Overview
A Biwak shelter is any of a variety of improvised campsite or shelter that is usually of a temporary
nature, used especially by soldiers, persons engaged in scouting and mountain climbing. It may often
refer to sleeping in the open with a Biwak sack, but it may also refer to a shelter constructed of natural
materials like a structure of branches to form a frame, which is then covered with leaves, ferns, and
similar material for waterproofing and duff (leaf litter) for insulation. Modern Biwaks often involve the
use of one or two man tents, but may also be without tents or full cover. In modern mountaineering the
nature of the Biwak shelter will depend on the level of preparedness; in particular whether existing
camping and outdoor gear may be incorporated into the shelter. In the modern age these Biwak are
made up of high-qualified materials, woods, iron and steels. Steel Biwak is much stronger, reliable,
popular and based on advance technology. Rust and water proof, stainless, easy to plant and carry,
modifying the designs, are the main features of steel BIWAK.

Biwak in Nepal
This Steel Biwak Project would be the first of a kind of project that will be installed in Nepal. It is
planned to be installed at the height of 5700 Meters at the base of Mt. Pacharmo Peak, which lies in the
south of the Tashi Lapcha pass and on the head of Thame Valley in the Everest region marking the
border with the Rolwaling valley trekking area to the west. It would take five to six days to reach
Namche Bazar after pass Tashi Lapcha. Rolwaling valley is the main access to Pharchamo 6273 meter
an attractive snow peak, though this route was closed for most of the 1980s due to potential dangers to porters crossing the Tashi Lapcha; the only alternative route from the Khumbu side via Namche Bazar.It has a north-by-northwest ridge, which rises from the crevassed glacier astride the Tashi Lapcha.
The face of the ridge forms a uniform slope broken by crevasse and seraes rising from the rocky lower
buttresses above the Drolambau Glaciers in the west. STEPZERO.ONE with Biwak Stairway proposes
to build an Austrian type Biwak hut for the trekking community along the pass as a refuge to the harsh
and challenging mountain weather. Located in the border of Sagarmatha National Park and
Gaurishankar Conservation Region the proposed hut is to be maintained and utilized also by the local
who frequently uses the pass. Mr. Josef Einwaller and Mr. Phurba Tenjing Sherpa brought up the concept of this hut from Austria, who had already trekked through this pass a lot of time. They felt that there is a necessity of an accommodation in the area for the trekkers as well the local who uses this pass, which connects Rolwaling Valley and Khumbu region. Dreamers Destination Treks & Expedition Pvt. Ltd. is
maintaining this project under the leadership of Mr. Phurba Tenjing Sherpa.

Benefits
Tashi Lapcha pass is the only way that connect Khumbu region with Rolwaling Valley. This project
will help the trekkers as well the local people from both areas to accommodate during their travel in
between. It will help to refuse the trekkers during harsh and challenging mountain weather. It will also
help to promote tourism in the area as well. Now a day however Tashi Lapcha Trek is considered as an
adventurous trek but it also has high risk of competence. Risk of tent set up, rock falls on the camping
site, high risk of blowing away the camping site due to hazard wind blow, unexpected snowfall, and
unpredictable weather conditions are the major challenges of trekkers and voyagers to complete this
high pass. This BIWAK will be a milestone project regarding the safety of all trekkers, guides and
porters, where they can take an advantage of this HUT / Shelter either climbing the peaks in this region
or conquering Tashi Lapcha Pass. This BIWAK has been installed in many parts of Europe (near to the
mountains) and has been examined by various ways from heavy snowfall to high wind blow (up to 300
KM per hour). It has insulation and oxygen passing feature, due to this feature the BIWAK will be warm
during any weather condition and no risk of suffocation. Thousands of trekkers and locals cross this
pass yearly with extreme risk of their life because of severe cold, rock falls as well as strong wind that
blows up tents that are setup during their travel. We can still find dead bodies along the pass these days, so this Biwak (hut) will 100% guaranty the safety of the trekkers and locals. If the government bodies and the authorities help to setup this hut at the pass, this will definitely bring up a good image to the foreigners to trek to those area and flourish tourism in the country.

Transportation Management
The Biwak (hut) has already completed a long rough and tough journey from Austria to Nepal via
cargo by paying a lot of cost. For now, this Biwak has stored in Naa Village, Rolwaling, transported
by means of truck and human resources. Now it has to be transported to Pacharmo Base Camp via
Tashi Lapcha Pass via Charikot, Dolakha which looks almost impossible for the porter to carry the
heavy aluminum to the base of Pacharmo Peak where it will be installed later. So the only option will
be to airlift the parts of the Biwak at the base or nearby place by a helicopter. The Biwak is planned to
be airlifted to the drop point at 27° 50’ 33’ N & 86° 32’ 13’ E and then carried to the final setup point.

Project Schedule
The project is ongoing and scheduled to be completed by the autumn of 2018 AD. This is the very first
time in Nepal that the mixed team from Austria and Nepal is going to plant an advanced Steel hut aka
Biwak, just at the border area of Gaurishankar Rural Municipality and Pasang Lhamu Rural
Municipality which connect the Rolwaling and Khumbu region.

