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May 26, 2007
Over 200 Climbers Atop Everest From
Nepal Side
As of May 26,
2007, more than 200 climbers and high altitude workers associated with
21 various expeditions have reached the summit of the world's highest
peak—Mt. Everest, according to officials at the Ministry of Culture,
Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA).
The ministry granted
permits to 23 expeditions to attempt the 8,848-metre peak for this
spring.
The remaining members
of the teams have continued their efforts to make it to the summit, the
officials said.
Three climbers—two
Koreans and one Nepali woman climber (Mrs. Pemba Doma Sherpa)—have lost
their lives. The Korean climbers died on Mt. Everest, while Mrs. Sherpa
lost her life while descending from the summit of Mt. Lhotse.
Meanwhile, three
climbers-- Colombian Fernando Gonzalez Rubio, Ecuadorian Ivan Vallejo
and Australian Andrew Lock summitted Mt. Annapurna on May 24. They are
reported to be descending.
In
the meantime, all three women members of the Pinay Mount Everest
Expedition 2007, the first Filipino women's team to scale the world's
tallest peak, said that they have fulfilled their dream of reaching the
summit of Mt. Everest.
"As we are from a tropical country, climbing
Everest was our great dream," said Art Valdez, team leader, told
journalists at press conference organised in Kathmandu on May 24.
He is also a former Vice-Minister of the
Philippines.
The three courageous women climbers are
Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayndon and Janet Belarmino.
They have become the first women to cross the
mountain from the north route in Tibet to the south route in Nepal. Only
very few male climbers have crossed the mountain, so far.
"We had never thought of setting any world
record. We had just wanted to reach the world's highest peak," said
Jenet, who is the mother of her five-month-old first baby.
Similarly, Mr. Kami Sherpa, a journalist with
Nepal Television, has climbed Mt. Everest for six times, was felicitated
in the capital city amidst a function on May 24.
May 22, 2007
More than 150 Ascents On Everest From
Nepal side this Spring
As of May 21, 2007, a
total of 153 climbers associated with 16 various expedition teams, have
climbed the 8,848-metre Mt. Everest this spring. Of them, 69 are foreign
climbers and the remaining 84 are Nepali climbers and high altitude
workers, Under Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil
Aviation, Mr. Khadananda Dhakal told himalaya-ism.
Meanwhile, a total of 23
expeditions, including three Nepali teams, were granted permits to
attempt Mt. Everest during the current spring season.
The climbers are from
the United States, the United Kingdom, Nepal, South Korea, Italy, The
Philippines, Egypt, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, South Africa, among
others.
Mrs. Pemba Doma Sherpa,
a Nepali woman climber, fell to death while descending from the summit
of Mt. Lhotse on May 21. Her dead body was found on May 22.
Similarly, Oh Hee-joon, one of the world's
greatest adventurers, from Korea, fell to his death while attempting a
new route on the highly difficult Southwest face of Mt. Everest.
Mr. Dhakal, who is also
the chief of the Mountaineering Section at the Ministry of Culture,
Tourism and Civil Aviation, said that some important records have also
been made in the history of mountaineering this time.
One of the new records
set on Everest this spring is the world famous climber Appa Sherpa's 17th
successful ascent.
Similarly, three
Pilipino women climbers set yet another record on Everest. Starting from
Everest Base Camp In Tibet, the climbers scaled the peak and came down
to the base Camp in Nepal side on May 16.
Meanwhile, a 19-year-old
American girl has become the youngest foreign woman to climb the world's
highest peak. Ms. Samantha Larson, who hails from Long Beach,
California, and her father reached the summit on May 17. Probably, they
are the first father and daughter to climb the world's tallest peak.
Fourteen-year-old Ms.
Ming Kipa Sherpa is the youngest Nepali girl to climb Mt. Everest. She
made it to the peak from Tibet side in 2003.
In the meantime, in the
last seven days, around 300 climbers have
reached the summit of Mt. Everest via the normal routes from both sides
of the world's highest peak.
A long spell of good weather triggered a
massive summit push last week, four people, however, giving their life
for the dream, reports explorersweb.com.
More difficult climbing is ongoing on Mt.
Manaslu, Mt. Nuptse’s Northwest ridge, Mt. Annapurna and Mt.
Kangchenjunga.
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May 20, 2007
Indian Army Mountaineers Once Again Atop
Sagarmatha
It is a matter of great
pride for the Indian Army and India as a country to have Army
Mountaineering team climbed Mt. Sagarmatha from China side. A record
number of 25 climbers summitted Mt Everest from a single team (12
members and 13 Sherpas) on May 15 and 16, 2007, according to the
Himalaya Expeditions Inc., which has handled the team.
With the success of the
team, the Indian Army gets one more feather of success after 2001, 2003
and 2005 in the history of successful climb of Mt Everest.
