Visitor Arrivals in February 2009 (by air only) March 2, 2009

Visitor Arrivals in February 2009 (by air only) March 2, 2009
News Release

The figures released by Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) reveal that arrival figures in the month of February 2009, compared to the same month last year, have decreased by 16.2% to 25,181.

In South Asia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have registered growth by 40.1% and 78.6% respectively, however, India and Bangladesh witnessed negative growth of 4.6% and 18.1% respectively in the current month.

Similarly, other Asian countries Thailand and Malaysia have maintained the upward trend with 1.5% and 24.2% of growth respectively. However, arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore have witnessed negative growth in the arrival figures by 45.5%, 24%, 26.1% and 28.1% respectively.

The European markets except for Denmark (6.7%), Switzerland (8.6%) and Sweden (3.3 %) registered negative growth in comparison to the same month last year.

A total of 25,166 foreign tourists departed from TIA in February 2009. The number of Nepalese arrivals stood at 43,448 while 41,579 Nepalese departed from TIA in February 2009.

Notice for Participation in Travel Trade Fairs 2009

Notice for Participation in Travel Trade Fairs 2009

S.N	Fair/Mart	Date	Participation Fee (Nrs)	Deadline for Application	No. of Companies	Contact
1	Vakantiebeurs, Utrecht, The Netherlands	14 – 18 January 2009	80,000/-	21 November,08	Four	gobinda@ntb.org.np
2	Nordic Travel Fair ( MATKA ), Helsinki, Finland	15-18 January 2009	65,000/-	21 November,08	Three	rkhanal@ntb.org.np
3	CMT- Stuttgart, Germany	17-25 January 2009		21 November,08	Five	Nepal German Chamber of Commerce & Industries admin@ngcci.org
4	FITUR, Madrid, Spain	Jan. 28- Feb. 1, 2009	75,000/-	21 November, 08	Seventeen	Nepal Association of Tour & Travel Agents natta@mail..com.np
5	BIT , Milan , Italy	19-22 February 2009	80,000/-	28 November, 08	Six	Trekking Agents Association of Nepal ( TAAN) taan@wlink.com.np, taan@mail.com.np
6	Adventure Travel & Backpackers Expo., Melbourne , Australia	Melbourne ( 21-22 Feb. '09 )	65,000/-	28 November, 08	Four	gobinda@ntb.org.np
7	Tour Operators' Meet & Press Conference in Melbourne & Sydney, Australia	Melbourne- 19 Feb. '09 Sydney- 24 Feb. '09	15, 000/-	28 November, 08	Four	gobinda@ntb.org.np
8	*ITB-Berlin, Germany	11-15 March 2009	160,000/-	28 November, 08	Fifteen	rkhanal@ntb.org.np
9	Europe Sales Mission, Prague, Vienna & Budapest	16-21 March 2009	60,000/-	28 November, 08	Six	rkhanal@ntb.org.np
10	MITT- Moscow, Russia	18-21 March 2009	85,000/-	28 November, 08	Four	rkhanal@ntb.org.np
11	Sales Mission in Beijing, Shanghai, Guanzhau, China	30 March-7 April '09	60,000/-	28 November, 08	Four	gobinda@ntb.org.np

All tourism companies registered with Government of Nepal are encouraged to apply and participate. Application form for participation is available with Nepal Tourism Board. (The forms can be received on e-mail or downloaded from our website)

Duly filled up forms should be submitted to Accounts Unit, Corporate Services Department, NTB, along with full participation fees before the deadline. Participation shall be allowed on first come - first served basis.

* Rs. 160,000.00 is for individual table. Cost for staying in common area will be Rs.70, 000.00 (max. four first time participating companies and other conditions apply)

ICIMOD launches 'Access and Benefit Sharing Knowledge Portal

ICIMOD launches 'Access and Benefit Sharing Knowledge Portal

(Kathmandu, Nepal, 30 July 2008) The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) announces the launching of a web portal on 'Access and Benefit Sharing from Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge'. Accessible at http://www.icimod.org/abs/, the portal contains information about Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanisms and processes being carried out as well as the development and implementation of ABS regimes in countries of the Himalayan region. The portal provides links related to the subject and aims to serve as a regional clearing house mechanism on ABS. Through this facility, ICIMOD hopes to encourage, enable, and support learning and foster multi-stakeholder discussions and sharing of the ongoing debates and dialogues at international, regional, and national levels on the subject.BackgroundIn simple terms, access and benefit sharing means that one person or entity (the user) obtains biological or genetic resources and or knowledge from another person, entity, or country (the provider) in exchange for benefits. The CBD aims to achieve the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge by facilitating access through prior informed consent of the provider. Article 15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) provides a framework for the implementation of ABS. All the countries in the Himalayan region are party to the Convention and are implementing ABS regimes.Implementing the framework in practical and legal terms is complex and has raised concerns amongst stakeholders. The portal thus aims to raise awareness as well as provide a platform for sharing and discussing various options in dealing with ABS issues. ICIMOD, a regional intergovernmental organisation based in Kathmandu, Nepal, recently launched the portal as part of a project to promote ABS in the eastern Himalayan countries. The Centre has been working with 13 partners in four Eastern Himalayan countries - Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan – in seven project sites since 2005, to promote the ABS process. Plans are underway to expand the project's coverage over the long term to the entire Himalayan region, which covers Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – ICIMOD's regional member countries.Supported by the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the BMZ, the programme reaches out to marginalised groups from grassroots-based mountain women, Dalits, indigenous peoples (Janajatis and ethnic minorities), to policy and decision makers to raise awareness and build the capacity of local institutions and individuals belonging to these groups. The aim is to implement sustainable ABS regimes. Through this programme which is part of a broader Biodiversity Conservation and Management Programme, ICIMOD aims to develop the competence of partner organisations by supporting activities such as capacity building, documenting and evaluating traditional knowledge, assisting in developing regulatory instruments, and a variety of information sharing platforms. The capacity of stakeholders and partners in the government and nongovernmental organizations is being enhanced who are imparting knowledge and skills related to ABS mechanism among the indigenous people and marginalized communities. Through this process, the ABS mechanism is gradually internalised among the communities as an opportunity for poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation.Regional ContextThe Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region, and more specifically the Eastern Himalayas, is one of 34 global biodiversity hotspots – a treasure house of genetic biodiversity and natural resources managed with rich base of traditional knowledge and skills. These resources provide the basis for building livelihoods for mountain communities.ICIMOD believes that local communities and stakeholders can protect and manage their genetic resources and biological diversity. This will only be possible if the people who take care of the resources also get benefits from them and get full support from the local and national governments, civil society organisations and the international community.For further information contact: Dr. Krishna Prasad Oli, Regional Coordinator, ABS – EHBiodiversity Conservation and ManagementEnvironmental Change and Ecosystem Services, ICIMODTel: 5003222, Email: koli@icimod.org, www.icimod.org Ms. Nira GurungCommunications OfficerInternational Centre for Integrated Mountain DevelopmentKhumaltar, LalitpurGPO Box 3226, Kathmandu, NepalTel: 977-1-5003222, Ext. 115Fax: 977-1-5003277Email: ngurung@icimod.org, info@icimod.orgwww.icimod.orgICIMOD publications on-line -- download or order direct at http://www.books.icimod.org

Nepalese Tourism Promoted in Japan

Nepalese Tourism Promoted in Japan
Nepal Tourism Board, in cooperation with the Nepal Embassy in Japan,organized the Nepal Sales Mission in the two major cities of Tokyo and Osaka in Japan on 17 and 18 June 2008 respectively. As Nepal has witnessed one of the most important political changes in its recent history, NTB promoted the Nepalese tourism in key cities of Japan to encourage travelers to come visit this new Republic.
Addressing the audience of Japanese travel trade and media fraternity on both occasions, the Ambassador to Japan H. E Dr. Ganesh Yonjan Tamang highlighted the positive environment in Nepal for the holidaying tourist in the changed socio political context. He also expressed the commitment of the Government of Nepal to help facilitate and enourrage the Japanese Travelers to visit Nepal from all fronts.
Ms. Nandini L Thapa, Director of Tourism Marketing-Nepal Tourism Board, made a presentation on Nepalese tourism attractions amidst the august gatherings. She further reiterated about the Nepal Tourism Brand and the Tourism Product Clusters. Queries raised by the audience were answered by HE Yonjan and Ms. Thapa. The participants of the program raised the concern about NAC Flight and safety security situation.
A B2B (Business to Business) session was also organized during the program where the meeting of Japanese tour operators with their Nepali counterparts was arranged. Yeti Travels, Shangrila Tours, and Cho Oyo Trekking were the participants in the B2B session. Nepalese Cultural Performances were organized in both the cities during the program.
The year 2007 has shown substantial growth of 27.1% in the total number of tourists as compared to 2006. In 2007, tourist arrivals from Japan increased by 18.4% compared to 2006 and has grown 25% till May 2008. Accessibility between the two countries has improved through a number of airlines like China Southern Airlines, Thai Airways, Silk air, Korean Air although Nepal Airlines(after resumption of flights)will remain the most a top choice due to its good connections. After the very successful CA elections and declaration of a new Republic, the Nepal Tourism Board is visiting key tourism markets to reestablish the image of Nepal as an ideal and memorable holiday destination.

