In April of 1999, Scott Lindgren, Charlie Munsey, Willie Kern, and Mark Hayden ventured into the headwaters Nepal’s Humla Karnali, returning with stories of a devilish canyon, steep committing gorges, difficult portages, and incredible whitewater. Nearly 20 years later, Mikel Sarasolsa, Aniol Serrasolses, Todd Wells, and Surjan Tamang returned to Shiva’s Gorge to help tell the greater story of this most sacred river. Though the gorge itself had changed little, the Nepal surrounding it was a different place: A region perched on the edge of development, seeking the balance between progress and pristine nature.
Mention Nepal, and the word adventure immediately resonates in my head. High peaks, extreme nature, and historic expeditions. Though Nepal’s charm and allure for adventure lovers remains unchanged, Nepal is no longer the country that it…