What We Do

Mission statement:

Musa Masala believes in safe, healthy and culturally aware mountain travel. With our ongoing projects in healthcare and education, we aim to enhance the experience of the outdoors for everyone from first-time hikers to experienced climbers and trekkers. Our plan is to help you with friendly tips for choosing the right level of activity for your experience and to help you with an awareness of the culture and environment around you.

Here on the Musa Masala website, we tell stories and connect organizations and individuals who inspire all of us through their work in Nepal and all over the world. We highlight women’s issues and successes in the outdoor community.

Read a story about Musa Masala’s beginning here! 

Upcoming & recent events:

Now on our YouTube channel and Facebook page, two great shows! Musa Masala presents Thom Pollard, the Mystery of Mallory and Irvine and Everest: Who Takes the Trash Out?

  • Musa Masala is sponsoring a free dental clinic Feb  13 -18 with Dr. Aunmesh  Dahal and the Himalayan Yokpu Foundation at the Wonghhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital. Free basic care for everyone who comes!
  • Musa Masala donates $10,000 to the Himalayan Yokpu Foundation for the complete education of two students to receive PCL Nursing degrees in Nepal. A three year course of study.
  • Feb 28, 2022, at the Wilderness Medical Society Winter Conference, sign up for the Musa Masala class Creating for Comfort. With Tatiana Havryliuk, Julie Ramirez and Suzanne Ellis. The course will center on watercolor and pen drawing to help with work stress and added enjoyment to outdoor experiences.
  • April 2022, Musa Masala paints the pediatric room at the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital in honor of our friend, Dr. Jennifer Konopka. Musa Masala trek to follow!!
  • Spring 2022 – On our Facebook and YouTube channels, Musa Masala Presents with Thom Pollard, Expedition Behavior, keeping your team together.
  • GoFundMe in honor of Gary McLean for the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital and Musa Masala Nursing Scholarship Program closed raising $8,000.
  • Coming in December! Musa Masala Facebook Live Event: Mountain Inspiration with Thom Pollard – how the mountains inspire art and music
  • June, 2021. Musa Masala Donates to the Himalayan Yokpu Foundation funds for an Ultrasound Machine for the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital; funds raised via Paul Auerbach’s matching challenge
  • Development of Musa Masala class, “Creating for Comfort: Making Art as Therapy and for Memories and Fun. Instructors Julie Ramirez and Suzanne Cheree Ellis
  • Musa Masala Hypothermia card, to be available on our store

  • Musa Masala is part of the Recreate Responsibly Coalition, which develops and shares “best practices to protect each other and our natural landscapes” during COVID-19.

  • Musa Masala received the GuideStar Bronze Seal of Transparency.
  • The Musa Masala heat illness card, now available for all groups and organizations; currently being used by the Flagstaff Field Institute for Wilderness First Responder courses
  • Coordination of Musa Masala members and friends to exchange current and important treatment guidelines, advice and learned experience for patient treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Find our COVID-19 blog posts here.)
  • Shipping personal protection equipment to healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

  • Promoting George Sachs’ GoFundMe, bringing needed PPE to healthcare workers.

  • The official opening ceremonies for the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital. (Postponed to 2022 due to COVID-19. New dates will be released.)
  • The first Musa Masala trek. Including the hospital opening ceremonies and trekking in the Mardi Himal region of Nepal! (Postponed to Spring, 2022 due to COVID-19. New dates will be released.)
  • The first Musa Masala sponsored Climbing Compitition at the Pasang Llamu Climbing Center in Kathmandu, Nepal. (Postponed to 2022 due to COVID-19. New dates will be released.)
  • Open competition with multiple categories and prizes.
  • Commencement of the first Musa Masala nurse and medical technician scholarship program in Nepal, 2020
  • Musa Masala Comedy Jam Jam series continues in 2020, locations TBD
  • Musa will again attend the Sierra Nevada Wilderness Medicine and Conservation Conference in Quincy, CA, June 6-7, 2020
  • More appearances at events and conferences to support book sales and Musa fundraising
  • Continuing educational programs that help prevent altitude illness and promote healthy outdoor adventures
  • The expansion of our YouTube library, providing more information and educational opportunities to learn about altitude illness, adventure travel preparation, and outdoor health and safety issues
  • Altitude Tip cards: Continuing our work work with the Himalayan Rescue Association to supply climbers, trekkers, porters and guides with our free altitude safety cards, printed in English and Nepali; Available at clinics in Manang, Pheriche and Everest ER for the spring, 2020 season
  • The use of the Musa Masala Altitude Tip card by Sergeant Rescue Training and consulting for their expedition to Mt Everest Base Camp, spring 2020
  • Altitude Tip cards, being used by the Nepali Diploma in Mountain Medicine Group
  • Educational video on acute mountain sickness, featuring personal narratives
  • Highlighting the work of nonprofit organizations in Nepal through our Musa Masala website
  • Promoting and helping to sponsor women’s climbing in Nepal
  • Continuing to help promote films and projects we believe in: Lost on Everest, Equal Playing Field, In the Shadows of Everest