Appa atop for 18th times, 5 Nepali women scale Everest together

Appa atop for 18th times, 5 Nepali women scale Everest together

Appa Sherpa, smashing his own world record, climbed Mt Everest for the 18th time on May 22, 2008 when 75 more climbers made it atop the highest peak on the planet. This is a single day record for the Nepali side.
Appa, along with his team member, scaled the 8,848 meter mountain early morning, said Ang Tshering Sherpa, President of Nepal Mountaineering Association. A veteran guide, he is part of the Eco-Everest Expedition, which aims at highlighting the impact of glacial melt and global warming in the Himalayas.
For the first time in Nepal's mountaineering history, five Members of First Inclusive Women Sagarmatha Expedition 2008 have suscessfully climbed the Mt. Everest on May 22, 2008, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation on May 22, 2008. Ms. Susmita Maskey, Ms. Maya Gurung, Ms. Nwang Phuti Sherpa, Ms. Pemba Diki Sherpa and Ms. Poojan Acharya are among the 10 members who climbed the Mt. Everest today. Five High Altitude Workers from the team: Mr. Pemba Dorje Sherpa, Mr. Kaji Sherpa, Mr. Phurba Tenzing Sherpa, Mr. Ang Gelu Sherpa and Mr. Karma Gyelije Sherpa also climbed the Mt. Everest on May 22, 2008 along with the team.
The 10 Inclusive Women Members First Inclusive Women Sagarmatha Expedition 2008 Team was permitted to climb the Mt. Everest from Normal Route for the period of 75 days from April 16, 2008 under the leadership of Ms. Susmita Maskey. The Government of Nepal waived all royalties equivalent to US$ 100,000(One Hundred Thousand and has granted financial assistance of Nrs. 10,00,000( Ten Hundred Thousand) to this team.
Also on May 22, 2008, 75 persons from seven expeditions scaled the peak. They are: Five-member team of David C Morton (USA), seven-member team of David Allen Hahn (USA), three-member team of Gu Hyung Jun (Korea), 18-member team of Ashok Abbay (India), eight-member team of James S Mc-Guinness (New Zealand), 12-member team of Vididnan Rojanapnich (Thailand), 22-member team of Atul Karwar and Shridhar Pokhariyal (India).

Mt. Everest (mount everest ascent)

Mt. Everest

The Tibetan name for Mount Everest is Chomolungma or Qomolangma (ཇོ་མོ་གླིང་མ, translated as "Mother of the Universe" or "Goddess Mother of the Earth"), and the related Chinese name is Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng (simplified Chinese: 珠穆朗玛峰; traditional Chinese: 珠穆朗瑪峰) or Shèngmǔ Fēng (simplified Chinese: 圣母峰; traditional Chinese: 聖母峰, The Tibetan name, Chomolungma, gets a mention in the 2008 American film The Bucket List, in which one of the dying wishes of the two lead characters is to see the mountain. According to English accounts of the mid-19th century, the local name in Darjeeling for Mount Everest was Deodungha, or "Holy Mountain." In the 1960s, the Government of Nepal gave the mountain the official Nepali name of Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा), meaning "Goddess of the Sky
In 1865, the mountain was given its English name by Andrew Waugh, the British surveyor-general of India. With both Nepal and Tibet closed to foreign travel, he wrote:

I was taught by my respected chief and predecessor, Colonel Sir George Everest to assign to every geographical object its true local or native appellation. But here is a mountain, most probably the highest in the world, without any local name that we can discover, whose native appellation, if it has any, will not very likely be ascertained before we are allowed to penetrate into Nepal. In the meantime the privilege as well as the duty devolves on me to assign…a name whereby it may be known among citizens and geographers and become a household word among civilized nations.

Waugh chose to name the mountain after George Everest, first using the spelling Mont Everest, and then Mount Everest. However, the modern pronunciation of Everest (IPA: /ɛvərɪst/ (EV-er-est)) is in fact different from Sir George's own pronunciation of his surname, which was /ˈiːvrɪst/ (EAVE-rest).[citation needed]

In the late 19th century many European cartographers incorrectly believed that a native name for the mountain was "Gaurisankar". This was a result of confusion of Mount Everest with the actual Gauri Sankar, which, when viewed from Kathmandu, stands almost directly in front of Everest.[citation needed]

In the early 1960s, the Nepalese government realized that Mount Everest had no Nepalese name.[citation needed] This was because the mountain was not known and named in ethnic Nepal (that is, the Kathmandu valley and surrounding areas).[citation needed] The government set out to find a name for the mountain (the Sherpa/Tibetan name Chomolangma was not acceptable, as it would have been against the idea of unification (Nepalization) of the country. The name Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा) was thus invented by Baburam Acharya.[citation needed]

In 2002, the Chinese People's Daily newspaper published an article making a case against the continued use of the English name for the mountain in the Western world, insisting that it should be referred to by its Tibetan name. The newspaper argued that the Chinese (in nature a Tibetan) name preceded the English one, as Mount Qomolangma was marked on a Chinese map more than 280 years ago.
EVEREST FACTS
Age of Everest:
Everest was formed about 60 million years ago
Elevation:
29,035 (8850m)-found to be 6' higher in 1999
Name in Nepal:
Sagarmatha (means: goddess of the sky)
In Tibet:
Chomolungma: (means: mother goddess of the universe)
Named after:
Sir George Everest in 1865 ,the British surveyor-general of India. Once known as Peak 15
Location:
Latitude 27° 59' N.....Longitude 86° 56' E It's summit ridge seperates Nepal and Tibet
First Ascent:
May 29,1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary, NZ and Tenzing Norgay, NP, via the South Col Route
First Solo Ascent:
Aug. 20,1980, Reinhold Messner, IT, via the NE Ridge to North Face
First winter Ascent:
Feb. 17,1980 -L.Cichy and K. Wielicki, POL
First Ascent by an American:
May 1,1963, James Whittaker, via the South-Col
Mt. Everest rises a few milimeters each year due to geological forces
Everest Name:
Sir George Everest was the first person to record the height and location of Mt. Everest, this is where Mt."Everest" got its name from(In american language)
First Ascent by a Woman:
May 16,1975, Junko Tabei, JAP, via the South-Col
First Ascent by an American Woman:
Sep.29,1988, Stacey Allison, Portland, OR via the South-East Ridge
First Oxygenless Ascent:
May 8, 1978- Reinhold Messner, IT, and Peter Habeler, AUT, via the South-East Ridge
First woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest from both north & south sides:
Cathy O'Dowd (S.A.) South May 25,1996/North '99
Fastest Ascent from South:
Babu Chhiri Sherpa 34, NP-16 hours and 56 minutes (5-21-2000)
Fastest Ascent (north side):
Hans Kammerlander (IT) May,24,1996, via the standard North Col Ridge Route, 16 hours 45 minutes from base camp
Youngest person:
Temba Tsheri (NP) 15 on May,22,2001
Oldest Person:
Sherman Bull May,25,2001 -64 yrs
First Legally Blind Person:
Erik Weihenmeyer May,25,2001
Most Ascents:
Eleven, 24th May 2000 Appa Sherpa became the first person to climb Everest 11 times-Ten, Ang Rita Sherpa, Babu Chiri Sherpa all ascents were oxygen-less.
Best and Worst Years on Everest:
1993, 129 summitted and eight died (a ratio of 16:1); in 1996, 98 summitted and 15 died (a ratio of 6½:1)
Highest cause cause of death:
Avalanches-about a (2:1) ratio over falls
Country with most deaths on mountain:
Nepal-46
Most dangerous area on mountain:
Khumbu Ice Fall-19 deaths
First ski descent:
Davo Karnicar (Slovenia) 10-7-2000
Last year without ascent:
1974
Last year without ascent:
1977
Corpses remaining on Everest:
about 120
Longest stay on top:
Babu Chiri Sherpa stayed at the summit full 21 hours and a half
Largest team:
In 1975, China tackled Everest with a 410-member team.
Fastest descent:
In 1988, Jean-Marc Boivin of France descended from the top in just 11 minutes, paragliding.
Only climber to climb all 4 sides of Everest:
Kushang Sherpa, now an instructor with Himlayan Mountaineering Institute
First person to hike from sea level to summit, no oxygen.:
11th May 1990,Tim Macartney-Snape, Australian
Largest number to reach the top in one day:
40, on May 10, 1993
First person to summit Everest twice:
Nawang Gombu-Nepal(once with Whitaker in '63,and again two years later in '65)Gombu now works for the Himalayan mountaineering institute
The oldest woman to summit
Anna Czerwinska May 22, 2000.

Everest from Kala Patthar in Nepal

Mount Everest Location within Nepal on the Nepal-Tibet border
Elevation 8,848 metres (29,029 ft)
Ranked 1st
Location Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal
Tibet, China
Range Mahalangur Himal, Himalaya
Prominence 8,848 m (29,029 ft)
Coordinates 27°59′17″N 86°55′31″E / 27.98806, 86.92528[3]
First ascent May 29, 1953
Edmund Hillary
Tenzing Norgay
Easiest route South Col (Nepal)

Mt. Everest
Location on Nepal/China border
Mount Everest relief mapMount Everest, also called Chomolungma, Qomolangma or Zhumulangma (in Tibetan: ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ, in Chinese: 珠穆朗玛峰 Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng) or Sagarmatha (Nepali: सगरमाथाmeaning Ocean Head) is the highest mountain on Earth, as measured by the height of its summit above sea level, which is 8,848 metres or 29,029 feet. The mountain, which is part of the Himalaya range in High Asia, is located on the border between Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal and China.

