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Mick Ryan
Trad climber
Kendal, English Lake District
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 11, 2009 - 07:50pm PT
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Last week we ran a news item from Kenton Cool detailing the recent placing of bolts at the Yellow Band on Everest.
"The Yellow Band is one of the most noticeable features on the South Side of Everest. It sweeps through Nuptse and Lhotse before cutting through Everest itself." explained Kenton.
We now have images of the bolting sent in by Mara Larson and taken by Adrian Ballinger.
The photos show Willie Benegas placing the new bolts that will anchor the fixed lines at the Yellow Band.
Kenton stated:
"The fixing of a number of bolts at this spot isn't "murdering the impossible" but a sensible act that will without a doubt save lives of Sherpas, Western climbers and guides alike."
http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=47372
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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May 11, 2009 - 07:57pm PT
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ok, at this point, i don't see why so many folks imagine this to be significant news.
there's a ladder fixed to the north ridge. on various other routes, there's everything already in situ from oxygen bottle graveyards to frozen corpses and a century's worth of rotting cord. most folks climb the thing on cords that were already fixed by someone else-- i.e., sherpas or guides.
but folks are treating three bolts in the yellow band like it's the apocalypse. it's awfully late in the day.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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May 11, 2009 - 08:01pm PT
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gotta go with kerwin on this one. the horse left the barn decades ago. it's a yawner.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 11, 2009 - 08:14pm PT
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My dear Kenton, you are placing bolts to hopefully protect the lives of people who have NO BUSINESS being anywhere near an 8000 meter peak. You and your fellow operatives should examine your motives for bringing people who, physically and experientially, do not belong on Everest. Could it be the money?
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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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May 11, 2009 - 09:27pm PT
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Well I am so not qualified to write about this but seems to me that a few bolts are not nearly so offensive as the junk left all over the mountain by all kinds of "real" climbers. A single used oxygen bottle is a lot more metal than the bolts and I hear there are literally hundreds of those puppies all over the place... not to mention tons of garbage, abandoned ropes, gear and other sh#t. So if you are offended by the bolts then you must be going crazy about the trash, and dead climbers lying about... No?
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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May 11, 2009 - 10:22pm PT
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"Could it be the money?"
yeah i'm sure Willie is going to make millions off those bolts.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 11, 2009 - 10:24pm PT
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The "money" part has to do with guiding supremely unqualified people and hoping that nothing goes wrong. Gee, I thought that would be obvious.
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Scared Silly
Trad climber
UT
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May 11, 2009 - 10:27pm PT
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Jim your statement is not correct as Kenton clearly states:
"The fixing of a number of bolts at this spot isn't "murdering the impossible" but a sensible act that will without a doubt save lives of Sherpas, Western climbers and guides alike." No mention of clients (they may be westerns but they are not climbers) so obviously they do care about getting them down. And the Asians are obviously on their own.
Otherwise well said ...
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GDavis
Trad climber
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May 11, 2009 - 10:37pm PT
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Not so much as WHAT is there but WHY things are there. Lots and lots of trash at basecamp, on ridges, ladders over features (you know, features that used to be used as a line of ascent), and I can tell ya that 3 bolts is a drop in the bucket. We need to get rid of the bucket...
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LuckyPink
climber
the last bivy
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May 11, 2009 - 10:46pm PT
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after all that, I hope they can find them next season
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 12, 2009 - 06:57am PT
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Funny how people are so irational about bolts.
fact; the ropes will be fixed there for the entire season.
Whats the difference if they are fixed to pins or bolts ?
I can understand and share the outrage when a bolt is added to a classic climb and changes the charecter of the route but when nothing changes other than a tiny piece of metal in the rock it is just plain silly to fuss over it.
We get this in N Conway a lot. Some kids make a huge fuss over bolts that were placed before they were even born yet they seem to miss that fact that a huge hotel, golf course and condos desicrate the base of the cliff.
From day one everest has been used as a garbage dump yet folks fuss over 3 bolts............................. WTF????????????????????????????
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Olihphant
climber
Somewhere over the rainbow
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May 12, 2009 - 10:30am PT
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First off, try to understand that the climbers who placed these bolts are not new comers to the Everest scene. But rather extremely experienced and knowledgable guides. The two things they did that made sense to me was cleaning up all the dangerous tat and establishing two lines. One for ascent and the other for descent. This helps alleviate one of the troublesome bottlenecks. Bottleneck delays kill! Like it or not the two standard routes on Chomulungma are and will be commercial endeavors. People, marching to the beat of an ego driven drum, will continue to throng around the conga lines on these two routes. Fortunately Sagarmatha is an enormous chunk of topography. Anyone wishing to seriously challenge themselves can simply choose a non common route. Isn't it good that the horrendous impact of countless aspirants is limited and contained to just a few routes. This bolting will not lead to Via Ferratas up K2 or any 8K peaks. It may however keep a few more Sherpas alive. In my opinion that alone is worth 3 bolts.
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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May 12, 2009 - 11:12am PT
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I guess the difference;
By guides for clients not by climbers for climbers.
Would the guides and sherpa guides be there if left up to their own devices?
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RDB
Social climber
way out there
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May 12, 2009 - 01:34pm PT
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Difference in clothing between bolt setter and guys using the fixed lines is interesting.
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August West
Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
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May 12, 2009 - 01:41pm PT
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"My dear Kenton, you are placing bolts to hopefully protect the lives of people who have NO BUSINESS being anywhere near an 8000 meter peak. You and your fellow operatives should examine your motives for bringing people who, physically and experientially, do not belong on Everest. Could it be the money?"
And exactly who does have BUSINESS being on an 8000 meter peak? Should you be a certified mountain climber that has: proper experience, proper gear, proper health rescue insurance, no dependents, etc...?
And a death wish to boot (or at least an honest appreciation of the chance of death on an adventure that most would consider a bit trivial).
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JuanDeFuca
Big Wall climber
Stoney Point
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May 12, 2009 - 01:42pm PT
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Solo a big Wall Juan
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Olihphant
climber
Somewhere over the rainbow
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May 12, 2009 - 02:17pm PT
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August West, a little jaded perhaps?
Other than permits who exactly should be empowered to tell people what they can or cannot climb?
And as far as this being a business, there are many worse ways to make a living.
Predatory mortgage bankers have caused far more death and despair.
But I agree the trash is far worse than a few bolts.
Full clean up should be mandatory.
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| Messages 1 - 17 of total 17 in this topic |
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