Although our budget for this mountaineering and clean-up trip was limited, we did our best to bring some of the garbage down with us with the limited manpower we had. We hope that when climbing mountains both at home and abroad, everyone can work together to maintain the cleanliness of the environment and contribute to the mountains and forests by picking up trash. Taking trash and waste materials down the mountain, allowing the mountain to return to its most primitive appearance, is what we adventure and challenge enthusiasts desire most.

“The mountains bear it all alone.”

While climbing, I asked myself what I felt when I saw these abandoned tents piled up here for years. The signs of climate change are more evident on mountain peaks, such as glacier retreat and the formation of new ice-eroded lakes. In just the past 30 years, 33 new lakes have formed in the Kumbo region alone, and 22 existing lakes have expanded.

High mountains are the source of drinking water for everyone, even if the great peaks are not within our national borders. We, who live in the global village era, should have the idea that “we are all living on the same planet,” just like how global warming affects every person living on earth! Unlike Nepal, Pakistan does not have government-appointed cleaning personnel. If everyone waits for someone else to start, the day will never come, so after deep reflection and contemplation, I still want to use my small efforts to do something helpful for the environment. Therefore, I hope to take advantage of the opportunity to climb and do my best to bring the garbage down during training, contributing my own efforts to the ecological environment!

Originally, I thought we could ask some local people to join us in cleaning up, not only to provide local employment opportunities but also to raise environmental awareness among the locals and let visitors be aware that this is not a place where they can pile up more and more garbage. All of this takes time, but “starting” is important and necessary! I hope that everything can infect more people like ripples!

Although time was tight this time, and we only raised a small amount of funds, it doesn’t matter. We will do as much as we can with the resources and abilities we have. Having “heart” is the most important thing! We hope that more people will join us on the next climbing journey, even though it is challenging to face the difficult climate at such a high altitude. But I believe that our perseverance will lead us to the end!