{"id":16214,"date":"2025-06-11T12:09:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T11:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/?p=16214"},"modified":"2025-09-16T07:52:50","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T06:52:50","slug":"kangchenjunga-at-70-honouring-a-mountain-its-people-and-a-vision-for-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/kangchenjunga-at-70-honouring-a-mountain-its-people-and-a-vision-for-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Kangchenjunga at 70: Honouring a Mountain, Its People, and a Vision for the Future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Last Thursday at the <strong>Royal Geographical Society<\/strong> in London, we joined <strong>Himalayan Trust UK<\/strong> in marking <strong>70 years since the first ascent of Kangchenjunga<\/strong>, the world\u2019s third-highest mountain. It was an evening of celebration, reflection, and powerful storytelling, hosted with grace and warmth by Himalayan Trust UK trustee, <strong>Rebecca Stephens MBE<\/strong>, the first British woman to summit Everest. Rebecca is a patron of Explorers Against Extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rebecca opened the evening with a theme that echoed throughout: <strong>respect<\/strong> &#8211; for the mountain, for nature, and for the communities that call the Himalayas home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The packed <strong>Ondaatje Theatre<\/strong> reflected the significance of the occasion, with a full house of eminent guests, including an appearance by <strong>Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh<\/strong>. Also in attendance, a <strong>Nepali delegation from Kangchenjunga<\/strong>, reinforcing the strong links between the UK and the Himalayas. We also spotted several Everest summitters in the audience, including <strong>Holly Budge<\/strong> and <strong>Adriana Brownlee<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was one man, on <strong>crutches<\/strong>, having just returned from the Himalayas after spending an unscheduled night in the <strong>death zone<\/strong> &#8211; a reminder of the dangers these mountains still present. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The evening was hosted under the stewardship of <strong>Sir Graham Wrigley<\/strong>, Chair of <strong>Himalayan Trust UK<\/strong>, who continues to champion the legacy and future of the Kangchenjunga region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"a-historic-summit\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A Historic Summit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Standing tall at <strong>8,586\u202fm<\/strong>, <strong>Kangchenjunga<\/strong> ranks third among Earth\u2019s giants. In late May 1955, British climbers <strong>Joe Brown<\/strong> and <strong>George Band<\/strong> led the expedition to its summit, but in deference to the mountain\u2019s spiritual significance, revered by local communities, they famously stopped just short of the very top. That gesture of cultural respect became part of the mountain\u2019s enduring legacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A moving moment during the evening came when the families of Brown and Band were asked to stand, prompting warm applause from the audience in recognition of their place in history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A wonderful short film by <strong>John Porter<\/strong>, the first of two shared during the evening, relived the 1955 summit with rare expedition footage,  and captured the glory of the mountain and its people. Though not currently available online, the film echoed the evening\u2019s central theme\u2014<strong>respect<\/strong>\u2014and reminded us that <em>&#8220;good fortune&#8221;<\/em> is an essential element of mountaineering!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"mingma-david-sherpa-a-force-on-the-mountain\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mingma David Sherpa: A Force on the Mountain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2219\" src=\"https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Mingma David Sherpa\" class=\"wp-image-16218\" srcset=\"https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-300x260.jpg 300w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-1024x888.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-768x666.jpg 768w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-1536x1331.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-2048x1775.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-120x104.jpg 120w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-90x78.jpg 90w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-320x277.jpg 320w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-560x485.jpg 560w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-800x693.jpg 800w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-1160x1005.jpg 1160w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zMingma-1920x1664.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The star of the evening was undoubtedly <strong>Mingma David Sherpa<\/strong>, who received an extended and heartfelt ovation. A living legend in the world of mountaineering, Mingma has summited <strong>Everest nine times<\/strong> and is now preparing for his <strong>seventh summit of K2<\/strong>, widely regarded as the toughest of all the 8,000ers. He was part of the team that achieved the <strong>first winter ascent of K2<\/strong>\u2014an extraordinary feat in extreme conditions, and until 2024 was the youngest <strong>person to climb all 14&nbsp;eight-thousanders. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A short montage of <strong>Mingma in action<\/strong> left the audience in quiet awe, reflecting on the <strong>three golden rules of mountaineering<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s always farther than it looks, it\u2019s always taller than it looks, and it\u2019s always tougher than it looks.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>And that\u2019s really saying something because the footage of Kangchenjunga, K2 and Everest made it abundantly clear just how formidable these mountains are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mingma is a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation and a <strong>huge fan of red panda<\/strong>s, a species found in the forests around Kangchenjunga, where he grew up. This was a lovely link for us at EAE, as we support <strong>red panda conservation<\/strong> in the region through our partnership with the <strong>Red Panda Network<\/strong> and their reforestation work in the <strong>PIT corridor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"levison-wood-tales-from-the-trail\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Levison Wood: Tales from the Trail<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"954\" src=\"https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-1024x954.jpg\" alt=\"Levison Wood\" class=\"wp-image-16217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-1024x954.