The Great Trigonometric Survey of India established the first published height of Everest in 1856 at 29,002 ft (8,840 m), although at the time Everest was known as Peak XV. The mountain was given its official English name in 1865 by the Royal Geographical Society upon recommendation of Andrew Waugh, the British Survey General of India at the time. Waugh was unable to propose an established local name due to Nepal and Tibet being closed to foreigners at the time although Chomolungma had been in common use by Tibetans for centuries.

By the end of the 2007 climbing season, there had been 3,679 ascents to the summit by 2,436 individuals. There have been 210 deaths on the mountain, where conditions are so difficult that most corpses have been left where they fell; some are visible from standard climbing routes.[4] Climbers range from experienced mountaineers to relative novices who count on their paid guides to get them to the top. This means climbers are a significant source of tourist revenue for Nepal, whose government also requires all prospective climbers to obtain an expensive permit, costing up to $25,000 (USD) per person.

Contents
1 Discovery of the highest mountain
2 Naming
3 Measurement
3.1 Comparisons
4 Climbing routes
4.1 Southeast ridge
4.2 Northeast ridge
5 Ascents
5.1 Early expeditions
5.2 First successful ascent by Tenzing and Hillary
5.3 First ascents without supplemental oxygen
5.4 1996 disaster
5.5 2003 - 50th Anniversary of First Ascent
5.6 2005 - Helicopter landing
5.7 2006 - David Sharp controversy
5.8 Various records
6 Death zone
7 Bottled oxygen controversy
8 Life-threatening thefts
9 Flora and fauna
10 Geology
11 Image gallery
12 See also
13 References
14 External links



Discovery of the highest mountain

The Great Trigonometric Survey of India was begun by the British in 1808 to determine the location and names of the world's highest mountains. Starting in southern India, the survey teams gradually moved northward using giant 1100 pound theodolites (each requiring 12 men to carry) to measure heights as accurately as possible. They reached the Himalayan foothills by the 1830s, but Nepal was unwilling to allow the British to enter the country due to suspicions of political aggression and possible annexation. Several requests by the surveyors to enter Nepal were turned down. The British were forced to continue their observations from Terai, a region south of Nepal which is parallel to the Himalayas. Conditions in Terai were difficult due to torrential rains and malaria — three survey officers died from malaria while two others had to retire due to failing health. The British pressed on though and began detailed observations of the Himalayan peaks in 1847 from observation stations up to 150 mi (240 km) away. Weather restricted work to the last three months of the year and in November, Andrew Waugh, the British surveyor-general of India made a number of observations from Sawajpore station located in the eastern end of the Himalayas. At the time, Kangchenjunga was considered the highest peak in the world and with interest he noted a peak beyond it, some 140 mi (230 km) away. John Armstrong, one of Waugh's officials, also saw the peak from a location further west and called it peak 'b'. Waugh would later write that the observations indicated that peak 'b' was higher than Kangchenjunga, but due to the great distance of the observations, closer observations were required for verification. The following year, Waugh sent a survey official back to Terai to make closer observations of peak 'b' but clouds thwarted all attempts. In 1849, Waugh dispatched James Nicolson to the area who was able to make two observations from Jirol, 118 mi (190 km) away. Nicolson then took the largest theolodite and headed east, obtaining over 30 observations from five different locations, with the closest being 108 mi (174 km) away from the peak.

Unknown to Nicolson, he had just completed the observations that would establish peak 'b' as the highest peak on Earth. Nicolson retreated to Patna on the Ganges to perform the necessary calculations based on his observations. His raw data gave an average height of 30,200 ft (9,200 m) for peak 'b' but this did not take into account light refraction which distorts heights. The number though was clearly higher than Kangchenjunga. Nicolson, however, also came down with malaria and was forced to return home, calculations unfinished. Michael Hennessy, one of Waugh's assistants, had begun designating peaks based on Roman Numerals, with Kangchenjunga named Peak IX while peak 'b' now became known as Peak XV.

Stationed at the survey's headquarters in Dehradun, Radhanath Sikdar, an Indian mathematician and surveyor from Bengal, was the first to identify Everest as the world's highest peak in 1852, using trigonometric calculations based on Nicolson's measurements. An official announcement that Peak XV was the highest was delayed for several years as the calculations were repeatedly verified. Waugh began work on Nicolson's data in 1854 and along with his staff spent almost two years working on the calculations, having to deal with the problems of light refraction, barometric pressure and temperature over the vast distances of the observations. Finally, in March 1856 he announced his findings in a letter to his deputy in Calcutta. Kangchenjunga was declared to be 28,156 ft (8,582 m) while Peak XV was given the height of 29,002 ft (8,840 m). Waugh concluded that Peak XV was "most probably the highest in the world".[6] Peak XV was found to be exactly 29,000 feet (8,839 m) high, but was publicly declared to be 29,002 ft (8,840 m). The arbitrary addition of 2 feet (0.6 m) was to avoid the impression that an exact height of 29,000 feet was nothing more than a rounded estimate.

With the height now established, what to name the peak was clearly the next challenge. While the survey was anxious to preserve local names if possible (e.g. Kangchenjunga and Dhaulagiri were local names), Waugh argued that he was unable to find any commonly used local name. Waugh's search for a local name was hampered by Nepal and Tibet being closed to foreigners at the time. Many local names existed, perhaps the most well known in Tibet for several centuries was Chomolungma and which had appeared on a 1733 map published in Paris by the French geographer D'Anville. However, Waugh argued that with the plethora of local names, it would be difficult to favour one specific name over all others. So, he decided that Peak XV should be named after George Everest, his predecessor as Surveyor General of India. He wrote: I was taught by my respected chief and predecessor, Colonel Sir George Everest to assign to every geographical object its true local or native appellation. But here is a mountain, most probably the highest in the world, without any local name that we can discover, whose native appellation, if it has any, will not very likely be ascertained before we are allowed to penetrate into Nepal. In the meantime the privilege as well as the duty devolves on me to assign…a name whereby it may be known among citizens and geographers and become a household word among civilized nations.

George Everest opposed the name suggested by Waugh and told the Royal Geographical Society in 1857 that Everest could not be written in Hindi nor pronounced by "the native of India". Waughm's proposed name prevailed despite the objections and in 1865, the Royal Geographical Society officially adopted Mount Everest as the name for the highest mountain in the world.


Naming
The Tibetan name for Mount Everest is Chomolungma or Qomolangma (ཇོ་མོ་གླིང་མ, which means "Saint Mother"), and the Chinese transliteration is Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng (simplified Chinese: 珠穆朗玛峰; traditional Chinese: 珠穆朗瑪峰); the Chinese translation is Shèngmǔ Fēng (simplified Chinese: 圣母峰; traditional Chinese: 聖母峰), but this name is seldom used. According to English accounts of the mid-19th century, the local name in Darjeeling for Mount Everest was Deodungha, or "Holy Mountain".[10] In the 1960s, the Government of Nepal gave the mountain the official Nepali name of Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा), meaning "Goddess of the Sky".

In 1865, the mountain was officially given its English name by the Royal Geographical Society after being proposed by Andrew Waugh, the British surveyor-general of India.Waugh chose to name the mountain after George Everest, first using the spelling Mont Everest, and then Mount Everest. However, the modern pronunciation of Everest IPA: /ˈɛvərɪst, ˈɛvrɪst/[12] is in fact different from Sir George's own pronunciation of his surname, which was /ˈiːvrɪst/.

In the late 19th century many European cartographers incorrectly believed that a native name for the mountain was "Gaurisankar".[14] This was a result of confusion of Mount Everest with the actual Gauri Sankar, which, when viewed from Kathmandu, stands almost directly in front of Everest.

In the early 1960s, the Nepalese government gave Mount Everest the official name Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा). This name had not previously been used; the local inhabitants knew the mountain as Chomolungma.[11] The mountain was not known and named in ethnic Nepal (that is, the Kathmandu valley and surrounding areas).[citation needed] The government set out to find a Nepalese name for the mountain because the Sherpa/Tibetan name Chomolangma was not acceptable, as it would have been against the idea of unification (Nepalization) of the country.

In 2002, the Chinese People's Daily newspaper published an article making a case against the continued use of the English name for the mountain in the Western world, insisting that it should be referred to by its Tibetan name. The newspaper argued that the Chinese (in nature a Tibetan) name preceded the English one, as Mount Qomolangma was marked on a Chinese map more than 280 years ago.


Aerial view of Mount Everest from the south

Measurement

Mount Everest north face from Rongbuk in Tibet
Another aerial view of Mount Everest from the south, with Lhotse in front and Nuptse on the leftIn 1856, Andrew Waugh announced Everest (then known as Peak XV) as 29,002 feet (8,840 m) high, after several years of calculations based on observations made by the Great Trigonometric Survey.

More recently, the mountain has been found to be 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) high, although there is some variation in the measurements. On May 22, 2005, the People's Republic of China's Everest Expedition Team ascended to the top of the mountain. After several months' measurement and calculation, on October 9, 2005, the PRC's State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping officially announced the height of Everest as 8,844.43 m ± 0.21 m (29,017.16 ± 0.69 ft). They claimed it was the most accurate measurement to date.[16] This height is based on the actual highest point of rock and not on the snow and ice covering it. The Chinese team also measured a snow/ice depth of 3.5 m,[17] which is in agreement with a net elevation of 8,848 m. The snow and ice thickness varies over time, making a definitive height of the snow cap impossible to determine.

