There is an ancestral attachment to the mountains for Dawa Steven Sherpa. His grandfather regularly crossed Nangpa La to trade with Tibet, his father is an eco-tourism entrepreneur, and he is an environmental activist helping his people deal with the dual impacts of climate change and COVID-19.

At 33, Dawa has led dozens of expeditions to Mt Everest and summited three times, and four other eight-thousanders. He trekked the entire 1,555km Great Himalayan Trail across Nepal in 99 days.

During the pandemic in September when the mountains were closed for climbing, he led an expedition supported by the Swiss fashion brand Bally to clean up the garbage on Mt Baruntse, crossing previously snowbound high passes that now entail technical rock-climbing. Glaciers that could be easily traversed are now lakes.

https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/covid-climate-crises-hit-everest-region/