The youngest footpath identified and promoted by locals only recently to reach the first Annapurna mountain, which has made Nepal's mountaineering known to the world, has become Gulzar. Annapurna Pratham Himal in Annapurna Rural Municipality-4 Narchang is called the oldest mountain in terms of mountaineering.

After 75 years of climbing Annapurna, since an easy and convenient footpath with infrastructure was developed to reach the mountain, the 'youngest footpath to reach the oldest mountain' has become popular for the last few years. According to local tourism professionals, 6,000 domestic tourists reached Kanchha Padmarg by camping, backpacking and tea house treks between March-May-June 20th. 

'At least 7 places on this footpath leading to Annapurna base camp have become temporary habitats where 40-50 people can easily stay and eat, domestic tourists have started coming in large numbers . Only around 6 thousand domestic tourists have come in this season. The tourists who came to climb the mountain did not go by helicopter this year, they went on foot," said Anil Magar, the owner of the hotel at Gufaphant on the Mausir Herzog trail, "the beautiful Futphute waterfall on the trail and the blue at the base camp. Many tourists have been attracted by Panchkunda Himal.'

It has been 75 years since human set foot on Annapurna first mountain. On June 3, 1950, a team of French mountaineer Maurice Herzog first set foot on the summit of Annapurna. It is believed that the book 'The Annapurna' written by the mountaineer Maurice Herzog, which has been translated into more than 40 languages ​​and is the best selling book in the world, opened the door to tourism in Nepal. 

8 out of 14 mountains higher than 8 thousand meters in the world are in Nepal. Only 1 year after the successful climbing of Annapurna, the world's highest mountain Everest was climbed . After that, hundreds of mountaineers climb Mount Everest during the season, and thousands of tourists arrive at the base camp. But this book made Annapurna, the world famous mountain, and the path taken by Maurice Herzog, the first climber, remained anonymous. 

"In the history of mountaineering in the world, it is surprising to see that the Annapurna first mountain, which is more than 8000 meters high, is still unknown and obscure after it was climbed 75 years ago today," Base Camp to celebrate the Annapurna Diamond Festival Maniraj Lamichhane, head of Nepal Tourism Board Pokhara, said, "The book 'The Annapurna' written by the first mountaineer will be famous all over the world, but no one will follow the path taken by that mountaineer."

Lamichhane added, 'Annapurna Himal is not only a name to introduce the mountain to the world, but it was the door to introduce Nepal.' But the irony remained hidden for 75 years, perhaps the lack of access and activism of local and district residents was not enough?' 

Herzog and his team members including Louis Lachenal, Gaston Rebuffa, Lionel Terre  Initially, he walked to climb the 8,167-meter high Dhaulagiri mountain, which can be seen even from Gorakhpur in India. The team was supposed to follow the Myagdi river from Pokhara to the Dhaulagiri mountain via Beni, the Myagdi headquarters, but it mistakenly followed the Kali Gandaki river and reached the Leyte of Mustang. 

From Leyte, the team turned east, following the path of shepherds and hunters, crossing the 5,000-meter high ridge of the foothills of the Nilgiri South Himal, and reaching the village called Bhusketmela, located on the banks of the Mystery Khola (Misri Khola) flowing from the Annapurna Himal. was . After that, within a few hours, the base camp of Nilgiri North, Tilicho Peak and Annapurna I reached the foothills.

On June 3, 1950, French mountaineers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal climbed Annapurna I (8091 m.) without oxygen from Annapurna Basecamp. The first camp where Herzog first lived has now been damaged by an avalanche from Tilicho Peak. The glacier of that time has melted and now it has become a huge ice lake .

The upper glacier is thinning and only black mountains are visible . Big chunks of ice are bursting and cracked open 'Kharpas' or Krebs are melting in the heat and flowing as a big waterfall. Even though it looks beautiful when you see a waterfall falling from the mountains, it is a sign of danger for the future .

'There is a rapid change in the mountains . The glacier around the Annapurna base camp that I saw 30 years ago is now almost intact . The glacier on the way to climb Annapurna has melted and thinned," said Indrasingh Sherchan, who is active in search and rescue in the Himalayan region, "when he came to rescue the Sherpas who died in the avalanche at Camp Two of Annapurna this season. There, too, I saw the snow falling down.' In many maps and descriptions, there is a confusing description of North Annapurna Base Camp. In fact, there is no mountain called North Annapurna in the Annapurna Ice Range. Annapurna Pratham Himal Base Camp is geographically located at the western foothills of Annapurna. But climbing Annapurna is only from North Mohada.

'Annapurna Himal is considered a small but difficult mountain. Climbing Annapurna is also very technical. Purnima Shrestha, the first woman climber of Annapurna Himal, met at Annapurna base camp, said, "Now there are easy footpaths up to Annapurna base camp, backpack trek to base camp. It can be done. I found that the teahouse is being developed as a trek.'

The tourist tents and tea houses placed next to the Panchkund Himal at the foot of the Annapurna First Himal. Photo: Ghanshyam Khadka/Kantipur

The first climbers placed in Annapurna base camp, Herzog, Lachenal and Sherpa, as mentioned in the copper plate placed next to the salik, by 2025, 506 people will have successfully climbed the Annapurna mountain. have done . According to statistics, 32 percent more climbers have lost their lives while climbing Annapurna.

Maurice, the first climber of Annapurna Himal, has died in 2012 at the age of 93. The last time before his death, Herzog reached the Annapurna base camp in 2010 and followed the river Mistikhola, which flows out of the base camp, to Narchang, the nearest settlement. The current Maurice Herzog Trail was opened by the same Maurice. 

After Herzog hesitated, under the leadership of Tej Bahadur Gurung, a teacher of the local Prabha secondary school, in the year 2068, following the Mystery Khola flowing between the villages, Annapurna Himal and the base camp and the mouth of the Mystery Khola are located. A 16-day long trail leading to Himtal was identified.

After leaving the teaching profession, Gurung has been continuously engaged in this path promotion campaign . The trail was named 'Maurice Herzog Trail' by the local Annapurna Rural Municipality in 2077. After leaving Janmathalo mountain, Gurung is now engaged in promoting tourism in Annapurna mountain with his residence in Narchang, where Annapurna is located.

'Until two decades ago, mountaineers going to climb Annapurna Himal used to reach the base camp by Mustang. The fact that Annapurna Himal is in the geography of Myagdi and the route to get there was not identified. While following the river flowing in the village, it has been identified that this is the only route to the Annapurna Himtal and the Annapurna climb," Tej Bahadur Gurung, an engineer involved in the promotion of the Annapurna trail, said, "Now at the Annapurna base camp. Tea house can be easily reached by trekking in one or two days. It is not only foreign tourists but the footpath is buzzing during the season. 'Annapurna'

The two municipalities of Kaski and Myagdi located in the east and west of Annapurna First and South Himal have named themselves 'Annapurna'. 

Kaski, which is solely realizing the tourism royalty arising from Annapurna Himal, has named Annapurna Rural Municipality, which owns Annapurna Himal. Similarly, with the evidence of geography, Myagdi also named 'Annapurna Rural Municipality' to own the same mountain.