Plus it gives you a much more interesting story to tell! Who wants to read a yawnfest about yet another uneventful summit of Everest?

Surely it’s an easy and obvious choice?

It is at sea level. Oxygen starved, freezing and exhausted the mind might not be working the same way

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-48423738

Interesting article about the multiple factors behind the deaths this year.

I was saddened to read the news about Martin Moran and his clients on nanda devi. I loved reading his books, The Alps 4000ers book was what inspired me to do the same (I’ve only managed 14).

I was saddened to read the news about Martin Moran and his clients on nanda devi. I loved reading his books, The Alps 4000ers book was what inspired me to do the same (I’ve only managed 14).

Exactly the same here. That book inspired me up six 4000ers. I did not realise Martin Moran was one of the missing. After the passing of Andy Nisbet, that could be another great loss to the Scottish climbing scene.

Another thread bump for this excellent piece of journalism coupled with some really great graphics.

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-02/unpacking-the-tragedy-on-mount-everest/11162770?pfmredir=sm

ta, CL

@crazy-legs – not bad, does make the “percentage of oxygen” mistake though. The percentage of oxygen at the summit of Everest is the same as at sea level, it’s the pressure that’s much less meaning less is drawn into the lungs with each breath and that there isn’t the required pressure to force the gas through the lung walls into the bloodstream.

Someone I know was a guide on Everest in the late 1980s and he described being on the South Col sorting oxygen cylinders in preparation for a summit bid. He was counting and putting the full ones into one pile, the half empty ones into another. Halfway through he’d forget which pile was which so would start again, make the same mistake and start again. It took him half a dozen attempts to finish that simple task. Being in that state and having to tie knots, etc. on which your life depends is fraught with danger.

Back in the 1980s when I was doing most of my altitude climbing I never really fancied Everest. It was “commercial” even back then. K2 was a much more appealing peak. I was on a climbing expedition in the Karakorum in that horrible summer of 1986 when Al Rouse and others died on K2, we walked in at the same time as Rouse’s trip as far as Concordia. I never truly got on with high altitude, I’d randomly black out when up at 7000m or so, I was fine in the Alps at 4000-5000m though.

not bad, does make the “percentage of oxygen” mistake though. The percentage of oxygen at the summit of Everest is the same as at sea level, it’s the pressure that’s much less meaning less is drawn into the lungs with each breath and that there isn’t the required pressure to force the gas through the lung walls into the bloodstream.

Yes, the oft-quoted oxygen thing bugged me too. Other than that, some very well documented facts and graphs.

not bad, does make the “percentage of oxygen” mistake though. The percentage of oxygen at the summit of Everest is the same as at sea level, it’s the pressure that’s much less meaning less is drawn into the lungs with each breath and that there isn’t the required pressure to force the gas through the lung walls into the bloodstream.

Has anyone ever tried to produce a positive pressure mask system rather than bottled oxygen?

i normally hate those responsive pages where images move around as you scroll through text but that is the most excellent use of it actually enhancing the text.  Fantastic article

Getting back to the Op’s original post. I’m never going to climb Everest ever, it was never going to happen. I’m not a mountaineer, no way could I afford it, perhaps at some point in my life I could have physically rose to the challenge but that’s gone now. But still there was that nagging “what if” going on in my mind. A part of me wanted to at least imagine doing so, just a low level itch that wouldn’t go away.
But now it has, that photo has killed any fantasy desire I ever had, it’s one less thing that’ll bother me because I’ve never done it. Chapeau OP 🥂

Has anyone ever tried to produce a positive pressure mask system rather than bottled oxygen?

I think they have. But motors, batteries and pump impellers don’t play well in very cold and damp conditions..

I do like the idea of wearing a Felix Baumgartner style space suit and just strolling up there. Maybe while walking a dog.

This popped up on a newsfeed today, shows just how bad and out of control things have become on the mountain:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mount-everest-garbage-24000-pounds-removed-leading-to-the-discovery-of-four-dead-bodies-today-2019-06-06/

The whole thing both saddens and scares me. I have done a bit of walking in the mountains – the highest I have been many years ago is just under 5000m and that was tough enough. On my bucket list is to solo a 6000m peak. I have plans in place – and precaution number one is to know when its time to admit defeat and go down! Precaution number two is to take a guide if soloing looks too dangerous. Precaution number 3 is to forget the whole silly ideaas I am old and unfit!

