Finding Healing in the Himalayas: the Motorcycle Sherpa Story

In the bracing, clear high-altitude air, a small group of motorcyclists leans into a sweeping turn on the unpaved mountain road, and a massive, snow-covered peak suddenly fills the skyline in front of them. The lead rider, Bear, pulls to the side, motioning the others to follow. One by one, they kill their engines and pull off their helmets. Against a deafening silence, the group exchanges grins, eyes glittering as they take in Nepal’s Himalayas—a sight most of us have only dreamed of. 

While this could be written off as just an adventure ride, their host knows that it will be much more than that. Motorcycle Sherpa was founded by Bear Haughton, a veteran and a lifelong rider who turned his personal recovery journey in these mountains into a transformative experience for others. 

The Beginning

From the age of 12, riding was central to Bear’s identity. But days before his fourth overseas mission ended (this one in the infamous ex-Yugoslavia), everything changed. Two spinal fractures and a herniated disc landed Bear in a hospital bed, where he was told he might never walk properly again. His response: “I have to be able to walk. I need to ride my motorcycles.” The career-ending injury and a painful, long rehabilitation proved debilitating, both physically and emotionally, as Bear lost two years to a fog of depression and painkiller dependence.

When a military buddy suggested a motorcycle trip to India, things shifted. The trip marked a turning point, first into sobriety and then unexpectedly to deep healing in the Himalayas. The first Himalayan ride brought Bear unexpected renewal, both physical and spiritual. But it also connected him to everything he missed about the military—mission, camaraderie, and purpose. He knew he had to share this experience with others. 

More than a Business

Motorcycle Sherpa wasn’t founded to make money; it was a passion project and a healing mission. Well aware of the veteran suicide epidemic and the traumas carried by far too many veterans, Bear wanted to give others—especially veterans—a chance to experience the same rebirth he found in the mountains. Early on, he had the good fortune to meet his Indian counterpart, Buddhi. Their combined and complementary skill set led them to a common goal of building world-class adventures! An early priority of Motorcycle Sherpa was to build partnerships with locals based on respect, long-term relationships, and mutual benefit (e.g., helping a guide’s family break from the caste system). Motorcycle Sherpa does not use transient “turn and burn” help but rather long-term “actual staff,” with some of Bear’s support team crossing a decade of working together in 2026!

 
A Ride into Uncharted Territory

For many Westerners—especially those who have never left the U.S.—Nepal shatters assumptions about happiness and materialism. Motorcycle Sherpa takes riders on a journey of witnessing: when participants see the joy in simplicity and an absence of violence or greed, it often challenges their worldview. Many riders who expected the adventure ride of a lifetime get far more than they bargained for, returning home changed—more open, grateful, and invigorated by the experience. And none of this is coincidental. It is the result of carefully curated itineraries designed to connect riders with people and places that will change their lives. 

During Bear’s first trip to Nepal, he visited Muktinath, an ancient Vishnu temple in Mustang, Nepal. Within the temple walls, he experienced an overwhelming emotional release and a spiritual renewal that sparked his belief in a “resonance of energy” in places where people have prayed for millennia. Motorcycle Sherpa invites riders to enter sacred Buddhist and Hindu temples like those at Muktinath “with an open heart and an open mind.” Many have experienced profound cathartic experiences in these sacred spaces.

 
Brotherhood, Connection, and Service

The breakthroughs riders experience on Motorcycle Sherpa trips may be related to ancient, resonant energies, but they also have their roots in the bonding experiences created by their hosts. When he began planning group trips to the Himalayas, Bear focused on the things he missed most from his military service: brotherhood, trust, shared mission, and adventure. While all of these things can emerge organically during a group adventure ride, Bear consciously builds a welcoming environment by defusing interpersonal conflict and encouraging esprit du corps. (Check your egos and dick-measuring vibes at the gate.) In this way, each group becomes a team. Riders who begin as strangers often leave Nepal with new, lifelong friends.

In 2024, Bear met Krystal Hess, the founder of Motorcycle Missions, and was immediately taken with the similarities between the motorcycle nonprofit and Motorcycle Sherpa. He became something of an evangelist for the organization, determined to help raise awareness about the epidemic of veteran suicide and PTSD while promoting the motorcycle building and riding programs that help veterans and first responders heal from trauma. In 2025, he became a member of the Motorcycle Missions Board, and in November 2025, he began an initiative of sponsoring Motorcycle Missions veterans to participate in Motorcycle Sherpa rides. With world-famous distance rider and NYC firefighter/1st responder veteran Rob Carlo being the first recipient!

Lessons from the Journey

Reflecting on the impacts of Motorcycle Sherpa trips, Bear turns introspective. “These trips are about presence, perspective, and connection—not bucket lists,” he insists. Life, he reckons, “It’s a one-lap race.”  Soulful rides at the top of the world fit easily with Bear’s philosophy: life isn’t something to postpone until retirement. He’s seen too many folks defer their dreams until it’s too late. For that reason, he sees Motorcycle Sherpa as a “motorcycle ministry”—not religious, but deeply spiritual. His challenge to riders is simple: “If not now, when?”

The reality of veterans rediscovering adrenaline, camaraderie, and peace on these rides is that many feel a renewed sense of purpose. Some Motorcycle Sherpa riders have ended up quitting jobs, buying adventure bikes, or beginning lives of travel after their trip. Most find themselves in the shadows of the giants, sharing healing moments. Regardless of what happens during or after the trip, it is virtually impossible to experience a Himalayan journey with Bear and his team without being changed for the better. Even nationally ranked dirt riders have marveled at the routes and felt they left “better riders.”

 
Conclusion

Motorcycle Sherpa isn’t just an adventure company—it’s a conduit for healing, catharsis, and rediscovering our shared humanity. The fact that it happens on a motorcycle, framed by legendary mountain peaks, doesn’t hurt. When pressed about the way his rides transform people’s lives, he is characteristically humble: “I may never be a billionaire or a scholar, but if I can enrich a handful of lives, I’ve done my part.” For Bear, every ride is a mission: helping others find what he found in the Himalayas—peace, purpose, and a reminder of what really matters.