Hans Fex Travels to Sagarmāthā (2019)

It seems like a simple thing, but the removal of a ladder or any equipment from the slopes of the tallest mountain in the world is a monumental task.

Each year more than 40,000 people visit Mount Everest, and hundreds go on to the summit. In their wake, they leave behind many thousands of pounds of refuse and discarded equipment.

The cleanup task rests on the backs (quite literally) of the local Sherpas who personally carry each load down and trek it on to local villages for storage and eventual removal. However, keeping up with this endless wave is nearly impossible due to a lack of funds and the physical task of hauling it all down.

During the summer of 2019, I traveled to Nepal in search of new specimens for the collection, including the Tethys Ocean specimen in Age of Dinosaurs.

While in Kathmandu, I was fortunate to make the acquaintance of Dawa Steven Sherpa, managing director of the legendary mountaineering firm Asian Trekking. Dawa Steven told me about the challenge the Sherpas face and encouraged me to travel to the remote village of Khumjung to see for myself.

With Dawa Steven’s invaluable assistance and support, I traveled from Kathmandu to Lukla by plane and then on by foot, trekking 55 km (34 mi) one-way to Khumjung. I made the roundtrip journey with the amazing Pasang Sherpa, and I am forever grateful for both his kindness and companionship on the trek.

At 3,790 m (12,430 ft), Khumjung is just a few kilometers from Mount Everest, making it an ideal collection point for equipment brought down from the mountain. But, as Dawa Steven said, getting it out of Khumjung is another matter entirely.

I went to Khumjung hoping to procure a few simple items we might offer in a future Mini Museum. Yet, at that moment, standing there in that beautiful village, I knew that we could help in a way that no one else could. So that’s exactly what we’re setting out to do.

As noted above, a significant portion of the proceeds from these specimens will be passed on to local communities in Nepal to help fund additional cleanup efforts, including bringing the material all the way down.

We may not be able to remove all the debris from the mountain but we can make a real difference. In many ways, this is why I started Mini Museum in the first place and we are happy and grateful to continue that journey with your support!