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At
the same time many readers asked that we should identify the images that we included
so to answer curiosity; the header image used in Newsletter No 1 was taken in
Langtang whilst trekking towards Kyanjin Gompa with Ganchenpo in the distance.
For this edition we have used an image of Crystal Mountain, (©Ian Wall) or She-Re Drug Da, in Dolpo.
2013
has seen three notable anniversaries in Nepal, the 60th Anniversary
of the first ascent of Everest and the 40th Anniversary of both the
Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) and the Himalayan Rescue Association
(HRA).
Unfortunately
the Everest news this season seems to have been marred by the incident that
occurred between European and Nepalese climbers just below the South Col.
This
was a situation waiting to happen, and to be fair it was not unique, such
situations have erupted on mountains elsewhere in the world, this year it was
Everest’s turn and Everest being Everest, the event received big media
attention.
In
1973 the Italian Expedition to Everest was supported, as expeditions are today,
by Nepali climbers and support staff. Amongst that group of mountaineers was a
young Nepali lad called Shambu Tamang, on reaching the summit Tamang
inadvertently set a world record for being the youngest Everest summiteer, he
was just 16 years old at the time, and this record was the ‘trend’ setter that
still exists today. Although at one end of the age scale there are policies in
place to limit the lower age limit for permitted summit attempts there are no
such policies to limit the upper age range.
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This season saw Mr. Yuichiro Miura
from Japan aged 80 become the oldest man to climb Everest. His daughter, Emiri,
reported that the climb cost ¥150 million. A Nepalese climber, 81 year old Min
Bahadur Sherchan was also going to make an attempt, but had to turn back due to
poor weather conditions. Prior to the final outcome Miura had said that should
Sherchan succeed he, Miura, was unlikely to make another summit attempt!
Lavish
celebrations were held in Kathmandu to mark the anniversary of the first ascent
of Everest and amongst those notable Everest Summiteers attending was 29 year
old Chhurim Sherpa, she has also climbed Everest, twice in one week!
I
spoke to an eminent mountaineer who attended the event and was very
disappointed to hear that he felt such actions were very ill advised and
misguided. However, I can remember when media reporters said exactly the same
thing about not only the mountaineer in question when referring to his boundary
pushing ascents, but, also similar comments about other prominent characters in
the mountaineering world. Do we really have
the right to pour scorn on other people’s ambitions and triumphs when history
proves that we also had similar ‘questionable’ experiences in our past?
Away
from Everest the rest of Nepal has had to survive the effects of the monsoon.
There has been considerable media coverage of the floods in northern India and
our thoughts go to all those people affected by the many disasters that have
occurred. However, it should be remembered that those flood waters have, in the
main, their source in Nepal, a country also affected by the monsoon rains.
There have been many reported cases of landslides, flooded communities, rivers
bursting their banks and tragic drownings, particularly in western Nepal, in
areas poorly served by security forces even in normal times. During these
months transport is greatly affected by the monsoon storms reducing flight
operations and of course many roads are impassable. Many of the areas concerned
have received little or no outside help, and very few of these instances have
been reported in the world media. These communities are generally left to their
own devises to survive in those situations.
The
Himalayan Rescue Association celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year.
The HRA was initially established in 1973 to ‘reduce casualties in the Nepal Himalayas, especially keeping in view
the increasing number of Nepalese and foreigners who trek up into the remote
wildernesses’. From its humble beginnings and the first HRA medical clinic
based in an old yak herder’s hut in Pheriche the HRA now operates additional
clinics at Everest Base Camp, Manang, Thorong Phedi and seasonal support
clinics at Gosainkunda for the thousands of pilgrims visiting the holy lakes
during their festival season. The Association has its main headquarters at
Dhobichaur, Lazimpat Kathmandu but it also operates an information centre in
the Thamel Sagarmatha Complex, near the Kathmandu Guest House.