The elevation of 8,848 m (29,029 ft) was first determined by an Indian survey in 1955, made closer to the mountain, also using theodolites. It was subsequently reaffirmed by a 1975 Chinese measurement.[18] In both cases the snow cap, not the rock head, was measured. In May 1999 an American Everest Expedition, directed by Bradford Washburn, anchored a GPS unit into the highest bedrock. A rock head elevation of 8,850 m (29,035 ft), and a snow/ice elevation 1 m (3 ft) higher, were obtained via this device.[19] Although it has not been officially recognized by Nepal,[20] this figure is widely quoted. Geoid uncertainty casts doubt upon the accuracy claimed by both the 1999 and 2005 surveys.

A detailed photogrammetric map (at a scale of 1:50,000) of the Khumbu region, including the south side of Mount Everest, was made by Erwin Schneider as part of the 1955 International Himalayan Expedition, which also attempted Lhotse. An even more detailed topographic map of the Everest area was made in the late 1980s under the direction of Bradford Washburn, using extensive aerial photography.

It is thought that the plate tectonics of the area are adding to the height and moving the summit north-eastwards. Two accounts[19][22] suggest the rates of change are 4 mm (0.16 in) per year (upwards) and 3-6 mm (0.12-0.25 in) per year (northeastwards), but another account mentions more lateral movement (27 mm/1.1 in),[23] and even shrinkage has been suggested.

The Mount Everest region, and the Himalayas in general, are thought to be experiencing ice-melt due to global warming.


Comparisons
Everest is the mountain whose summit attains the greatest distance above sea level. Several other mountains are sometimes claimed as alternative "tallest mountains on Earth". Mauna Kea in Hawaii is tallest when measured from its base; it rises over 10,200 m (6.3 mi) when measured from its base on the mid-ocean floor, but only attains 4,205 m (13,796 ft) above sea level.

By the same measure of base[26] to summit, Denali, in Alaska, is also taller than Everest. Despite its height above sea level of only 6,193.6 m (20,320 ft), Denali sits atop a sloping plain with elevations from 300-900 m (1,000-3,000 ft), yielding a height above base in the range of 5,300-5,900 m (17,300-19,300 ft); a commonly quoted figure is 5,600 m (18,400 ft). By comparison, reasonable base elevations for Everest range from 4,200 m (13,800 ft) on the south side to 5,200 m (17,100 ft) on the Tibetan Plateau, yielding a height above base in the range of 3,650 m (12,000 ft) to 4,650 m (15,300 ft).

The summit of Chimborazo in Ecuador is 2,168 m (7,113 ft) farther from the Earth's centre (6,384.4 km or 3,967.1 mi) than that of Everest (6,382.3 km or 3,965.8 mi), because the Earth bulges at the Equator. However, Chimborazo attains a height of only 6,267 m (20,561 ft) above sea level, and by this criterion it is not even the highest peak of the Andes.

Measured from sea level, the mountain K2 is ranked second in height with 8,611 m (28,251 ft) high.

The deepest spot in the ocean is deeper than Everest is high: the Challenger Deep off the Mariana Islands, is so deep that if Everest could be placed into it there would be more than 2 km (more than 1.3 mi) of water covering it.


Climbing routes


Southern and northern climbing routes as seen from the International Space Station.Mt. Everest has two main climbing routes, the southeast ridge from Nepal and the northeast ridge from Tibet, as well as many other less frequently climbed routes. Of the two main routes, the southeast ridge is technically easier and is the more frequently-used route. It was the route used by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953 and the first recognised of fifteen routes to the top by 1996. This was, however, a route decision dictated more by politics than by design as the Chinese border was closed to western world in 1950s after the Communist China took over the control Tibet from the Republic of China.


View from space showing South Col route and North Col/Ridge routeMost attempts are made during May before the summer monsoon season. As the monsoon season approaches, a change in the jet stream at this time pushes it northward, thereby reducing the average wind speeds high on the mountain. While attempts are sometimes made after the monsoons in September and October when the jet stream is again temporarily pushed northward, the additional snow deposited by the monsoons and the less stable weather patterns (tail end of the monsoon) makes climbing more difficult.


Southeast ridge
The ascent via the southeast ridge begins with a trek to Base Camp at 5,380 m (17,700 ft) on the south side of Everest in Nepal. Expeditions usually fly into Lukla (2,860 m) from Kathmandu and pass through Namche Bazaar. Climbers then hike to Base Camp, which usually takes six to eight days, allowing for proper altitude acclimatization in order to prevent altitude sickness. Climbing equipment and supplies are carried by yaks, dzopkyos (yak hybrids) and human porters to Base Camp on the Khumbu Glacier. When Hillary and Tenzing climbed Everest in 1953, they started from Kathmandu Valley, as there were no roads further east at that time.

Climbers will spend a couple of weeks in Base Camp, acclimatizing to the altitude. During that time, Sherpas and some expedition climbers will set up ropes and ladders in the treacherous Khumbu Icefall. Seracs, crevasses and shifting blocks of ice make the icefall one of the most dangerous sections of the route. Many climbers and Sherpas have been killed in this section. To reduce the hazard, climbers will usually begin their ascent well before dawn when the freezing temperatures glue ice blocks in place. Above the icefall is Camp I at 6,065 metres (19,900 ft).

From Camp I, climbers make their way up the Western Cwm to the base of the Lhotse face, where Camp II or Advanced Base Camp (ABC) is established at 6,500 m (21,300 ft). The Western Cwm is a relatively flat, gently rising glacial valley, marked by huge lateral crevasses in the centre which prevent direct access to the upper reaches of the Cwm. Climbers are forced to cross on the far right near the base of Nuptse to a small passageway known as the "Nuptse corner". The Western Cwm is also called the "Valley of Silence" as the topography of the area generally cuts off wind from the climbing route. The high altitude and a clear, windless day can make the Western Cwm unbearably hot for climbers.

From ABC, climbers ascend the Lhotse face on fixed ropes up to Camp III, located on a small ledge at 7,470 m (24,500 ft). From there, it is another 500 metres to Camp IV on the South Col at 7,920 m (26,000 ft). From Camp III to Camp IV, climbers are faced with two additional challenges: The Geneva Spur and The Yellow Band. The Geneva Spur is an anvil shaped rib of black rock named by a 1952 Swiss expedition. Fixed ropes assist climbers in scrambling over this snow covered rock band. The Yellow Band is a section of interlayered marble, phyllite, and semischist which also requires about 100 metres of rope for traversing it.

On the South Col, climbers enter the death zone. Climbers typically only have a maximum of two or three days they can endure at this altitude for making summit bids. Clear weather and low winds are critical factors in deciding whether to make a summit attempt. If weather does not cooperate within these short few days, climbers are forced to descend, many all the way back down to Base Camp.


A view of Everest southeast ridge base camp. The Khumbu Icefall can be seen in the left. In the center are the remains of a helicopter that crashed in 2003.From Camp IV, climbers will begin their summit push around midnight with hopes of reaching the summit (still another 1,000 metres above) within 10 to 12 hours. Climbers will first reach "The Balcony" at 8,400 m (27,600 ft), a small platform where they can rest and gaze at peaks to the south and east in the early dawn light. Continuing up the ridge, climbers are then faced with a series of imposing rock steps which usually forces them to the east into waist deep snow, a serious avalanche hazard. At 8,750 m (28,700 ft), a small table-sized dome of ice and snow marks the South Summit.

From the South Summit, climbers follow the knife-edge southeast ridge along what is known as the "Cornice traverse" where snow clings to intermittent rock. This is the most exposed section of the climb as a misstep to the left would send one 2,400 m (8,000 ft) down the southwest face while to the immediate right is the 3,050 m (10,000 ft) Kangshung face. At the end of this traverse is an imposing 12 m (40 ft) rock wall called the "Hillary Step" at 8,760 m (28,740 ft).

Hillary and Tenzing were the first climbers to ascend this step and they did it with primitive ice climbing equipment and without fixed ropes. Nowadays, climbers will ascend this step using fixed ropes previously set up by Sherpas. Once above the step, it is a comparatively easy climb to the top on moderately angled snow slopes - though the exposure on the ridge is extreme especially while traversing very large cornices of snow. With increasing numbers of people climbing the mountain in recent years, the Step has frequently become a bottleneck, with climbers forced to wait significant amounts of time for their turn on the ropes, leading to problems in getting climbers efficiently up and down the mountain. After the Hillary Step, climbers also must traverse a very loose and rocky section that has a very large entanglement of fixed ropes that can be troublesome in bad weather. Climbers will typically spend less than a half-hour on "top of the world" as they realize the need to descend to Camp IV before darkness sets in, afternoon weather becomes a serious problem, or supplemental oxygen tanks run out.


Northeast ridge

Everest North Face, TibetThe northeast ridge route begins from the north side of Everest in Tibet. Expeditions trek to the Rongbuk Glacier, setting up Base Camp at 5,180 m (16,990 ft) on a gravel plain just below the glacier. To reach Camp II, climbers ascend the medial moraine of the east Rongbuk Glacier up to the base of Changtse at around 6,100 m (20,000 ft). Camp III (ABC - Advanced Base Camp) is situated below the North Col at 6,500 m (21,300 ft). To reach Camp IV on the north col, climbers ascend the glacier to the foot of the col where fixed ropes are used to reach the North Col at 7,010 m (23,000 ft). From the North Col, climbers ascend the rocky north ridge to set up Camp V at around 7,775 m (25,500 ft). The route goes up the north face through a series of gullies and steepens into downsloping slabby terrain before reaching the site of Camp VI at 8,230 m (27,000 ft). From Camp VI, climbers will make their final summit push. Climbers must first make their way through three rock bands known as First Step: 27,890 feet - 28,000 feet, Second Step: 28,140 feet - 28,300 feet, and Third Step: 28,510 feet - 28,870 feet. (The Second Step includes a climbing aid called the "Chinese ladder", a metal ladder placed semi-permanently in 1975 by a party of Chinese climbers. It has been almost continuously in place since, and is used by virtually all climbers on the route.) Once above these steps, the final summit slopes (50 to 60 degrees) to the top.

