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The Impact of USAID Budget Cuts on Himalayan Charities
Recent US-AID funding cuts are hitting many organizations hard. One notable group, the American Himalayan Foundation (AHF)—founded in 1981 in San Francisco by Richard C. Blum—has been especially affected. AHF supports the Sherpa people of Nepal, but recent financial setbacks mean they’re struggling to meet expenses.
For example, a children’s hospital in Nepal that relied on a sizable US-AID grant faced a major crisis when reimbursements were canceled. The hospital was left with significant medical bills. Additionally, about 57,000 Himalayan communities in exile in India and Nepal depend heavily on aid. AHF is now stepping up to fill the funding gap and keep vital services running.
Mount Everest: Overcrowding and Environmental Challenges
Everest has become a tourist trap, attracting amateurs who pay six figures to climb during the popular March-May season. This surge has led to overcrowding, increased trash, and dangerous environmental and safety issues on the mountain.
What can be done? That’s a pressing question. As organizations grapple with funding shortages, solutions are urgently needed to regulate climbers, preserve the environment, and protect lives on the world’s highest peak.
A Conversation with Everest Veterans
At a recent Explorers Club event in New York, I had the pleasure of moderating a discussion with two notable mountaineers:
- Norbu Tenzing Norgay, president of AHF and son of Sherpa Tenzing. His father, Sherpa Tenzing, famously summited Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953 — the first ascent of the world’s highest mountain.
- Conrad Anker, renowned climber who in 1999 discovered George Mallory’s body high on Everest’s north side. Just back from Nepal, where he filmed a segment for 60 Minutes, Anker shared insights on climate change, mountain overcrowding, and the trash crisis.
Exclusive Insights & Next Steps
Below are edited excerpts from that sold-out event, plus a separate interview. This is Part 1 of a series exploring these critical issues.
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Mount Everest: Current Challenges and Concerns
During a recent discussion at The Explorers Club in New York on May 29, 2025, Conrad Anker, Jim Clash, and Norbu Tenzing Norgay talked about the state of Everest.
Norbu Tenzing Norgay explained that Nepal’s government controls who climbs and how much they pay. Currently, permits cost around $11,000, possibly rising to $15,000.
He criticized the focus on profit, saying Everest has become a “cash cow”. Many officials have never climbed the mountain themselves and don’t understand the risks faced by the Sherpa or the mountain’s deterioration.
Pollution is a major problem, with dead bodies, waste, feces, and abandoned oxygen bottles littering Everest. Climate change is making conditions worse—yet Sherpa communities, who have no role in creating these changes, are suffering the consequences.
Overcrowding and Mountaineering Risks
Every year, more than 100 climbers try to reach the summit in one day. This creates dangerous overcrowding.
If a storm strikes unexpectedly—like the disaster in 1996, depicted in “Into Thin Air”—many lives could be lost, including climbers, guides, and Sherpa support staff.
In 2014, 16 Sherpas and mountaineers died in an avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall. Their children were left fatherless, highlighting the harsh risks of Everest climbing.
Weather Forecasting vs. Mount Everest Reality
Today, high-tech weather apps provide minute-by-minute forecasts. Still, unexpected events—such as avalanches or falls—can happen anytime, reminding us that mountaineering remains inherently dangerous.
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