I
recently spoke to Mr. Santa Subba, President of the HRA at a time when the HRA
is trying to redefine its role in the light of modern Nepal. Today with all the
foreign visitors coming to Nepal HRA staff have to deal with not only the many
diplomatic staff that become involved, their documentation, insurance companies
with their complex policies, but, also with the families of those unfortunate
souls caught up in accidents and more often than not all dealt with in foreign
languages. There have also been several issues affecting Nepali citizens that
have required rescue coordination and support. Last year a large avalanche
resulted in a surge in the Seti River killing many local people and the all to
frequent transport accidents and landslips all require rescue coordination. Santa
outlined his views on how the HRA should be entrusted with the role and
responsibility for coordinating tourism crisis management and rescue plans. At
present there are many ways that rescues are coordinated and executed, but, not
in all cases are the HRA being kept fully informed, leaving obvious gaps in the
efficient management of incidents.
The
Nepal Mountaineering Association also celebrates its 40th
Anniversary this year. By the early 1970s the style of Himalayan climbing was
changing, no longer was it the aim of expeditions just to reach the summit of
their chosen objective but it was to reach the summit via a new and often
highly technical line of ascent. It was quickly pointed out that if the Nepali
climbers were to continue in their role of supporting these expeditions then
there needed to be a strong training element within the existing role of the
NMA. This element of the NMA mission has now developed to such a high standard
that there are Nepali internationally qualified IFMGA guides operating in Nepal
and all ‘guide’ training is carried out by Nepali Mountain Guide trainers.
Keeping to this ‘training’ ethos the NMA is now taking on the training of
Mountain Leaders (formally known as trekking guides) and is due to run out a
training program from January 2014.
Amongst
its other roles the NMA also oversees the issuing of permits for all the
trekking peaks in Nepal. In 1995 the NMA formally initiated its Welfare Policy,
a means of providing financial support to the families of NMA Guides who have
been tragically killed or injured in the line of duty, apart from medical
support the NMA also provide educational scholarships for the children of those
guides.
Flights during this season are obviously at the
greater mercy of the weather. The high mountain airstrips see little flight
traffic and in many cases the authorities take advantage of this to carry out
essential maintenance work. This season Juphal, the gateway to Dolpo has been
closed for ‘black-topping’ (tarmac). The days of wondering whether you are
actually airborne or just bouncing off a large stone will soon be over! This
work has virtually closed the district to trekkers; if you really want to go in
to this wonderful area this season then helicopters are the only, expensive,
option. At present there is only one team with permission to enter this
restricted area, and those are our trekkers.
The currency exchange rate in Thamel is fluctuating as usual, in
our last newsletter we mentioned it was hovering around the 130/- mark. Today
it has risen to 143.02 NRs
On the process’
as they say.
as they say.
The
never-ending road scheme is progressing throughout Nepal, albeit slowly. But,
where work has been completed there is a remarkable improvement in the flow of
traffic. I have no idea just how much longer the work will take to complete but
I must add that from the evidence so far it will be worth it. Over the last 20
years building has been indiscriminate and within the Kathmandu Metropolitan
District advantage was taken to erect illegal constructions on government land.
In many cases these were road-side developments that actually hid old existing architectural
‘gems’ from the passers bye. Now if you know where to look the old Newari
architecture can be found behind the piles of concrete and steel rod rubble.
To
most people when you mention Chautara, on the way to Bharabise, The Friendship
Bridge and Tibet, the main administrative centre for the Sanksuwasabha district,
you would imagine, heavy traffic, pollution, concrete structures and massive
overcrowding, however, if you know where to find the old part of town, little
has changed over the years.
Nepal is not just for Trekkers!
In
general most people associate Nepal with mountaineering and trekking, however,
as a premier adventure tourism destination Nepal has far more to offer than
activities involving big mountains, heavy rucksacks and blisters!