China is paving a 130 km (81 mi) dirt road from Tingri County to its Base Camp in order to accommodate growing numbers of climbers on their side of the mountain. It will become the highest asphalt-paved road in the world. Construction began on June 18, 2007, at a cost of 150 million yuan (US$19.7 million). China also routed the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay over Everest, going up the South Col route and back down the North Col route, on the way to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.


Ascents

Mount Everest as seen from the Rongbuk Monastery.Main article: Timeline of climbing Mount Everest

Early expeditions
In 1885, Clinton Thomas Dent, president of the Alpine Club, suggests that climbing Mount Everest is possible in his book Above the Snow Line.

On June 8, 1924, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, both of the United Kingdom, made an attempt on the summit via the north col/north ridge route from which they never returned. On May 1, 1999, the Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition found Mallory's body in the predicted search area near the old Chinese camp. Controversy has raged in the mountaineering community as to whether or not one or both of them reached the summit 29 years before the confirmed ascent (and of course, safe descent) of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. The general consensus among climbers has been that they did not.

Mallory had gone on a speaking tour of the United States the year before in 1923; it was then that he exasperatedly gave the famous reply, "Because it is there," to a New York journalist in response to hearing the question, "Why climb Everest?" for seemingly the thousandth time.

In 1933, Lady Houston, a British millionaire ex-showgirl, funded the Houston Everest Flight of 1933, which saw a formation of aircraft led by the Marquess of Clydesdale fly over the summit in an effort to deploy the British Union Flag at the top.

Early expeditions – such as Bruce's in the 1920s and Hugh Ruttledge's two unsuccessful attempts in 1933 and 1936 – tried to make an ascent of the mountain from Tibet, via the north face. Access was closed from the north to western expeditions in 1950, after the Chinese reasserted control over Tibet. However, in 1950, Bill Tilman and a small party which included Charles Houston, Oscar Houston and Betsy Cowles undertook an exploratory expedition to Everest through Nepal along the route which has now become the standard approach to Everest from the south.

First successful ascent by Tenzing and Hillary
In 1953, a ninth British expedition, led by John Hunt, returned to Nepal. Hunt selected two climbing pairs to attempt to reach the summit. The first pair (Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans) came within 100 m (300 feet) of the summit on 26 May, but turned back after becoming exhausted. As planned, their work in route finding and breaking trail and their caches of extra oxygen were of great aid to the following pair. Two days later, the expedition made its second and final assault on the summit with its second climbing pair, the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay from Nepal. They reached the summit at 11:30 a.m. local time on May 29, 1953 via the South Col Route. At the time, both acknowledged it as a team effort by the whole expedition, but Tenzing revealed a few years later that Hillary had put his foot on the summit first. They paused at the summit to take photographs and buried a few sweets and a small cross in the snow before descending.

News of the expedition's success reached London on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. Returning to Kathmandu a few days later, Hunt (a Briton) and Hillary (a subject of Elizabeth, through her role as head of state of New Zealand) discovered that they had been promptly knighted in the Order of the British Empire, a KBE, for the ascent. Tenzing (a subject of the King of Nepal) was granted the George Medal by the UK. Hunt was ultimately made a life peer in Britain, while Hillary became a founding member of the Order of New Zealand.


First ascents without supplemental oxygen
On May 8, 1978, Reinhold Messner (Italy) and Peter Habeler (Austria) made the first ascent without supplemental oxygen, using the southeast ridge route. On August 20, 1980, Messner reached the summit of the mountain solo for the first time, without supplementary oxygen or support, on the more difficult Northwest route via the North Col to the North Face and the Great Couloir. He climbed for three days entirely alone from his base camp at 6,500 metres (21,300 ft). This route has been noted as the 8th climbing route to the summit.


1996 disaster
Main article: 1996 Everest Disaster
During the 1996 climbing season, fifteen people died trying to come down from the summit, making it the deadliest single year in Everest history. Eight of them died on May 11 alone. The disaster gained wide publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.

Journalist Jon Krakauer, on assignment from Outside magazine, was in one of the affected parties, and afterwards published the bestseller Into Thin Air which related his experience. Anatoli Boukreev, a guide who felt impugned by Krakauer's book, co-authored a rebuttal book called The Climb. The dispute sparked a large debate within the climbing community. In May 2004, Kent Moore, a physicist, and John L. Semple, a surgeon, both researchers from the University of Toronto, told New Scientist magazine that an analysis of weather conditions on May 11 suggested that freak weather caused oxygen levels to plunge approximately 14%.

The storm's impact on climbers on the mountain's other side, the North Ridge, where several climbers also died, was detailed in a first hand account by British filmmaker and writer Matt Dickinson in his book The Other Side of Everest.

2003 - 50th Anniversary of First Ascent
2003 marked the 50th anniversary of the first ascent, and a record number of teams, including some very distinguished climbers, climbed or attempted to climb the mountain.


2005 - Helicopter landing
On 14 May 2005, pilot Didier Delsalle of France landed a Eurocopter AS 350 B3 helicopter on the summit of Mount Everest[43] (without any witness) and took off after about four minutes. (His rotors were continually engaged, constituting a "hover landing", and avoiding the risks of relying on the snow to support the aircraft.) He thereby set rotorcraft world records, for highest of both landing (de facto) and take-off (formally).

Delsalle had also performed, two days earlier, a take-off from the South Col; some press reports suggested that the report of the summit landing was a misunderstanding of a South Col one.

2006 - David Sharp controversy
Double-amputee climber Mark Inglis revealed in an interview with the press on May 23, 2006[46], that his climbing party, and many others, had passed a distressed climber, David Sharp, on May 15, sheltering under a rock overhang 450 metres below the summit, without attempting a rescue. The revelation sparked wide debate on climbing ethics, especially as applied to Everest. The climbers who left him said that the rescue efforts would be useless and only cause more deaths because of how many people it would have taken to pull him off.

Much of this controversy was captured by the Discovery Channel while filming the television program Everest: Beyond the Limit. A crucial decision affecting the fate of Sharp is shown in the program, where an early returning climber (Max Chaya) is descending and radios to his base camp manager (Russell Brice) that he has found a climber in distress. He is unable to identify Sharp, and Sharp had chosen to climb solo without any support, so he did not identify himself to other climbers. The base camp manager assumes that Sharp is part of a group that has abandoned him, and informs his climber that there is no chance of him being able to help Sharp [at 8000+ meters in altitude, barely anyone has the strength to help another man who is only semi conscious, and Max Chaya is only an amateur mountaineer]. As Sharp's condition deteriorates through the day and other descending climbers pass him, his opportunities for rescue diminish: his legs and feet curl from frost-bite, preventing him from walking; the later descending climbers are lower on oxygen and lack the strength to offer aid; time runs out for any Sherpas to return and rescue him. Most importantly, Sharp's decision to forgo all support leaves him with no margin for recovery.

As this debate raged, on May 26, Australian climber Lincoln Hall was found alive, after being declared dead the day before. He was found by a party of four climbers (Dan Mazur, Andrew Brash, Myles Osborne and Jangbu Sherpa) who, giving up their own summit attempt, stayed with Hall and descended with him and a party of 11 Sherpas sent up to carry him down. Hall later fully recovered. Similar actions have been recorded since, including on May 21, 2007, when Canadian climber Meagan McGrath initiated the successful high-altitude rescue of Nepali Usha Bista.


Various records on everest
According to the Nepalese government, the youngest person to climb Mount Everest was a 15-year-old Sherpa girl, and the youngest foreigner was 18-year-old Californian Samantha Larson in 2007.

The fastest ascent over the northeast ridge was accomplished in 2007 by Austrian climber Christian Stangl, who needed 16h 42min for the 10km distance from Camp III to the summit, just barely beating Italian Hans Kammerlander's record of 17 hours, accomplished in 1996. Both men climbed alone and without supplementary oxygen. The fastest oxygen-supported ascent over the southeast ridge was Nepalese Pemba Dorjie Sherpa's 2004 climb, using 8h 10min for the 17km route. The fastest ascent without supplementary oxygen over the southeast ridge was accomplished by French Marc Batard who needed 22h 30min in 1988.

The oldest climber to successfully reach Mt. Everest's summit was 76-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan, who did so May 25, 2008.


Death zone on everest
Main article: Death zone
While conditions for any area classified as a death zone apply to Mount Everest (altitudes higher than 8,000 m/26,246 ft), it is significantly more difficult for a climber to survive at the death zone on Mount Everest. Temperatures can dip to very low levels, resulting in frostbite of any body part exposed to the air. Because temperatures are so low, snow is well-frozen in certain areas and death by slipping and falling can also occur. High winds at these altitudes on Everest are also a potential threat to climbers. The atmospheric pressure at the top of Everest is about a third of sea level pressure, meaning there is about a third as much oxygen available to breathe as at sea level.

