After a week, Rosanna and David and all the others on the Childreach trek will be well on their way now. Everest Base Camp Trek routes. The latter stages show the Kala Pattar variation of the Everest trek where you climb to the summit of the neighbouring mountain to overlook Everest base camp. I just posted this video really to give a sense of Kathmandu and the first few days of what Rosanna and David will be seeing.
Here is a video I found showing the opening locations on one of the
Thanks tojustindav1sfor putting this up on Youtube.
Following up on my earlier post on the heroic Apa Sherpa, I’ve found a nice ecology related post on Powinthekisser:
Cleaning up Mount Everest
April 6, 2009
Nearly 9,000 meters above sea level and dangerous to reach, Mount Everest would seem a likely place to be free of litter and waste. However, you may be surprised to know that climbers over the past 50 years have left a staggering 50 tons of trash and debris and human waste along the summit. This has prompted the world’s most experienced sherpa to join forces with the Eco Everest expedition for his 19th ascent of Mount Everest, this time not for a climbing expedition, but rather for a conservation expedition.
Apa Sherpa and company left today on their journey and will use this trip to highlight the devastating effects of the global climate crisis on Mount Everest, where global warming is causing the snow at the summits to melt at a rapid rate. Along the way, they plan on filling hundreds of rubbish sacks with human waste and litter left behind by previous climbers.
Apa Sherpa (Thomas L. Kelly for The New York Times)
As it’s the anniversary of Hillary’s famous first summit success on Everest, I thought he deserved a mention. Sadly, he died last year, but he left behind The Edmund Hillary Trust.
I think it’s important to remember the local community and environment when making a journey like mine, especially when I’m associated with a charity. We will rely on the Sherpa people and thier kindness so much, but without groups like The Edmund Hillary Trust, their lifestyle will only be damaged by our visits.
Since inception the achievements of The Edmund Hillary trust have been wide ranging. They include:
Two hospitals and thirteen health clinics have been built.
Over 30 schools have been built
Over 100 students receive grants annually from the Trust for further and higher education. A programme of women’s Literacy Classes is evolving into Adult Education.
For Sherpas, improvements in life expectancy have been achieved through programmes to control tuberculosis, smallpox and other life-threatening infectious diseases. Stillbirth and infant mortality has been reduced.
Almost 100,000 young trees were nurtured each year and more than 1 million have been planted in 25 protected sites.
Several Sherpas have gained degrees following training in forestry and in national park management in New Zealand and Canada.
A three-year Primary Teacher Training project in Solu Khumbu attracted 200 teachers and is seen by HM Govt. of Nepal as a model for other rural areas. This has been so successful that it has been extended for another three years.
A three-year Secondary Teacher Training project was grant aided by the The Community Fund with the grant matched by the UK Himalayan Trust.
A pre-University Campus has been established in Solu district and attracts a high proportion of young women.
The re-building of Thyangboche Monastery after a fire was helped mainly by the Himalayan Trust.
The building of a new monastery at Salleri was achieved by the Trust matching money raised by local people, mainly by those who now live and work in Kathmandu.
Isolated communities are helped to re-build washed away bridges and tracks; drinking water systems have been constructed.
HM Government has been encouraged to create National Parks and has been advised on their management.
Sherpas trained with support from the Trust are wardens of Nepal’s National Parks.
Above all, the Sherpas are being helped to overcome some of the harshness of their environment and to work for a better future, whilst retaining their independence.
Apa Sherpa says that he “climbs Everest for fun” A Nepalese man - who has been nicknamed Super Sherpa - has broken his own world record, climbing Mount Everest for the 19th time.
Apa Sherpa, 49, first made it to the summit 19 years ago.
He said his latest climb was to raise awareness of the impact of global warming on the Himalayas.
Apa Sherpa’s expedition team has been collecting rubbish from the mountain as part of a campaign to return it to its pristine condition.
Apa Sherpa spent around 30 minutes at the top of Everest, unfurling a banner saying “Stop Climate Change”.
Dawa Steven Sherpa, expedition team leader, told the AFP news agency: “We are very excited and happy with Apa’s achievement. It will highlight the effects of global warming on Everest.
“Climbing Everest is getting more difficult and dangerous every year because of the melting ice. The rocks that used to be covered by snows are getting exposed.
“We have brought down over five tonnes of mountain trash including parts of a crashed helicopter, old ropes and tents, ladders, metal cans and climbing gear.”
Veteran British adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes also reached the summit, succeeding after two previous attempts ended in failure.
