Springfield school board member will make 'bucket list' trek to Mount Everest base camp
Five years ago, Danielle Kincaid figured out there was something big missing in her life: Adventure.
The Springfield attorney was hungry for a challenge. She wanted out of her comfort zone. She needed to prove — to herself — that she had enough fortitude to push through tough situations.
"Sometimes people underestimate me and I feel that has been true throughout my life," said Kincaid, 39. "It is hard to look at something and think 'There is no way I could do that.' And then prove to yourself that you can and you did."
She added: "Every time I do something that I don't know if I am going to succeed at — and then I do — it gives me confidence."
Kincaid will depart Thursday for Nepal, where she plans to hike to the main base camp of Mount Everest, elevation of 17,598 feet, and then to the 18,208-foot summit of the adjacent Kala Patthar in the Nepali Himalayas, known for its breathtaking views of Mount Everest.
She is not going alone. The trip was planned with friends Amy Baremore, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, and Rikki Barton, founder of Onward Consulting.
"Having that support system is so helpful because when I need a little extra push, they're doing well and vice-versa is true," she said. "I am very thankful to have adventurous friends."
Kincaid is a partner in The Elder Law Group and a member of the Springfield school board. In April, she was elected president.
In addition to volunteer work and public service, she puts in 50 to 60 hours a week as part of her legal practice. That did not leave much time for exercise.
She did not get serious about fitness until her 30s. She runs on the treadmill, lifts weight to build strength and goes on hikes with friends, preferably near rivers and lakes.
In 2018, after deciding to interject more adventure into her life, she signed up for the MR340, a paddling race from Kansas City to St. Louis along the Missouri River. The 340-mile trek, billed as the world's longest nonstop river race, takes place over four grueling days.
Somewhere along the course, she conquered her self-doubt and made it across the finish line. "I thought if I could do that, what else could I do?"
Kincaid embarked on the MR340 again in 2020 and 2022 and it is on her calendar for 2024.
In 2021, she climbed Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail. The 13-mile hike is a 7,400-feet change in elevation to reach a height of 14,115 feet. It was a goal she attempted again in 2023.
In 2022, she hiked the 7.5-mile Craig's Trail on Pikes Peak.
It was on the way home from that trip that she, Barton and Baremore first talked about hiking to the Mount Everest base camp.
Kincaid said she had put that on her "bucket list" after being inspired by a high school friend who accomplished the feat years earlier.
She said the trio started to plan the trip to Nepal — using an experienced trekking company — and was surprised to learn the cost for the flights, visa, trek to and from the base camp and most on-site provisions wasn't prohibitive. It was just under $4,000 each.
"The trip itself is not as expensive as you'd think it would be," she said. "It is the provisions that have cost a lot of money, buying super lightweight gear and sleeping bags and trekking poles and shoes."
There are strict weight limits for flying in and out of Lukla, one of the most dangerous airports in the world because of its altitude and nearby mountains. They are each limited to 22 pounds of luggage, 11 pounds of carry-on.
Kincaid said one plus is that they will have the ultra lightweight gear for future adventures.
How to train for claiming high? Descend into the depths
Earlier this year, to train, the three friends planned to walk from the north rim to the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
However, weather closed the north rim so they had to settle for 19.5-mile trek to the bottom and back from the south rim. It was 4,700 feet down.
It was during that trip, traversing rocky terrain, that Kincaid experienced knee pain for the first time.
"At the top of Pikes Peak we were walking one mile per hour. The air was so thin and we were so exhausted and you don't have any other options. What are you going to do?" she said. "The same thing with the Grand Canyon when my knee was giving me trouble on the way back up, what are you going to do? You have to keep walking."
She still plans to hike from the north rim to the south rim of the Grand Canyon at some point. She also wants to try whitewater rafting.
This week, Kincaid has been wrapping up last-minute details for the trip. She admitted feeling nervous.
Asked what constitutes a successful trip, Kincaid said: "That I get back."
"I'm trying to mentally tell myself 'You've got this, you can do it.' I'm not worried about the hike itself, I am worried about the altitude," said Kincaid, who will carry medicine just in case.
"I fully believe I will make it to base camp, pending any disasters. I have not historically had any issues with altitude but I also have not been this high for such an extended period of time. My No. 1 priority is safety."
Kincaid said she is most excited about being fully immersed in another culture. There is time for sightseeing before and after the trek to Mount Everest.
Once they leave Lukla, any provisions must be carried in by yak or by person. There are no roads, no vehicles and no refrigeration.
Going up and down, Sherpas will carry the food and water, which must be filtered.
The trip involves crossing the longest suspension bridge in the region. They will see a monastery, enter forests and walk by glacial streams.
"I don't know how many times I'm going to cry just from the beauty of it all," she said. "It is something you don't get to experience every single day."
Kincaid plans to journal and take photos along the trail.
She said this trip is the first time she will be unreachable by phone for days at a time. She hopes to sporadically log onto WiFi at the unheated teahouses where they will sleep along the trail.
"People who know me in my professional capacity and have never heard any of this crazy stuff I've done before, when I tell them what I am doing, they say 'I did not think you were that type of person' and anybody can be that type of person, just start. Set a goal and start working toward it," she said.
Kincaid added: "I love sharing my adventures and hope it inspires others to take adventures of their own."
The trip itinerary
Danielle Kincaid and two close friends plan to hike to the Mount Everest Base Camp. The 21-day adventure includes these highlights:
Sept. 21 − Fly out of Springfield.
Sept. 23 − Arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal after a stop in Qatar. In Nepal, tour four UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Sept. 25 − Fly to the village of Lukla and start the multi-day trek. The trail includes Sherpa settlements, suspension bridges, a rhododendron forest, bazaars, prayer wheels, the Tengboche Monastery, and multiple lakes and rivers.
Oct. 1 − Trek to Lobuche. The trail includes crossing a glacial stream, and passing memorials to lost climbers and Sherpas.
Oct. 2 − Trek to and from Gorak Shep, the Everest Base Camp at 17,598 feet. This trail runs between the glacial moraine and the mountain wall. It follows the spine of the mountain.
Oct. 3 − Hike to the summit of Kala Patthar at 18,208 feet, where a sunrise view of Everest is possible, and then follow the Pheriche trail down to 13,910 feet.
Oct. 4-5 − Trek to Namche Bazaar and then Lukla. This trail includes the last view of Everest.
Oct. 6 − Fly to Ramechhap and drive to Kathmandu to spend three days.
Oct. 10-11 − Travel back to Springfield.
Claudette Riley covers education for the News-Leader. Email tips and story ideas to criley@news-leader.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield school board president climbing to Mount Everest base camp