In May 2007 the Caudwell Xtreme Everest undertook a medical study of oxygen levels in human blood at extreme altitude. Over 200 volunteers climbed to Everest Base Camp where various medical tests were performed to examine blood oxygen levels. A small team also performed tests on the way to the summit.

Even at base camp the low level of available oxygen had direct effect on blood oxygen saturation levels. At sea level these are usually 98% to 99%, but at base camp this fell to between 85% and 87%. Blood samples taken at the summit indicated very low levels of oxygen present. A side effect of this is a vastly increased breathing rate, from 20-30[citation needed] breaths per minute to 80-90 breaths, leading to exhaustion just trying to breathe.

Lack of oxygen, exhaustion, extreme cold and the dangers of the climb all contribute to the death toll.

People who die during the climb are typically left behind. About 150 bodies have never been recovered. It is not uncommon that corpses are visible from the standard climbing routes.

One sometimes deadly phenomenon, however, does not plague climbers — lightning. Lightning does not strike Mount Everest. NASA's lightning detection system does record significant lightning in the Tibet plateau, but none along the high Tibetan mountains, from about 2000 m (7,000 feet) and above.


Bottled oxygen controversy
Most expeditions use oxygen masks and tanks[54] above 8,000 m (26,246 ft). Everest can be climbed without supplementary oxygen but this increases the risk to the climber. Humans do not think clearly with low oxygen, and the combination of severe weather, low temperatures, and steep slopes often require quick, accurate decisions.

The use of bottled oxygen to ascend Mount Everest has been controversial. George Mallory himself described the use of such oxygen as unsportsmanlike, but he later concluded that it would be impossible to summit without it and consequently used it.[55] When Tenzing and Hillary made the first successful summit in 1953, they used bottled oxygen. For the next twenty-five years, bottled oxygen was considered standard for any successful summit.

Reinhold Messner was the first climber to break the bottled oxygen tradition and in 1978, with Peter Habeler, made the first successful climb without it. Although critics alleged that he sucked mini-bottles of oxygen - a claim that Messner denied - Messner silenced them when he summited the mountain, without supplemental oxygen or support, on the more difficult northwest route, in 1980. In the aftermath of Messner's two successful ascents, the debate on bottled oxygen usage continued.

The aftermath of the 1996 disaster further intensified the debate. Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air (1997) expressed the author's personal criticisms of the use of bottled oxygen. Krakauer wrote that the use of bottled oxygen allowed otherwise unqualified climbers to attempt to summit, leading to dangerous situations and more deaths. The May 11, 1996 disaster was partially caused by the sheer number of climbers (33 on that day) attempting to ascend, causing bottlenecks at the Hillary Step and delaying many climbers, most of whom summited after the usual 2 p.m. turnaround time. He proposed banning bottled oxygen except for emergency cases, arguing that this would both decrease the growing pollution on Everest—many bottles have accumulated on its slopes—and keep marginally qualified climbers off the mountain. The 1996 disaster also introduced the issue of the guide's role in using bottled oxygen.[56] Guide Anatoli Boukreev's decision not to use bottled oxygen was sharply criticized by Jon Krakauer. Boukreev's supporters (who include G. Weston DeWalt, who co-wrote The Climb) state that using bottled oxygen gives a false sense of security.[57] Krakauer and his supporters point out that, without bottled oxygen, Boukreev was unable to directly help his clients descend.[58] They state that Boukreev said that he was going down with client Martin Adams,[58] but just below the South Summit, Boukreev determines that Adams was doing fine on the descent and so descends at a faster pace, leaving Adams behind. Adams states in The Climb: "For me, it was business as usual, Anatoli's going by, and I had no problems with that."


Life-threatening thefts
Other climbers have reported life-threatening thefts from supply caches. Vitor Negrete, the first Brazilian to climb Everest without oxygen and part of David Sharp's party, died during his descent, and theft from his high-altitude camp may have contributed.


Flora and fauna
Euophrys omnisuperstes, a minute black jumping spider, has been found at elevations as high as 6,700 metres (22,000 ft), possibly making it the highest confirmed permanent resident on Earth. They lurk in crevices and possibly feed on frozen insects that have been blown there by the wind. It should be noted that there is a high likelihood of microscopic life at even higher altitudes. [61] Birds, such as the bar-headed goose, have been seen flying at the higher altitudes of the mountain, while others such as the Chough have been spotted as high as the South Col (7,920 m), scavenging on food, or even corpses, left over by climbing expeditions.


Geology
Geologists have subdivided the rocks comprising Mount Everest into three units called “formations”. Each of these formations are separated from each other by low-angle faults, called “detachments”, along which they have been thrust over each other. From the summit of Mount Everest to its base these rock units are the Qomolangma Formation, the North Col Formation, and the Rongbuk Formation.

From its summit to the top of the Yellow Band, about 8,600 m above sea level, the top of Mount Everest consists of the Qomolangma Formation, which has also been designated as either the Everest Formation or Jolmo Lungama Formation. It consists of grayish to dark gray or white, parallel laminated and bedded limestone interlayered with subordinate beds of recrystallized dolomite with argillaceous laminae and siltstone. Gansser[65] reported finding visible fragments of crinoids in these limestones. Petrographic analysis of samples of this Ordovician limestone from near the summit revealed them to be composed of carbonate pellets and finely fragmented remains of trilobites, crinoids, and ostracods. Other samples were so badly sheared and recrystallized that their original constituents could not be determined. The Qomolangma Formation is broken up by several high-angle faults that terminate at the low angle thrust fault, the Qomolangma Detachment. This detachment separates it from the underlying Yellow Band. The lower five metres of the Qomolangma Formation overlying this detachment are very highly deformed.

The bulk of Mount Everest, between 7,000 and 8,600 m, consists of the North Col Formation, of which the Yellow Band forms its upper part between 8,200 to 8,600 m. The Yellow Band consists of intercalated beds of diopsite-epidote-bearing marble, which weathers a distinctive yellowish brown, and muscovite-biotite phyllite and semischist. Petrographic analysis of marble collected from about 8,300 m found it to consist as much as five percent of the ghosts of recrystallized crinoid ossicles. The upper five metres of the Yellow Band lying adjacent to the Qomolangma Detachment is badly deformed. A 5–40 cm thick fault breccia separates it from the overlying Qomolangma Formation.

The remainder of the North Col Formation, exposed between 7,000 to 8,200 m on Mount Everest, consists of interlayered and deformed schist, phyllite, and minor marble. Between 7,600 and 8,200 m, the North Col Formation consists chiefly of biotite-quartz phyllite and chlorite-biotite phyllite intercalated with minor amounts of biotite-sericite-quartz schist. Between 7,000 and 7,600 m, the lower part of the North Col Formation consists of biotite-quartz schist intercalated with epidote-quartz schist, biotite-calcite-quartz schist, and thin layers of quartzose marble. These metamorphic rocks appear to the result of the metamorphism of deep sea flysch composed of interbedded, mudstone, shale, clayey sandstone, calcareous sandstone, graywacke, and sandy limestone. The base of the North Col Formation is a regional thrust fault called the “Lhotse detachment”.

Below 7,000 m, the Rongbuk Formation underlies the North Col Formation and forms the base of Mount Everest. It consists of sillminite-K-feldspar grade schist and gneiss intruded by numerous sills and dikes of leucogranite ranging in thickness from one cm to 1,500 m.

Rogers' "Rhythms of Life" project completed in Nepal

Rogers' "Rhythms of Life" project completed in Nepal

The Nepal Tourism Board is delighted to announce that Australian Sculptor, Andrew Rogers has just completed the tenth segment of his global "Rhythms of Life" Land Art Project against the stunning vistas of Jomson and Pokhara in Nepal. Andrew Rogers and his team were in Nepal creating the sculptures, 22 March to 5 April, 2008.
Rogers' "Rhythms of Life" project is the largest contemporary land art project in the world – 12 sites in disparate exotic locations (from below sea level and up to altitudes of 4300 metres). Up to three Geoglyphs (land sculptures), each measuring up to 660 feet x 660 feet, are created on each site.
Since 1999, "Rhythms of Life" sites have been completed in Israel, Chile, Bolivia, Sri Lanka, Australia, Iceland, China, India and Turkey.
The "Rhythms of Life", derived from his earlier bronze sculpture, and "Labyrinth" which is a symbol of contemplation associated with both the Hindu and Buddhist religions, are located in Jomsom, in the deepest gorge on earth. They face a sacred 7,000m snow covered mountain called Nilgiri, and are adjacent to the Kaligandaki River, one of the most famous rivers in Nepal, which becomes a raging torrent in monsoonal times and is held sacred by the local river people.
The third Geoglyph "Knot", which is one of the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism, was created in Pokhara, in the Seti Gorge.
These three Geoglyphs are connected by the idea of the Rhythms of Life and together form the tenth of the twelve sites, which are in the process of creation.
The construction of this segment of the Rhythms of Life project involved over 450 people from the local Nepalese community. The lines of the Geoglyphs stretch approximately 2550 metres and comprise over 4500 tonnes of rocks, which were shifted by hand. Lisa Choegyal and Carolyn Syangbo coordinated the Nepal logistical arrangements. By completion the project will have involved over 5,000 people on six continents.
"Geoglyphs constructed in desert and altiplano landscapes comprise my "Rhythms of Life" – metaphors for the eternal cycle of life, growth, and all the attendant emotions that colour human existence. They are optimistic symbols of life and regeneration – expressive and suggestive of human striving and introspection. Geoglyphs embrace a wide cultural vision linking history and heritage, and the pursuit of the spiritual," says Rogers.
Andrew Rogers is one of Australia's most distinguished contemporary sculptors with an international reputation. He exhibits internationally and his critically acclaimed sculptures are in numerous private and prominent public collections in Australia, S.E. Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States of America. He has received many international commissions and the eleventh segment of his Rhythms of Life project commences in mid May in Slovakia on the side of a 2500 year old Castle, with the assistance of hundreds of Romanian Gypsies.

