Hobnail Trekking Co., an adventure travel outfitter based in Nashville, will conduct its “Everest Base Camp Trek Experience” presentation in Asheville at Diamond Brand Outdoors’ “Sherpa Night” on Tuesday, Oct. 17. The free event at 6:30 pm is co-sponsored by Sherpa Adventure Gear, an international apparel company founded in Kathmandu, and Diamond Brand Outdoors, Asheville’s most-tenured outdoor retailer.
“When most people hear the words ‘Mt. Everest,’ they think of adventurers attempting to climb the world’s tallest mountain at the risk of their lives,” says Mark Johnson, Hobnail Trekking Co. owner. “But we deal only with trekking to Everest Base Camp, not climbing the mountain. The trek is an iconic, life-changing experience that is within reach of many people, both financially and physically. No mountaineering experience is required; this is just an awe-inspiring hike through the most revered mountain range on the planet.”
Dawa Jangbu Lama, an Everest region Sherpa and longtime trekking guide who sees as Hobnail Trekking Company’s director of Nepali operations, will be a speaker during the event and will be available to answer questions.
“I’m excited to visit Asheville,” says Lama, who has lived in the U.S. part-time since 2014. “Part of our mission at Hobnail Trekking is to let Americans know that experiencing the Himalayas is not as far-fetched as it might seem. A lot of it is actually very similar to North Carolina’s mountains.”
Diamond Brand Outdoors Marketing Manager Chris Bubenik says “Sherpa Night” will be one of the store’s most anticipated and exciting events of the year.
“When we decided to bring Sherpa Adventure Gear into our store, we knew we wanted to highlight what stands at the very foundation of the brand: the Sherpa,” explains Bubenik. “We knew from the beginning we wanted to invite Dawa Jangbu Lama to be part of Sherpa Night. As the only outfitter based in the eastern U.S. that provides treks to Nepal, Hobnail Trekking Company embodies the same spirit as Sherpa Adventure Gear, Diamond Brand Outdoors, and, of course, the Sherpas who make the routes, carry the loads, and set the ropes to the top of the treacherous slopes of the Himalayas and back.”
Bubenik says Hobnail Trekking Co. will cover the details of trek — including pricing, itinerary, travel, food, and lodging — and will conduct a question-and-answer session with Lama. Sherpa Adventure Gear will also show a video documentary focusing on Nepalese culture, provide authentic Nepali food, and will offer giveaways and prizes. A portion of proceeds for Sherpa Adventure Gear sales will be donated to provide scholarships to children who grow up in remote Himalayan villages.
