This alliance aims to redefine 21st-century mountaineering by restoring its original spirit and fostering environmental ethics
Azpeitia, November 5, 2024. Mendietxe Museum, the mountain museum inaugurated yesterday in Azpeitia (Gipuzkoa) by Basque mountaineer Alex Txikon, has dedicated a space to The NeverRest Project, an environmental engineering and technology company, to promote awareness and foster a more sustainable and regenerative tourism model in Everest after decades of environmental degradation.
In this section of the new museum, initiated by the nonprofit association Mendiaren Etxea, visitors can view a visual history of Everest’s major milestones and EverData, The NeverRest Project’s pioneering platform that, for the first time, collects, analyzes, and visualizes essential data on environmental impact, waste management, and tourism activity on Everest, alongside five-year tourism and environmental forecasts.
Frédéric Kauffmann, CEO and founder of The NeverRest Project, thanked Alex Txikon for his “effort, courage, and energy to make today a true mountain celebration here in Azpeitia, surrounded by these wonderful historical objects” that represent “a way to understand mountaineering and a glimpse into the mountain’s future.” According to Kauffmann, “It’s no longer just about reaching the summit but about how we approach it.”
The NeverRest Project’s data suggests that “each expedition season, Everest’s Base Camp generates about 4,000 liters of urine daily, dumped directly onto a glacier. Data like this helps us design impactful strategies and solutions,” such as the Nourea portable urinal, developed with Elisava School of Design and Engineering in Barcelona.
Alex Txikon, who prioritizes sustainability and environmental respect in his expeditions, said, “The work The NeverRest Project is doing in sustainability on Everest is truly noteworthy.” He added, “Mountaineering has evolved significantly. The incredible feats achieved by our predecessors deserve recognition, and we cannot overlook the accomplishments of Basque mountaineers. It’s important to give back to society for what it has provided us.”
About Mendietxe Museum
Nestled in the heart of the Izarraitz Natural Park in the former Esclavas del Sagrado Corazón convent in Azpeitia, a 19th-century building fully renovated for this museum project, the Mendietxe Museum now opens its doors. Led by the nonprofit Mendiaren Etxea association with mountaineer Alex Txikon at the forefront, the museum is a space for learning and celebrating mountaineering history, offering a tour from global achievements to the accomplishments of renowned Basque climbers.
The museum’s historic collection features historical objects like tents used by Reinhold Messner; a gondola from Spain’s first ski resort; a Terminillo chairlift inaugurated by Mussolini; and rare paper items, such as an original postcard signed by Mallory and Irvine, and a color supplement from The Times with signatures of Edmund Percival Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
About The NeverRest Project
The NeverRest Project is a technology-driven environmental innovation corporation focused on balancing tourism, the environment, and local communities, expanding its expertise on Everest to promote regenerative tourism worldwide.
The organization recently launched EverData, a pioneering platform that, for the first time, compiles, analyzes, and visualizes critical data on environmental impact, waste management, and tourism activity in the Everest region, along with five-year tourism and environmental forecasts.
The NeverRest Project has also developed the first sustainable base camp proposal for Everest, among other initiatives and campaigns from Everest’s summit to raise awareness of the need for more balanced, beneficial tourism for both travelers and local communities and ecosystems.
With support from Ferrino, Garmin, Eurecat, and Elisava School of Design and Engineering in Barcelona.