Mountaineers climb mountains; it’s what they do and who they are. It’s not good enough for them to look but not touch.
And that’s not an important enough reason by itself to let them go on like they are now.
Fair enough. True mountaineers I don’t necessarily have a problem with. If it’s what you do, if you’re experienced and know what you’re doing, then go for it.
It’s the casual “bucket list” mountaineers who have never strapped on a crampon before who go to climb Everest because they felt like it one morning, and the commercialized industry that’s arisen to ferry these people up and down the mountain like it’s carnival ride that are destroying the place for everyone. I say take down the permanently affixed aids and every climber make his or her own way up, and if you can’t, your ass shouldn’t get past Base Camp.
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I know this is a “No true Scotsman” argument, but most true mountaineers agree with you. The commercialization aspect (and the economic benefits or loss thereof to the local Sherpa community) is more complex than just saying “shut it down”. It’s literally a way of life for a whole community.
So, purely theoretically, if there was such a thing as an Everest-able space-suit, then the breathing and oxygen aspect of the death zone would not be an issue?
This was discussed a few years back if you’re interested.
As long as a body doesn’t get swept off the mountain, it remains well preserved. But if it does get blown off or otherwise falls, since the body is frozen solid it’ll often shatter like an ice cube. That can’t be pretty.
So far, how many have died this season? I heard ten. From both routes.
And to be clear, I want toinclude Sherpas in that count. Sometimes, depending on who’s reporting, they aren’t included in the count.
So have ten people died so far this season?
I’ve read 10 as well. This page is usually updated fairly quickly with new deaths, but is still a few days behind - List of people who died climbing Mount Everest - Wikipedia
And here, for comparison, is a list of deaths on the other eight-thousanders.
Why do you care? If someone wants to spend a bunch of money in an activity that is reasonably likely to result in his/her death, why not let them? Why deprive the local economies of the income?
I tend to disfavor the idea of the trash left behind, but given the location, I’m not sure some O2 bottles and dead bodies qualify as an environmental nightmare.
It’s not an environmental nightmare, but it is quite ugly. Given that, at least on the main route of the South Col and southeast ridge, the main camps I-IV are fairly well established, as is Base Camp, the litter really piles up in those areas. Based on what I’ve read, anyway – I have never been anywhere near Everest. It’s ugly, it’s a blight, and frankly it is quite disrespectful of the affluent folks who can afford to (at least make an attempt to) climb her to trash the place, basically just leaving their litter behind.
Bad form.
Maybe it’s kind of hard to see past the butt of the climber in front of you? Only the guide in front gets a clear view.
Just saw a preview that a story about deaths on Mt. Everrestinpeace will be on the CBS Evening News tonight.
The 4 climbers that were found dead in tents may not have been from this year. More conflicting information from the top of the world.
For comparison, Annapurna I, the world’s 10th highest peak, has had 191 summits as of March 2012, and 61 deaths on the mountain. 43 more were killed on or in the vicinity of the massif in 2014. Almost all of the fatalities were the result of avalanche. But I wouldn’t even consider that “attempted suicide.”
It’s exceptionally dangerous in a sport and place in the world that is already extraordinarily dangerous, but I agree, I can’t imagine anyone who goes there to climb is actively suicidal.
Great. But those bodies are apparently at or near Camp IV on the South Col, and from what I’ve read the South Col isn’t a large place – maybe 2-3(?) football fields, before the slopes become prohibitive for tents or walking. That’s where Yasuko Namba died in May 1996, and where Beck Weathers was left for dead. My point is, seasoned climbers would be able to tell quickly if those bodies are new, or old. I don’t have high confidence in the accuracy of Nepal’s records at some office in Kathmandu.
Besides, I suspect Nepal would be motivated to keep the death toll numbers down.
The Nepali tourism department seems to ignore the possibility that they were rogue climbers without a permit. I have to assume this happens (someone was arrested this year for climbing to Camp 1 without a permit). Isn’t this a more likely possibility than two tents with dead people sitting unnoticed for a year or more and no reports of missing climbers?
Good point, and I agree. I have to assume this happens too. The climbing permit, AFAIK, is to allow you to climb past the icefall, and you only need a trekker’s permit to hike to base camp. I don’t know where those permits are checked, that wasn’t in any of the books I read about 1996. I could ask my friends who hiked to base camp (and told me how incredibly thin the air was there, at ‘only’ 17,600’!).
I guess it’s easy enough to sneak out of base camp, cross the icefall, and sneak up the mountain. But anyone who does that likely wouldn’t be following the good acclimatizing ascents and descents to prepare well for a good summit push, because they likely wouldn’t be returning to base camp on those acclimatizing climbs (because they’d be hiding). And besides, it wouldn’t be easy to hide the fact you’re attempting a summit push, because of the extra gear you’d need.
But yeah I suspect many people try it, especially if there is a minimal police force to enforce the permit limitations. Mt. Everest does a lot of enforcing, herself.