The headline image for this edition is of crossing the Mendokrin Lek before descending to the west of Crystal Mountain and then down to Shey, Dolpo.
Over the last
three years there have been various well publicised events that not only
shocked the mountaineering world but also Nepal as a nation, the fight on
Everest, the avalanche and then the earthquake.
All of this was followed by a political dispute with India who then
imposed economic sanctions on Nepal. The world offered support both financial
and practical but a government without a vision failed to respond positively
and apart from the Sherpa people who set about immediately rebuilding their communities
most of the other affected areas of Nepal struggled on.
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| A tented camp is still occupied near the Hyatt Hotel Boudha |
Sixteen months after the earthquake and many people, especially those from the remoter and poorer areas are still waiting for the promised government financial support. But this lack of compassion is also evident in Kathmandu, there is very little sign of domestic accommodation development, however, new hotels are springing up like weeds in the monsoon. There are of course all sorts of reasons publicised by the government as to why this relief process is not running efficiently.
Nepal’s Budget
In May the Finance Minister Bishnu
Poudel presented the budget of 1,048,920,000,000 NRs (approx £7,089,213,300) for
the fiscal year 2016/17 to Parliament. This represents a 28% increase on the
current fiscal year with a focus on the implementation of the constitution,
acceleration of development work and the reduction of poverty. The Government
also allocated 140 billion NRs for post-quake reconstruction and rehabilitation
work, pledging that earthquake-affected families will also receive an additional
NRs 300k each, approximately £20,000. Civil servants’ salaries were
increased by 25 percent while social security allowance and allowances provided
to the disabled, single woman and endangered communities have also been
doubled.
The
government also announced the policy to produce electricity by levying five
percent tax on petroleum products with a commitment to end load shedding by
2018 by producing 10,000 megawatts of hydroelectricity. NRs 26.5 billion have
been allocated for the School Sector Development Program.
In general the Nepalese
population believe that this was a good budget and it looks like Prime Minister
Oli has strengthened his hold on the role of PM for the foreseeable future. I
hope this will now lead to a period of political stability, a renewed
confidence in Nepal’s future and a concerted effort to attend to the future
security of those families affected by the earthquake.
And
then?
‘Maoists quit government’
Tuesday, July
12th, 2016 Nepali Times
The CPN (Maoist-Centre), the ruling UML’s main
coalition partner, has decided to withdraw its support of the KP Oli
government. After a meeting with top Maoist leaders at his own residence in
Lazimpat on Tuesday, the CPN (Maoist-Centre) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal sent a
letter to Prime Minister KP Oli saying his party is no longer in the
government.
Now, if PM Oli fails to persuade Dahal to withdraw his
decision – which he succeeded in doing two months ago – his government
will collapse. The Maoists are likely to forge a coalition with the main
opposition NC and form a new government. In the letter to PM Oli, Dahal justified
his party’s decision by blaming the ruling UML for failing to
implement the nine-point agreement signed between the two sides in May.
In the first week of May, the Maoists were all set to separate
themselves from the Oli government and form a new coalition with the NC.
However, hours before the Maoists and the NC were to sign a pact, Oli persuaded
Dahal to stay in the government by signing the nine-point agreement.
Expeditions
Spring is now the ‘normal’ season for expeditions to Everest. Initially the number of expeditions requesting climbing permits this year was low, however, at the last minute, the Ministry of Tourism honoured their pledge to accept those expeditions who had permits for the 2015 season but cancelled due to the earthquake and announced they would be accepted them for both the 2016 and 2017 seasons. At the same time it was also announced that the permits issued in 2014 but were not used due to the avalanche would also be honoured for the next five years, through to 2019.