Our past projects:

  • Musa Masala: Mountain Girl of the Himalaya donated $3,000 to the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital fund within first six months of release.  JAM JAM!
  • Release of the new promo short, Musa Masala, Who We Are, produced  by Mike Ji and Gabe Harder
  • Musa Masala Virtual Comedy Jam Jam on Facebook Live!! June 26, 2020
  • Comedy Jam Jam in Denver, CO, October, 2019—a big success!
  • Musa Masala table at the Masters of Wilderness Medicine Conference in Stowe, VT
  • Nepal in Ireland Festival, Hannah Dennison presentation on Musa Masala and sales table, 2019
  • Table, viewing and discussion of the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital video at the Sierra Nevada Conservation and Wilderness Medicine Conference in Quincy, California, May 31 – June 2nd 2019
  • Supporting fundraising for Olga Dobranowski’s successful solo summit of Ama Dablam, over $2,000 raised for the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital, spring 2019
  • Educational videos from Everest ER placed on our YouTube channel
  • Promotional film for the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital
  • Musa Masala: Mountain Girl of the Himalaya book preview, held at the Mulberry Hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal on Nov. 6, 2018. Government officials, leaders in the trekking and climbing industry, noted writers and community leaders celebrated the book preview along with the construction of the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital and the promotion of tourism in Nepal.
  • Musa Masala book preview at the Cafe de 8848 in Namche Bazaar, Nepal!
  • Musa Masala book preview at Tengboche, Nepal!
  • Kickstarter campaign in October 2018 that raised money to publish and print Musa Masala: Mountain Girl of the Himalaya. Thanks to all our backers who made this possible!
  • Tutorial on venomous snakes with Jules Sylvester of Reptile Rentals for the Good Trekker, Safe Climber series; Now available on our YouTube channel!
  • COMEDY JAM JAM!! Musa’s first comedy show fundraiser for the Wonghhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital was a fun success!
    August 5, 2018 Timpanogos Tavern in Heber City, Utah
  • An exclusive interview with Lhakpa Sherpa, after her 9th record setting ascent of Mt Everest, and the director of the Lhakpa Sherpa documentary, Alan Blassberg
  • Fundraising at the Sierra Nevada Conservation & Wilderness Medicine Conference (June, 2018)
  • Fundraising project for the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital, Olga Dobranowski’s solo unassisted climb of Mt Aconcagua, 22,841 ft, 6,960m
  • Supporting the fundraising of the reconstruction of Suri Elementary School in the Dolakha region of Nepal
  • Art fundraiser for the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital at the Wilderness Medical Society Conference (February 24, 2018)
  • Gaelforce Women’s Adventure Race, Team Musa Ireland, fundraiser for Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital (Summer, 2017)
  • Supported the all-women’s summit attempt at Mount Kanchenjunga (Spring, 2017)
  • Fundraised for the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital at the Wilderness Medical Society annual conference in Breckenridge, Colorado (Summer, 2017)
  • Helped sponsor the Artemis Women in Action Film Festival in Los Angeles, California (April, 2017 and April, 2018)
  • Holiday card fundraiser for Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital (Winter, 2016)