· http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_d857cb5c-6f68-5dbe-b94f-adc8b8aa13ed.html
By MICHAEL MOORE of the Missoulian | Posted: Monday, March 23, 2009 12:00 am |
Eric Legvold has seen firsthand the conditions under which mountain guides labor in the Indian Himalaya.
Legvold, a recreation management student at the University of Montana, encountered the guides during a study-abroad class set up by the Nature-Link Institute and UM.
Now, as he finishes an internship and closes in on graduation, he wants to give back to those he met in India. To do that, he's running an outdoor gear drive that would better outfit those guides for their harsh mountain environment.
"The people have all the training in the world, but they don't have the capital to buy gear," said Legvold. "What I'm trying to do is to get them that gear so that they can do their work more safely and more comfortably."
The gear, which Legvold hopes Missoulians will donate at four drop-off locations, will benefit the Mountain Shepherds, a community-owned guide service that promotes eco-tourism in the Garwhal region of India.
Mountain Shepherds was organized to develop a sustainable, environmentally healthy form of economic growth for people in the region, which surrounds Nanda Devi, one of the world's highest peaks.
The people of the Niti Valley live a subsistence lifestyle, Legvold said, and eco-tourism and a biodiversity initiative at work in the region are extremely important to them.
"I want the people who've started this program to be able to stay in the area and not have to move away to find another way to make a leaving," said Legvold. "We'll be helping them do that be helping them with equipment. I want to be invested in that."
The guides need all manner of mountain gear, from sleeping bags and tents to ice axes and trekking boots. They could use any climbing gear - from carabiners to ropes to harnesses - and also need weatherproof clothes.
"I've seen guys walking at 15,000 in bare feet because their dress shoes hurt their feet," said Legvold.
Missoulians have until April 19 to drop off gear, and can do so at the Trailhead, Pipestone Mountaineering, Bob Ward's and the UM Outdoor Recreation Program office. Those places will have a "Gear for Garwhal" box with additional information about Legvold's program.
"We need quality things, but really, if you've got outdoor gear you're thinking about selling at your next garage sale, these people could really use it," Legvold said.
Find out more about the www.nature-link.org
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