Spring is now the ‘normal’ season for expeditions to Everest. Initially the number of expeditions requesting climbing permits this year was low, however, at the last minute, the Ministry of Tourism honoured their pledge to accept those expeditions who had permits for the 2015 season but cancelled due to the earthquake and announced they would be accepted them for both the 2016 and 2017 seasons. At the same time it was also announced that the permits issued in 2014 but were not used due to the avalanche would also be honoured for the next five years, through to 2019.
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| An expedition permit must be obtained by every expedition planning to climb a peak in Nepal image Ian Wall |
Various foreign organisations
offer incentives to their members who summit Everest, the Indian armed services
acknowledge summating Everest with instance promotion, which obviously includes
a wage and pension increase, the stakes are high. At the end of the Everest
2016 season a story emerged that two police officers from the Pune Police Force
(Bengal) allegedly manipulated photographs to prove that they summated Everest.
These were submitted to the Nepal Department of Tourism as proof of their
success which was duly acknowledged. However,
a possible fraud was recognised by other expedition members who verified that
the husband and wife team had throughout the expedition been wearing red and
black down suits, in the summit photos they appeared to be wearing yellow and
black suits, their boots had also changed and a complaint was filed at the Maharashtra
Police Commissioner’s office (Bengal). In July the Nepal Tourism Department
recommended that the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation take a formal
decision to impose a 10-year ban on Dinesh Chandrakant Rathod and his wife
Tarkeshwari Chandrakant Bhelerao from visiting Nepal for mountaineering
expeditions, to cancel their summit certificates and to charge them with
forgery and fraud.
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| The top two images are the orriginals while the lower ones have been manipulated Images THT |
This scandalous situation gave rise to an investigation into the
part played by the Liaison Officers (LO) in the expedition industry. LOs are
allocated to all expeditions attempting mountains over 6500m their role is to
assist the expedition and to help resolve local issues and they must also provide
evidence of summit bids and successes post expedition. According to the Tourism
Law they should stay at Base Camp for the duration of the expedition, a job for
which on Everest they receive nearly 3000 US $. During the Spring Everest
season 2016 it has been discovered that nearly 50 per cent of the liaison
officers never reached Everest base camp and thus did not carry out their paid
duties representing the 33 expedition teams. The majority of LOs who trekked to
the height of 5,300 metres, Base Camp, on the other hand, `vanished within minutes after taking a few images for their keepsake
and social media bragging.’ The Himalayan Times quote
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| A long line helicopter evacuation |
Long-line
evacuation by helicopter
Aside from that
instance bringing Everest back into media attention the weather conditions also
had a serious impact on some other expeditions. Two German nationals along with
their 18 Nepalese staff were stranded in the Saribung Himal following a strong
snowstorm on Friday 13th May and had to be rescued using helicopters
and ‘long line’ techniques. Everest saw the death of five climbers including
three from India and one from Australia, all above the higher camps.
Over the last
few days of May areas of the Himalaya experienced very unsettled weather with
strong winds and rapidly dropping temperatures which caused several other
expeditions to pull back off their objectives.
Dolpo, our trek and small expedition
This
could almost be a scene from the film Himalaya. Trekkers watching a group of
yaks traversing a typical
In May I took to
the hills with friends from Australia and Nepal, an extended trip to the
farthest reaches of northern Dolpo, in fact to within half a kilometre of the
border with Tibet/China.
This region
never ceases to amaze me with its pure remote and wild beauty. In terms of Nepali
trekking numbers not many people visit this area and if they do they tend to go
to Shey before heading east and eventually leaving either via Juphal or Jomsom.
We wanted to go into the district 4 days to the north of Shey for an attempt on
a small but unclimbed peak, a long and hard extension and one that ideally
requires at least four to five weeks to complete. Although the Great Himalayan
Trail goes through this area even that fails to enter the northern most
sanctuary. Passing through the small community of Kuwgaon the local residents
said they could not remember the last time foreigners had passed through if
ever, and there were one or two elder people in the community! Although Dolpo
is not known for its lofty snowy peaks it does provide serious high altitude
tough trekking, most of the routes to the north of Shey are above 3800m with
many passes over 5000m. If you are looking for a real ‘off the wall’ experience
then northern most Dolpo can certainly provide all the right ingredients. Oh!
