<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111414114/63723cfc9c7e80680e0c964ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"/><figcaption>Mt Machapuchre, 6,993m from the southwest, with Mardi Peak on the foreground. Photo: YUBARAJ SHRESTHA / NEPALI TIMES ARCHIVE</figcaption></figure>The tourism-dependent municipality below Mt Machapuchre (6,993m) in Nepal wants a decades-old ban on mountaineering expeditions on the iconic Himalayan peak lifted.The imposing peak towers over the sub-tropical Pokhara Valley in central Nepal, but mountaineers have been forbidden from climbing it after <a href="https://explorersweb.com/mountains-climbed-just-once-or-not-at-all/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://explorersweb.com/mountains-climbed-just-once-or-not-at-all/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1666524499951000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2RdCF8_v1BnZQRPkpx_K7G">an unsuccessful attempt in 1957</a>, and despite an unverified ascent in 1982.Although lower than the Annapurnas to which it is joined by a long ridge, Mt Machapuchre dominates the Pokhara skyline because it is only 25km away.Its name translates as ‘Fish Tail’ because of the distinctive double summit, and the peak has an uncanny resemblance to the Matterhorn in Switzerland, which is 2,500m lower.Nepal allows mountaineering expeditions on 414 Himalayan peaks, but climbing Machapuchre was banned in 1962 ostensibly to preserve the sanctity of the mountain.Two members of a 1957 expedition led by <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-himalayan-odyssey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-himalayan-odyssey/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1666524499951000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1rp5tcnlIEP9w7pODT8hxr">British Gurkha Lt Col Jimmy Roberts</a> had to turn back from 50m below the summit due to poor weather and technical climbing on the last stretch. Roberts later became the Defence Attache at the British Embassy in Kathmandu, and is said to have convinced the royal government at the time to keep the mountain out of bounds.Although some later accused Roberts of having done so out of pique so no one else could climb Machapuchre, the Nepal government apparently also wanted to <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=9297#.Y1PC3i8RqLc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D9297%23.Y1PC3i8RqLc&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1666524499951000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3kJBXkQT3oH-cga6R6qnVc">keep the mountain ‘virgin’</a> since some regarded it as sacred. Roberts went on to become <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/hiking-with-jimmy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/hiking-with-jimmy/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1666524499951000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0oWXNt2_ZmCHOg9gdI-3t3">a pioneer of trekking tourism</a> in Nepal, and lived in Pokhara till his death in 1997.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111414114/63723cff9c7e80680e0c964bjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="764"><figcaption>Jimmy Roberts in Pokhara in 1995 with Machapuchre and Annapurna in the backdrop.</figcaption></figure>The maverick New Zealander mountaineer <a href="https://honeyguideapps.com/blog/machhapuchhre-a-mountaineering-mecca-or-just-a-proud-monument" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://honeyguideapps.com/blog/machhapuchhre-a-mountaineering-mecca-or-just-a-proud-monument&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1666524499951000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1qK98Pgm4g3QJ4TzYSA_Wg">Bill Denz</a> is said to have secretly climbed the mountain in 1982 and did not tell anyone about it. We will never know if he did, because after Machapuchre, he was killed in an avalanche on Makalu.The arguments for lifting the ban on Machapuchre has been gathering strength in recent years. Some have questioned why other sacred mountains in Nepal are allowed to be climbed, and not Machapuchre. When the ban was announced in 1962, it was said the mountain was revered by the local Gurung communities living below the mountain.But even experts of Gurung society and culture are not in agreement about whether the peak is considered holy or not. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/remembering-harka-gurung/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/remembering-harka-gurung/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1666524499951000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1-I20HZWwP2j7N4V7Vur6c">Geographer Harka Gurung</a> maintained that there was no evidence that the local people considered the mountain sacred.But at an interaction organised by Machapuchre Municipality last month, the vice-chancellor of the Nepal Academy and cultural historian Jagman Gurung said that expeditions should not be allowed on Machapuchre because the mountain held special religious and cultural significance for the Gurung people.