Challenges:

• Heavy Aluminium metal parts
• Risk of installing along the glacier
• Height of the place to be installed (5700 Meter)
• Need to be transported through Heli, human efforts are worthless and too risky
• Safety of the Biwak as all the parts are imported from Austria, in case of any physical damages
  it would be hard to repair

Standard Itinerary of Tashi Lapcha Pass (5755m)

Day 01 Drive from Kathmandu to Gonggarkhola (1440m)
Day 02 Trek from Gonggarkhola to Simigaon (2000m)
Day 03 Trek from Simigaon to Dongkang (3,010m)
Day 04 Trek from Dongkang to Beding (3,693m)
Day 05 Trek from Beding to Na Gaon (4,200m)
Day 06 Acclimatization at Na (rest day)
Day 07 Trek from Na to Chugima (4,920m): Camping
Day 08 Trek from Chugima to Jaboo Glacier : Camping
Day 09 Trek from Chugima to TashiPhuk crossing Tashi Lapcha (5,755m):Pacharmo BC
(Austrian Hut - Biwak Setup Point)
Day 10 Climbing Period [Base Camp – Pacharmo Peak Summit (6,187m) - Base Camp]
Day 11 Trek from Pachermo Base Camp to Thengbo (4,230m)
Day 12 Trek from Thengba to Thame (3,800m)
Day 13 Trek from Thame to Namche Bazaar (3,750m)
Day 14 Trek from Namche Bazaar to Lukla (2,860m)
Day 15 Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu Valley

Route Map of Pacharmo Peak via Tashi Lapcha Pass (Biwak Setup Point)

Layout details of the BIWAK
Height of Biwak: 2.5 Meters
Width of Biwak: 4 Meters
Length of Biwak: 6 Meters
Weight of Biwak: 2.5 Ton approx
Interior: Plywood and 2 Air condition
Windows: 4
Door: 1

Phurba Tenjing Sherpa (Coordinator of Biwak Project in Nepal)
Phurba Tenjing Sherpa was born in Rolwaling village of Gaurishankar-1, Dolkha district from eastern
region of Nepal. He stayed in Rolwaling village till the age of 14 and when he turned to 15, he started
to continue this family profession on the field of trekking as a porter. Unfortunately, he never got a
chance for formal education at school but he did self-study and made himself able to do everything as
a literate person. In earlier days of his life, he used to do the household chores supporting his brothers,
sisters and their family. Since his childhood, he was involved in trekking as a profession and now he
turned himself into a well-known mountaineer.
At the age of 24, he conquered the Mt. Everest 9 times and holds the world record title of "9 summits
of the Mt. Everest at the youngest age of 24". Phurba a world record holder, conquered Mt. Everest
twice in 3days in 2017, made to the summit twice in 10 days in 2007, twice in 3days in 2008. He also
conquered Mt. Everest 2 times without the use of artificial oxygen. Phurba Tenjing Sherpa had the
honor to represent Nepal as the Honorary Goodwill Ambassador of Nepal Tourism Year 2011. He also
received President Honors’ with National Youth Award 2017. Phurba Tenjing Sherpa is the ambassador
of the We Will Rise Foundation too.
Phurba Tenjing Sherpa started his career as a mountaineer when he became a part of Yala Peak (5732M)
expedition team on spring 2004 and took the top. After climbing the Island peak in 2005 and Ramdung
Peak in 2006, he conquered the world's highest mountain, the Mt. Everest (8848m) twice in 10 days on
spring 2007 with Japanese group. Driving by his passion for mountains he has climbed more than a
dozen mountains including Mt. Manaslu and Mt. Amadablam. Till 2018, he has climbed the Mount
Everest 13 times, thrice-the Manaslu and other giant peaks in Nepal and in Europe successfully. In 2017
spring season Phurba Tenjing Sherpa lead the International Climbing team to the summit of the Everest
and in autumn he was an expedition leader of 5 members to an attempt of Mt. Manaslu.
In 2018, Phurba Tenjing Sherpa was the Expedition Leader of ‘First Women Journalists Everest
Expedition 2018’ team. Also, he along with his siblings (6 brothers and a sister) have been awarded two
Guinness Book of World Records titled as “the most siblings to have scaled the world’s highest peak
together from Nepal side in the spring climbing season” and “the most siblings to reach the summit
point of Mt Everest together in a season” this year.
Phurba also aided the expedition of a senior climber and businessman from Austria, Josef Einwaller,
thereby making Einwaller’s age old dream come true. Einwaller had first come to Nepal in 1988 and
over the years, he grew fond of Nepal. He had attempted scaling the Mt. Everest several times, but
finally, it was Phurba’s assistance that made him succeed in 2012. After Einwaller’s conquest of
Everest, the two became even dearer to each other. Today, Phurba considers Einwaller as a father figure,
a very important part of his life and Josef considers Phurba as his Nepali son. Josef Einwaller has had
old ties with Phurba’s family.
Joself Einwaller felt that there is a necessity of an accommodation in the area for the trekkers as well
the local who uses this pass, which connects Rolwaling Valley and Khumbu region. Thus, they
conceptualized Biwak-An Austrian Hut Project. Dreamers Destination Treks & Expedition Pvt. Ltd.
maintains this project under the leadership of Mr. Phurba Tenjing Sherpa, who himself visited Austria
to get more information about Biwak. He had close inspection of how this hut is installed during his
stay in Austria.