Moon began the expedition carrying something deeply personal. Inside his gear rested two old trekking poles once used by veteran Bangladeshi climbers Sagar and Rifat during a failed 2005 Mera Peak attempt. Twenty years ago, illness forced that team to retreat from High Camp.
This time, Moon wanted those poles to reach the summit. Joining him were Dr. Shahnaz and Imtiaz Ilahi, supported by Sherpa guides Pasang and Tashi. Together, they stepped into one of the harshest trekking routes on Earth.
The journey started from Salleri. The team loaded heavy gear into a battered Hilux jeep for the long ride to Surke. The road twisted through cliffs and rough mountain tracks like a snake. “It felt like being shaken inside a jar of puffed rice,” Moon recalled.
Picture: Collected.
During the ride, the team bonded with a young American-Nepali radiology graduate named Pasang. After nearly ten brutal hours, they reached Surke. The next morning, the climbers hiked toward Lukla, home to one of the world’s most dangerous airstrips. While waiting for Imtiaz Ilahi’s arrival from Kathmandu, Moon and Shahnaz walked around the area to avoid altitude sickness.
Soon, the real trek began. The climb toward Chhutenga looked simple on paper. In reality, endless stone stairs punished every muscle. Forests slowly faded into cold alpine terrain. Breathing became harder. Sleep became lighter.
By the time they reached Chhutenga at 3,020 meters (9,908 feet), headaches had already arrived uninvited. Higher up, mountain life turned rougher. Water bottles froze overnight. Mobile phones stayed buried inside sleeping bags for warmth. Even simple midnight bathroom trips felt like punishment.
The team’s first major obstacle came at Zatrawala Pass, standing at 4,610 meters (15,124 feet). Everyone strapped microspikes onto their boots before crossing hard blue ice. The climb tested the lungs. The descent attacked the knees. Loose rocks crashed from nearby slopes as glacier streams roared beside the trail. At times, the team sprinted through danger zones to avoid falling debris.
Picture: Collected.
Finally, they reached Thangnag, a quiet village trapped between giant mountain walls. Exhaustion hit hard, so the team stayed here for 2 days to acclimatize to the higher elevation.
Outside temperatures dropped to minus five degrees Celsius. Inside, the climbers focused on breathing exercises, warm meals, and mental recovery. The summit suddenly mattered less. “The journey matters more than the peak,” they agreed.
The next stretch toward Khare brought stunning snow-covered landscapes. Dr. Shahnaz climbed strongly, often moving ahead with a Bangladeshi flag attached proudly to her backpack.
Then disaster struck. Just before reaching Khare, Imtiaz slipped on hard ice and severely dislocated his shoulder. He collapsed in intense pain as several trekking groups passed by without stopping. Thankfully, a European woman came to help. Together with our guide, she managed to reposition his arm into a more comfortable position, allowing Imtiaz to continue the journey. But Imtiaz was unable to move his arm and was in a lot of pain, but turning back immediately was not an easy option in such remote terrain. Luckily, there was a small medical facility in Khare. They continued the journey, hoping to find a doctor there.
Picture: Collected.
Despite unbearable pain, Imtiaz fashioned a sling from Moon’s scarf and continued uphill toward Khare, walking with only one arm. Watching him move felt almost unreal. “He has superhuman pain tolerance,” Moon said.
At Khare’s small medical clinic, after considerable effort, the doctor and his assistant managed to reset the dislocated arm. He was given painkillers, and the arm was placed in a sling. They advised postponing the climb and arranging a helicopter evacuation.
Yet Imtiaz surprised everyone once again. He refused immediate evacuation and chose instead to rest for a day and see if things improved. He insisted that Moon and Shahnaz continue the summit push without him. That level of selflessness shifted the entire team’s mindset. But the biggest surprise came the next day, when Imtiaz said he was ready for the summit push!
Following acclimatization climbs and final gear preparations, the team set off toward High Camp. Imtiaz moved slowly, with one arm immobilized and a single trekking pole for balance. Despite his condition, he kept pushing forward. The glacier route felt endless, stretching into a harsh, silent expanse.
At High Camp, yellow tents stood against a massive white ice field. Temperatures stayed brutal. Hot meals froze within minutes. Moon struggled badly with altitude sickness and vomited repeatedly.
Then came summit night. At 1:00 AM, climbers prepared for the final push. Frozen boots, harnesses, crampons, and complete darkness. Moments later, Moon collapsed outside his tent from dizziness and hypothermia. He understood the danger instantly.
Pushing higher could endanger the whole team. So, he made the hardest decision of the expedition. He stepped away from the summit attempt and insisted that the guides continue with Shahnaz and Imtiaz instead. While Moon recovered inside a sleeping bag using hand warmers, the summit team climbed through the freezing darkness.
Picture: Collected.
On November 20, 2025, at 6:15 AM, Imtiaz Ilahi reached the summit of Mera Peak with one functional arm. Soon after, Dr. Shahnaz and Tashi arrived, proudly raising the Bangladeshi flag.
Back at High Camp, Moon greeted them with joy rather than regret. The team quickly descended to Khare to protect Imtiaz’s worsening injury. The following morning, a helicopter evacuated him to Kathmandu for surgery.
In the end, the expedition became more than a summit story. It became proof that mountains reveal character faster than comfort ever can. Some climbers reached the peak. One climber stepped back. Yet all of them returned with something greater – respect, resilience, and a story strong enough to outlive the snow.
