Hillary Stupa above Khumjung

It is a beautiful place. Located on a hill above Khumjung, off the small path that leads down to the village. With a view to Mount Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. Sir Edmund Hillary would have liked the place. For more than five years, a small part of his ashes has been resting there – in a stupa built in honor of the first ascender of Everest. Yesterday was the tenth anniversary of the death of the New Zealander. At the age of 88, Hillary had died on 11 January 2008 in Auckland. Most of his ashes were later scattered on the harbour of his hometown, at the express request of the deceased, as his son Peter Hillary once told me: “The city was the base camp for his expeditions. He was definitely an Aucklander.”

Sir Ed’s words still up to date

Sir Edmund Hillary (in 2004)

I was fortunate enough to meet Sir Ed twice: on the occasion of the opening of a mountaineering exhibition in Austria in 2000 and three years later at the celebrations in Kathmandu on the 50th anniversary of Hillary’s and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay’s first ascent of Everest. “I think that we were the lucky ones. We were pioneers in everything we did and never followed in the footsteps of other people,“ Sir Ed told me at our first meeting, criticizing the commercialization of Everest. “There are people who hardly understand mountaineering. They do not care about the mountain. They have paid $ 65,000 and all they want is to set foot on the summit, go home and boast about it.” His words of that time could as well – with an adjusted sum of money – describe the current situation on the highest mountain in the world.

Himalayan Trust more important than Everest success

New Zealand note with his portrait signed by Sir Ed

Hillary then also had took a small stock of his life: “Over the years, our first ascent of Everest has become less important in people’s minds than what we do with our sherpa friends in the schools and medical facilities. And that’s just how I myself feel about it.” The Hillary Stupa is located not without reason above Khumjung. In 1961, Sir Ed’s still active aid organization “Himalayan Trust” had founded in this village their first school in the Khumbu area.

Statements of Sir Edmund Hillary (in 2000)

Veto of the lamas

It would not have taken much more and Hillary’s ashes would have been scattered on top of Mount Everest. In 2010, Apa Sherpa – who (together with Phurba Tashi) still holds the Everest record with 21 ascents – wanted to take the ashes to the 8850 meter-high summit. The plan failed because of the veto of the lamas. The spiritual Buddhist teachers warned that it was “inauspicious” to scatter ashes at a holy place. This much is certain: The Hillary Stupa above Khumjung is certainly a quieter place than the summit of Mount Everest.

Phurba Tashi in front of his lodge

Phurba Tashi is a man of few words. The 45-year-old replies friendly but shortly. “This year, I will definitely not climb Mount Everest”, Phurba tells me when we sit down for a few minutes on a bench in front of his “Tashi Friendship Lodge” in the village of Khumjung. Actually, he has no time to talk to me because his family has gathered for a religious ceremony to commemorate Phurba’s parents who both died in the past six months. Some Buddhist monks have come to his Lodge. “The death of my parents is also the reason why I renounce the ascent this time,” says Phurba.

Only at Base Camp

High winds on Everest (today)

He has reached the highest point on earth already 21 times. Together with Apa Sherpa (who has long since ended his mountain career), Phurba Tashi is holding the record for the most Everest ascents ever. Aged 28, he was on top for the first time, in 2013 for the last time to date. In some seasons Phurba ascended Everest double or even triple. This spring, he will stay at Base Camp to coordinate the work of the Climbing Sherpas – for the New Zealand expedition operator Himalayan Experience. “I have already worked for Russell Brice, head of Himex, on 30 to 40 expeditions,” says Phurba, adding that this spring the team consists of only six clients.

Black year does not apply to climbers

Earthquake damage: Stupa in Khumjung

“I think that there will be summit successes this season,” says Phurba. “This winter we had little snow. And the Icefall Doctors do a good job.” The Buddhist lamas predicted a bad year for the Sherpas, but that does not apply to climbers, Phurba continues: “Maybe I try to ascend again in 2017 – if everything fits together.” I want to know whether he is itching to be the exclusive Everest record holder. “No, the record means nothing to me,” Phurba replies. “It is much more important to come down healthy again. Finally, I have a wife and five children, I have to feed them.” Then Phurba Tashi says goodbye. He has to return to his family. When a short time later one of the monks comes to fresh air, I ask him if the predicted black year for the Sherpas really does not apply to climbers. The monk laughs and says: “Everything is good. They are welcome to climb up.”

Coconut with hair

The Yeti skull

In Khumjung, I also marvelled the famous “Yeti skull”. It is stored in a safe in the Gompa, the small monastery of the village. For 250 rupees (about 2.50 euros) an old employee of the Gompa, who powers the keys, opens the safe for a moment. And there it is, next a few butter lamps: the supposed skull of the alleged Himalayan monster – and looks rather like a coconut with hair.

P.S.: Maybe I won’t send any reports for a few days. I want to trek to the 5380-meter-high Gokyo Ri to enjoy the magnificent panorama – if the weather is good. Then, of course, I will show you some nice pictures.