For me the mountains are about what I can achieve on my own and solitude. Not what I can achieve when others do all the tricky stuff for me.

Precaution number two is to take a guide if soloing looks too dangerous.

For me the mountains are about what I can achieve on my own and solitude. Not what I can achieve when others do all the tricky stuff for me.

Make your mind up 🙂
For me, precaution number two: Just don’t bother and find something we can do without a guide that’s equally as fulfilling. Personally, there is simply no attraction in being guided, I’d feel like I cheated and I’m there for the whole experience, not just getting to the top.

🙂

I’d rather do it unguided. However if a reasonable assessment is guided or no summit then I have a decision to make. I have my eye on a mountain in Bolivia that is a walk not a climb. The key issue will be altitude not technical ability. Sleeping out at 5000m is necessary to do the climb. We will have 10 weeks to acclimatise tho – altitude training in the bar in La Paz!

There was a sponsored stair climb event near me recently in which the group target was to climb the height of Everest. Done in 45 minutes, and no deaths.

I have my eye on a mountain in Bolivia that is a walk not a climb. The key issue will be altitude not technical ability. Sleeping out at 5000m is necessary to do the climb.

Is it Huayna Potosi tj? I did this with 2 friend in 2006. Climbing a 6000er at the time was on my bucket list. We did a couple of peaks at 5,500 based in Condoriri to acclimatize. That is a beautiful area. We tried for Illimani, but one of my friends didn’t head out as he was feeling off colour at the time and when the two of us started out on summit day I started to feel awful at about 6,000m so we turned back. Great trip though. I am sure you will have fun.

I have been looking at a few actually. Ones not usually walked up by tourists. some the summits are over the border into chile. One Volcan Tacora is actually 5980m! Acotango is another which is over 6000m but under 20 000ft and is th eone I really have my eye on

Its a couple of years away yet and may forever remain a dream. nearer the time I will do more detailed planning.

Were you guided?

We weren’t guided tj. We spent a week in Condoriri climbing lower peaks, then returned to La Paz before trying Huayna Potosi. That when my friend got his bad tummy. We returned to La Paz before he said to the two of us to try Illimani ourselves. We came back unsuccessfully to find our mate recovered and planning a single day hit on Huayna Potosi on the last day of our trip. We were feeling fit by this stage so we packed light and all went. It was a great end to the trip. I dont know how many people climb Potosi in a day. It’s like doing Ben Nevis starting at the altitude of the top of Mont Blanc. La Paz was great and the people friendly if really poor. One of guys returned a few years later and felt it had gone downhill a bit.

Is Huayana Potosi the best in that area, at that level?. Looks like you could do it without any climbing paraphernalia

acotango is the easiest 6000m peak in terms of technical climbing but it does require overnighting on the mountain ( or a very early start and a good 4wd on an old mining track)

Huayna Potosi has no real technical challenges but does require knowledge and gear for glacier travel and crevasse rescue if required. The upper slopes are quite steep with a short exposed summit ridge.

Yeah, I meant climbing gear as opposed to glacier gear. It’s graded PD which is well within our range. I just wondered if it was the best in the area at that sort of level, that doesn’t require you to turn up with lots of jangle jangle. I quite fancy something like that without having to ship loads of heavy kit. It’ll probably never happen

acotango doesn’t look quite as visually appealing

B.A.Nana, yes Huayana Potosi is a stand alone peak that looks graceful and dominating without being hard. Illimani is the biggie closer to La Paz but has an extra 500m vertical ascent making it more of a proposition. There are great peaks in the Condoriri area around 5,300m to 5,600m for a warm up. We did a couple of easier summits there. Tarija and Pyramide Blanca. They dont require technical climbing but the area is like a big impressive amphitheatre.

B A Nana – no- but its a lot easier requiring nothing but ordinary hiking kit I think. Even the snow / ice at the top is on a flat gradient I think and no glacier

don’t worry – nearer the time I will look more carefully but I think its just a big walk not “mountaineering”

cheers you two,

https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3013809/everest-traffic-jams-mountaineer-gives-first-person

Interest view point from a climber in the queue.

Motorist moans about congestion and blames other traffic.