Updates for Summer 2014

In June I found out that Pasang had been working on a new book project. (He had previously published a guide to the lodges in the Khumbu region.)

His new project involves biographies of the climbing Sherpas. He sent me a draft of the project, which was awesome but also was riddled with spelling and grammar issues. I offered to volunteer as the editor for this project!

I doubt if my editing is completely proper by publishing standards, but the words will be spelled correctly and I have double-checked all references to ensure accuracy. Finding the correct spelling of some names and places has been extremely interesting! For instance,  the simple reference of "Mr. Andy of USA" sent me on a three-day Internet search! Kim Jong ended up being Kim Chang-Ho; Rushal Bruce = Russel Brice; etc. At first I thought that 'love marriage' was just one of Pasang's awkward uses of the English language, but then I learned that it's the Nepali way of referencing a marriage that is by the couple's choice - as opposed to the tradition of arranged marriages.

I have learned about people around the world who are involved in high altitude mountain climbing. I've learned about the geography of Nepal, techniques and equipment used for climbing, various roles of people on the expeditions, etc. Most of all, I have developed an incredible amount of respect for anyone who undertakes the very dangerous activity of trying to summit mountains. Especially at extreme altitudes, it's an unparalleled test of one's physical, mental and emotional strength and endurance. The most respect, of course, is extended to the Sherpa climbers. They are the heroes of the mountaineering industry and get so very little compensation or recognition for what they do.

Revenue from the mountaineering industry is the backbone for Nepal's economy. Sherpa climbers earn a very tiny percentage of the amount that foreigners pay to climb the mountains. A typical Everest climb, for instance, can cost upwards of $70,000 per person.

Climate changes are wreaking havoc with climbing conditions worldwide. In the Himalayas, climbs begin during the wee hours of the morning to minimize dealing with shifts in the glaciers that occur as soon as the sun comes up. Although the temperatures on an Everest climb can dive to 40 below zero, they can also soar to over 80 degrees at some locations during the same climb.

The book we are working on has brief biographies of climbers including information about their families, their home villages, their training, and their accomplishments. Pasang hopes to include around 100 biographies, if possible. He has made several treks into the Khumbu region to personally interview the climbers. Then, he emails the drafts to me and I begin my work.

In addition to the biographies, I thought it would be good to include information that would make the book more appealing to the general public and not just limit future readers to alpinists. I have been so caught up by all of the things I've learned, I want to share this interesting information with others!

I'm working on an overview of the Sherpa people; a list of Nepal's most popular climbing peaks; information about equipment used; information about the plight of the Sherpa widows and their children; links for making donations and for doing volunteer work, etc. I am also including information about the actual process of climbing Mt. Everest - how it takes, what's involved, which routes are most common, etc. 

This has become a very extensive - and very unanticipated - labor of love. It has been just six months since Nepal even came into my 'world' and I never thought I would become involved in a project like this to memorialize the Sherpa climbers. I believe it has the potential to bring aid and financial assistance to the Sherpa community as well as to Pasang's family. I would so love for that to happen!

Through our ongoing communication about the project and life in general, I have become very fond of Pasang and his family. His wife also writes to me on Facebook, and I have been in communication with other Sherpas, also. I have so many new friends and acquaintances 8,000 miles away! I think of Pasang and his family every single day.

Looking at photos of Chogel, Pasang and Pushpa's son, brings tears of joy to my eyes. I would so love to be able to hold that little guy. They tell me he is such a happy little baby - he even smiles in his sleep!

The book has a great format. Pasang has the bios on pages where the background is a photo of the climber on the mountain; most typically at the summit. The contrast of the colors - climbing gear, prayer flags, snow and the blue sky - is beautiful and captivating. I can't wait to see the finished product!

We don't have a timeline pinpointed at this time, but it's something we each work on daily. My stumbling block at the moment is getting things in place to be able to edit the PDF files that I'm receiving from Pasang. I have been editing in Word, but need to transfer to PDF editing so that I can do the actual layout on the photographs. I will then send those pages to the designer in Kathmandu so he can take over the next phase of the project. 

This is such a combination of new endeavors, new learning, new passions - what a interesting unfolding of fate!