Hidden Stories of the Himalayas
At the time of writing Nimsdai Purja was making his way up K2 on a mission to be the first to climb the Savage Mountain in winter. On January 16, 2021 at 17:00 hrs local time, he stood on top of the summit of K2 making history. The summit party included: Nimsdai Purja, Mingma David Sherpa (Team Nimsdai), Mingma Tenzi Sherpa (Team Nimsdai), Geljen Sherpa (Team Nimsdai), Pem Chiri Sherpa (Team Nimsdai), Dawa Temba Sherpa (Team Nimsdai), Mingma G, Dawa Tenjin Sherpa (Team Mingma G), Kilu Pemba Sherpa (Team Mingma G), Sona Sherpa (SST).
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Punching through the hills, scraping the tops of the skies, an endless expanse of snow-covered rock; the Himalayas are the perfect backdrop for any story. Terrifyingly beautiful and inhospitably welcoming, climbers are called by the sirens of the Himalayas every year in the hope of standing on top of the world’s highest peaks. Behind every summit attempt are thousands of hidden stories of motivation, drive, and purpose. But, the mountains did not grow tall to be conquered or to be featured in headlines; they became pedestals from which climbers shout otherwise silent truths to the world.
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Standing on top of Shishapangma on October 29, 2019 Nimsdai Purja set a new world record time for quickest time to summit all 14 of the world’s highest peaks. Purja climbed the world’s 14 highest peaks in a record time of 6 months and 6 days during a mission titled “Project Possible” in 2019. The title speaks to the importance of a positive mindset, and goal-setting attitude. Purja sought to show by example that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. He grew up in Chitwan, Nepal, and eventually earned a spot in the Ghurka regiment in the United Kingdom Military. Nepali citizens have had the opportunity to join the Ghurkas for the past 200 years.
Ever since he began his physical training for the Ghurka’s, he began to work on his goal-setting attitude. This mindset allowed him to continue to push himself towards realizing his dreams. He continued to develop these skills throughout his military career as he eventually made his way into the elite U.K. special boat service. In his recently released book, Beyond Possible, Purja describes many of the parallels between a military operation and a mountain climbing expedition. Although physical strength and endurance are both requirements for any mission, having a positive mindset can be the difference between success and failure.
Nirmal 'Nims' Purja has climbed all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre-high mountains in a record-breaking 189 days. -The Guardian News
Purja led multiple rescue missions during his world-record breaking project, and he has consistently shown the importance of climbing with supplemental oxygen in these high altitude regions. Some have criticized Purja’s use of supplemental oxygen as “performance enhancing” but Purja has spoken about how this can jeopardize the safety of everyone else on the mountain.
On the summit of Everest, the air contains approximately one-third of the oxygen it contains at sea level. Altitude sickness is a common occurrence on tall mountains. The physiological effects due to low oxygen levels at high altitudes can be severe and long-lasting. The immediate effects include reduced energy levels and impaired decision making. Not using supplementary oxygen in extreme altitudes can limit a climbers ability to help someone who may be in trouble. Through his consistent social media outreach, Purja has shown the hardships faced on the mountains, and how difficult rescue missions can be in extreme conditions. He and his team participated in multiple rescue missions during the Project Possible climbs.
The preparation and execution of the Project Possible expedition required a lot of teamwork. Although Purja was the front-person of the mission, he continuously acknowledged the efforts of his team mates. His team of Nepali mountaineers were able to build their mountain resumes with the goal of showcasing the abilities of Nepali expedition planners. Himalayan mountain expeditions have long been dominated by non-Nepali mountaineering guides, and Project Possible has brightened the spotlight on these extreme athletes. Nepali mountaineers are not necessarily Sherpas. The term Sherpa has long been misinterpreted. Sherpa does not refer to a person carrying climbing equipment on a mountain. Sherpa is an ethnic group in Nepal. The Unsung Heroes of Everest is a National Geographic story by Aaron Huey that describes the life of Sherpas in the Himalayas.
Unsung Heroes of Everest by Photographer Aaron Huey
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There are many roles in an expedition that are overlooked. Before reaching base camp of any mountain, equipment is often carried in by porters, as it is considered to be the cheapest - and sometimes the only way - to bring in equipment. Nathaniel J. Menninger’s documentary, The Porter, follows the hardships of porters in Nepal as he himself signs up to work as a porter on the trek to and from Everest Basecamp. This documentary showcases some of the hardships that face communities in the climbing regions of Nepal. Porters are paid very little and rely heavily on tips from wealthy climbers. Climbing is a big source of revenue in this part of the world, but this documentary highlights some of the inequities in these communities that provide necessary infrastructure and services for climbing expeditions. It shifts the perspective from the magazine covers and interviews to the everyday people trying to earn an honest living.
The Porter Film by Nathan J. Menninger
During Purja’s mission he spoke to the issue of Climate Change around the world. Effects of climate change can be seen clearly from the tops of some of the highest mountains. Speaking from the summits of Mountains, Purja has pointed out large sections of glaciers that have melted in valleys below. This has an immediate effect on the local communities as it changes the ways they live their lives. As a result of Purja’s efforts and work showcasing the irreversible changes to our planet due to climate change, he has earned the position of Mountains & Climate Change Ambassador for the U.K. Embassy in Nepal.
Minimizing the impact of Climate Change is a monumental task. It is a giant expedition that we are all part of whether we want to be or not. Purja’s positive mindset and goal-setting attitude allowed him to join the most elite military unit in the U.K., climb the world’s 14 highest mountains in record time, and showcase the impact of climate change from the tops of mountains.
Climate change is the Mount Everest of our time and it is up to each and every one of us to contribute to the expedition in the best way we can. Some people may do the heavy lifting, like porters, some people may push through storms and cold, like the elite mountain guides, but we all have a part to play in reducing the impacts of Climate Change.
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You can read more about Nimsdai Purja on his website, and see updates on the K2 winter expedition. Read more about Nathan J. Menninger on his website.
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