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5. PERSONAL UPDATES ON TRAVEL TO NEPAL

[Reprinted from the American Alpine Club E-News]
[Editor's Note: This is from Cascade Section Chair Peter Ackroyd, recently back from a month of climbing in Nepal, responded to the State Department travel warnings included in the June E-News by saying he felt the warnings seemed "overstated." Peter provides the following report on his trip, which was the first to occur under the new mountaineering regulations.]

I would like to add to the comments about Nepal in the previous E-News and the warnings about travel there.

Jim Frush and I recently returned from Nepal and took advantage of the newly available peaks and permitting process. With regard to the Maoists, we knew about the Makalu expedition problems, but if you take time to find out where the main conflicts are occurring you can have a safe and very enjoyable experience. If you choose to go through areas where the Maoists are known to have strongholds (like the areas the Makalu expeditions went through), then you take that risk! You only have to go on the Internet or talk to local people (including trekking agencies) to find out the places that are considered unsafe. Do not believe everything the Nepal government tells you and do your own research. Jim and I experienced no problems and benefited from the lack of tourists in the area. Unfortunately, the local people are suffering economically because of the bad press, and that only opens the door for the Maoists to spread their influence.

We were given the first permit under the new regulations and the first ever for a peak in Upper Mustang, Gaugiri (6180m). No one had any idea what it looked like, which added to the adventure. We saw many excellent peaks between 6000-7000m in the same area that are now available for climbing and that will take you into places that no one has explored. It is now cheaper to get an official climbing permit to Mustang than to just go trekking there. No special Mustang fees and no Liaison Officer are required. And, $500 of the $1,500 fee is refundable if you bring out your non-degradable garbage to the nearest check post. We received the refund before we left Kathmandu.

A number of other previously restricted areas also are now open, and these are areas with few people and no Maoists (at present!). We heard of more people saying they enjoyed the lack of crowds and had no problems than those who experienced problems. I would encourage you to take a close look at the new list of peaks, make a first ascent, and go have an adventure away from the crowds! The people of Nepal need you and will make you very welcome.

>From HEC Member Pete Ferrara

I just wanted to drop you a note re: my recent trip to Nepal. After much thought and careful consideration, I decided to go forward with my plans to take a group of four friends with me to Nepal to scout hospital locations for my non-profit foundation, Planet-Med.

While many news reports, not to mention US State Department advisories, had indicated that Nepal was unsafe - I found quite the contrary to be the case. Having made several trips there since 1997, I had developed a strong basis for comparison. The only differences between now and in years past was the peace and quiet! It was fantastic. We trekked from Lukla to Kala Patar and back and, aside from the presence of a very friendly Nepali Army, we saw little impact from the current Maoist activity. In fact, it was to our benefit. Thamel was pleasantly calm, we had the luxury of having virtually every tea house to ourselves and rarely encountered other travelers on the normally crowded trails. We were able to get flights almost at will, normally a rather hectic process, and enjoyed the attention of locals (esp. shopkeepers) as there were so few trekkers. This is not to say there were no other travelers. We encountered several, mostly European as well as numerous climbers.

Having a vested interest in the subject (I am scheduled to bring a group of American doctors over in May) I took every opportunity to discuss the Maoist situation with locals and travelers alike. The general consensus was this: Things are improving and if you stay away from the problem areas in the west things are quite safe. I would not hesitate to return.

That said, it is prudent that all travelers stay informed and make decisions on a case by case basis. Should you or any of your members be inclined to discuss the situation there further, they can feel free to contact me.

Thanks for your help - hope all is well.

Pete

Pete FerraraPresident / FounderPlanet-Med
[email protected]
(303)-638-7379
PLANET-MED NON-PROFIT FOUNDATION
The context menu on the chart or in bittrex script the Tradin bittrex script g Panel, the + sign on the chart as well as the floatin bittrex script g Buy/Sell panel. Facilitators of Volunteer Medical Clinics to Developing Nations