A team of Bhutanese and international runners will take on some of Bhutan’s most remote and high-altitude mountain terrain in the third edition of the Snowman Race, bringing global attention to the growing impacts of climate change on the Himalayas. For some participants, these impacts are not just a distant concern but a lived reality. Pem Choki from Laya in Gasa is one among them. Beyond her passion for running, she hopes to use the race to raise awareness of challenges facing highland communities and call on global leaders to take urgent climate action.
Pem Choki, a 32-year-old homemaker from Pazhi in Laya, Gasa, is taking part in the third edition of the Snowman Race to raise awareness of climate change and the challenges facing highland communities.
This is her second consecutive participation in the race after securing second place in the 2024 edition. She is now training hard, hoping to finish the race this time.
Pem Choki was encouraged to take part in the Snowman Race after participating several times in the Laya Festival Run.
As a highlander, she hopes to use the event to highlight changes in snowfall, melting glaciers, risks from glacial lake outburst floods and waste management issues in the mountains.
“I am taking part in the Snowman Run because I am a highlander, and I want to observe the condition of snow and ice, as well as waste management issues in the highlands. During the second edition of the race, I also noticed waste scattered across mountains. This is a serious concern, and I have a huge concern for it,” said Pem Choki.
She plans to take part in awareness campaigns to share the observations and experiences she gains from the race.
Residents of Laya say they have already noticed changes in snowfall patterns and weather conditions.
Singye Wangchuk, a resident of Laya, Gasa, said snowfall has become less frequent compared with his childhood, when snow remained thick on the ground for weeks.
“During our childhood, we used to witness heavy snowfall, and the snow would remain thick on the ground for weeks. But now, snowfall has become less frequent. Even when it snows, it melts within about three days. Snowfall patterns are no longer the same as they were in the past,” he said.
Another resident, Wangchuk, said changing weather patterns are also affecting cordyceps harvesting.
Previously, snowfall arrived on time during winter, while April and May were relatively dry, providing favourable conditions for cordyceps growth. However, rainfall now often begins soon after the snow melts and continues throughout the harvesting season, affecting the quality of the harvest.
Residents say raising awareness must be accompanied by stronger climate action, better protection of mountain ecosystems and greater support for vulnerable highland communities.
A total of 17 runners, including 11 international participants, are taking part in this year’s Snowman Race.
The five-day race will start from Langothang in Laya and end at Wangduechhoeling in Bumthang, taking runners through rugged mountain terrain.
Changa Dorji, Gasa
Edited by Phub Gyem
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