patagonia:

A monk prays to the sound of music during the climbing Puja ceremony at the Pangboche Monastery. The ceremony is meant to bring safe passage and good fortune to the climbers going for the summit of Everest.

On April 18, 2014 an avalanche on Mount Everest swept through a line of Sherpas preparing a climbing route for commercial clients. 16 men were killed, making it the deadliest day in the mountain’s history. 10 photographers who have worked extensively with the Sherpa people are donating a selection photographs of the Everest region and its people, curated by National Geographic and Outside Magazine editors, to benefit the Sherpa community. 100% of the proceeds (after the cost of printing) will go to the community via the nonprofit Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation, http://alexlowe.org/, which has been working with Sherpa climbers in the Khumbu since 2003. Visit http://www.sherpasfund.org/ to see the prints and get more information. photo: Max Lowe