The Indian Army team
comprising of 4 officers and 16 other ranks. Col IS Thapa was the Leader
of the Indian Everest Expeditions 2007.
The first team
comprising of 6 members and 6 Sherpas scaled the peak on May 15 and
second team comprising of 6 Members and 7 Sherpas made it to the top on
May 16.
The story of success
does not end here and it will not be correct if we don't recognize the
achievements of our Sherpa Sirdar Mr. Chhiring Dorjee, who made a record
by climbing Mt. Sagarmatha for three times in one season. Including the
three ascents during this season, Dorjee has climbed Mt. Everest for
nine times. Credit also goes to him for establishing a statue of Lord
Buddha atop Everest on the auspicious day of Buddha Purnima (May 2).
Then, he summitted the peak May 15 with the first group of Indian team,
and on May 16 with the second group of Indian team.
The Indian Army
Expedition (second team) started its voyage from Camp lll (8,300m.) at
10 p.m. on May 16 under the heavy snowfall. As weather predicted by Dr
LS Rathore, Dir, National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (NCMRWF),
New Delhi there will be moderate snow fall without wind till early
morning and it proved to be as accurate. The team did not deter from
their mission and finally reached summit at 6 a.m. (Nepal Time).
The names of the
member summiteers of the first team were Hav Nandkumar Jagtap, Hav
Rambahadur Mall, Hav Mingmar Gurung, Hav Dayanand Dhali, Hav Tejpal
Singh and Nk Khemchand.
The Sherpa summiteers of
the first team included Mr Chhiring Dorjee (Sherpa Sirdar), Mr Phhurba
Chotar, Mr Karma Sherpa, Mr. Pasang Gyalgen, Mr Ang Kami, Mr.
Jangbu Sherpa and Mr Sherap Sherpa.
Similarly, the members
of the first team were Capt DJ Singh, Sub M Khandagle, Hav Tshering
Angchok, Hav Balwant Singh Negi, Hav Amardev Bhatt and Sep Sachin Patil.
The Sherpas included in
the second team were Mr Chhiring Dorjee (Sherpa Sirdar), Mr Damai
Chhiri, Mr Ngwang Passang, Mr Tashi Sherpa, Mr Dawa Gyalzen and Tshering
Finjo.
The Indian Army Everest
Expeditions 2007 arrived in Kathmandu on March 28, 2007. The team flew
to Lhasa on March 31 and stayed there for three days and carried out its
first stage of acclimatization.
After that team started
on its voyage and en route stayed at Gyantse, Shigatse and New Tingri
for one night each before reaching Base Camp on April 8.
The second stage
acclimatization was done in Base Camp from April 8-15. Team started
establishing the Intermediate Camp, Advance Base Camp and higher Camps
from 09 Apr. By May 2, all camps were established.
As was planned
initially on the behalf of the team Mr Chhiring Dorjee (Sherpa Sirdar)
and Mr Phurba Chotar placed the Lord Buddha statue on the summit on May
2.
Team received the
weather forecast from National Centre For Medium Range Weather Forecast
(NCMRWF) New Delhi, and they predicted bad weather till May 14. Based on
this forecast, it was decided to wait in Base Camp till May 9.
The team was further
divided into two small team consisting of 06 members each. The first
team started from Base Camp on May 10 May and the second team on the
next day.
Meanwhile, four members
of the 2007 IMG Everest Expeditions I and II and six high altitude
workers climbed Mt. Everest from Nepal side on May 19, according to a
press statement issued by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil
Aviation.
Similarly, 42-year-old
Tashi Tenzing, grandson of the late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, scaled Mt.
Everest from the northern side on May 16.This is Tashi's third
successful attempt on Mt. Everest. As per his family sources, a Czech
climber Ms. Klara Polackova also reached the summit together with
Tashi.Tashi is the only member in Norgay's family to climb Mt. Everest
from Tibet side.
He successfully climbed
the peak 1997 and 2002 from Nepal side. In 1993, he led an expedition to
mark the 40th anniversary of the first successful expedition of his
grandfather. But he missed the summit by just 400 metres, as he had to
run back due to snow blindness.
Likewise, two members
and five high altitude workers of the '2007 Everest Silver Expedition of
Korea' climbed the peak from Nepal side on May 18. |
May 17, 2007
Appa Sclaes Everest For 17th
time
Forty-seven-year-old
Appa Sherpa climbed Mt. Everest, the world's highest peak, for a record
17th time at 8:45 on May 16, according to a press statement
issued by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA).
Appa set a new record on
mountaineering by breaking his own previous record. He is the first
persons in the world to make the highest number of successful summits on
Mt. Everest.
He was leading a
7-member expedition "Super Sherpa Everest Abhiyan 2007". The team aims
to raise funds for the education of mountain guides. The footage of his
expedition will be made into a charity documentary.