With
Chris Frome and his Tour de’ France win fresh in the mind what about a cycling
trip in Nepal?
Nepal
has some of the most diverse mountain, or just plain cycling, routes in the
world. Adventurous rides matching any of the ‘black’ runs found in the Alps can
be found in Nepal plus you also have the constant backdrop of the mighty
Himalaya accompanied by the depth of cultural, architectural and ethnic
background. For those who might like less of an adrenaline rush there are
plenty of cross country routes that take in many of the internationally
recognized tourist venues without dicing with death on the main Nepali roads.
If you’re into mega tours then consider the Lhasa to Kathmandu route, the
biggest downhill run in the world!
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All
cycling equipment can be hired in Kathmandu, including some of the latest in
designs and technology for mountain bikes. Nepal is now a cycle aware and
friendly nation that considers the environmental impact of ‘new’ tourist and
visitor activities.
Another
‘environmentally’ friendly activity and one that has now developed into one of
the biggest adventure activities in Nepal is paragliding. Nepal now hosts some
of the major paragliding events in the world calendar.
Pokhara
is well set up for this activity with purpose designated take off and landing
sites complete with excellent rescue and recovery transport infrastructure.
Here’s an idea! Now if you are really short of ideas
the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation have continued with their ‘open
permit’ policy for 120 new and unclimbed peaks, primarily in very rural Nepal.
Transport is not straight forward and you would have to either take two
domestic flights or a combination of flights, jeep and trek. But if you have
the time and are on a limited budget then there are still some jewels left to
be had!
A
list of new open peaks can be provided on request.
Well
not exactly word perfect according to the lyrics of Pete Seeger but an
interesting question never-the-less. Yarsagumba
is the Nepali name for a ‘plant’ that the Nepalese describe as half insect and
half plant; it is in fact the name for a rare fungus that lives parasitically in
the body of larvae of a moth. Yarsagumba has been an important component of
herbal medicine for many years and in particular in traditional Chinese medicine. However,
due to a constantly growing demand and the difficulties in harvesting,
Yarsagumba has become the most expansive medicinal substance in the world.
The
caterpillar of the moth lives underground high in the Himalaya foot hills,
between 3000 – 5000m spending approximately 5 years underground feeding on the
roots of plants before pupating. Is it at this stage that the caterpillar
larvae is attacked by the fungus which completely infests the whole body of the
larvae eventually killing and mummifying the insect. However, before the
caterpillar is dead it somehow manages to get near to the surface of the
ground. After the snows melt mushrooms emerge from the dead insects’ forehead
and push above the surface. A fully grown mushroom can grow as tall as 5-15cms,
if left it will release its spores and the cycle begins again.
According to a Himalayan legend, Yarsagumba was discovered by Tibetan and Nepalese herders
who, in springtime, noticed grazing yaks and goats acting strangely in the high
mountain pasture. ‘After eating this
strange looking substance, the animals would become frisky and start chasing
each other around with lustful intent’. Soon the locals were consuming Yarsagumba and also experiencing added vigor!
The
plant’s ‘medical’ benefits were first documented by Nyamnyi Dorje, 1439-1475 a
Tibetan physician. However, it was not objectively or scientifically studied
until 1757. The Jesuit priest, Perennin Jean Baptiste du Halde wrote about his
‘experiences with this mythical healing agent’ while he was a guest at the
Emperor’s court in China. In
the open market today Yarsagumpa can fetch more than 400 Euro per 10gms.
In
China ‘Yarsa’ is often regarded as a symbol of wealth and power, and with
China’s booming economy, the demand for the fungus has pushed up prices and the
potential earnings of the Nepali harvesters. Based on estimates of the volume
of trade and average retail prices, it is estimated that the global market is
set at around $5 billion and $11 billion per year.
The
‘Gold Rush Season’ sees many people, including guides and porters, heading into
the hills to try to find their fortunes. People
from the poverty-stricken rural communities in Nepal, see this ‘crop’ as
potentially a very lucrative resource, however, this does have a negative
impact on the biodiversity and ecosystems.
