Mountaineer’s attempt to climb Himalayan peak sparks journey of the heart, detailed in new book ‘A Story of Karma’
- Mike Schauch’s dream of climbing in Nepal is dashed on the slopes of the mountain but little did he know a chance encounter would change his life
- The Canadian climber releases a book detailing the journey from exploring mountains to exploring himself
When Mike Schauch went to Nepal in 2012 to fulfil his dream of climbing in the Himalayas he could never have predicted what fate had in store. Unable to reach the peak, he was forced to spend time in a village where a chance encounter with a young girl sparked a journey of self-discovery.
“My perception of myself at that time, I thought the most important thing in my life was to climb that mountain. The journey was about exploring the external space. Climbing a mountain is a very physical experience, but it became very different, about exploring the internal space, exploring the heart,” said Schauch, 40, whose mother was born in Macau and raised in Hong Kong before moving to Canada in her 20s.
Schauch has written a book – A Story of Karma: Finding Love and Truth in the Lost Valley of the Himalaya – to be released in September, but available for pre-order on Amazon, chronicling his journey.
He had been obsessed with the Himalayas since he was a teenager. He cannot explain it, but always felt a connection to the peaks of the distant country. The love affair was sparked by a book about trekking in Nepal, given to him by his sister. Schauch felt like running out of the house that day and getting on the next flight to Nepal.
It was not until he was an adult that his dream came to fruition. Another friend showed him pictures of Nar Phu Valley. The valley had been closed to the world for generations, but now it was opening and Schauch wanted to capture it in its original state, before hiking and tourism inevitably changed it. In 2012, he ventured with an artist, a photographer, a musician and his wife, Chantal, to film it.