An Update from Ang Tshering Sherpa

Ang Tshering Sherpa is the Chairman and Founder of Asian Trekking, one of the oldest expedition companies in Nepal. He is the current President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association and perhaps the most influential Nepali in mountaineering. He sends a few letters out during the year with updates on the Himalayan climbing scene.

His most recent letter has a few interesting tidbits.

Everest 2010

Asian Trekking is supporting 9 expeditions, with 3 on Everest,  this season including their own Eco Everest expedition. Dawa Steven Sherpa is co-leading the climb as usual. Last year they had an innovative “Cash for Trash” program that resulted in tons of garbage being removed from the south side of Everest. This year they want to clean up Everest above Camp 2.

Apa Sherpa goes for #20

Apa Sherpa, the famed Nepalese Sherpa with the most summits of anyone, is back in 2010 going for his 20th summit! He is co-leading the Eco Everest expedition.

Cho Oyu from Nepal?

Ang Tshering suggests that climbers may have an alternative to climbing Cho Oyu from Nepal instead of the traditional Tibet route. The Nepal Government was asked to waive all permit fees for five years for Cho Oyu. However, the route from Nepal is quite difficult and would not replace the Tibet route that makes Cho Oyu an “easy” 8000m mountain.

Last fall, Denis Urubko and Boris Dedeshko climbed the south-east face in alpine style. This competed Urubko’s 14 8000m quest climbing all the peaks without supplemental oxygen.

But Cho Oyu from Nepal it could an attractive alternative for qualified climbers if the Chinese continue to make it difficult to obtain permits as they are this season on Everest. Recently, climbers have been told not to enter Tibet until April 10, a slight delay that will cause more aggravation than problems. But it was announced late and some teams had to abandon previously planned acclimatization climbs in Tibet.

Here is Ang Tshering’s letter in full:

Namaste and warm greetings from Nepal.

I am delighted to inform you that finally the spring Expedition Season starting soon and I am pleased to share with you many interesting and positive news from Nepal.

Apa Sherpa,World Record Holder for 19 ascents of Mt.Everest and Climbing Leader of Eco Everest Expedition is heading for 20th Summit on Mt.Everest this spring and Asian Trekking family extends their all support and wishes for the success.

Eco Everest Expedition: Once again this year Asian Trekking is organising the Eco Everest Expedition (2010). Under the leadership of Dawa Steven Sherpa, Apa Sherpa (19 times Everest Summiteer: world record holder) as the Climbing Leader and Nanga Dorje Sherpa as Sirdar. The focus will be on climbing in an eco-sensitive manner, bringing old garbage, and all human waste produced on the mountain down to base camp for proper disposal. The expedition will once again be using the highly successful alternative energy solutions like the parabolic solar cookers and the SteriPENs for water purification.

This year Dawa Steven and his Eco Everest Expedition team has planned to focus to collect and bring down previous expedition garbage between the altitudes of 6500 m and above. A team of 10 high altitude Sherpas will be hired to clean up garbage and debris from such high altitudes. Eco Everest Expedition 2009 team had brought down nearly 6000 kilos of  previous expedition garbage from Mt. Everest under the Cash for Trash program. This year’s Eco Everest Expedition targets to bring down 1000 kgs of debris from high altitude above Camp 2 (6500m) and 6000 kgs of debris from Camp 2 and below.

Since the spring Season is approaching very closed, The following are the expedition Teams Confirmed up to today through Asian Trekking:

1. Eco Everest Expedition
2. Kazakh Lhotse Expedition
3. International Everest Expedition 1
4. International Everest Expedition 2
5. International Cho-oyu Expedition
6. International Shishapangma Expedition
7. Chilean Amadablam Expedition
8. Korean Himlung Expedition
9. German Cho-oyu Expedition

Please visit: www.asian-trekking.com for  details.

Beat the GLOF Event and Save the Himalaya Khumbu Festival will be held at Khumjung village on 4 June 2010 instead of 10 – 11 June. The date for this event has been postponed for the convenience of the guests of 3rd International Sagarmatha (Mt.Everest) Day Celebration, which will be held on 29 May 2010, to participate in Beat the GLOF Event and Save the Himalaya Khumbu Festival. The event will be celebrated with various programs which focus on the mountain communities, the mountain environment and the impacts of climate change on them. The event will be supported by Idea,Nepal Tourism Board, Sagarmatha National Park, and many non government organizations.

