Global processes are driving changes in the Imja Valley’s (Nepal) social-ecological system (SES). On one hand, climate change has expanded glacial lakes to the point that the lakes are dangerous to the local populations in the glacial valleys. On the … Continue reading →

On the third day we hiked up to the end of the lake to investigate the confluence of the lake and glacier. Streams of melt water from the glaciers were flowing into the lake. There were many ice cliffs and … Continue reading →

Tonight proved to be rather eventful as we were all sitting around slightly bored just before dinner. As we waited for dinner to be served, an odd sensation came over the crowd in the main room as the ground began … Continue reading →

This post comes from R. Jesus Gomez, an Agriculture Engineer on the trek, part of the peruvian glaciology unit with Cesar Portocarrero. He works mainly in glacialogy research doing accumulation measurements of glaciers, mass balance, and the rate of glacial retreat. And was … Continue reading →

This morning, a group of about 8 of us from our expedition grabbed a sack lunch and headed off into the mist from Gorak Shep, where we are staying tonight, towards the Everest Base Camp.  Base Camp is only about … Continue reading →

On our second day, we hiked up into the hills surrounding the lake to evaluate the threats to the lake’s stability: earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, and huge icefalls. Several members of the local communities met us. They needed information about the … Continue reading →

Our friends over at the Guardian have been fielding a lot of questions about the environmental impact and carbon footprint of our expedition to Nepal. How can we justify the impact we ourselves are causing to the environment by going … Continue reading →

We arrived at Imja Lake and quickly established our camp directly below the terminal moraine — the enormous mound of silt and rock that dams the waters of the lake.   If this moraine were to rupture, 10 million gallons of … Continue reading →

We’ve arrived safely in Dingboche after 3 extremely fruitful days studying Imja lake. Around us, the Sherpa bring in their fall harvest. Tonight the entire team is meeting for an open discussion of the findings – we’ll have some of … Continue reading →

Here’s our first audio slideshow from Nepal! This is an interview with Ornella Puschiasis, a graduate student at University of Paris who has been living in Nepal for the last year conducting studies on water management in the Sherpa communities of … Continue reading →