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-300x279.jpg 300w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-768x715.jpg 768w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-1536x1430.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-2048x1907.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-120x112.jpg 120w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-90x84.jpg 90w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-320x298.jpg 320w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-560x521.jpg 560w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-800x745.jpg 800w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-1160x1080.jpg 1160w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-1920x1788.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zIMG_1457-scaled.jpg 2560w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Fellow EAE patron <strong>Levison Wood<\/strong> shared stories from his Himalayan travels, including a dramatic car crash while filming <em>Walking the Himalayas<\/em>, when his vehicle lost its brakes and plunged over 200 feet into a forested ravine in <strong>Rukum<\/strong>. It was the local people who carried him and his team to a village clinic, telling them: <em>&#8220;It was the forest who saved you.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This tied beautifully into the themes of his latest book, <em>The Great Tree Story<\/em>, which explores the history, culture, and ecological importance of forests, and their vital role in shaping both civilisation and the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Levison also spoke movingly about his long-standing friendship with <strong>Binod Pariyar<\/strong>, which began back in 2001 when he was a young backpacker and Binod gave him shelter during a time of conflict in Nepal. Their friendship continues to this day\u2014Binod\u2019s son now lives in <strong>Bristol<\/strong> and was present at the event, adding an emotional resonance to the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"a-living-landscape-worth-protecting\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A Living Landscape Worth Protecting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The team from Himalayan Trust UK shared striking statistics about tourism in Nepal\u2014<strong>Kangchenjunga receives far fewer visitors<\/strong> than Everest or Annapurna, despite its extraordinary biodiversity and cultural richness. This is perhaps due to its remote location and a lack of awareness, but the potential for <strong>low-impact, community-led tourism<\/strong> is significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Established in <strong>1997<\/strong>, the <strong>Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCAP)<\/strong> is a haven of ecological diversity, encompassing <strong>rhododendron forests<\/strong>, <strong>alpine meadows<\/strong>, <strong>high-altitude wetlands<\/strong>, and <strong>glacial moraines<\/strong>. It supports an impressive array of species including <strong>snow leopards<\/strong>, <strong>red pandas<\/strong>, <strong>Himalayan musk deer<\/strong>, <strong>blue sheep<\/strong>, <strong>Himalayan black bears<\/strong>, <strong>grey foxes<\/strong>, and over <strong>250 bird species<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to <strong>WWF Nepal<\/strong>, KCAP has been managed since 1998 under a <strong>locally led governance model<\/strong>, with <strong>full control transferred to local communities in 2006<\/strong>, a first in Nepal. The area is managed using a <strong>five-pillar framework<\/strong> that blends <strong>conservation<\/strong>, <strong>sustainable livelihoods<\/strong>, <strong>cultural heritage<\/strong>, <strong>climate resilience<\/strong>, and <strong>responsible ecotourism<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"the-call-to-action-biosphere-reserve-status\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Call to Action: Biosphere Reserve Status<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The event also served to highlight ongoing efforts to designate <strong>Kangchenjunga as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve<\/strong>, a step that would enhance both local protections and international recognition. With the right support, this designation could ensure a sustainable future for the region&#8217;s people, wildlife, and ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-it-matters-to-eae\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why It Matters to EAE<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For <strong>Explorers Against Extinction<\/strong>, this event encapsulated everything we stand for: <strong>exploration with purpose<\/strong>, <strong>respect for nature<\/strong>, and <strong>meaningful community partnerships<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Kangchenjunga looks to its next 70 years, let\u2019s continue to elevate its story\u2014and work together to protect its future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udccd <em>Learn more about our red panda conservation work in Nepal at <a href=\"https:\/\/explorersagainstextinction.co.uk\/project\/project-red-panda\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">explorersagainstextinction.co.uk<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last Thursday at the Royal Geographical Society in London, we joined Himalayan Trust UK in marking 70 years since the first ascent of Kangchenjunga, the world\u2019s third-highest mountain. It was&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":16216,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,517,314],"tags":[734,732,11,255,733],"powerkit_post_featured":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Kangchenjunga at 70: Honouring a Mountain, Its People, and a Vision for the Future - Explorers Against Extinction<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Last Thursday at the Royal Geographical Society, London, we joined Himalayan Trust UK in marking 70 years since the first ascent of Kangchenjunga.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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