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111414114/63723d029c7e80680e0c964cjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><figcaption>Machapuchre from the north Base Camp. Poto: BEN TUBBY / WIKIMEDIA</figcaption></figure>In fact, few in Nepal know that the Gurungs living on the southeastern slopes of Machapuchre have their own name for the mountain: ‘Katasunkli’ which means ‘snowy fish mouth’. Herders from the villages of Lwang, Lahchok, Ghachok, Ghale Khakra and Chyadlung used to take their sheep up to high pasture on the eastern spur of the mountain in the monsoon.Streams from glaciers below Machapuchre, Annapurna II and Annapurna III form a lake called Tin Shir, which is the headwater of the Seti River and is a pilgrimage site for Hindus on Janai Purnima full moon day in July. Pilgrimages were discontinued after devotees were killed by the <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Anatom-of-a-Himalayan-tsunami,1330" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Anatom-of-a-Himalayan-tsunami,1330&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1666524499951000&amp;usg=AOvVaw05q0lr_WRvkBVOolVo6inz">avalanche-flood on the Seti in 2014.</a>The Municipality’s government elected in 2017 had passed a village council resolution demanding that the ban on climbing the mountain be lifted. The new municipal government elected in May is also in favour of opening the mountain.The <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-tamu-trek-trail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-tamu-trek-trail/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1666524499951000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1iqB59mNcbcsw0b61pYfpb">Gurungs were originally animist</a>, later Buddhist and some have assimilated Hindu practices. Gurung herders revere the mountain gods, and extend special prayers and offerings for protection from the elements before embarking on their annual migration up to the high mountain meadows. And the dangers are many: lightning strikes, hailstorms, landslides, rockfalls, floods and wildfires.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111414114/63723d059c7e80680e0c964djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="641"><figcaption>Machapuchre from the east. Photo: KUNDA DIXIT</figcaption></figure>Nepali cultural beliefs also consider the Himalaya the abode of Lord Shiva and his consort, Parbati, and that such sacred places should not be defiled. According to the Hindu communities living in the lower valleys of Kaski and Parbat, the twin peaks of Machapuchre represent the sage brothers Nara and Narayana who themselves are incarnations of Vishnu, the preserver god.Those opposed to Machapuchre being opened for mountaineering also cite the fragile environment of the Seti and Mardi river valleys that drain the mountain on both sides. The southern slopes of the Annapurnas get up to 3,600mm of rain every year, most of it falling in the three monsoon months — making the terrain unstable and prone to landslides and floods.Global climate change is making the mountains even more fragile, and a sudden influx of expeditions could disrupt the environment further. Opening up the mountain could bring the kind of crowds seen on <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/what-is-it-about-ama-dablam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/what-is-it-about-ama-dablam/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1666524499951000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2EHPq5Ud0rENE8_ZSwt5J6">Mt Ama Dablam</a>, where there are more than 600 mountaineers and guides trying to summit this autumn season.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111414114/63723d089c7e80680e0c964ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><figcaption>Machapuchre from the directly below its imposing south face. Photo: KUNDA DIXIT</figcaption></figure>The other argument against opening Machapuchre is that of the 414 peaks on which expeditions are allowed, Nepal government permits were issued last year for only  88 mountains. In Gandaki Province, there were expeditions on only one-third of the peaks on which climbing is allowed. When there are not enough expeditions on other peaks, we may need to rethink opening up Machapuchre.Even if no one is allowed to climb the mountain, the local municipality got a team from the Nepal Tourism Board Pokhara and Nepal Mountaineering Association to recce a new ‘Great Machapuchre Trail’ for an 11-day roundtrip trek from Pokhara via Ghachok, MBC, Rani Khakra, and Karuwa.It is clear that a decision to open Machapuchre for climbers should only be undertaken after detailed study and evaluation of its feasibility, historical, cultural and environmental aspects. Deciding solely on the business standpoint will be a mistake.Juddha Bahadur Gurung is a tourism expert, and this article was translated from the Kartik 2079 edition of Himal Khabar.

