Kathmandu, Aug. 13 -- On February 20, when Pasang Tendi Sherpa landed in Nepal, he had just wrapped up a two-month-long climbing expedition on Mount Aconcagua in Argentina. The next mountain on his list was Everest.

Tendi, a certified guide of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations, works as a mountain guide for TAG Nepal, a Kathmandu-based outdoor outfitter. Internationally certified mountain guides like Tendi are in high demand during Nepal's spring and autumn climbing seasons, and most of them spend months in the mountains, away from their families.

For Tendi, this year was not going to be any different. Then came Covid-19.

"I have been out of work since returning from Argentina," said Tendi.

The spring climbi...