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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Apr 23, 2014 - 08:34pm PT
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If the Nepalese Government was smart they would do a cost/benefit analysis of a cable car to the Western Cwm.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Apr 23, 2014 - 08:40pm PT
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In a country where they can't even keep the electricity on more than 4-5 hours in 24, in the capital city?
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Guck
Trad climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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Apr 23, 2014 - 09:47pm PT
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"Real climbers are agreed that there is no more challenge to climbing Everest in the current style, so why not just be honest about the business aspects as long as the Sherpas share in the benefits?
Professional climbers can then risk only their own lives doing alpine ascents on other peaks"
This discussion is focused on the commercial machine and equity issues, and completely ignores the ones like Moro, Steck, and Griffith who want a totally different experience on the same mountain. Jan's opinion that "Real" climbers should go somewhere else and leave the mountain to commercial ventures is wrong. In my view, Ueli is a Real climber and belongs on the mountain just like Messner, Habeler and all the others that climbed it on their own.
One should also remember that some of the Sherpas involved in last year's brawl were also on the mountain this year. The image of Sherpas as "all around groovy guys" who are gregarious and congenial is also wrong. They are, like us, a mixed bag and they certainly cannot be all described with general statements as done on this tread. I do feel sorry for the ones who lost their life and for their families. It is a tragedy. Yet I can still see the footage of the dispute last year and am not surprised that some would resort to force to compel the ones who do not agree with the majority.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Apr 23, 2014 - 10:30pm PT
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Did Steck, Moro, and Griffith used the fixed ladders and lines in the ice fall? I am sure they could climb it if it has been climbed, but probably love the convenience of having it done for them and would not use the line if they had to do the work them selves. How many alpinists have backpacks big enough to put ladders in.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 23, 2014 - 11:00pm PT
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So the season is over because there are no sherpas to ...fix the lines to the summit....! Well the climbing season isn't over but the via ferrata one certainly is.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Apr 23, 2014 - 11:27pm PT
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^^^^^^^^^^
Exactly! Perfect time to avoid the clusterfvck and get the last quiet ascent in!! Lol
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Apr 24, 2014 - 10:42am PT
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Thanks for posting that "the guy above"
DMT Mesner did on his oxygenless solo on the chinese side. I think maybe there might have been a fixed ladder up high on the ridge or something. So.. hmm Perhaps others have but I'm not sure.
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Scott Patterson
Mountain climber
Craig
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Apr 24, 2014 - 10:48am PT
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Mesner did on his oxygenless solo on the chinese side. I think maybe there might have been a fixed ladder up high on the ridge or something. So.. hmm Perhaps others have but I'm not sure.
No, he didn't use a fixed ladder. You must be thinking of the fixed ladder on the 2nd step.
Messner traversed the north face and then climbed the Great Couloir to the summit. He didn't do the route up the 2nd step.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Apr 24, 2014 - 10:52am PT
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Cool. Wasn't sure where the route Mesner did came out exactly. So basically the mountain cannot be done in better style than Mesner did it.. unless perhaps you picked a more technical route... yikes. Badass!
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Apr 24, 2014 - 11:26am PT
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Alan Arnette has a different take on the situation than the report posted above by Tim Mosedale, although they both agree on the facts. The difference I think is that Tim relies on Everest for his income and Alan does not. Both are well worth reading. Alan in particular, since he is not beholden to the Nepalese government for group climbing permits,is much more forthright about its failure and why the Sherpas are putting pressure there.
http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2014/04/24/everest-2014-offically-closed-big-picture/
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Apr 24, 2014 - 11:54am PT
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If I had to take sides I'd be with the sherpa's trying to get better compensation. But it's such a mess. I have very negative feelings about the Khumbu routes anyway. The only redeeming quality I see in this is that it does bring much needed aid to the region. Yet it brings such widespread culture shattering tragedy too. Thems the breaks and I see no clean way through this for anyone. No win-win scenario which would be the ideal.
What a sad mess.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Apr 24, 2014 - 12:15pm PT
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Agreed.
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Jim Clipper
climber
from: forests to tree farms
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Apr 24, 2014 - 12:19pm PT
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Agreed too: I'm really not qualified to say anything other than what is a gross generalization:
Counterpoint? The wheels of imperialism/world powers/globalization have been turning since before those terms were part of our modern language. Hopefully organization can result in a better system, with outcomes that satisfy most all user groups in the Everest region. Maybe, there are other Himalayan countries that provide insight about what can happen when cultures change rapidly, or less so.
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
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Apr 24, 2014 - 12:22pm PT
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What a sad mess.
Such is life in general all around in countless venues.
Always and relentlessly evolving.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Apr 24, 2014 - 12:26pm PT
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Here's a more upbeat assessment from the Canadian group Peak Freakes.
"The army had trouble getting to base camp due to altitude gain restrictions, they only made it to Pheriche but an official from the Ministry of Tourism did show up and spoke to the crowd while being supplemented with bottled oxygen.
The meeting actually went really well and the Sherpa people now have the attention of the Ministry of Nepal. There was a bit of yelling and then some cheering.
The governement of Nepal made an official announcement they will honour the current climbing permits for individuals for up to 5 years.
I reiterate that this is all good stuff but we still need to tread softly with regards to the stability and safety of climbing these Hiimalayan giants due to global warming and it's effects".
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Roots
Mountain climber
Tustin, CA
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Apr 24, 2014 - 01:25pm PT
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Climbing is dangerous...Sherpas do it for the money, and glory, etc...we should keep that in perspective.
Why is it anything other than their own choice in regards to being on the mountain?
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John M
climber
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Apr 24, 2014 - 01:28pm PT
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Why is it anything other than their own choice in regards to being on the mountain?
there is an element of "what other choice do they have to make a decent living". We bring the temptation of lots of money, so perhaps we have some moral responsibility to make certain they are kept as safe as possible. Not completely mind you. These aren't children. They are adults. But power does come with responsibility. At least in my opinion.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Apr 24, 2014 - 02:09pm PT
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I'm sure nobody here wants to come across as Marie Antoinette, but really, it seems to me that every citizen of a rich nation ought to be somewhat familiar with life in the world's poorest countries and the lack of opportunity there.This lack of opportunity and the disconnect between the elites of those countries and their desire to hang on to all wealth and power, is at the root of this problem. This is a struggle between fuedalism and modernity. Western climbers happen to be caught in between.
I give a lot of credit to Mr. Acharya and team, high caste Hindus, for flying from Kathmandu to 15,000 feet to try to rectify the situation with the help of bottled oxygen. Whether the Nepalese government doesn't understand or they are just trying to cover themselves, is hard to discern, given their latest press release.
"Nepal minister urges Everest expeditions to continue
Posted: Apr 24, 2014 02:44 pm EDT
(Newsdesk/Press Release from Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation) Today a delegation headed by minister Bhim Prasad Acharya visited Everest Base Camp and met with Sherpas and climbers.
The minister urged all team leaders and members to continue expedition activities and fix ladder and rope. According to the ministry the "supporting climbers" also agreed to support expedition activities.
The minister further promised that if any expedition wanted to quit the permit would be extended for another 5 years."
http://www.explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?url=nepal-minister-urge-everest-expeditions-_139835064
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