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To open Machapuchre for mountaineering, or not?

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121152/636ce6279c7e80680e096750jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/><figcaption>Fresh snow blown off the tops of Kang Nachugo and Tsubugo in Rolwaling Himal is back-lit by the rising sun. Kathmandu photos by Kunda Dixit.</figcaption></figure>After a month in which the whole of Nepal was shrouded in choking smoke from unprecedented wildfires, the rains finally cleared the air and brought the mountains back into view from Pokhara, Kathmandu and other cities.The higher Himalayan regions witnessed rare April snowfall on Wednesday night. Humla, Jumla, Dolpo, Mustang, Manang and Langtang all got up to 40cm of snow in places. The rains in the lower valleys doused the wildfires, and washed the dust and ash from the air.With the haze gone, the sunshine will be unfiltered, bringing summer-like temperatures to Kathmandu as well as other areas of the mountains over the weekend. Meteorologists say there maybe afternoon cloud buildup in the higher valleys, with chances of a few isolated showers.These photographs were taken by Kunda Dixit from Patan in Kathmandu Valley on Friday, 23 April.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121152/636ce62a9c7e80680e096751jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption>Gauri Shankar (Chomo Tseringma) from 100km away in Kathmandu at sunrise on Friday morning.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121152/636ce62d9c7e80680e096752jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption>The rays of a rising sun from behind Gauri Shankar (Chomo Tseringma) and the Rolwaling peaks. The shadow of Mt Everest falls on atmospheric dust from behind Kang Nachugo.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121152/636ce6309c7e80680e096753jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption>The Jugal Himal range with Xixapangma in China, Gang Chhenpo, Gurkapo Ri, Dorje Lakpa silhouetted against the dawn sky.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121152/636ce6329c7e80680e096754jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500"><figcaption>Kathmandu’s skyline is dwarfed by the looming presence of Phurbi Ghyachu, 40km away on the Nepal-China border.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121152/636ce6349c7e80680e096755jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption>Gurkapo Ri, Dorje Lakpa and Gyalzen Peak are bathed in soft morning light above Kathmandu.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121152/636ce6379c7e80680e096756jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption>The morning sun catches the newly-built Dharara with Ganesh Himal on the northern horizon.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121152/636ce63a9c7e80680e096757jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption>Machapuchre, Annapurna III, Annapurna IV and II, and Lamjung Himal are reflected on the surface of a hotel swimming pool in Pokhara. Photo: KRISHNA MANI BARAL</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121152/636ce63d9c7e80680e096758jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption>Photo: KRISHNA MANI BARAL</figcaption></figure>Read also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/langtang-copes-with-quake-and-covid/"> Langtang copes with quake and Covid</a>, Kunda Dixit

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https://youtu.be/-9rP1yNydLs<h2>Beat the crowd to Khayer Lake</h2>Sewa Bhattarai in MyagdiThe Ghorepani-Poon Hill Trek? That is so last century. Now that road access makes the scenic viewpoint easily reachable with a night stop, more and more trekkers venture on up the ridge to Tadapani, Khopra and the hidden holy Khayer Lake.This extension to the traditional Poon Hill hike is worth it even for those who have done Ghorepani-Ghandruk Ridge before. Strike off the path through rhododendron forest at Tadapani to Mulde Peak for a overnight stop, and then it is another day’s walk to <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=15474" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Khopra.