Visitors Arrival in April 2008 (by air only)

Visitors Arrival in April 2008 (by air only)

May 2, 2008,April
Records a marginal decrease of 1% to last year

The arrival figures released by Immigration Office, TIA indicate that visitors' arrivals to Nepal in April 2008 reached 32,665, which is a marginal decrease of 1% as compared to same month last year. However European Sector remains unchanged with almost the same figure as compared to the April 2007. France grew up by 21%, Austria with 20%, Netherland & Israel with 28%, Switzerland with 66%, Spain with 25%, but UK, Sweden & Germany decreased by 20%, 31%, & 20% respectively.
There are some significant growths recorded; Australia & New Zealand arrivals show a growth of 51%. Closely following the trend are Canada & USA with the growth of 25%. The arrival figure shows a decrease of 18% for the Asian countries. SAARC countries arrival is decreased by 14% where India has the share of 19% decrement. Bangladesh on the other hand shows an extraordinary growth of 60% which may be the positive impact of the recent Bangladesh Sales Mission program held vigorously. Taking the data into consideration, the main reason for the decrease in arrival might be the prediction of uncertainty in the minds of travelers due to our Constitutional Assembly (CA) Polls.
Analyzing the total number of arrivals in the first four months of this year, it shows 1,28,802 visitors to Nepal with an increment 11.15% than the total arrival of the same period of last year. Therefore, we are still hopeful of getting a healthy growth in days to come. The successful completion of the Constitutional Assembly Election with peace being reinstated in the country will definitely give a good message to the potent travelers and also to the travel trade fraternity of the world.

Notice for Participation in Travel Trade Fairs

Notice for Participation in Travel Trade Fairs

S.N	Fair/Mart	Date	Basic Participation Fee (Nrs)	Deadline for Application	No. of Partici pants	Contact
1	China Sales Mission	Last Week of May 2008	65,000/-	May 11, 2008	8	kashiraj@ntb.org.np
2	Australia Sales Mission	May 26-30, 2008	USD 1000/-	May 2, 2008	8	kashiraj@ntb.org.np
3	KOTFA, Seoul, South Korea	June 5-8, 2008	50,000/-	May 9, 2008	4	kashiraj@ntb.org.np
4	SEA Road Show (Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur)	June 9-14, 2008	*USD 500/-	May 2, 2008	12	sshrestha@ntb.org.np
5	Japan/US Sales Mission	June 17-26, 2008	USD 2500/-	May 2, 2008	12	rkhanal@ntb.org.np

*For participation in additional cities of Penang, Johar Baru and Chaing Mai, extra participation fee will be USD 150/-

All tourism companies registered with Government of Nepal are encouraged to apply and participate. Application form for participation is available with Nepal Tourism Board. (The forms can be received on e-mail or downloaded from our website)

Duly filled up forms should be submitted to Accounts Unit, Corporate Services Department, NTB along with full participation fees before the deadline. Participation shall be allowed on first come- first served basis.

Note: Travel, hotel and visa arrangements will have to be made by the participants themselves.

Visitors Arrival in March 2008 (by air only)

Visitors Arrival in March 2008 (by air only)

Healthy Growth Continues The total arrival figures in March, 2008 reached 40032 up by 17.3 percent compared to the same month last year. This is stated in the figure released by Immigration Office, TIA. The arrival figures from all market segments are very encouraging except some Asian ones. Indian market, which has suffered a negative growth since last few months, has witnessed a growth of 9 %. Similarly Bangladesh (47 %) has also recorded a robust growth. European market as a whole has registered a very optimistic figure with whopping growths from some individual markets. The arrival growths from Denmark (178 %), Norway (83 %), Spain (64 %), Sweden (134 %) and Austria (55 %) are very noteworthy. Moreover, the UK and USA markets reflect a very promising sign of growing consumer confidence on Nepal as the UK market grew by 27 % with considerable share (10 %) and the USA rose by 42 % with 8 % contribution in the total arrivals. Most of the major tourist generating markets of Nepal shows a very encouraging picture this month despite a negative growth of Japanese market. The arrivals from France and Germany grew by 34 % and 8 % respectively. However, some emerging markets suffered this month compared to the same month last year. Malaysia, Thailand and Israel are the markets with negative growth this month. The total arrivals in the first three months grew by 16 % to 96137. The UK and USA markets are very much encouraging in terms of their share in the total arrivals and additional number of visitors in the last three months over the same period last year. One of the reasons of continued growth in tourist arrivals is the stable political situation and consumer's confidence on Nepal. Good air connection between Kathmandu and other international cities has contributed substantially in improving tourist arrivals in Nepal.

Notice for TIMS Certificate and Visa

Notice for TIMS Certificate and Visa

This is to inform that Information Center of Nepal Tourism Board will open on April 7, 8, 9 & 11, 2008 from 11 am to 3pm for the distribution of. TIMS Certificate. Nepal Tourism Board will be closed on April 10, 2008. Visa and Trekking Agency Sections of Department of Immigration will also open on April 7, 8 & 11, 2008 from 11 am to 2 pm. It will be closed completely on April 9 & 10, 2008 on the occasion of Constituent Assembly Election. For more information, please contact us at 977-1-4225709 or at 977-9851077385

Information about mountaineering activities in Nepal

Information about mountaineering activities in Nepal

The mountaineering activities governed by the "Mountaineering Expedition Regulation, 2059 B.S. (2002 A.D.) are being permitted in Nepal as per Section 56 of the Tourism Act, 2035 B.S. (1978 A.D.). Trekkers wishing to trek to Everest Region require to obtain Trekker's Information Management System(TIMS) certificate to be issued by Nepal Tourism Board(NTB) and Trekking Agents Association of Nepal(TAAN) from their designated counters which has been in effect since January 1, 2008. However, they have to pay National Park Fee as usual. If there is any need to brief further about trekking in the area, it will be carried out during the issuance of TIMS by concerned authority.

Eco Everest Expedition 2008

Eco Everest Expedition 2008

The Eco Everest Expedition 2008 is being organised on the occasion of Silver jubilee of ICIMOD with an aim of attracting the attention of the global community to the problems of melting glaciers due to climate change, to the threats posed to local community and infrastructure due to GLOFs and raising the awareness of environment conservation of fragile mountain ecosystem. The specific objectives of the Eco-expedition are: * To draw the world's attention on rapid melting of glaciers by conducting field research and investigations and organising special events in close partnership with relevant stakeholders and working closely with national and international media.* To sensitise the local community in building their capacity for reducing the risks of potential Glacial Lake Outburst Floods to the local people, infrastructure and fragile environment in the Everest region. The expedition will depart from Kathmandu on the 6th of April 2008 on a 62 days long campaign in the region. The Eco Everest Expedition will be led by Dawa Steven Sherpa of Nepal who climbed Everest in the Spring of 2007. The expedition will be joined by the famous Japanese climber and alpinist Ken Noguchi in the base camp in the Nepalese side. In addition, Eco Everest Expedition 2008 will draw other internationally renowned Everest summiteers. In tandem with climbing expedition, there will be a scientific expedition consisting of detailed field investigations to study the climate change impacts on the glaciers, glacial lakes and risk posed by potential dangerous lakes. Special events will be organised working closely with national and international media to raise the awareness of climate change impact in the Himalaya. Efforts will be made to involve local organisations and community. Through the expedition it also intends to raise funds to build the capacity of local community for monitoring and early warning of potential GLOFs. Eco Everest Expedition will try and attract other like-minded organisations and individuals including the private sectors for contributions to form a broader coalition in the partnership.

Nepal's tourism promotion through Travel Banking in Bangladesh

Nepal's tourism promotion through Travel Banking in BangladeshMarch 26, 2008
"Nepal is a beautiful country and we wish to visit Nepal once again… there are so many places to enjoy and experience with this special! ", was the response received by Nepal Tourism Board(NTB) officials during the Consumer Focus Promotion Campaign launched by NTB from 16th to 23rd March 2008 in four major cities of Bangladesh.

The special campaign, the first ever to reach the consumers directly is a joint venture between Nepal tourism Board and Eastern Bank Limited one of the leading consumer oriented banks in Bangladesh.

Acknowledging the growing interest of Bangladeshi outbound travelers in Nepal as the most preferred destination Eastern Bank Ltd has come forward with the idea of promoting special Travel Loans to Nepal. Nepal has a special attraction among the Bangladeshi people because of its close proximity, easy accessibility, affordability and entirely different geophysical structure with its appealing Himalayas as against the sea and beach tourism products of Bangladesh.

A special event of Media, Tour operators and Elites' Meet was organized in Sylhet, Chittagong , Bogra and Dhaka during which NTB official Mrs. Ujjwala Dali Manager, Tourism marketing & Promotion for Nepal Tourism Board, highlighted Nepalese Tourism Attractions as well as briefed about Gratis Visa, special concessions for SAARC nationals etc. Nepal's soft adventure options for youth as well as the potential for MICE and Medical Tourism specially for the corporate sector was also emphasized during the presentation which was received with keen interest by the tour operators.

