Editorial . April . 2019

Yearning for Adventure in the Great Outdoors

It’s that time of year again: there’s a warm breeze in the air, the days are pleasant and getting longer, and even though we seem to have had a lot more rain than usual of late, there’s no question that spring has finally arrived.

A short detour through the alleys and lanes of Thamel confirms the season: tourists are arriving, and not just tourists, but mountaineers, trekkers, and adventurers. You can spot them easily—they’re the ones carrying ski poles through the streets and enthusiastically discussing hiking gear in supply shops. 

Seeing all this activity is starting to give me itchy feet. I haven’t been trekking in a while, and I remember how good it feels to get out of the city, somewhere without roads and vehicles and the bustle of day-to-day work life. Somewhere where there are mountains peeking around each corner of the trail.

I had that same feeling of wanderlust and yearning for adventure and new places as I read the articles we’re including in this year’s special Outside Issue. Trail running, ice climbing, trekking, mountaineering, skiing: there’s never been a shortage of outdoor activities to do in Nepal, and the list just keeps on getting longer.

Unfortunately for me, it doesn’t look like I’ll make it out of the valley this season, but I’m already dreaming up travel plans for the fall and winter to come. Spoiled for choice as we are in this country, I don’t know where I’ll go yet, but I’m making a list. Something active and adventurous… or perhaps I’ll just wander the Himalaya, keeping an eye out for beautiful wildflowers like those in one of this issue’s features.

We hope the article you read here will inspire you to make your own outdoorsy to-do list. Have fun, and tell us all about it when you get back to Kathmandu.

Enjoy!

Evangeline Neve

Associate Editor

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