And the expedition, well we spent five days in Base Camp with the weather
slowly deteriorating, in the end we sadly ran out of time and good days. Our
Nepali friends had a good crack at the route getting to within 200 - 250mts of
the summit but the weather and conditions on the route were .. well it’ll be
there next year!
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| The team, literally chilling, out at our Base Camp Image Ian Wall |
Post earthquake Megre
School
Many of you
kindly supported our efforts with the reconstruction of the school in Megre
post earthquake. This project is nearly completed and will be occupied for teaching
as usual post monsoon when there will be an official opening. The project
included the construction of 4 class-rooms and a toilet block for boys and a
separate one for girls. Originally we planned to build six class-rooms but the new
government policy called for an increased in size of an individual room which meant we could
only go for a four room structure. The outside of the building will be cement
rendered and then painted. Earthquake resistant technology was also included in
the design.
Sherpas on Top
Sherpas have always been the back bone and work force of many
successful expeditions. Over the more recent years many foreign groups have
successfully climbed routes in good Alpine-style. Now the Sherpa (ethnic group)
as well as climbers from other ethnic groups are climbing and running their own
expeditions for their own pleasure and enjoyment. During the autumn 2015 season
Chobutse 6,686m, West Face, the Dorjee Sherpa Route, was climbed by Mingma
Gyalje Sherpa. This 1,200m route starts in the Rolwaling Valley immediately
below Chobutse. Initially ascending the west ridge before descending 60m to the
foot of the main face from here the route continues up the steep snow face.
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| Chobutse with the line taken by Mingma Gyalje Sherpa on his solo ascent Image Ian Wall |
Chobutse with the line taken by
Mingma Gyalje Sherpa on his solo ascent © Ian Wall
Mingma climbed solo but
after being stranded for two days and nights on the summit without food or
shelter he was evacuated by helicopter.
Also in the
Rolwaling Valley Thakar-Go East 6,152m, Langdak 6,220m, and Raungsiyar 6,224m were
all climbed as part of the same expedition by three fellow Sherpas, Tashi
Sherpa, Dawa Gyalie Sherpa and Nima Tenji Sherpa. The team climbed three new
routes up previously unclimbed mountains in the same area. Now at the time
of writing news is coming through that Tashi Sherpa, Nima Tenji Sherpa accompanied
by Tenzeng Sherpa successfully climbed the West Rib of Mt Denali – it is
reported that eight Nepalese climbers made it to the summit of Denali this
spring season. The boys are coming of age .. well done lads!
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| The Sherpa summit team on Denali having completed the West Rib image Nima Sherpa |
Dalai
Lama’s birthday
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| Zealous policing at Boudhanath Image Kathmandu Post |
The Songtsen Brikuti School in Boudhanath was
where the Tibetan community was scheduled to celebrate the 81st birthday of the
Dalai Lama. However, on the 6th July the area was overrun by
Nepalese police who disrupted the celebrations and detained approximately 30
Tibetans including the Tibetan Settlement Officer despite the fact that the
proper permission had been granted by the Nepalese authorities for the function. The celebratory event was cancelled.
Interesting to note the heavy-handed police officer on the right of the picture
is female.
Weather and the Monsoon
I guess many of
you will have read and heard about the serious flooding in northern India, well
Nepal hasn’t escaped the wet weather either. There have been torrential
downpours, which I have to say were much needed, but along with that there has
been the usual devastating landslides. The road south into India was blocked
for several days and again this prevented supplies from reaching Kathmandu,
petrol stations were again closed and long queues formed. In other areas much
more serious incidents have been reported. As a result of indiscriminate
development and a lack of monitoring the heavy rains seriously eroded the Bhote
Koshi banks in the Sindapalchowk district which collapsed taking over 200
houses from Tatopani VDC's Larcha to Liping into the water.