Dolpa
in western Nepal is a region that is home to 60,000 harvesters and contributes
about 40% of the total fungus yield in the country.
They
reported that the annual collection fell by more than 50% from the 2009 peak to
2011, with most harvesters believing that it had become more difficult to find
the fungus. The villagers are going to more extremes, flaunting the weather
conditions and risking their lives as well as spending more time in the field,
but, they are not getting rewarded financially by their more demanding
activities.
The
reduction in the fungus crop has prompted many harvesters to pick all of the
fungi they can find, whereas previously they would have left those that had not
reached reproductive maturity thus allowing new spores to get dispersed onto
the soil this premature collection reduces the yield for the following years.
If
the caterpillar fungus disappears it could lead to an uncontrolled
proliferation of the larvae and moths, thus modifying the diversity of the
fragile mountain ecosystem.
Hundreds
of people work in limited areas over harvesting and damaging the ecosystem through
their over-zealous activity. No doubt global warming and climate change should
also be factored into the reduction of this lucrative activity.
To
fully understand the financial impact of the harvest, on the workers, and in
turn their impact on the environment I suggest you might like to watch the Youtube
film ‘Journey to Yarsa’ (in Nepali with sub titles)
‘In
Search of Yarsagumpa’ (in English) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6XdZEQlogw
It
has just reported that gangs have, in the last two weeks, raided the Yarsagumpa
harvesters in Dolpo and stolen over £700,000 of their crop. The army and police
are now in the area investigating.
Lammergeiers
or Bearded Vultures are long-winged vultures known for their unusual habit of
dropping bones on to rocks to smash them open so as to get at the marrow, the
food they really enjoy.
An
adult lammergeier is about 42 inches (107 cm) long, with a wingspread of more
than 9 feet (2.7 m). Lammergeiers are rare. They were formerly killed in large
numbers because people feared (without justification) that they carried off
children and domestic animals; the birds were also hunted as trophies. They in
fact feed on dead animals so play an important part in the recycling and keeping
the environment clean, the wheel of life.
Stop Press
Everest Base Camp
On
the 2nd August Nepalese officials announced that for the first time,
a government team will be located at Everest Base Camp to monitor and help
expedition teams, coordinate rescues and protect the environment.
The
government states that "There is a need for a permanent government
mechanism at Everest Base Camp to regulate mountaineering activities,"
Starting from next year's spring climbing season (2014), the team at base camp
will represent the government's administration on the ground. Observers say it
was getting difficult to regulate mountaineering activities from the capital,
Kathmandu.
"When
there is the presence of the government on the ground, the message that
'violating the law is punishable' becomes clearer," he said. One of the
big concerns is the role of the Liaison Office on big expeditions; "Now
personnel with the Integrated Service Centre will also do the job of liaison
officers and that will include checking climbing permits and verifying whether
climbers reached the summit of Everest.
Aubrey Sacco
In
2010 Aubrey Sacco, a solo American trekker disappeared in the Langtang region
of Nepal. This was a high profile case and Aubrey’s family naturally invested a
lot of time, effort and money in trying to find the whereabouts of their
daughter. For over three years the incident was investigated from all angles.
On
the 2nd August 2013 the press in Nepal announced that three people
had been arrested in connection with the disappearance of the University of
Colorado graduate Aubrey Sacco.
The
suspects were arrested by Nepalese police on murder charges, but that has not
yet been confirmed.
The Exchange Rate on 9th August has topped 147NRs.
Our
next Newsletter will be out in the late autumn after the next season. If you’re
out on the trail during the next few months we wish you every success in
attaining your goals and ambitions, enjoy your trip!
Well
that’s about it for now, I hope you have enjoyed a brief glimpse into Nepal at
this time of the year.
Best
wishes,
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