2nd New International Airport in Nepal:  Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation held a ceremony on March 7, 2010 where an agreement was signed between The Government of Nepal, Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, and Land Mark Worldwide Co. Ltd., Korea. The agreement was on the detailed feasibility study of the second international airport at Dhumberwana, Nijgadh; a town situated in Bara District, 84 kilometers south-east from Kathmandu.  The feasibility study will have to be completed within 10 months from the date of agreement signed.

Nepal Tourism Year 2011 was officially launched on February 26, 2010 and preparations have already begun which is sure to make way for improvements in Nepal’s Tourism. All the political parties of Nepal including the Unified Maoist Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) have signed an agreement committing not to call any bandhs or any such strikes that affect the tourists during the period of Nepal Tourism Year.

Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA),TAAN and EOAN  have appealed and suggested to The Government of Nepal to help solve many problems prevailing in the Nepalese mountain tourism. Among the many requests made following are the main ones.

A) Since 16 July 2008, the Government of Nepal waived off royalty of the opened peaks in the Midwestern and Farwestern Nepal for five years (till 16 June 2013) which shows good sign of positive developments in these region. Similarly it was requested to reduce the royalty fee of the peaks which is less crowded specially on the border of Nepal. It has been requested to The Government of Nepal to manage free permit to climb Mt. Cho-yu for five years from Nepal side.

B) The Tourism Council in the Chairmanship of The Right Honourable Prime Minister had a meeting where the necessity of operating mountaineering activities through one door policy was accredited. The meeting was decisive in implementing this policy in order to create a favourable environment for the climbers.

C) All associations has requested for permission to make the peaks up to 5999m high permit free and also to handover the management of peaks that are between 6000 to 6700 m to Nepal Mountaineering Association.

D) It has been suggested to The Government of Nepal to reduce the fees of communication equipments such as walkie-talkies, satellite telephone, radios, video cameras, documentary filming, mountain filming etc. and equipments used by climbing expeditions.

E)  3rd International Sagarmatha(Mt.Everest) Day Celebration will be held on 29 May 2010 with various programs. We expect more than 250 Mt.Everest summiteers, including renowned climbers like Chris Bonington, Peter Habelar, Apa Sherpa, Min Bahadur Serchan, Dawa Steven Sherpa, Bill Burke, David Liano, to attend the program. To honour the Mt. Everest summiteers a request letter has been sent to The Government of Nepal asking to provide them free visas every time they visit Nepal. The summiteers will be regarded as the Goodwill Ambassadors of Nepal to promote Nepalese mountain tourism.

F) Mt. Dhaulagiri Golden Jubilee will be celebrated on May 13, 2010 in Pokhara. Noted climbers like Kurt Diemberger (first summiteer of Mt. Dhaulagiri), and Reinhold Messner are the Guests of Honour and many other renowned climbers will be present to celebrate Mt. Dhaulagiri Golden Jubilee. On this occasion, it is requested that there should be a 50% concession on royalty for all the climbers of Mt. Dhaulagiri. Likewise the Summiteers of Mt Dhaulagiri should be provided free visas from 2010 to 2011.

Also please visit the following links:
http://www.climate4life.org
http://www.theuiaa.org/news_219_Letter-from-Ang-Tshering-Sherpa-president-Nepal-Mountaineering-Association
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2009/dec/10/copenhagen-sherpa-himalayas
http://www.lindamcmillan.com/picture-gallery http://www.lindamcmillan.com/picture-gallery

http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/updates-from-the-nepal-mountaineering-association

http://www.usaid.gov/press/frontlines/fl_feb10/p09_climate100221.html

http://www.agrobiodiversityplatform.org/blog/?p=2870
http://www.theuiaa.org/act_mountain_protection.html
http://www.everestnews.com/stories2010/everest201001042010.htm
http://www.americanalpineclub.org/exitstrategies
http://www.festivalalpinismu.cz/fotogalerie
http://www.festivalalpinismu.cz/program/2-program-patek
http://www.festivalalpinismu.cz/program/48-nedele22

Finally I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the Prime Minister and The Government of Nepal for nominating me as the member of National Tourism Council and my son Dawa Steven Sherpa as the member of Climate Change Council to the Prime Minister.

I am also thankful to the International Olympic Committee and Mr. Jacques Rogge, president of The International Olympic Committee for presenting Dawa Steven Sherpa the “International Olympic Committee Award for Sports and Environment.”

With kind regards,

Ang Tshering Sherpa