Mandy Moore shared stunning photos from her “bucket list dream” trip to Mount Everest this week as the infamous peak experiences overcrowding.
Moore posted pictures from Mount Everest base camp on Friday, calling the journey a dream come true. Moore did not summit the mountain, but the climb to the base camp is a feat in and of itself and gave her a view of the breathtaking natural height.
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“Today’s the day. Couldn’t be more thrilled and grateful to be on this journey with this group,” Moore wrote alongside one of her Everest-themed Instagram posts.
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The actress hiked in support of The Juniper Fund, a non-profit organization working to protect the rights of the local Nepali, especially those who guide and assist outsiders in their trips up Mount Everest. The journey can be incredibly dangerous even for an experienced guide. In addition to the scenic mountain photos, Moore shared what she saw in Kathamndu before heading up to Mount Everest.
“I went into this Everest viewing trek relatively blind. Not unprepared, mind you… but I wanted to venture forward into the unknown with an open mind and heart and as free of expectations as possible,” The actress wrote. “Once we arrived in Kathmandu and had our de-brief about what the next 10 days of our life we’re going to look like, it became abundantly clear that this experience was going to be one of physical discomfort, personal challenge AND fundamental spiritual growth. Sign me up.”
Moore’s trip coincides with a few deaths on Mount Everest this week, and dangerous overcrowding near the mountain’s peak. According to a report by CBS News, nine people have died trying to summit Mount Everest since last week. Meanwhile, the world’s highest peak is suffering from overcrowding as daredevils try to get their moment at the top.
“It was very crowded,” an experienced climber told the outlet. “We are here every year and I’ve never seen such a year. We lost about three hours waiting at the most difficult part of the rock.”
Mount Everest reaches into what climbers call the “death zone,” where supplemental oxygen is needed to keep climbing through the thin air. Because of the massive turnout this year, that area above 26,000 feet was crowded, and people spent more time there than they may have had the stamina for. Doubtless, for many it was a lifelong dream the way it was for Moore.
“In addition to living out this bucket list dream, being gently placed in this middle of this extraordinary country of Nepal and bearing witness to the customs and culture of the Sherpa people has been spellbinding. So much to take in, in every way,” the This Is Us star wrote.
“This week over 400 people summited Everest and around HALF of them were local workers,” she went on in a later post. “@thejuniperfund supports families of those workers when things go wrong.”