Is Nepal on another planet?
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| Indiscriminate building, no planning and even less monitoring leads to more tragedy in Sindupalchowk |
The
International Astronomical Union has now named a 9.8km (six mile) wide crater
on Mars ‘Langtang’. Dr de Haas, who studies Mars's physical geography at
Utrecht University in the Netherlands, told the BBC that he chose Langtang
because his colleague had worked there while studying Himalayan glaciers.
Dr de Haas went onto to say "It was his base camp for a long
period, so we said maybe it's a nice tribute to call [the crater]
Langtang". Langtang is a "scientifically important" crater,
"the marks on the top of the crater wall were probably water flows, and
below them you can see ridges - the remains of former glaciers."
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| The Langtang Crater on Mars Image NASA |
Another ‘Everest’ story
Lhakpa
Sherpa exhibiting her seventh Everest Summit Certificate
In the spring
season 2016 Lhakpa Sherpa, summated Everest for the seventh time, breaking her
own world record for the number of ascents by a woman. Lhakpa is 43 and a
mother of three. She was born in the shadow of Makalu, Nepal but has travelled
repeatedly to the Himalaya from her home in the USA, where she works as a
housekeeper. Lhakpa first climbed Everest in 2000 as part of the Nepali Women
Millennium Expedition.
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| Lhakpa Sherpa exhibiting her seventh Everest Summit Certificate |
At a gathering of mountaineers in Kathmandu, post
expedition Lhakpa met US-based Romanian-born climber George Dijmarescu, who she
went on to marry. But during the 2004 Connecticut Everest Expedition, she and
Djimarescu had a violent altercation that left her seriously hurt, and sparked
a small media sensation in the mountaineering world. The couple divorced in
2015, after a lengthy court battle.
Lhakpa intends
to try to make the summit of Everest 10 times, in October 2016 she is returning
to Nepal in an attempt to climb Cho Oyu,
she has also got K2 in her sights, having been beaten by bad weather on her
first attempt in 2010.
The World’s highest marathon, yes ‘on Everest’
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| They're off! Everest marathon runners descend from Everest Base Camp at the start of the race. Image THT |
This annual
event marks the anniversary of the first ascent by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund
Hillary in 1953. This year a Nepali soldier won the Everest marathon, Bed
Bahadur Sunuwar was one of more than 150 local and foreign runners in the race,
which began at Everest base camp. The winner completed the
race, which ended about 2,000 metres further down the valley in Namche Bazaar,
in four hours and 10 seconds.
Problems in Upper Mustang for mountaineering
expedition
During the first
week of July an expedition comprising of two foreign mountaineers was prevented
from entering Upper Mustang by the local people. The expedition to Arniko Chuli
6039m, SW of Lo Manthang, was told that they could not progress through Upper
Mustang during the ‘growing season’ because this is considered to bring bad
omens into the area, anything from hailstorms to cyclones, causing the crops to
fail. Despite paying all the taxes and obtaining the required permissions for
mountaineering in Kathmandu before setting off the local people elected to
impose the ban on foreigners entering the area from the Tiji festival in April up
to September. The local Upper Mustang residents can fine foreigners, under
local traditions, who breach this law. After receiving a complaint from the
climbers, the Department of Tourism’s director Laxman Sharma told the
expedition members that the department took this situation very seriously and
would look into the case. Upper Mustang of course relies heavily on the revenue
generated by tourism.
Mountain Rescue – Nepal
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| Ms Phunjo Lama |
Recently Ms.
Phunjo Lama became the first female from Nepal to train as a long-line rescuer
(Aerial Rescue) which she completed in Switzerland. The technique is often
referred to a "Long Line" or "Short Haul", and is similar
to other helicopter long line systems in use throughout the world.
