experience changed the way both men viewed the trip.

Before even leaving Lovell, a small act of generosity helped shape what would follow.

“I was at the gym the day before we left and a guy handed me $200 and said to use it however we wanted,” Leithead said. “We decided we wanted to pass it along to someone on the trek.”

With the help of their guide, they eventually gave the money to their porters, a gesture both men said carried emotional weight far beyond the amount itself. Along the trail, they also handed out snacks, supplies and extra gear to people they met.  They even shared Lovell Queen Bee Gardens Honey Sticks with kids along the trail with positive results.

“You still have an overwhelming feeling of not doing enough,” Baxendale said.

Even while focused on reaching the summit, those interactions added another layer to the journey.

At Everest Base Camp, the scale of the mountain and the complexity of climbing Everest itself became very real. Thousands of pieces have to come together for climbers to safely attempt the summit, from guides and Sherpas to route-setting teams working high on the mountain.

“It is unreal that we are here and going to spend the night at base camp,” Baxendale wrote. “We got to meet an icefall doctor that sets the route, and they are having a tough time making a route this year.”

The two also developed a deep respect for the porters who carried supplies through the Himalayas each day, often with loads far heavier than most trekkers could imagine. Many spent long days on steep mountain trails carrying food, gear and equipment between villages and camps, then returned to do it all again the next morning.

Though they were not climbing Everest itself, their push to the 20,075-foot summit of Lobuche East came after a grueling night ascent in darkness without sleep, making the moment even more emotional when they finally reached the top.

“ACCOMPLISHED!!!! Wyoming boys at the top!” Baxendale posted afterward. “That was one tough summit. A dream come true to stand that high in the Himalayas.”

Even though their families and home state were nearly 12,000 miles away, both were very much on their minds as they stood atop the Himalayan peak.

But even in that moment, the climb represented more than simply reaching a peak.

“Do hard things, be uncomfortable, push your limits,” Baxendale added.

After the summit, the long descent back down the valley brought time for reflection.

“The end, but in a sense, the beginning,” Leithead wrote during the hike back toward the end point in Lukla. “So many memories, so much to process, so much to be thankful for.”

As the trip neared its conclusion, the emotions became unexpectedly powerful.

“I don’t get emotional very often at all, but today was different,” Leithead wrote. “Today I leave this amazing place a different person than the one that entered.”

The time away from home was something both men carried with them throughout the expedition.

“Definitely tough being gone from family,” Baxendale wrote earlier in the trip. “Missed my son’s birthday, my daughter’s dance recital, Easter. … It feels very selfish to be here for this long, but our wives have been extremely supportive.”

That support, they said, made the journey possible.

And once home, both men found themselves appreciating family even more deeply than before.

“My greatest accomplishment will always be having these people in my life,” Baxendale wrote after returning home. “Family over everything … good to be home.”

The journey also strengthened the friendship between the two climbers. Spending nearly a month together in extreme altitude and physically demanding conditions created a bond neither expects to fade.

“This month will link us together for the rest of our lives,” Baxendale wrote.

Leithead echoed the sentiment.

“I saw his determination in everything we did,” he said. “It’s been an amazing journey, brother.”

The experience also left both men thinking about what comes next.

There has already been discussion of returning to the Himalayas for future climbs, possibly involving even more technical and challenging peaks.

But for now, both say the greatest impact of the trip had little to do with altitude.

“My eyes have been opened to many aspects of life,” Leithead said. “Thankful for family and friends. Thankful for the country I live in. Thankful for my health to be able to do something like this.”

In many ways, he summed up the entire experience in a single sentence.

“I’m thankful for the roses, the thorns and the buds.”

For two men from Lovell, reaching 20,075 feet may have been the goal.

What they brought home, however, reached far beyond the summit.