Nepali Sherpas wait, grow potatoes as Himalayas remain closed due to coronavirus

Nepal's climbing guide Tashi Lakpa Sherpa poses for a picture at his home during the lockdown imposed by the government amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Kathmandu, Nepal May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Had it not been for the coronavirus, Nepali climbing guide Tashi Lakpa Sherpa would have been on Mount Everest now, guiding clients and trying to add another feather in his cap - a ninth ascent.

But the 34-year-old is sitting in a Kathmandu apartment, worried about his future as a guide if climbing expeditions, a key source of employment and income for the Sherpa guides, remain closed.