When alpinist Seth Anderson and his climbing partner Adam Clark set their sights on Nepal's formidable Kusum Khanguru peak, they knew they'd need every advantage to tackle the 21,000-foot giant. Climbing nutrition becomes critical at extreme altitude where appetite disappears and digestion struggles. Seth Anderson's Himalayan adventure demonstrates how proper fueling supports performance above 18,000 feet.

The Dream Takes Shape

"It all started last summer when Adam and I were scaling the seldom-climbed North Face of Mount Wilbur in Glacier Park," Anderson recalls. "Clark mentioned he dreamed of traveling to the Himalayan mountains of Nepal again to explore and climb a steeper, more technical mountain called Kusum Khanguru."

That conversation on a Montana peak would lead them halfway around the world, carrying five bulging duffel bags filled with climbing gear through Kathmandu's bustling streets and onto the mountain trails of the Khumbu region.

Acclimatization in the Land of Giants 

Working with Beyul Adventures for logistics support, the team embarked on a twelve-day acclimatization trek through villages where "mountains larger and more jagged than I could have ever imagined dotted the skyline, piercing the blue skies above from their 6,000+ meter perches."

Their route took them off the beaten Everest basecamp path, through quiet valleys where yaks outnumbered people, eventually crossing the famous Renjo La Pass at 17,585 feet. "The views were immaculate and we stared right at Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu, three of the tallest mountains in the world," Anderson remembers.

Base Camp Reality

After establishing base camp in the remote Kyashar Glacier Valley, unused by Western climbers for over a decade, the team faced their first challenge: rapidly deteriorating weather. Fresh snow blanketed their intended routes, creating hazardous conditions that would persist throughout their stay.

But the real test came at 18,000 feet, during their first summit attempt on Kusum's northwest ridge.

When Every Calorie Counts

"Awaking in the pre-dawn darkness at altitude, my body craved fuel but climbing nutrition becomes complicated when your stomach can't handle the thought of forcing down cold food or waiting for water to boil," Anderson explains. This is where RecPak proved its worth in the most demanding conditions imaginable.

"I reached for my RecPak, the chocolate flavor, and mixed it with the ice-cold water from my bottle. In seconds, I had 700 calories of complete nutrition flowing through my system, warming me from the inside and providing the sustained energy I'd need for the long day ahead."

The convenience factor was crucial: "No stove noise to wake Clark, no precious fuel burned, just clean energy that my body could immediately put to work. As the caffeine from my morning coffee RecPak kicked in and the mountain gradually revealed itself in the growing light, I felt ready for whatever the day would throw at us."

Seth's experience highlights why strategic climbing nutrition planning becomes essential for high-altitude success where traditional food strategies fail.

Lessons from the Mountain

Despite two determined attempts on different routes, climate change had dramatically altered Kusum's face. Glacial recession left their planned routes dangerously exposed, forcing difficult decisions about risk and safety.

"The staggering amount of glacial and ice recession on the face brought a somber cloud over the team," Anderson reflects. Yet the experience taught valuable lessons about adventure itself: "It's the entire adventure, not standing on the summit that we crave, as we are small beings in a much bigger world than ourselves."

The Real Summit

For Anderson and Clark, success wasn't measured in elevation gained but in coming "home safe, coming home friends, and sharing a grand adventure together in the most beautiful mountains in the world."

Their Kusum attempt may not have reached the summit, but it proved something equally important: when you're pushing human limits in extreme environments, having reliable nutrition that works instantly, no matter the conditions, can make all the difference between success and failure, safety and danger.

Ready for your own adventure? Discover how RecPak can fuel your next outdoor challenge.