Thame Valley to host Ice & Rock Festival from Jan 22 KATHMANDU:The first Thame Valley Ice & Rock Festival is being organised at Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality that lies northeast of Namche in Solukhumbu district. The festival will take place from from January 22 to 29. According to Mingma Sherpa, chairperson of Yambu Thamichho Kydug, the festival is a special initiative towards promotion of the valley while remembering legendary mountaineers from the region Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, first ascender of Mt Everest, and Ang Rita Sherpa, also known as the 'snow leopard'. Likewise, the region is also home to Appa Sherpa, known as 'snow cobra', who has summited Mt Everest 21 times, Kami Rita Sherpa, record holder for summiting Everest 24 times, and Lakpa Rita Sherpa, the first Nepali mountaineer to make successful ascent of the seven summits.