“Tourism in Nepal started with climbing and so the mountaineers wanted to do something from our side,” says Maskey. She has already climbed with a number of the members and says, “Pemba Dorjee Sherpa came up with the idea and he also selected the crew.” Pemba has gained global fame for several reasons, including making the journey up Everest in only eight hours and ten minutes.
The team is being led by the experienced climber Zima Zangbu Sherpa who is also the President of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) and has climbed nationally and internationally.
Most of the eleven members have already conquered Everest, if not other challenging peaks.
Other members of the team include:
• Temba Sheri Sherpa, the Guinness World Records 2002 holder as the youngest Everest summiteer.
• Nima Gayzlzen Sherpa who has climbed four of the fourteen 8,000meter peaks.
• Phurba Tenzing Sherpa, Pemba Dorje Sherpa’s brother, who has already summited Everest five times.
• Dakipa Sherpa has also conquered Everest five times along with other peaks, including Mt Pumori.
• Mingma Gyalje Sherpa has twice climbed Mount Everest as well as Amadablam and Manaslu.
• Pasang Sherpa has made it to Everest from the Tibetan side for four consecutive years from 2003-2006.
• Lhakpa Tsering Sherpa is a mountaineer in addition to being a marathon athlete, much like the final member of the team,
• Dawa Yangjom Sherpa.
• Nima Gayzlzen Sherpa who has climbed four of the fourteen 8,000meter peaks.
• Phurba Tenzing Sherpa, Pemba Dorje Sherpa’s brother, who has already summited Everest five times.
• Dakipa Sherpa has also conquered Everest five times along with other peaks, including Mt Pumori.
• Mingma Gyalje Sherpa has twice climbed Mount Everest as well as Amadablam and Manaslu.
• Pasang Sherpa has made it to Everest from the Tibetan side for four consecutive years from 2003-2006.
• Lhakpa Tsering Sherpa is a mountaineer in addition to being a marathon athlete, much like the final member of the team,
• Dawa Yangjom Sherpa.
With eleven climbers and five as kitchen crew and three members from the media, the 19-member team is on a budget that is under Rs 2,000,000.
The journey started on January 6 as the crew left Kathmandu and will last until they return to the capital on January 18. During that time, the members will make their way through Lukla, Phakding, Namche, Pangboche, Amadabalm Base Camp, Camp I, Camp II, Camp III, and the summit.
“Ten people will be spread out from the Base Camp to the top of Ama Dablam,” Maskey said. The plan is to have the members of the expedition at various locations so that the entire arm of Ama Dablam is lit up.
“The beauty of it is that from Base Camp, you can see all the sites,” she adds. So while the Prime Minister is inaugurating Nepal Tourism Year 2011 in the capital, the climbers will be doing their part to bring attention to NTY 2011.
“By doing this, we hope to send the message around the world about Nepal,” Maskey said. And what a message to send indeed! Although January is off season for trekking, the crew planned it now to coincide with the official inauguration.
In April of this year, Maskey will be making another trip to Everest but for a different cause.
“I work as an ambassador for Child Reach Nepal,” she said and explains that many girls drop out of school in Nepal due to lack of proper toilet facilities. “I hope to raise money and awareness to be able to build and sustain toilets that are children friendly for girls and boys,” she says. After helping launch the tourism year, her goal for 2011 is to build at least ten pilot toilets.
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