HFRS (Helicopter
Flight Rescue System) involves the lowering of a crew member, sometimes by
several metres to beneath the landing gear of the helicopter, this allows the pilot
to hover clear of physical danger while the crew member is lowered to the
casualty on the mountain. The evacuation is often completed when the crew
member clips the casualty into the long line then both are flown, hanging
beneath the helicopter, to an area more conducive to landing and providing
medical treatment. Congratulations Phunjo.
Glacial
Melt
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| The overflow system installed in Rolwaling at Tsho Rolpa Image Ian Wall |
In June 2016 approximately 40 Nepal Army personnel supported by
members of the high altitude communities of the Khumbu (Everest region) began
work to drain some of the water out of Imja Lake, 5000m near Island Peak. With
financial assistance from the UN the army constructed an outlet system to
gradually release the water over a period of 45 days and to reduce the water level
by three metres. The outlet will be similar in design to that constructed in
2000 to address concerns over the water levels in Tsho Rolpa, Rolwaling. At
this time of year the weather is bad with monsoon precipitation falling as snow
accompanied by seasonal low cloud. The army also lifted heavy earth moving
equipment to help the personnel on the ground.
Despite two failed rounds calling for international bidding for the
contract the army was called in as the situation was declared as a matter of
urgency. It is reported that this is the highest altitude disaster risk
mitigation work ever carried out by an army team in the world. One can only
imagine the catastrophic disaster that would be inflicted on those communities
and the environment situated lower downstream in the event of the glacial lake
outburst.
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| Heavy earth moving equipment at Imja Lake and the line of the new overflow channelAdd caption |
Helicopters in Nepal
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| The Dragon being assembled in the workshops at the International Airport Image Fishtail |
Helicopters and Everest
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| Three images of 'luxuries' at Everest Base Camp |
On April 23,
2016 a helicopter made six trips to Camp 1 (6,035 meters, or 19,800 feet) in
the Western Cwm to deliver ropes, anchors, and oxygen for the
Nepali workers—a total of
roughly 2,866 pounds of
equipment.The helicopters saved only approximately 84 loads out of a thousand or more that are estimated to traverse the ice fall every season. It is estimated that they could cut another 50 percent or more of the loads using a mix of helicopters, storing gear at Camp 2, and restricting all the luxuries and ridiculous other clutter that is perceived as being required at Camp 2 by clients and agents fighting for the client’s business (like carpeting, chairs, tables, huge kitchens and kitchen staff, and solar panels). What would Mallory have thought?
The
effect of the UK – EU spat?
Sadly the
shock waves are rippling round the world. As has been widely announced the pound has come in for a
hammering and today 27th July it has slipped to 137/- NRs with the
dollar at 105/- NRs this is a reduction from 160/- NRs and 108/- only a few
weeks back. However the exchange rate always moves pre-monsoon, the real test
is to see if it recovers in September.
As I finish
the last of this newsletter information is coming in of a restructured policy
for climbing mountains in Nepal, changes include:-
·
Climbers MUST be accompanied by
a guide
·
Restricted helicopter used for
personnel above base camp
·
Nepalese mountain workers to
receive ‘Summit Certificates’
·
Upper age restriction of
75years and double amputees, visually impaired climbers to be banned
·
A pre-requisite of a 7000m
summit is required to enable an Everest permit to be issued
I’m sure this
issue will run and run and already one point has risen to the surface.
A difficult situation and decisions to be made
One of the new issues to be considered by the Department of Tourism
is whether to implement the policy of requiring every climber to be accompanied
by a Nepalese guide. This is a similar situation to the one raised concerning solo
trekkers a few years ago. While one of the real attractions of being in the
mountains is that there are no real laws only common sense it does create a
problem in Nepal where so many climbers and trekkers go missing.
