Reclaiming the dead on Mt. Everest The difficulty, danger and expense of removing the bodies of climbers who died in Mount Everest's "death zone" mean most of the dead remain on the mountain as a stark reminder to other climbers of the risks.Commentsview comments in forum Page 1 You need to be a member of CKA and be logged into the site, to comment on news. |
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Maybe it's time for the Nepalese Gov't to stop allowing everybody who wants to, access to climb the mountain because after reading the article it's pretty apparent that congestion is one of the major factors killing people.
Base camp would be an ideal place for a Tim Horton's kiosk.
Or stack up the dead like cordwood at Base Camp, and more people will reconsider their vacation choices.
'Climbing Everest' is a lofty goal, because not everyone is able to do it. They might try other, more forgiving mountains first. Like the Matterhorn or K2. See if they like it, and if they survive a few other mountains, try Everest.
They do need to limit the number of ascents, but beyond that, it's up the the people taking the risk. We allow auto racing and all sorts of other dangerous sports too.
What shocked me was finding out how much garbage was up there. Those mountaineers were total pigs, none of this pack it in pack it out ethos for them. There have been some clean up attempts, but basically this holy mountain, Chomolungma has been totally desecrated. I'm not saying don't climb it, but show some class. Guys that impress me are ones like Reinhold Meisner - soloed up Everest without the use of oxygen. Of course he may have lost a few brain cells doing so, or maybe the brain damage is what led him to do it in the first place.
They do need to limit the number of ascents, but beyond that, it's up the the people taking the risk. We allow auto racing and all sorts of other dangerous sports too.
We don't allow untrained or unlicensed people to race cars, and we maintain certain safety standards with those cars and the tracks they run on to reduce the chance of injury. Why should Nepal allow untrained, unprepared and inexperienced people on Everest?
We don't have any restrictions like you suggest in Canada either. Look at the three that just died on Joffre. All we really have is a system that passes judgement afterwards on whether the people who died were stupid or not. We do have standards for commercial guides, but the guides on Everest are probably well qualified too. But again the lure of money makes them take up people who really shouldn't be there, at least not in the numbers they are seeing now. They're getting traffic jams up there. Personally I don't see what the attraction is. guess it's just "points." Going to the back country to me is all about the peace and quiet, just your little group trying to make its way and assess the hazards.
Monty Python...........bring out your dead!!
Monty Python...........bring out your dead!!
Exactly!!
On a side note. I'm sure I've read something about a fee charged by the local government to climbers who try Mt. Everest. Something they could do is increase the fee substantially to fund the mountain clean up. Not only are there many bodies still left on the mountain but there are literally tons of debris left behind as well. The picture in the story link shows oxygen bottles beside the body, which is one of the most numerous pieces laying around the climb.
Everest 2015: The Cost to Climb Everest
There are several drivers for the price increases. First the permit cost has gone up, not down as advertised by the Ministry. It is now a flat $11,000 per climber instead of $70,000 for a team of 7 or $10,000 per climber. Second, after the tragic deaths of 16 mountain workers in 2014, many companies will increase the life insurance required by the Ministry. It is now USD$15K up from USD$10K for what they call High Altitude Workers. Most operators will abide by these new levels but it is unclear if the requirement will be enforced evenly across the board and those competing on price will meet the requirement. The third reason for increased costs is inflation. Nepal�s inflation rate is currently 9.47%.
Additionally, Nepal has implemented a new rule that requires every foreign climber in Nepal to hire a local Sherpa Guide. This policy has been in place for trekkers since 2012 but not enforced. After the large number of trekker deaths in the Annapurna region earlier this year, the policy was re-communicated. I remain unclear if it will really be enforced in 2015 for Everest climbers but if so, will add a minimum of $4,000 to the absolute lowest cost.
Many non-Nepali operators are adding additional guides and services to their offering. Each Western Guide can make between $10K and $25K and this cost is passed on to the clients. Some companies are adding European chefs, adding to costs. Some are offering extra oxygen starting lower, adding to costs. In the end, this is real money and the client pays the tab.
Those at the high-end have again held their prices steady absorbing the increases. The average price of the companies I surveyed looks to be about $41,700 with no Western Guide and $57,000 on the south with Western Guides and $46,000 on the north.
The primary difference between north and south are the permit costs and support staff salaries. The North has seen dramatic prices variances for 2015 with high-end operators of Alpenglow ($79,000) and Himex ($64,000) entering the market and skewing averages. The traditional north operators average about $37,000.
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I had lunch with a guy a few years back that climbed Everest and he said it was the hardest challenge of his life but is what has motivated him ever since. He's done a ton of shit since then too. His name was Bear.....something.
Sounds like someone I would just love to run across at a bar some time and kick back listening to his stories as we slowly sipped some drinks.
I had lunch with a guy a few years back that climbed Everest and he said it was the hardest challenge of his life but is what has motivated him ever since. He's done a ton of shit since then too. His name was Bear.....something.
Sounds like someone I would just love to run across at a bar some time and kick back listening to his stories as we slowly sipped some drinks.
Can't remember if it was in Miami in 2011 or Orlando in 2012 but we were in line together at the buffet table for my company. He had an English accent so I asked him where in England he was from and we just continued to chat and then sat together. Sometime after the salad I asked him what he was here for because this was a company only gig. He said I'm doing a "chat" with you all after lunch. Oh....you're that guy?
www.beargrylls.com