</a> An alternative route from Ghorepani is to descend to Swanta and up again to gain the ridge.The only warning to trekkers is to make sure there is a tea house as night falls, and to keep your eyes on the narrow trail because the views of Annapurna, Machapuchre and Dhaulagiri are so dramatic. <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/mulde-peak,1759" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mulde Peak</a> itself is about 700m higher than Poon Hill and beats the view from there by leaps and bounds. The view of a full moon rise from behind Machapuchre is an out of this world sight.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29d59c7e80680e0458ebjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1050"/><figcaption>Photos: SEWA BHATTARAI</figcaption></figure>Khayer Lake with Annapurna I peering over the ridge (pictured above) is a further 5-6 hours walk away with a small temple of Khayera Bharani sacred to the local Magar community. Hindu pilgrims from down valley also walk up to the lake on Janai Purnima festival in July-August.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/go-take-a-hike/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Go take a hike</a>, Sewa BhattaraiDuring the monsoon, the slopes are ablaze with fresh flowers and you do not want to step on them and spoil the beauty. Shepherds graze herds of sheep on the fresh young grass, and people buy sheep from them to sacrifice at the Khayer Bharani shrine.At this time of year, the lake is partially frozen and the ground is still brown and barren. The trekking season has not started yet, so the trails are deserted.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29da9c7e80680e0458ecjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1050">“About twenty years ago when this area was uninhabited, we used to see big groups of foreigners trek up to the lake to camp and bring their own food and we saw the potential for a lodge here,” says Bhakta Tilija, who operates the lodge at Khopra Ridge. Word about the ethereal beauty of Khayer Lake is now spreading and in the trekking season the dozen rooms at Khopra are full, and so are the outhouses made for porters and unsuspecting Nepali guests.Social entrepreneur and rural internet pioneer <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/kundadixit/2013/02/19/innovating-a-new-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mahabir Pun</a> founded the lodge in 2007 with prize money from his Ramon Magsaysay award. The proceeds from the lodge go to a school in the nearby Paudwar village. He has set up a string of eight other lodges in the area, including in <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Wonders-of-Nepal,1240" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohare Danda.</a>“We know that we need to expand the facilities, and we are looking for funds to build another lodge,” Pun told us. “Mostly, tourism does not benefit the local community so much. We try to get the community to run the lodges and plough the profits locally.”<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29dd9c7e80680e0458edjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1050">Proceeds from the lodges have been invested in building a 50KW micro hydropower plant, which supplies electricity to the lodges for lighting, heating and wifi routers. “Eventually we intend to make the lodges smoke-less zero carbon,” says Pun.As the better travelled destinations become passé and remote ones become more attractive, Khopra Ridge (pictured, above) is poised to rival the more popular ABC Trek this spring.And with the road access now making the Annapurna Circuit less pristine, Khopra and the neighbouring Mardi Ridge to the east will be attracting more visitors. The question is how soon the facility will manage to <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/GUEST-COLUMN/nepal-trekking-needs-a-quality-upgrade,383" target="_blank" rel="noopener">keep up with the influx</a>.<h2>Gosain Kunda's Six Lakes in Spring</h2>Sikuma Rai in Rasuwa<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29e19c7e80680e0458eejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"><figcaption>DIVINE REFLECTIONS: Many people do not know that besides the main Gosain Kunda (pictured) there are six sacred lakes in the vicinity. They are Nilkantha, Barda Kunda, Rakta Kunda, Chandra Kunda, Ama Kunda and Surya Kunda.</figcaption></figure>Gosain Kunda is a place to avoid in July-August when tens of thousands ascend to the holy waters at 4,380m for the Janai Purnima festival. But now is the time to go as the winter snow starts melting, the rhododendrons start coming out in full bloom, and the trails are relatively deserted. You will have the mountains, and the lakes, all to yourself.Being so close to the city, the <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/buzz-gosainkunda,639" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gosain Kunda</a> trek is a quick getaway for trekkers and pilgrims. The forest path may look easy at first, but it can be a grueling two-day climb from Dhunche at 2,090m on the highway.