Reading a book at the moment about Everest. Now I’m curious about the ‘camps’, Base Camp, Camp 1, 2, 3 & 4.

I think I’d always assumed that these were actual tangible camps, with like permanent, or at least perennial temporary structures like hardy tents, or synthetic bothys (sp?), stocked up with supplies.

I don’t know what ever gave me that idea, I’d probably not really thought too much about it I guess until reading this book. But now it occurs to me that, perhaps except for base camp, they’re just strategic locations on the mountain, a good place to stop if you will. And that there’s nothing actually at ‘Camp 4’ (not that I was expecting a Burger King).

So, what’s the deal?

Think you can just find the camps by the piles of gas bottles and human waste,follow your nose

They are just spots on the mountain in the ‘right’ place…either for safety from avalanches etc or due to distances that are comfortable to walk with loads.
They’ll move slightly on the glaciers every year depending on crevasses etc.
The ones on the cols will be in the same place every season.

My understanding is that they’re logical places to stop, where the ground is a bit flatter and/or before or after a significant part of the climb. However as mikey says you will find stuff at each camp, even if it’s just trash.

What book are you reading?

You mean there no shower blocks full of hairy-backed men doing that early morning hockling thing? And a no little shop selling newspapers, plastic plates and cornettos?

No wonder they don’t get a caravan club red pennant

(I’ve not really been to a campsite since the 80s)

Anything permanent would end up covered in snow, I’m sure. I think they are ‘permanent’ for the duration of your particular expedition, and given enough expeditions probably the whole season.

Even base camp is not permanent. When I was there a few years ago there was nothing there as it was off season. Just a clear area near the moraine.

The nearest permanent structure is Gorak Shep. Basically a bunkhouse with a tea shop. When I reached there I ordered noodles for lunch and struggled to eat them as I needed to breathe heavily to get enough O2 in my lungs. Once I had acclimatised it was fine just those initial hours.

Just as an interesting aside. A few years ago I found myself sharing the ride back home from work with a guy who it turned out had climbed Everest a few years previously (indeed he was the first of his nation to do so; I wish I could remember where he was originally from, somewhere in Asia Pacific).

Anyway he was incredibly modest and self deprecating about it. During the conversation he made an odd reference I didn’t understand:

‘The weirdest part was stepping over the green boots‘, he said.

I’m not a mountaineer but I used to (rock) climb a lot and I’ve read many mountaineering books but I’d never heard that phrase.

Apparently it’s a term that mountaineers only tend to use among themselves while on the climbs and is a reference to the corpses of dead climbers that are routinely left at very high altitude because there’s no way of bringing them back down.

Think ‘green boots’ refers to a specific location/body on Everest, might even have been one of the recent tragedies.

I just googled it and wished I hadn’t actually, lots of images 🙁

Green boots is a specific unidentified corpse and is a landmark on the northwest ridge. Quite a few macabre landmarks on the route and one of about 200 corpses on the mountain.

Ah OK that makes sense. On reflection he didn’t use the word ‘the’ in his statement, he simply said ‘stepping over green boots’. I took that to mean a collective noun.

His description of the event though was particularly chilling; it was the matter of fact way that every climber has to navigate not just ‘Green Boots’ but the other corpses that litter than mountian.

Iirc ‘green boots’ was (is) an Indian climber who died in 96. O think he’s mentioned in the book Dark Summit.

Dark summit looks worth a read, thanks. I seem to have developed a bit of a fascination with Everest in the last few years, probably piqued by the film and the the excellent Storyville (yes, that was K2, but similar feeling).

I’ve even looked at doing a basecamp trek at some point, as I reckon I’d manage that, Did you do one of the guided walks to basecamp Aberdeenlune, or something else?.

Think you can just find the camps by the piles of gas bottles and human waste

To be fair, there has apparently been considerable efforts made in recent years to clear the debris, rubbish and empty oxygen cylinders. (from the lower level camps at least – the higher altitude precludes removal – hence the bodies are left)

In terms of ‘camps’ when selecting a route up a high mountain, it will be broken down into stages. At each ‘stage’ a camp is setup, following the ‘climb high and sleep low’ approach with tents, food and fuel etc carried up to successive camp thus [hopefully] allowing adaption to altitude whilst the ascent is broken down into what can safely be achieved up and down in a day.

Contrasted with ‘Alpine’ climbing where everything is carried in a ‘fast & light’ approach, with minimal gear and no camps. (just the occasional bivvy or bivouac – which is French for ‘not getting any sleep’ 😉 )

Apparently green boots has been lost now, he was in a small cave – google image it if you want

read “ghosts of K2” a few months ago.

Good read, and incredible what folk will put themselves through

Had a work colleague who attempted to climb Everest a few years ago – he turned around a few metres from the top to assist another climber – sacrificing his own chances. He said that in order to be successful you have to selfishly, bloody-minded, conserving energy, doing nothing for anyone else – I got the impression he didn’t enjoy the experience.

It’s not always about reaching the summit

I was at a dinner where Bear Grylls was speaking – you’ve never heard anything so depressing as the litany of death and despair that he told when recounting his ascent. Impressive as it might have been, it was profoundly miserable – some proper tragedies.

Awesome. Far less people have rescued somebody from the death zone than have summitted.

I’ve read that story from the broken leg dudes point of view. Brings a lump to your throat.
It went something like this (paraphrased).

I was in my tent with a broken leg expecting to die, except I felt fine, like I was not going to die. Next thing the tent zip opened and a bearded cheery face peered in and said in a british accent “Hello we’re the royal marines and we are here to help”

Proper heroic behaviour. Not jingoistic in anyway but the Marines are awesome.

TiRed, I went to a lecture a few years ago given by Conan Harrod, the lad from Cheadle who’d broken his leg and was helped down.

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone more surprised and grateful to be alive.

Very humble bloke.
Good speaker too.

That is an incredible story, and so much better than I’m the 4500th person to climb Everest.

I’ve read that story from the broken leg dudes point of view.

If it’s online somewhere, I’d be interested in a link if anyone can find it ?

He’s on Strava.
🙂

I think he wrote a book about it, but there’s lots of info out there if you Google his name.

Some more info here and here.

eskay – Member
What book are you reading?

Bear Grylls – Facing Up. Meh Christmas present that I’ve just picked up and am actually enjoying.

I have two schools of thought regarding Everest. On the one hand, it seems sometimes like an ego-boost vehicle for any prick with a credit card, who appear to get dragged up by Sherpa’s so they can take a photo for Facebook.

(I’m sure it isn’t as simple as that, and I should stop being such a beastly cynic, especially as my climbing record amounts to medium sized buildings and trees :))

But at other times; so much alluring mystery. Like the George Mallory thing.

If you have never seen it, this is an interesting documentary on the delicate relationship between the climbers and sherpas:

https://www.redbull.tv/video/AP-1MZ37U5252111/high-tension

This thread contains statements from both Conan and Jay (the person who caused the accident) on pages 3 and 4.

Very interesting.

TiRed – Member
It’s not always about reaching the summit

Good read, as above, what he achieved is far greater than reaching the summit.

It is the best Everest Story. Every Marine is proud of it, my Brother-in-Law included. I use the Everest annual death stats as an example of Poisson regression, just to bring it home.

As a slight side ‘Mountains of the Mind’ is a good read and ends with a good chunk on Everest.