Updates from Altitude: Allie Pepper and The Turquoise Goddess

Aussie mountaineer Alessandra—previously better known as Allie—is attempting to climb the world’s 14 highest peaks without supplemental oxygen in record time.

In May 2007 I experienced the magic of Cho Oyu—the Turquoise Goddess—8188m, when she granted me safe passage to stand on her summit, alone, without oxygen and return safely to my “normal life” again. Cho Oyu planted a seed, a dream inside me that would change my life and lead me on a journey that would be anything but normal. She gave me an idea, a challenge that would take me 16 years to rise to. What if I could climb all 14 of the world’s 8000m peaks without oxygen? Since that first 8000m summit I had an obsession to realise that dream.

I couldn’t comprehend at the time what it would take to complete the task she inspired in me. How much it would change every aspect of my life. To step up to the challenge has been a process of letting go of many aspects of myself. Uncovering the limiting beliefs that were subconsciously holding me back from realising my true potential has been a deep journey. Beliefs began to surface as I started to work with my life coach Freeman Fung at the beginning of last year. I had been scared to face my inner demons, to face my fears. To heal the trauma trapped in my mind and my body from my past. Climbing these mental mountains was harder than climbing the mountains themselves. The greatest reward from pursuing my inner journey has not only been mental fortitude, but it has also been achieving a state of freedom. I used to only feel free high up on a mountain, but now I have found freedom within me. I wonder if I had never met the Turquoise Goddess would I ever have embarked on this inner journey?

Obtaining a permit and a visa to climb an 8000er in Tibet is like winning the lottery these days. The company that I use to organise the logistics of my expeditions, Seven Summits Treks, applied for my partner Mikel and I to climb Cho Oyu while we were on K2. We had wanted permits for Shishapangma—the world’s 14th highest mountain at 8,027m—so it came as a surprise to us to discover they obtained permits for Cho Oyu instead. They chose to apply for Cho Oyu because at the time Shishapangma did not look like it would be open to foreign climbers. They could only apply for one permit, so chose the one more likely to be approved. My project is to complete all 14 peaks in record time, so I needed to climb Cho Oyu again. 

Mikel had climbed Cho Oyu without oxygen in 2008 and had not been back to Tibet since then. In those days it was usual for Sherpa guides to climb without oxygen on the lower 8000m peaks. Even though he is quite a few years younger than me, he has been climbing on the 8000ers for just as long and has guided a total of 25 8000m summits. 

When we learned that we were heading back to Cho Oyu instead of going to Shishapangma, we were a little disappointed. I had wanted to climb an 8000er that I had not been to before. Mikel only has three summits left to climb to complete the 14 peaks, and Shishapangma is one of them. But I felt there must be a reason we were to meet the Turquoise Goddess again at this time. Had she called me back to her?

As soon as we crossed the border into Tibet from Nepal, we realised that we were not in the same Tibet we had experienced before. The roads are now sealed, which was an enormous surprise to us. In 2007 I remember driving on dirt roads and passing through dusty windswept villages with houses made from mud. In the middle of the Tibetan plateau things have changed. There are kilometres of power lines connecting towns and the towns now have lots of new construction going on. We were able to drive on a sealed road to just a few kilometres from Base Camp. It was surreal, I hardly recognised the place. We met with Tibetan locals in traditional dress who loaded our gear onto their yaks to transport it to the camp. It wasn’t until we hiked through the blizzard towards the mountain that I felt like I was in Tibet again. 

It was 8 October and we were alone in our tent at 7530m on the side of the mountain. By chance or fate Nima, Mikel’s brother, had joined us for the summit push. We were the last team left to head to the summit. As I was getting ready to leave the tent I tested my battery powered boot warmers. To my shock and disbelief, the left one had broken. I adjusted my socks and decided to continue with my summit bid hoping it would not be a problem. 

We left the tent at 11:55pm and both Nima and Mikel used oxygen. It was a very cold night, and unfortunately there was some wind. It was not very strong, but it was enough that the cold penetrated all my layers. I couldn’t feel my left foot, so I continually stopped to swing my leg and move my toes in the boot. We reached the summit plateau in the dark. I was praying for the sun to come out and bring some warmth. As we walked towards the crest of the plateau a beautiful orange glow filled the horizon. At 8:16am we reached the official Chinese summit point, the weather station. Thankfully the sky had turned blue and we had a view towards Everest and Lhotse. We continued on and 22 minutes later reached the commercial summit. It was one of the coldest summits I have experienced; it felt like a winter ascent. It was very difficult to film, to talk and to think. All I wanted to do was to go down. It was hard to appreciate the moment.

As we descended from the plateau, the slope dropped away, and it opened up the most incredible view which we had not seen in the dark. We were able to make it down to the tent quite fast as we had the ropes to ourselves. For the first time on an 8000er I managed to descend to Base Camp from the summit, arriving at 7pm that evening. Without the help of Nima and Mikel this would have been impossible.

Unfortunately, I suffered the consequences of my broken boot heater. I have mild frostbite in my left toes which resulted in them going numb. They are slowly recovering and this week I have started to get sensation back. 

So, what else did the Turquoise Goddess gift to me? I came back from the mountain feeling braver and more confident in my “normal life” which is something I had been searching for. I am deeply grateful that she ignited that courage within me. I am yet to uncover all her gifts, but in time I am sure they will reveal themselves to me.

Every 8000m mountain that I had the honour of experiencing has a different powerful energy. They all have something to give us when we are open to receive. We don’t have to stand on their summit to absorb their transformational power. If you feel the call, to go, to see, to climb, to bask in their awe-inspiring beauty, they have something to give you. Will you answer the call?

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