Blog
Here you’ll find our blog posts, listed by main category. To receive posts by email as they appear, sign up for updates on the homepage!
The Himalayan Rescue Association and Musa Masala Present the Pocket-size, Wallet-friendly, Altitude Tips Card
Musa Masala is very excited to have created, along with the Himalayan Rescue Association, a new version of the altitude tips card that we have been providing to the HRA clinics since 2018.
Below you’ll find an introduction from Dr. Sanjiv Bhandari to the HRA, and from Dr. Nishant Joshi Njo, on how he came to work with the HRA. A special part of this is a great interview about working at Everest ER in 2024 — special for all you Everest fans. Jam Jam!
The Mystery of Mallory and Irvine: 10 Little-Known Facts
Do you think George Mallory and Andrew "Sandy" Irvine made it to the summit of Everest in 1924 before disappearing? Everyone who is intrigued by the story has their opinion. We are here to help, whether you're an old hand to this mystery or it’s the first you have heard about it.
To celebrate our first Facebook live event, we thought we would post 10 things you may not have known about the mystery of Mallory and Irvine that you can learn from our show!
Introducing: Thom Pollard, All about Everest
Musa Masala is going live! On May 20th, EST, we are opening our new Facebook Live Series with mountaineer, cinematographer and spiritual adventurer Thom Pollard. The topic will be The Great Everest Mystery, Mallory and Irvine.
Thom Pollard is uniquely qualified to talk about the great Everest mystery. The high altitude cameraman for the 1999 expedition that found the body of the legendary George Mallory (Conrad Anker actually found him), he was also on the 2019 expedition for Nat Geo that searched for Andrew Irvine and was made into the film Lost On Everest, and the book by Mark Synnott, The Third Pole. Thom also summited himself in 2016 with his friend, Lhakpa Sherpa.
Mount Everest's First Summit Wedding! An Interview with Pem Dorjee Sherpa
May is traditionally the ideal weather window month on Mt Everest—a short period when getting to the top is not impeded by jet streams or monsoon season. This year, COVID-19 has closed the mountain for climbing on the Nepali side, and only a select group of Chinese climbers are going from Tibet. We here at Musa Masala thought this would be a great time to talk with our friend Pem Dorjee Sherpa. Pem is instrumental for so many quality changes to his home village of Chyangba in Nepal. He is on the Board of Directors for the Himalayan Yokpu Foundation, which is constructing the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital. We will talk about that, but for now, let’s get the lowdown on how he and his wife, Moni, were married on the summit of Mt Everest on May 30th, 2005!
Lakpa Norbu Sherpa: The Unofficial Mayor of Everest Base Camp
We are proud to bring you a true force in the world of Himalayan climbing. Lakpa Norbu Sherpa is one of the leading experts in Nepal in the art of long line rescue. This entails hanging from a cable below a helicopter that flies thousands of feet above sea level, often near the ceiling of its capabilities. You are then lowered to a climber on rocks or glacier, often in temperatures far below freezing. After attaching the injured or sick climber to a harness, the two of you are then lifted into the air, dangling below the helicopter until you reach your destination. This is not the activity of your average human.
Mountain Doctor: Brendan Milliner with the Himalayan Rescue Association at the Pheriche Clinic, Nepal
As the spring climbing and trekking season begins again in the Himalaya, we are excited to introduce you to Musa friend, Dr. Brendan Milliner. Brendan was at the Himalayan Rescue Association’s aid post in Pheriche this past fall season.Thanks, Brendan, for showing us around and giving us some insight into the kinds of patients you treat and the experience of working high in the mountains! If you go to any of the altitude lectures this season at an HRA post, be sure to get your Musa Masala Altitude Tips card free! It's a great time to be in Nepal. Jam Jam!!
Everest Base Camp Manager Georgina Davenport and Her Journey in Medicine and Mountains
We are always excited to get the chance to shine a light on medical providers doing challenging things outdoors. This week we are virtually heading to Spain to talk to Georgina Davenport, a paramedic currently working in EMS and as the office manager for The Benegas Brothers Expeditions, with twin brothers and super climbers Willie and Damien Benegas.
Mount Everest World Record Holder Lhakpa Sherpa: An Interview
Alan Blassberg, director of the documentary "Goddess of the Sky" talks to us about his challenges in making a movie with Lhakpa Sherpa about her life and climbing. After his interview, read on for a Q&A with Lhakpa herself.Having just returned from her successful 9th ascent of Mt. Everest, Lhakpa discusses with us a new desire to be known in Nepal, where she was born. Big things are on the horizon as she looks to change from the Tibetian side and climb on the south side in Nepal next year.
Trekking in Nepal: A Gentleman's Guide on What to Bring
The Good Trekker welcomes one of the great trekkers, Brendan Barrett, to Musa Masala. Brendan was on the WMS fundraising trek via Pikey Peak to the site of the Wongchu Sherpa Memorial Hospital in November, 2016. For an example of Brendan's fearless trekking style, he introduced himself as a medical malpractice lawyer to his fellow Trekkers, most of whom were doctors! He made few friends but quite an impression. We have been waiting eagerly for this post and we hope you like it. It's full of important information, priceless hygenine tips and his own unique view of the world. Sit back and have a good read before packing those bags.
Introducing the 2017 Nepalese Women's Kanchenjunga Expedition
Mountaineering is an adventurous game. Three Nepali women have already carved their names into its history. They have created names for themselves separately, and now once again they will join together to climb the world's third highest mountain, Kanchenjunga (8569m). They are calling their climb, "Three Women, Three on Top." With their climb they will promote women's climbing in Nepal and spread the message of climate change in the Himalayas.
Everest Marathon: How I (Barely) Survived the World’s Highest Race
If you don’t feel challenged enough to run 26 miles at sea level, try running on a glacier and a rocky alpine terrain with menacing yaks in your path at 17,000 feet. Not that I particularly wanted to be challenged, loved running or ever attempted to run a marathon or even a half. But I was at the right place at the right time, so why not?
A Look Back on Guiding the WMS Team
It has been five years since I decided I wanted to become a trekking guide. My journey started by being a porter. Even though I have many connections in the trekking and tourism industry, I wanted to fulfill the role of a porter, to experience the life and the pain.
In the beginning, it was extremely hard. I had to carry a 30-kilogram load on my back with a rope that went around my forehead. However it was my first trek, and I felt excited and happy. I was going to be trekking to the Throng La Pass, the world's highest pass at 5416 meters!
The Summit Situation on Everest
Hello Musa fans!
Check out this great blog by Dr. Liz Edelstein, with her take on an article from the WMS Wilderness Medicine Magazine on the spring 2016 season on Mount Everest. It includes interviews with the Everest ER doctors Yogish Subdish and Dr. Tatiana Havryliuk.Wishing you a safe and joyful weekend.