KATHMANDU, MAY 1

US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson visited Khumbu region to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first American to summit Mt. Everest.

Jim Whittaker scaled Mt Everest on May 1, 1963, becoming the first American to stand atop the world's highest peak. Jim achieved the feat with the guidance of the Sherpa community, demonstrating the length and depth of the people-to-people relationship between Nepal and the US.

During his visit to Khumbu region, Thompson also joined a roundtable discussion with local community, business leaders, and trekking operators. They discussed the impacts of climate change on the communities and businesses in the region.

The ambassador also joined the community at screening of 'PASANG: In the Shadow of Everest,' a documentary about the first Nepali woman to summit Mt Everest, produced by Pasanga Lhamu Mountaineering Foundation (PLMF).

'I can't believe how lucky I am to be here in Khumbu on this day. Members of the US-Nepal Expedition Team-II and adventure tour operators joined me to discuss the status of tourism in Khumbu and hand over the friendship flag,' the US envoy tweeted. Tsering Pemba Sherpa and Gelje Sherpa from the US-Nepal Friendship Team-II received the flag from the US envoy.

Ambassador Thomson also met with Kanchha Sherpa, the only living Sherpa member of the historic 1953 Everest expedition.

'We are very thrilled to welcome US Ambassador and embassy officials including Garrett Wilkerson, Public Affairs Chief at the US Embassy, to Namche bazaar,' Lama Kaji Sherpa, chairman at Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, said, adding that his visit would certainly help promote Nepal's mountain tourism.

A team of veteran climbers has also planned the second edition of the US-Nepal friendship expedition to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the successful American expedition to Mt Everest. The team will be attempting to climb Mt Denali in Alaska in June while the objective of the Denali expedition, commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the American Successful Expedition to Mt. Everest, is to promote sustainable mountaineering practices, learn eco-expedition techniques in Denali, and strengthen the bond between the two nations through mountaineering.

Pasang Phurba Sherpa, Board of Director at Seven Summit Treks and US climber Mark Parela will jointly lead the Denali expedition where Guinness World Record holders Lakpa Dendi Sherpa, Thaneswar Guragai (SST's General Manager), Tsering Pemba, Gelje, Mingma Tenzi Sherpa, Pemba Nuru Sherpa and Pasang Gelu Sherpa will join the expedition as climbing members.