Other members of Appa's
team were Mr. Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa, 40, Mr. Passang Geljen Sherpa, 21, Mr.
Arita Sherpa, 47, Mr. Ang Passang Sherpa, 39, Mr. Pemba Rinjee Sherpa,
36, and Mr. Mingma Tsering Sherpa, 25.
All the members of the
team were the Sherpas from the Solukhumbu district.
Meanwhile, the ministry
stated that Mr. Appa Sherpa and Mr. Lhakpa Gelu jointly released a
travelogue book entitled "Sagarmatha ko Aadhar Sibir Bata"
written by Mr. Prateek Dhakal on the top of the Mt. Everest.
Similarly, three members and
one high altitude worker of "Nepal Television -Lions Everest Expedition
2007" team made it to the world's tallest peak on the same day.
Led by Mr. Wanchu
Sherpa, the members of the team included Mr. Sonam Sherpa, 35, Mr. Kami
Sherpa, 29, Mr. Lhakpa Gelje Sherpa, 36, and Mr. Da Chaamba Sherpa, 40.
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May 15, 2007
Everest Marathon Team leaving for Lukla On May 16
The team of Tenzing
Hillary Everest Marathon-2007 is leaving for Lukla on May 16.
An orientation programme
was organised for the team members, who hail from various parts of the
world, in Kathmandu on May 15 by the Himalaya Expeditions Inc.
As a promoter and
organiser of various adventure sports activities in Nepal, the Himalaya
Expeditions has been organising the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon
annually since 2003.
The adventure tourism
event has been gaining popularity internationally. One of the features
of this year's Everest Marathon is the participation of a visually
impaired Irishman-- Mark Pollock.
The 31-year-old athlete
aims to become the first visually impaired person to complete the
world's highest marathon.
Mark will be relying on
his tracking sticks connected to compatriot John O'Regan and his
guidelines to complete the marathon that starts from Everest Base Camp
at an altitude of 5,150 meters.
Thirty-seven-year-old
John from Dublin is trained in arctic survival techniques and has
trained Mark since 2003 when he prepared Mark for six marathons in one
week in China's Gobi Desert. John himself has won the Yukon Arctic Ultra
100-mile in 2005 and was runner-up in the Antarctic Ice Marathon in
2006.
The Tenzing Hillary
Everest Marathon is an extreme race starting at an altitude of 5,356
metres above sea level. "I am extremely excited as well as nervous
because I am participating in the challenging marathon of the Olympic
standard (42.195 km)," said Mark while talking to himalaya-ism.com.
John O'Regan, with whom
Pollock completed the North Pole Marathon in 2004, will be with him.
John, who has been keenly interested in the outdoors, finished the
Antarctic Ice Marathon in second place in 2006.
In April this year, he
was in Jordan for the Dead Sea Ultra Marathon finishing 400 meters below
sea level.
Although Mark has lost
his eyesight, the Irish adventure lover's courage to rebuild his life is
quite inspiring for all. He continues to work with thousands of people
throughout European, Asia and North America delivering keynote
presentations and his high-performance master class.
He wants to extend help
to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and Fighting Blindness.
The creative and
motivational speaker has also written a book entitled "Making It Happen"
with Ross Whitaker.
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May 11, 2007
Himalayan Int'l Travel Mart Kicks Off in
Kathmandu
The 2nd Himalayan International Travel Mart 2007
kicked off in the capital city of Kathmandu from May 11, 2007.
More than 100 travel agents and tour operators from
Nepal, India, Bangladesh, China, Spain, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore,
Honk Kong and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are taking part in the
three-day event.
Opening the mart amidst a special ceremony at the
Birendra International Convention Centre, Minister for Culture, Tourism
and Civil Aviation Mr. Prithvi Subba Gurung said that the mart would be
helpful in enhancing tourism cooperation among the participating
countries.
The mart is being organized by the Nepal
Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), in association with the
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Nepal Tourism Board
(NTB) and Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC).
The main goal of the event to show case and promote
Nepal's unique tourism products and attractions in the international
tourism market.
Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and
Civil Aviation, Mr. Madhav Prasad Ghimire said that that the
establishment of peace in Nepal has gradually contributed to reviving
the tourism sector.
A keynote speech on Tourism: Prosperity for
Posterity was presented by Tinku Iskandar, former president of Malaysian
Association of Tour and Travel Agents.
Speaking at the ceremony, the President of Indian
Association of Tour Operators (IATO) Mr. Subhash Goyal said that he has
special attachment with Nepal. He also called for discouraging
undercutting among the travel agents.
Mr. Subash Niroula, Acting Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of NTB, President of NATTA, among others, spoke about the
importance of the mart.
