The Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal(HRA)is a voluntary non-profit organization formed in 1973 with an objective to reduce casualties in the Nepal Himalayas, especially keeping in view the increasing number of Nepali and foreigners who trek up into the remote wilderness.

One of the most important tasks of the HRA is to try to prevent deaths from Mountain Illness that confronts foreign trekkers and Nepali people. Since its inception, it has manned a small aid-post in the Khumbu village of Pheriche at an altitude of 4,250m. The Pheriche aid-post is manned twice yearly during the trekking season by volunteer doctors. Similarly, since November 1981 another permanent aid-post in Manang at an altitude of 3,550m manned by volunteer doctors of HRA has been in operation. The Association has also opened various temporary posts during tourist seasons at various points like the Na Village in Rolwaling, at the mouth of the Annapurna Sanctuary, the Gokyo Trail and at the Gosaikunda Lake area.

The Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal has started the first-ever Medical Camp at Everest Base Camp called HRA Everest-ER since spring season 2003. This medical camp was started to mark the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of Mt. Everest by Tenzing Norgey Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953. The aim is to provide medical support to the climbers, support staff and visitors and promote safety in the Himalayas. Dr. Luanne Freer played a major role in establishing and running this clinic. In March 2012, a ceremony was conducted to honor Dr. Freer for her tireless effort in running HRA Everest-ER regularly for 10 years. Expedition perator companies, MoCTCA-Department of Tourism, NTB and MMSN has been supporting HRA Everest-ER.

HRA is regularly conducting a temporary medical camp at Gosainkunda during Janaipurnima festival to provide medical facilities to Nepali pilgrims for free since 1997. It is worth mentioning here that young Nepali volunteer doctors especially from Mountain Medicine Society of Nepal(MMSN)have been volunteering for this medical camp. For the first time in HRA history, HRA manned Manang, Pheriche Aid-posts and HRA Everest-ER by Nepali Volunteer doctors in spring 2021.

HRA has published various pamphlets concerning mountain safety, especially dealing with the prevention of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) and provided updated information on AMS as compiled by the HRA's voluntary doctors, who have gained additional insight from research they have conducted. The HRA pamphlets are available in English and Nepali.

Major credit for the formation of the Association goes to Dr. John Skow, an American national, who in 1973 went up to Khumbu on completion of his assignment as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal and was distressed that many people were dying from Altitude Illness. He felt that something ought to be done about it. He called together a meeting of officials from the Ministry of Health, some doctors and few other individuals from trekking companies. Another meeting followed with more clear ideas about what to do. The persons from the trekking companies also realized that since it was their clients who were affected the most they should take the initiative. Finally in the third meeting it was decided to form Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal with most trekking agencies contributing generously in its early days.

It was registered as a Nepali Volunteer Organization. It’s initial approach to helping reduce the death and disability in the Khumbu region was to station a medical person at Pheriche. The chief function of a person at Pheriche was to screen trekkers as they came through to help identify problems early, to render aid to those in trouble, to help evacuate people by whatever means were available, and also to do preventive education. 

The main players in the HRA, representing the trekking companies were Late Tek Chandra Pokharel, who at that time was with Trans Himalayan Trekking, and later with Himalayan Journeys, Late Mike Cheney and Dawa Norbu Sherpa, of Mountain Travel and Robert Rieffel, who was the Manager of Air France in Kathmandu and author of the first good guide book to Nepal, called “Namaste Nepal”. And it wasn't too much later that Late P.P Prasai and Late Elizabeth Hawley were also involved.

Late Tek Chandra Pokharel led the association as its founding Chairman from 1973 to 1978. The Association is indebted for all the hardships he went through in providing special care to HRA during its formative as well as difficult times. It was his initiative that made individuals and institutions patronise Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal. Without the collective support of its Patrons, HRA would not have been able to make it to the position it is today. It is worth mentioning the name of its patrons.