At the
beginning of May Dutchman, Christian Wilson went missing from Dhaulagiri base
camp when he failed to reach the lower Italian base camp. He had retreated from
his solo attempt to climb the world’s seventh highest mountain, after reaching
Camp 2. He gave up as he was (reportedly) a ‘free individual trekker’ on a climbing
permit. Despite searches being conducted in the area there are still no answers
to the question as to what has happened to Christian. Another trekker,
Romanian
Popescu Adina Monica, an experienced orienteer and trekker died in a landslip
on the Annapurna Sanctuary trek. Her body was found in the Shivay River,
Ghandruk on the route back to Naya Pul, only a few kilometres from the road
head and route back to Pokhara.
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| Dhaulagiri 81767 m the worlds' seventh highest summit and Nepal's sixth highest mountain was the last 8000 m peak to be climbed |
Who says the Nepali Government is not doing its job?
Since 11th
October 2015 the Government has met over 40 times and taken over 800 decisions.
Approval was given for 183 foreign trips, 106 appointments, 79 regarding
financial support 75 for promotions and transfers and 370 undisclosed
approvals. So far very few decisions have been passed that would address some
of the other pressing issues in Nepal.
Does Pakistan have a reason?
While our three Nepali
‘Himalayan Queens’ successfully climbed K2 last year there is a growing
speculation amongst the Nepalese climbing fraternity that Pakistan wants to
limit the role of Sherpas on expeditions to the Karakoram. Lakpa Sherpa has
already climbed K2 twice, this season he arrived with all the required permits
with the plan to accompany Ruban Payan, an American climber on his K2
expedition. Lakpa was told on arrival by an immigration officer that he had to
return to Kathmandu, no reasons were given. When he reclaimed his passport in
Kathmandu he found he had been blacklisted. Lakpa is not the only one, many
other climbers have been prevented from entering Pakistan this season. An
Australian-New Zealander, Chris Burke was refused entry despite having all the
required permits, she believed it was because she had a Nepalese climber in her
team.
Sometimes
‘Nepali Time’ is faster than time in the rest of the world – especially in
politics!
Prime
Minister KP Oli resigned on Sunday 24th July, nine months after getting
into power and only minutes before parliament was to vote on a ‘no confidence’
motion that he was likely to lose.
Oli was
forced to resign after allies of his multi-party coalition deserted the
government accusing him of not honouring power sharing deals that had helped
install him as prime minister in October last year. There had previously been ‘behind
the scenes negotiations’ between the leaders of the various parties but
ultimately these had all fallen off the rails.
Nepali
politics is never simple to understand especially for foreigners interested in
Nepal. Oli had shunned India’s advice and their expressed concerns. This new
move will mark India’s return to Nepal’s political landscape. The blockade was
part of India’s move to demonstrate discontent with Oli’s leadership after
being unable to shape political outcomes in Nepal over the past year. This move
will also demonstrate to China the difficulties of micro-managing a diverse,
plural democratic landscape in South Asia.
Nepali
leaders, almost exclusively from hill castes, were keen to preserve their
dominance. They saw the border Madhesi issues as an Indian conspiracy to
increase its control. They disregarded both Indian advice and Madhesi protests
and pushed the constitution forward in September, 2015.
Beyond these political
games, the test will be to see if the next Nepal government brings back
inclusive democracy and the country’s relationship with Delhi back on track.
For Delhi, another nightmare in Nepal ends. It will now have to build back
bilateral ties, while discreetly pushing for political inclusiveness. And as
for Beijing, well there is a lesson. Unlike one-party systems, democracy can be
messy with many political permutations resulting in change. China has some way
to go before it can compete with India’s natural advantages in the Himalayan
states.
That’s it!
And with that
folks I’ll leave you with a view of our own little ‘jungle’ created by the
monsoon weather; remember all the flowers in the last issue, now replaced by
lush green foliage and snakes. Yes snakes, Sarita found a large skin in the
bushes the other day..but I think he was just passing through..hope so anyway!
Enjoy summer!
July 2016
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