Even though the Nepal Mountaineering Association has been conducting mountaineering training programs and fatalities on the mountains have been reduced, not all accidents can be avoided, as no-one can predict what Mother Nature will do next. Avalanches and snowstorms are the risks that mountaineers face, and no matter how much training is given, mountaineering will always remain a dangerous sport. Many have lost their lives on the mountains and to pay tribute to these brave souls, the International Mountaineers Memorial Park was created by the association. It was created not only to remember the mountaineers but it is to remind mountaineers of the dangers, and enable mountaineers to pay their respects to those who lost their lives.
The International Mountaineers Memorial Park is located near Kakani. The laying of the foundation ceremony took place in May of 1998. The park is still under construction, as lack of funding has slowed down the plans for the park. It is hoped that in the future the park will feature picnic spots, a memorial park, helipad, conference hall and recreation centre. At present it has toilet facilities, is fenced off and has a gatekeepers shed. The public is still allowed to visit the International Mountaineers Memorial Park to pay tribute and reflect on the lives lost over the years.
On Sunday, 29 May 2011, Nepal celebrated the 58th anniversary of when Everest was conquered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. In honor of this event a monument to these two legendary mountaineers was unveiled by Dr Ganesh Raj, the Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. The monuments consist of pictures of the two mountaineers and an introduction to their contributions to mountaineering is engraved in stone.
Kakani lies just outside of Kathmandu, and it is hoped that the park will also be able to evolve into a tourist attraction once completed. The project will also be expanding to include camping areas, a clubhouse, mountain zone and a museum. The location is ideal to have the International Mountaineers Memorial Park, as it not only offers breathtaking sunsets but magnificent views of various mountains, such as Annapurna, Gaurishanker, Dorje Lakpa, Choba Bhamte and Manslu.
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