Dear Friends,
40 years of expedition guiding and exploring the Himalayas have made it my second home. It is a place that continues to inspire my dreams and my work – and I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of establishing close relationships with many local adventure professionals across the region. As a unique group of people whose livelihood intimately connects us to the mountains and rivers, we experience first-hand every season the tremendous impact that unchecked development is having in the Himalayas.
Against this backdrop, I am always asking “what can we do to make a difference?”
The birth of the Himalayan Outdoor Education Centers (HOECs) is the answer to that question.
The HOEC initiative engages professional Himalayan outdoor professionals to leverage what we know how to do best….adventures…in partnership with local educators and schools to not only engage, but to inspire the people who will someday be most responsible for protecting and championing Mother Nature – local Himalayan youth.
Although thousands of tourists come every year to trek, climb, raft, or kayak in the Himalayas – local communities lack the access, resources and guidance to participate in these activities. Consequently, generation after generation of locals grow up in the shadow of mountains or next to wild rivers without ever having the opportunity to experience them with the wonder and joy that visitors do…and with little opportunity to understand the importance of protecting the mountains and rivers they call home.