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29e49c7e80680e0458efjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800"><figcaption>Nilkantha. Photo: AVIV ADHIKARI</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29e79c7e80680e0458f0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800"><figcaption>Barda Kunda. Photo: RAVI RAUT</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29eb9c7e80680e0458f1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"><figcaption>Rakta Kunda. Photo: RAVI RAUT</figcaption></figure>Gosain Kunda can be either a destination, a stopover, or a traverse. As a destination, it can be done in a relaxed way in five days, giving oneself enough time to acclimatise and take in the views. It is better not to rush it.Trekkers can also just stopover in Gosain Kunda and continue along a narrow path around a steep spur and descend to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-reincarnation-of-a-holy-valley/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Langtang Valley</a> two days away. As a traverse, hikers from Dhunche can cross the pass and descend to Helambu and back to Kathmandu. Or, if you really want to punish yourself, you can do that route counter-clockwise. The trails are now much more stable after the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/aint-seen-nothing-yet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earthquake</a> four years ago.The simplest itinerary is to take a 5-7 hour bumpy jeep ride to Dhunche, and if you want to get away from the sound of trucks, head off immediately to Deurali for the night. Those relatively more fit can climb on to Sing Gompa at 3,250m, a smallish settlement with tea houses and a monastery. It also has a government dairy outlet run by Chatra Bahadur Tamang where you can stock up on yak cheese.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-tamu-trek-trail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Tamu Trek Trail</a>, Jit Gurung<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29ee9c7e80680e0458f2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"><figcaption>ChandraKunda. Photo: RAVI RAUT</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29f19c7e80680e0458f3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="934"><figcaption>Ama Kunda. Photo: SIKUMA RAI</figcaption></figure>After morning breakfast in Sing Gompa the trail goes up and up to Lauri Binayak (3,700m). More and more of the mesmerising vista of Ganesh Himal, Langtang Lirung, and Manaslu become visible as you gain altitude, and the scenery energises exhausted walkers. This time of year, rhododendron buds are popping open all over the forest.The really steep bit comes after Lauri Binayak, and this is where the pace will get slower on the endless uphill. The tea shops at Gosain Kunda look deceptively close, and it is still another few hours of hard slog to reach the ridge to look down at Saraswati Kunda.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29f59c7e80680e0458f4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="693" height="417">When you get there, you find that Gosain Kunda is not one but a series of lakes at over 4,380m. The air is thin and crystalline, and the mirror surface of the lakes reflect the sunset in all its hues. The stunning views, the sacred energy of the spot, and the exhilaration of the climb will make even the most non-religious person slightly spiritual. For true Hindu, Buddhist or Animistic believers, however, this is a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-power-and-pull-of-pathibhara/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pilgrimage</a> of a lifetime.Those still not sated by the view can <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/trekking-in-Nepal-turns-50,2658" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trek</a> on to Lauribina La (4,610m) to inspect six other lakes, and the trip is rewarding and therapeutic as the lakes hidden behind ridges glisten like jewels in the sun.There are 108 lakes in the Langtang National Park region but more are popping up due to global warming, and many do not even have names yet.