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May 10, 2007
Discovery Channel Team Goes On Filming
Everest
Some of the crew members
of the Discovery Channel are reported to have suffered medical
emergencies while filming "Everest: Beyond the Limit" from Tibet side.
The mountain conditions affected human bodies and equipment alike. The
team, however, has continued its filming bid, the Discovery Channel's
website states.
This is one of the
biggest film crews ever to document an Everest climbing season.
The 17-member team has
used state-of-the art technology to capture the saga. Until now, the
production team has captured about 250 hours of footage along with 11
climbers, 24 Sherpas and camp crew, and three professional mountain
guides.
Two directors – Ed
Wardle (UK) and Jen Peedom (Australia) – made it to Camp 4 at 8,300
metres, inside what is known as the 'death zone', the website reports.
Cameraman Simon Wagen
(UK) had to be evacuated from Advance Base Camp (ABC) to Base Camp by
stretcher after suffering severe stomach pains. He made a full recovery
at lower altitude and returned later to ABC. Soundman Colin Bowes
suffered a broken rib caused by coughing – a common problem on Everest,
according to the website.
Two cameramen reached
the summit – Ken Sauls from the USA and Mark Whetu from New Zealand. It
was Ken's second summit and Mark's fourth.
Location director Graham
Hoyland, who has previously reached the summit himself and has been to
Everest eight times, caught a severe chest infection and had to
recuperate at Base Camp before eventually returning to ABC.
Every member of the crew
lost a substantial amount of weight. The record loss was soundman Jake
Drake-Brockman, who lost 18% of his body weight, news reports say. |
May 04, 2007
Tourist Arrivals go up by about 79% in
April
The number of foreign
tourists, who visited Nepal in April this year, increased by 78.8%. A
total of 33,024 visitors came to Nepal during the period, according to a
press release issued by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil
Aviation.
This is a record growth
in the number of tourists visiting Nepal by air after 2002. Among the
two major market segments, the Indian market rebounded strongly with
110% increase, while the non-Indian market shot up by 70% on an average.
The SAARC segment grew
tremendously high last month with the huge growth from Indian market,
followed by Bangladesh (203%), Pakistan (171.9%) and Sri Lanka (346.2%).
The Asian segment too registered an immense growth of 137.4% with
Japanese arrivals escalating by 90.3% along with Chinese (267%).
Similarly, tourist arrivals from Malaysia increased by 90%, Singapore
(81.6%), Thailand (167.1%), South Korea (177.5%) and Taiwan (135.6%).
European arrivals
secured one-third market share during the month, with encouraging growth
from major generating markets like the UK (44.5%), France (58.4%) and
Germany (83.6%). Arrivals from Italy, The Netherlands, and Spain
increased by 73.4%, 62.3% and 9.9% respectively. However, arrivals from
Austria declined marginally by 7.5%. The Australian market, too,
increased by 32.7%, while the US market grew by 92.6%.
The major reasons behind
the significant growth in tourist arrivals include the enhanced
destination image of Nepal and the growing air connectivity of the
country with some tourist generating markets.
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May 4th, 2007
Visually Impaired
Running the Everest Marathon
Nepal is becoming a more
popular adventure sports tourism destination in the international arena
thanks to the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon and many other adventure
activities.
As a highlight of this
year's Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon is that Mark Pollock, a
well-known international speaker, adventure athlete and author, will be
one of the participants.
He is all set to take
part in the challenging marathon of the Olympic standard (42.195km). The
Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon is an extreme race starting at an
altitude of 5,356 metres above sea level.
John O'Regan, with whom
Pollock completed the North Pole Marathon in 2004, will be with him. As
somebody who has been keenly interested in the outdoors, John finished
the Antarctic Ice Marathon in second place in 2006.
In April this year, he
was in Jordan for the Dead Sea Ultra Marathon finishing 400 meters below
sea level.
Although Mark has lost
his eyesight, the Irish adventure lover's courage to rebuild his life is
quite inspiring for all. He continues to work with thousands of people
throughout European, Asia and North America delivering keynote
presentations and his high-performance master class.
He wants to extend help
to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and Fighting Blindness.
A total of 54 foreign
participants have confirmed their participation in the Tenzing Hillary
Everest marathon 2007, according to Sushil Bista, who looks after the
Event Management Office of the Marathon.
In its bid to promote
Nepal as an important venue for adventure sports tourism activities, the
Himalaya Expeditions Inc., an active organizer and promoter of adventure
sports tourism events, has been organizing the Tenzing Hillary Everest
Marathon annually on May 29 since 2003 to commemorate the first human
ascent of the world's tallest peak—Mt. Everest.
On May 29, 1953,
mountaineering legends-- Sir Edmund Hillary and late Tenzing Norgay
Sherpa—set a new record in the world's mountaineering history.
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