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Reactionary journalism but still I think she makes some fair points. But Ned (i think) thanks for the NYT link, that is a better account IMO. Not surprising given the author.
Everest has long divorced itself from what mountaineering means to me. Shame as it's a sacred place too.
Only thing I'm interested in (Sherpas well being appart) is, are they going to clean up all the coke cans/rubbish from Base Camp?
It seems to me to be just another "bucket list" entry in a long list of Disneyesque tourist tat.
Same happened in sailing, Global events in "You could be a hero if you got off the office seat for a few minuites" I've seen and taken so many office wallers on sailing/racing events that I stopped doing it 7 years ago. The folks who come on board are ignorant, want everything laid on/out for them almost to the point of washing up after them. I guess, could be wrong (probably not) that Everest Climbing attracts the same type of people. Hugely boring Ill mannered and lacking any ethical (environmental or human) consideration.
Nothing worse than an "I've climbed Everest" bore.
If it wasn't for the Sherpas earning a living from it I'd say stop the tat trail.
duckman I know where Everest is, i have been through the icefall so can empathise with the sherpas and the difficult job they have to do. The whole Everest experience has become a farce, the antithesis of what real mountaineering is about, not helped by an ill informed public believing that wealthy adventure tourists peak bagging by any means is the ultimate in climbing adventure.
Tanya Gold doesn't have any particular track-record of writing balanced, thoroughly informed and interesting opinion pieces. She just writes opinion pieces and waits for Julie Burchill to retire.
The whole Everest experience has become a farce, the antithesis of what real mountaineering is about, not helped by an ill informed public believing that wealthy adventure tourists peak bagging by any means is the ultimate in climbing adventure.
But it was obviously totally different when you went, natch.... 😉
Only thing I'm interested in (Sherpas well being appart) is, are they going to clean up all the coke cans/rubbish from Base Camp?
IIRC,there was a levy added to all permits from 2008.
Some more explanation of those mortality statistics:
Annual Fatality Rates by Profession
(Deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalents)•Miners (2000-2010): 25
•Commercial Fisherman (2000-2010): 124
•Alaskan Bush Pilots (1990-2009): 287
•U.S. military in Iraq (2003-2007): 335
•Everest Sherpas (2000-2010): 1,332
•Everest Sherpas (2004-2014): 4,053
The reason for the discrepancy is simple. From 2000 to 2010, only seven ethnic Sherpas died on the mountain. Since then, 21 Sherpas have perished, including the 16 who died in the avalanche yesterday.Number of Sherpas Killed on Everest By Year
•2014: 17
•2013: 4
•2012: 3
•2011: 0
•2010: 0
•2009: 1
•2008: 0
•2007: 1
•2006: 4
•2005: 0
•2004: 0
•2003: 0
•2002: 0
•2001: 1
•2000: 0
This year is not just the mountain’s worst tragedy. It caps the worst three-year period in Everest history
Interesting statistics, but shows the danger of looking at small samples.
Another thing to consider - what is the impact of the money brought in by the Sherpas on the health of the local population? Maybe (and it's pure speculation on my part) the deaths on the mountain are outweighed by reduced infant mortality, or deaths from treatable illnesses, or whatever.
I'm not saying it's good or bad - just something to consider when making an analysis.
Mountains are dangerous places.
The 1999 Galtur avalanche in Austria killed 31. None of them climbers or guides. Just skiers minding their own business in the village.
There were 8 deaths attributed to avalanches in Scotland in the winter of 2012/13.