On Sunday, January 21st Spotted Frog Books is hosting a book launch for a compelling new title published by NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOKS at 11:00am, HIMALAYA: PERSONAL STORIES OF GRANDEUR, CHALLENGE, AND HOPE, edited by Richard C. Blum, Erica Stone and Broughton Coburn, of the American Himalayan Foundation. 

AHF and Jerry Mika of the Karma Outdoor Cloting Company hopes you can join them for a special afternoon of celebration and of giving back to the Himalaya, through an illustrated presentation by 16-times Mt. Everest summiter Apa Sherpa and best-selling author Broughton Coburn, a 20-year veteran of the Himalaya. 
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Himalaya: Personal Stories of Grandeur, Challenge, and Hope

Featuring inspirational essays by 40 distinguished writers, renowned mountaineers, respected scholars, eminent philanthropists and miracle workers, this volume departs from the genre of mountain books that feature themes of divide-and-conquer, or of summer-vacation-gone-haywire. Himalaya illustrates true-life heroes returning to give back to a world they have formed a profound bond with. Indeed, the later essays in the book show how much benefit can be delivered with so little -- through models that governments and aid agencies are now standing up and beginning to notice.

This intimate portrait, illustrated with outstanding and unusual photos from 50 photographers, is a culmination of efforts by The American Himalayan Foundation and the National Geographic Society, focusing world attention on the pressing humanitarian and environmental concerns of the area encompassing India, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and Pakistan — the legendary Roof of the World.

Book sales benefit the American Himalayan Foundation and a school in Apa's home village of Thame, in the shadow of Mt. Everest. 

Donations to AHF are directly dedicated to the projects in health care, education, environmental conservation and ancient monument preservation that the American Himalayan Foundation supports across the range.

Salt Lake City, Dec. 14, 2006 --- Apa Sherpa, the current record holder for the most summits of Mount Everest at sixteen times and Utah local Jerry Mika, announced the opening of a retail operation specializing in outdoor lifestyle and adventure gear.  Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, the new Karma Outdoor Clothing Co. will open its doors on Wednesday, December 20 with an evening event and book signing hosted by Apa Sherpa.  Designed to offer the best in outdoor gear, the store will carry top name and local brands, such as Horny Toad, KUHL, Ojai, The Backside, Smartwool, Mental Hats and Woolrich.

In addition to its retail operation, the company is also focused on raising awareness of the Himalayan region and its people, and on providing funds to improve educational opportunities for children in Apa’s home village of Thame, Nepal, located in the shadow of Mt. Everest.  Working in partnership with brands like Seattle-based Sherpa Adventure Gear, a percentage of store profits will go to a special school fund that will provide teacher salaries, new books, computers and scholarships.

“It has been my life dream to provide an education for all my children, and my success as a Sherpa guide has allowed me to fulfill this dream,” says Apa Sherpa. “However, I also want to share my success with others and help make it easier for Himalayan village children to receive an education. With the help of partners like Sherpa Adventure Gear, we hope to do this.” 

As part of the grand opening event, Apa will be signing copies of a new National Geographic book to which he is a contributor. Himalaya: Personal Stories of Grandeur, Challenge and Hope (National Geographic Books, October 2006), is another effort to raise awareness of the beauty, the difficult issues and the goodwill efforts being undertaken across this 2,000 mile-long range. 

Edited by American Himalayan Foundation (AHF) Chairman Richard C. Blum, AHF President Erica Stone and best-selling author Broughton Coburn, this medium-large format volume contains stunning, thought-provoking images from more than fifty renowned photographers, complementing 40 essays that illustrate life-long and life-changing experiences in the Himalaya.  President Jimmy Carter, Sir Edmund Hillary, the Dalai Lama, Maurice Herzog, George Schaller, Senator Dianne Feinstein and others write soulfully, as do the local miracle workers in education, health care delivery and environmental and cultural conservation.

Established 25 years ago, AHF is the broadest-reaching private foundation dedicated to the people and the environment of the Himalaya with over 130 projects in Nepal, India, Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia.  The foundation provides vitally-needed resources to improve villagers’ access to education and improved health care, and it supports projects dedicated to environmental preservation and cultural conservation.  It also helps Tibetan refugees with their difficult struggle to survive and maintain their culture and traditions while in exile.

“It is through partnership and sharing of cultures east and west that we will make a difference for the people of the Himalaya,” says Broughton Coburn, co-editor of Himalaya. “Organizations like the AHF and people like Apa Sherpa are helping to bring education, healthcare, and other vital services to this magnificent part of the world.” 

For more information on Karma Outdoor Clothing Co. or for interviews with Apa Sherpa, contact Jerry Mika at 801.671.8419 or jerry@outdoorkarma.com