Holy Waters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcaWYJSU5y4&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;fbclid=IwAR2Qnf8iXarhb9omsTAfo3FB-fITc8Z9i8Snve_1T9mfrPCF2_9p5KMvgUgEver since trekking became the mainstay of tourism in Nepal, guidebooks have decreed that hiking in the Himalaya is only advisable in spring and autumn. What nonsense.As we saw this past week, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=15649#.XFLWtlUzaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nepal becomes a winter wonderland</a> during January. The mountains emerge with a fresh coating of snow, the air is crisp and the sun blindingly bright. And the best thing about it is that there are very few other tourists.Winter trekking is now possible not just because of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/on-thin-ice-in-the-khumbu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global warming</a>, but also because there are new roads, guest houses, homestays and facilities along the trails. And while the high passes like Thorung La and Kang La in Manang, the Mardi and Khopra Treks, or Cho La in the Everest region may be completely snowed under, the <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/annapurna-base-camp,3697" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Annapurna Base Camp</a> trek is do-able.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a25379c7e80680e0439b8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1050"/><figcaption>Hikers on their way from Machapuchre Base Camp (3,700m) to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m). This part of the trail is closed due to heavy snowfall this week, and may reopen in about 10 days. All photos: MONIKA DEUPALA</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a253a9c7e80680e0439b9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="900"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>A recent trek to ABC showed that the trail is mostly occupied by Nepalis and Koreans who are more adventurous and no longer satisfied with throwing around snowballs on Pulchoki or Chandragiri.“It is hard to describe the pleasure of walk on a snowy trail with just the sound of your heavy breath, friction of your jacket, or boots crunching through the snow,” says Lee Chul from Korea, at Machapuchre Base Camp.After Kathmandu Valley did not meet his expectations about Nepal, Chul headed off to Pokhara and the ABC trek despite the snowfall. He went without a guide, and says that although he had to rough it, the adventure was worth every minute. He adds bravely: “The cold cannot keep us away from the Himalaya.”At the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/municipalities-want-to-manage-annapurna/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Annapurna Conservation Project</a> checkpoint in Chomrong (2,177m) Sarita Pun shows us the entries for January which have numbers that are almost the same as for December.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a253d9c7e80680e0439bajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="1067"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a253f9c7e80680e0439bbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1050"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a25439c7e80680e0439bcjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>“After this week’s snowfall, some trekkers have turned back because of ice on the trails,” she tells us, while many trekkers are waiting it out in Ghandruk for the snow to start melting on the trails above Bamboo, which is at 2,340m.Unique Gurung, 21, is a cook at the Annapurna Sanctuary Lodge at ABC (4,130 m) and says the temperature hit -20 this week. He has headed down to Deurali (3,200 m) along with his team to shovel the snow to keep the trail open for trekkers.Gurung says October is the peak season at ABC with 70 guests a day, and although the number is lower in winter, there has been an unusual surge of Nepali trekkers venturing up through the snow.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a25479c7e80680e0439bdjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="495" height="706">Almost as adventurous as the Nepalis are Koreans, and tourists from China have started arriving for the Chinese New Year Holiday. Some 50 of them had to be evacuated by helicopter from Deurali after heavy snow blocked the path down this weekend.Nabin Balla from Bhaktapur is a new breed of Nepali trekker who has been exploring different parts of Nepal. Although he finds October the best time for treks in Nepal, he is always open to adventure and was in <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=2701#.XFLV81UzaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a> in mid-January.“It is actually more expensive to trek in winter because you need extra heavy-duty gear to keep warm, but it has its rewards in mountains that are crystal clear and empty trails,” he says.Rana Roka of the Eastern Light Trek in Pokhara recommends Poon Hill and Jomsom as the best bet for winter, although he does not rule out ABC once the snow on the trails has thinned.Says Roka: “You have to be careful about avalanches and sickness, but trekking in winter is challenging and exciting at the same time."

