Susmita Maskey
Expedition leader, 2008 First Inclusive Nepalese Women Everest Expedition, in Mount Everest basecamp, Nepal
Interviewed: May 2008
In 2008, the first time in Nepal’s history, ten women from different castes, or social classes, came together and formed the ‘First Inclusive Nepalese Womens Everest Expedition.’ “All the women successfully summitted Everest,” commented Susmita Maskey (28). “We demystified the Everest ascent by proving that anybody, regardless of gender, caste, socioeconomic background and climbing experience, can climb Everest as long as they have a good team, good weather and enough oxygen.” These climbers also laid the foundation for other Nepalese women to challenge themselves with careers in the outdoor industry. Just as the women reached the summit of Everest, Nepal declared itself a Republic, ending the country’s long-standing tradition of monarchy. In many ways, the First Inclusive Nepalese Womens Everest Expedition symbolizes the new Nepalese political ideal of equality.
See the photos
Susmita’s impact on Miho
In addition to sharing her Everest story with me, Susmita passionately described how global climate change was impacting people and the environment in Nepal. “If the glacier continues to melt, who will pay thousands of dollars to come to Everest when there will be no water for anyone? If we lose tourism, we will have nothing else. How are we going to survive global warming when people are already occupied with everyday survival in Nepal?” I had never seen climate change from so close at hand, nor had I witnessed the immediate impacts that it would have on the lives of real people. This experience made me draw a clearer and more urgent connection between the melting glacier, the economic hardship of many Nepalese, and myself. I asked myself how I could live more simply and change my consumption patterns to reduce my carbon footprint. For more about my chosen action strategies, see my commitment.
