DAWA THE EXPLORER

Pioneering Nepalese high-altitude climber and mountain guide DAWA YANGZUM SHERPA has summited all but one of the world’s 8,000m peaks. But her life’s ambition is to help other women realise their potential

The village of Na in Nepal’s Rolwaling Valley is an inhospitable environment. Situated at 4,200m above sea level and surrounded by giants of the Himalayas, roads in and out are often blocked by snowstorms, and those travelling on foot must brave treacherous mountain passes.

“[Growing up] we had no electricity, phone or TV, limited sugar, and we worked a lot, carrying water and wood and looking after baby cows,” says Na native Dawa Yangzum Sherpa. These harsh conditions were formative for many of the village’s men, who often left for a few months in spring to work the mountaineering season as porters and guides. Na’s women, meanwhile, were expected to stay at home, look after the children and lead the household.

At the age of 13, Yangzum Sherpa knew which path she’d rather take. Defying the wishes of her family and community, she began a stratospheric, two-decade ascent to the pinnacle of mountaineering. By 21 she’d summited Mount Everest for the first time, while in 2017 she became the first Asian woman – and one of only around 100 women worldwide – to secure certification by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA), widely regarded as a PhD in climbing.

On her mission to summit the world’s 14 tallest peaks, only China’s 8,027m Shishapangma remains unconquered and, given her current trajectory, it’s only a matter of time before the 5ft 2in-tall (1.57m) climber nails it. But Yangzum Sherpa’s legacy is about more than records. Now aged 33, she’s determined to help other Nepalese women find their own route to freedom…

The Red Bulletin: What sparked your passion for climbing and exploring?

Dawa Yangzum Sherpa: Half of the village – all the men and even young boys – went away mountaineering and they’d [return] with lots of money. I wanted to do the same thing. I was 13 when I went to the Tashi Lapcha pass. Because a lot of porters from the lower valley got sick [from altitude], many [local] women were hired as porters. The other girls turned around, but me and a friend kept going to Kathmandu – it was scary, but getting a plane for the first time was scarier. After that, I never returned home; I stayed in the city with my brother.

What were the risks involved?

In our culture, even if we went to a friend’s house, girls had to be back home before night, so going trekking was tough. Society was hard, negative; women should stay home and learn home skills. There was a time when my family said, “People are not going to see you as a good wife. You might not get a husband.”

What made you carry on?

I always thought, “I’m made to climb.” My childhood was very tough: I grew up in altitude, there was a lot of physical work, and you have to be patient to survive big storms. That was a good combination to shape me as a climber.

When did you know you wanted to be a mountain guide?

I trained at the Khumbu Climbing Center [KCC] and met [American mountaineer] Conrad Anker, who asked me if I wanted to work on a National Geographic Everest expedition in 2012. I was very shy and barely spoke English, but I summited and made more money than I’d ever seen in my life. That’s how it began. I knew my body could do it, so I planned to become a guide. I began to aim bigger – I wanted to do K2. But the IFMGA was my major goal, and I did everything I could – saving, working, trekking and guiding – to get it.

You became the first Asian woman to secure IFMGA certification. What kept you going?

The course is run in my hometown, so I know the valley very well – the rocks, the ice, the elevation – but I think it was the hardship I grew up with that prepared me. I was pretty strong physically, but I think you need more mental strength. I still had doubts all the time. It’s also very expensive, and the training never ends. I failed once and almost gave up. But a few of my mentor friends said that I’d regret it if I left. They encouraged me. After six months, I went back and passed.

What are your long-term ambitions?

My goal is to inspire and help women in their lives. You don’t have to become a guide and climb; it’s more about coming out [of the home] and gaining confidence so that women can think, “I can do what a man does.” I run a course every year where I work with single mums, widows, and people who are financially poor. I take them on an ice-climbing course and teach them how to be a guide, but it’s a motivational way of teaching. I was that same girl a long time ago, but then I met Conrad and it led me in a really good [direction]. I know that, in my situation, I needed someone to inspire me first. I pay for the first step [for the women I teach] through my sponsors, because that really helped me. Doing everything for them while they just watch isn’t inspiring; helping inspires a lot.

Instagram: @dawayangzum