Climbers Supporting Remote Villages In Nepal

I’m Milo, founder of the Rising Rock Foundation, and in 2025, while trekking the Manaslu Circuit in Nepal, I saw something that inspired action.

A new road is being built through this remote region. While it makes access easier, it also threatens the livelihoods of small mountain villages that rely on trekkers for income. With fewer people stopping overnight, local guides, lodge owners, and porters are losing a vital source of income.

But I also saw an opportunity.

Lining the trail were world-class rock faces — untouched, beautiful, and begging to be climbed. That’s when the vision for Rising Rock Foundation began: to establish safe, bolted sport climbing routes in the Manaslu region to create a new kind of tourism — one that brings climbers who stay longer, support local lodges, hire guides, and generate sustainable income for these communities.

Why Climbing?

Unlike trekking, climbers stay longer, return year after year, and often bring others. They support local guides, accommodations, gear logistics, and food. This project has the potential to revive villages that are being bypassed by modern infrastructure.