The fate of Langtang village two years after the Nepal earthquake

One of the most jaw-dropping experiences of my recent visit to Langtang was passing through Langtang village, the site of a devastating landslide during the 2015 earthquake. Yesterday was the second anniversary, so it seems like the right moment to remember what happened.

In Ladakh two men tackle climate change by making artificial glaciers

March 1, 2017 Good causes buddhism, climate change, crowdfunding, glacial erosion, glaciers, himalayas, india, ladakh 3 Comments

Today I’m going to tell you a story so bizarre that when I first read about it, I thought it must be fake news. But it’s true, and it’s a tale worth telling. It shows how individuals and communities can react to climate change in a way that works in harmony with nature.

Should outdoor and mountaineering writers talk about politics?

February 8, 2017 Good causes climate change, damavand, jebel toubkal, kilimanjaro, migration, morocco, mountain, mountaineering ethics, outside magazine, pakistan, public access, the alpinist, travel writing 22 Comments

If you write about a subject that appeals to people of all political beliefs, then you should avoid talking about politics. But what if politics touches on the things you care about deeply enough to write about – do you say nothing? The answer to this is surprisingly simple.

How to report a missing trekker in Nepal

December 14, 2016 Good causes mountaineering insurance, nepal, search and rescue, security, solo trekking, the longest way home, tourism, trekking, trekking agencies association of nepal 2 Comments

Last week a new service was launched to help find tourists who have gone missing while trekking in Nepal. MissingTrekker.com is intended to be a database of missing trekkers, but it’s also a comprehensive resource about trekker safety.

Nepal stories: the monk, the witch and the mountain guide

June 29, 2016 Good causes himalayas, mountain films, nepal, nepal earthquake, sherpas 1 Comment

Those of you who like Nepal might be interested in an unusual film project that will be taking place in the Everest foothills next autumn, featuring a memorable cast of characters from a remote Sherpa village.

What does the Nepal Mountaineering Association do?

November 25, 2015 Good causes ang tshering sherpa, dawa steven sherpa, disaster relief, himalayas, history of mountaineering, mountain environment, nepal, nepal earthquake, nepal mountaineering association, tourism, trekking peaks, uiaa, world food programme 2 Comments

The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) has recently lost a significant part of its annual income. In this week’s post I look at the NMA’s work to see what programmes will be affected and what this change is likely to mean for mountain tourism in Nepal.

The house that can be carried on porter back

May 27, 2015 Good causes chance, dawa steven sherpa, disaster relief, himalayan climate initiative, himalayas, nepal, nepal earthquake, porters 0 Comment

One of the best examples of Nepalese resourcefulness I’ve seen since the earthquake last month is the Himalayan Climate Initiative’s portable earthquake-proof house that can be carried to mountainous areas on porter back.

As climbers wring their hands about Everest, Nepal quietly rebuilds

May 6, 2015 Good causes asian trekking, chance, climbing fatalities, dawa steven sherpa, disaster relief, edita, everest, everest base camp, himex, nepal, nepal earthquake, russell brice 3 Comments

While the climbing community were busy bickering about Everest, the Nepalese were quietly rebuilding their lives after the devastating earthquake. As trustee of a development charity I was given a privileged insight into what they’ve been up to.

Nepal earthquake: who should I donate to?

April 29, 2015 Good causes chance, community action nepal, disaster relief, disasters emergency committee, edita, everest base camp, himalayan trust, himalayas, juniper fund, kathmandu, nepal, nepal earthquake, world food programme 5 Comments

People have been asking me to recommend a charity to help victims of the Nepal earthquake. It’s a difficult question, because it depends on personal preferences and priorities, but I know a little about Nepal, and though I’m no expert on disaster response, I’ll do my best to answer.

Salvaging good from a disastrous season

May 9, 2014 Good causes climbing fatalities, everest, kathmandu, lhotse, mountain flights, nepal, sherpas, volunteering 1 Comment

One consequence of the Everest season ending early is that I’ve spent an unusually long time in Kathmandu catching up with things and contemplating a surreal season. I’ve even managed to salvage some good from three weeks of tragedy and conflict which have dashed hopes and dreams and trashed reputations.