They call them “hills” … They’ll be trekking across passes at altitudes higher than any peak in the continental USA.

Ah, the Northland Challenges and our goal to meet the unpredictable head-on. Our challenge is named Gosaikunda after the region in Nepal where we arranged to build a micro-grid for the community.

Northland raised US$80,000 for the project and we were all set to go. And then, last month, a mudslide devastated a portion of the village, requiring its evacuation. No one was hurt, but the community has not completely returned and it will be months before people are able to settle back in. We have worked with our in-country partners to ensure the micro-grid is constructed at a more appropriate time.

So, where are our intrepid 22 Northlanders going? We know there is a school in a different area where our partners would like us to contribute to a solar project. “Of course,” we said.

Being the nimble Northlanders that we are, we changed the route, the destination and our accommodations based on input from our local partner Beyul Trek. We are now hiking from the Annapurna Conservation to the Mardi Himal Base Camp. Love it that our team is so adaptable and ready to embrace the unknown. I hope they have a fantastic Challenge.

PS…you ask why “they” and not “us.” Well, this one is going to be pretty hard and at high altitude. I figure I, Pierre, will enjoy this one from home.