Monika Deupala

The ABCs of a winter trek in Nepal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Who9k1JGrgsEver since it was launched in 1984 the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (<a href="http://www.ntnc.org.np/project/annapurna-conservation-area-project">ACA</a>P) has been a successful model for using <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Conserving-conservation,151">eco-tourism income to lift living standards</a>, not just in Nepal but in other parts of the world. Now, as Nepal decentralises under a federal system, local governments in the very place where ACAP was born are calling for it to be scrapped.On 22 December, locals of Ghandruk removed the ACA signboard and padlocked its checkpost to protest the decision by Nepal Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) which manages the project to charge fees also for Nepali tourists. But the dispute has now escalated to a demand for ACA to be handed over for local municipalities to manage.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171152/636937ef9c7e80680e03fe6ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="513"/>A banner in Ghandruk demanding Annapurna Conservation Area Project be scrapped.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171152/636937f29c7e80680e03fe6bjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="513">Locals padlocking an ACA checkopint in Birethanti on Saturday.Despite its success in balancing a local economy based on agro-forestry with the need to <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=5974#.XCYBItIza70">protect nature</a>, there has been growing resentment against ACA’s restrictions on harvesting fodder and grass, grazing and exploiting natural resources. There are also complaints that ACA does not share revenue from tourism fees with local governments.“They charge trekkers fees, but we never know where they spend it, and they give us the runaround to get permission for even small things,” said Bishnu Gurung, after padlocking the project checkpost at Birethanti on Saturday.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171152/636937f49c7e80680e03fe6cjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1125">The agitation has now spread beyond Ghandruk to other parts of ACA like Manang, Mustang, and Lamjung. The original agreement in 1985 stipulated that the project would hand over management of the conservation area to local councils, but 30 years later it is still being managed by the NTNC. Project officials say the handover was delayed by the war, during which ACAP’s offices were <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=1711#.XCYBi9Iza70">attacked and set on fire</a>.Head of ACA in Ghandruk Bidur Kuikel underplayed the seriousness of the agitation, blaming it on local hotheads. “All this can be resolved with just one meeting of local elected representatives and ACAP’s local committees,” he said.However, locals from Lwang Ghalel have gone to Pokhara with their grievances which includes lifting ACAP’s restrictions on local development and infrastructure projects, to allocating tourism revenue in proportion to where income is highest, and to remove the bureaucratic hurdles in harnessing forest and water resources.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171152/636937f89c7e80680e03fe6djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="213" height="300">ACA map“We are giving them one last chance to address our demands, otherwise we will also take action,” said Ram Gurung of Lwang Ghalel. Representatives of this scenic village below Machapuchre sent a petition to the federal government in Kathmandu last week demanding that the management of ACA be handed over to local governments.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171152/636937f99c7e80680e03fe6ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>The Annapurna massif stretches nearly 7,700sq km from Marsyangdi in the east to the Kali Gandaki, and is Nepal’s biggest nature reserve spanning 16 rural municipalities. It has some of the greatest altitudinal variation on the land surface of the earth. From below1,000m above sea level, the terrain rises to more than 8,500m, giving the region its rich biodiversity.Nepal’s conservation pioneers like <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/conflict-and-conservation/">Hemanta Mishra</a>, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=16569#.XCYAg9Iza70">Chandra Gurung</a> and <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=18587#.XCYAVtIza70">Mingma Sherpa</a> together with experts like Kathryn Fuller of WWF-US put together the concept of a ‘conservation area’ – as distinct from a national park so that locals could use tourism revenue for nature conservation. ACA was proof that Nepal did not have to deploy the Army, like it did in national parks, to successfully conserve nature – the job could be done by local communities.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171152/636937fc9c7e80680e03fe6fjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1125">Now, it looks like the Annapurna Conservation Area is the victim of its own success. Nepal’s central, provincial and federal governments are competing to take control over it. There are already signs that this will be a three-way tug-o-war.Yubaraj Kunwar, head of Annapurna Rural Municipality said the constitution grants jurisdiction over natural resource and environment management to local governments. “This means it is now our responsibility to collect fees from tourists and invest it in local conservation and development,” he said.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171152/636937ff9c7e80680e03fe70jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="999" height="1500"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>However, in Pokhara, Gandaki Province Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung said that since the conservation area spans the boundaries of many rural municipalities, ACA management should go to the provincial government. “The responsibility for management and conservation of the Annapurna Conservation Area should be the purview of the provincial government,” Gurung told us.Head of ACA Rajkumar Gurung says it is not important who controls the project as long as its model of community-managed conservation is preserved.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171152/636938029c7e80680e03fe71jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1502" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>

machapuchre

To open Machapuchre for mountaineering, or not?

Fire and ice

Holy Waters

The ABCs of a winter trek in Nepal

Municipalities want to manage Annapurna