Mr. Nazeem Choudhury, Head of Marketing for Eastern Bank Limited while explaining the concept of Travel Banking informed the special offer of travel loans to Nepal along with the other discounts for their credit card holders. Under this campaign, Nepal will be promoted as the "Holiday Destination for this year" to its 150,000 card holders through its branches, ATMs, Website, SMS and direct mailers.

Sylhet a growing city, famous for its tea garden, has a high number of people visiting foreign countries. The city is getting a substantial amount as remittance from Bangladeshis residing in UK, USA etc. and is considered as a potential tourism outbound centre. Chittagong the second largest city of Bangladesh, a centre of commerce has lot of international visitors and expatriates along with the growing class of wealthy Bangladeshis. Similarly Bogra is also a flourishing city with developing new corporate houses. It is very well linked with other commercial centers of Baladesh like Rajshahi, Rangour Sherpur etc..

In all the cities the campaign was well received as an innovative idea for tourism promotion by the corporate sector and tour operators. Nepal Tourism Board believes that this consumer focus campaign will bring a very positive impact for Nepalese tourism in coming days.

Prior to the Sales Mission, Nepal Tourism Board also took part in Dhaka Travel Mart from 13-15 March 2008. A total of forty five organizations including National Tourism Organizations especially Nepal, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as Airlines, Tour Operators, Hotels, Resorts, Travel and Trade bodies, Financial and Educational institutions from twelve different countries took part in the Mart.

The response of Bangladeshi visitors at the stall was highly encouraging from the point of view of their interest in special packages or offers from Nepal side. This definitely established the fact that Bangladeshis are not only aware about Nepal's stable conditions as well as attractive tourism products but also interested in finding out the specific product offer to match their needs.

In line with Nepal's destination brand "Naturally Nepal Once is not enough" many of Bangladeshi had visited Nepal at least three times and wished to visit once again enquiring about places like Pokhara, Daman, Bandipur. Nagarkot and Dhulikhel happened to be the most popular tourist spots amongst Bangladeshis.

Many of the visitors were the ones who had already visited Nepal. Most of the stall visitors talked mainly about Pokhara, Nagarkot, Daman and Bandipur. Few young people also showed interest in Nepal's adventure activities such as Everest base camp trek, rafting and ultra light ride. The information on such activities was thus disseminated in the fair to various tour operators with special focus.

Another promotion of NTB in Bangladesh also received a tremendous response when RC Travel On program featured Nepal in 6 episodes on the popular channel i in the month of February. SMS Quiz Contest on Nepal received total 70000 entries from the Bangladeshi viewers. The two winners of the contest were handed over the prize, sponsored jointly by GMG Airlines and NTB amidst the function at Dhaka. Mr. Erfan Haque, General Manager – Sales announced that the airline has taken initiative to increase their flight frequency from 4 flights to 7 flights a week in response to the growing demand for Dhaka/KTM/Dhaka sector.

TREKKERS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

TREKKERS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Are you a trekker?



Nepal, aptly, has been called 'a Trekkers' Paradise'. Its high standing mountains, scenic hills and the luxuriant Terai offers some of the most spectacular trekking routes in the world. Passing through the diverse culture and nature, trekking in Nepal is a life-time experience which involves a certain degree of physical risks owing to the rugged topography.

With the distinction of Nepal as a trekking destination and its growing charm, a provision of Trekkers' Information Management System (TIMS) has been implemented to control illegal trekking operations and ensure safety and security of the trekkers in general trekking areas through the mechanism of Prompt Information Service as and when required .

The past experiences have shown that difficulties have been faced while carrying out rescue operations promptly during the times of accidents and natural calamities. Because of lack of proper record system of trekkers, their exact whereabouts and the information about trekking routes, rescue and search missions used to face difficulties in spotting the trekkers missing.

The provision of Trekkers' Information Management System (TIMS) has come into force from Jan 01, 2008. Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) have started recording trekkers detail and issuing TIMS Card to trekkers.

Where & how to obtain TIMS Card ?

The visiting tourists, who are interested to general trekking areas of Nepal, are required to receive TIMS Card through any one of the following:

Kathmandu (NTB Office, TAAN Office, and Government registered trekking Companies), and
Pokhara (NTB Office, TAAN Office, and Government registered trekking Companies)
Opening Hour/s:

TIMS counter at Government registered trekking Companies will remain open 12 hours a day all the seven days a week round the year,
TIMS counter at TAAN/NTB Office will follow government working hour/days.
To obtain TIMS Card you need copy of Passport and two copies of Passport-size Photographs.

Why is TIMS Necessary?

The following considerations have been taken into account in the process of issuing TIMS:

All important details of trekkers and trekking routes shall be maintained on a computerized Database Management System that may be useful for safety and security of trekkers. To help carry out search and rescue operations for trekkers in case of natural calamities and other accidents by means of Authentic Information Service . To maintain a record system that includes personal details of trekkers, trekking area, trekking routes, handling agencies, duration, etc. The data generated from the system will be useful to all stakeholders:- tourism organizations, Government agencies, diplomatic missions, tour operators, research institute, etc.
Unauthorized trekking operations will be controlled, thus, resulting into better management of trekking service and in benefit of all concerned :- trekkers, agencies, field staff, Government, etc. and also occasional untoward incidents will be better prevented.
To upgrade the service standard and contribute for better management of sustainable mountain tourism development of Nepal.

TIMS REGULATORY PROVISIONS

Every trekkers has to compulsorily obtain a TIMS Card before they enter any of the prescribed trekking regions and routes.
A Free individual trekker (FIT) or organized group trekkers are required to keep TIMS along with them throughout their treks.
TIMS has to be shown to TAAN / NTB authorities, national park check posts, conservation area check posts and police check posts on demand.
Trekkers are required to keep their copies of passports along with them for verification during trekking.
TIMS shall be non-transferable, non-endorsable and valid only for single entry.
TIMS will not be required for:

The expedition members permitted to climb the mountains.
The visitors in the controlled areas permitted by the Department of Immigration.
The foreign guests invited by the Government of Nepal.
The authorities from different diplomatic missions in the country, who is holding official letter/s and traveling own risk .
Visitors on certain mission recommended by the concerned department of the Government.
Foreign Nationals having the residential visa.
Nepal Tourism Board (NTB)
Bhrikutimandapd, Kathmandu
Tel: 00977-1-4256909
Email: info@ntb.org.np


Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN)
Maligaon, Kathmandu
Tel: 00-977-1-442473/4440920
taan@hons.com.np or info@timsnepal.com
www.taan.org.np or www.timsnepal.com

Nepal Tourism Board (NTB)
Pardi, Pokhara
Tel: 00977-61- 535292
Email: pntb@wlink.com.np
Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN)
Pokhara Chapter, pokhara-6, Lakeside
Tel: 00977-61-527033
Email:taanpkr@yahoo.com or taan@fewanet.com.np

NEPAL SOCIAL TREKS AND EXPEDITION
CONTACT NO: +977-1-4701070
http://www.nepalsocialtreks.com/

No ban on climbing Himalayas including Everest: MoCTCA

No ban on climbing Himalayas including Everest: MoCTCA

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation(MoCTCA) issuing a press statement on March 18, 2008 denied the claim that it has suspended the mountaineering expedition to Mt. Everest saying that the dissemination of false information quoting the ministry in this issue has drawn the attention of MoCTCA. MoCTCA in its press statement said that the Ministry has not banned climbing expedition on Mt. Everest and other Himalayan peaks and the policy related to mountaineering expeditions has remained same as previous. Issuing the press statement, Spokesperson of MoCTCA, Joint Secretary Mr. Prem Kumar Rai has requested all media to contact spokesperson of the ministry for the fact before disseminating the information concerning with the Ministry.

Eco Everest Expedition 2008

Eco Everest Expedition 2008

The Eco Everest Expedition 2008 is being organised on the occasion of Silver jubilee of ICIMOD with an aim of attracting the attention of the global community to the problems of melting glaciers due to climate change, to the threats posed to local community and infrastructure due to GLOFs and raising the awareness of environment conservation of fragile mountain ecosystem. The specific objectives of the Eco-expedition are: * To draw the world's attention on rapid melting of glaciers by conducting field research and investigations and organising special events in close partnership with relevant stakeholders and working closely with national and international media. * To sensitise the local community in building their capacity for reducing the risks of potential Glacial Lake Outburst Floods to the local people, infrastructure and fragile environment in the Everest region. The expedition will depart from Kathmandu on the 6th of April 2008 on a 62 days long campaign in the region. The Eco Everest Expedition will be led by Dawa Steven Sherpa of Nepal who climbed Everest in the Spring of 2007. The expedition will be joined by the famous Japanese climber and alpinist Ken Noguchi in the base camp in the Nepalese side. In addition, Eco Everest Expedition 2008 will draw other internationally renowned Everest summiteers. In tandem with climbing expedition, there will be a scientific expedition consisting of detailed field investigations to study the climate change impacts on the glaciers, glacial lakes and risk posed by potential dangerous lakes. Special events will be organised working closely with national and international media to raise the awareness of climate change impact in the Himalaya. Efforts will be made to involve local organisations and community. Through the expedition it also intends to raise funds to build the capacity of local community for monitoring and early warning of potential GLOFs. Eco Everest Expedition will try and attract other like-minded organisations and individuals including the private sectors for contributions to form a broader coalition in the partnership.