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aguacaliente
climber
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Now calls are being made to establish two fixed lines next year instead of one and instead of limiting the number of climbers. Capitalism at its best!
I have an even better idea. Instead of using those big helicopters for recovery missions, let's use them to pile up enough big rocks to build some 8000m peak up so it's taller than Everest. Maybe just the South Summit?
Then all the trophy-peak-hunters will have to go to THIS peak, and all the people who did the Seven Summits (excuse me, the Former Seven Summits) will have to come back and do this one again. If we swing it right, we can partner with the government and DNC (I'm sure DNC will get the concession) to charge tolls, like on the Mt. Washington road.
Seriously, climbers calling for the government to demand climbing resumes is understandable, but didn't it make people crazy when climbing was highly regulated and permitted in the US parks, long ago? I think it is a damned shame what is happening up there, but I don't think it is the Nepali government's fault that Westerners are too willing to gamble with their lives in quest of a trophy.
It seems that they should limit the number of permits and crack down on the less well-equipped and less careful guiding services, the ones that send people up unprepared or with not enough support. Russell Brice looks better for pulling out when he did, right? Such restrictions would likely make permits more expensive and the summit more of a rich person's prize. I don't see how you get around that.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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I was just thinking what silver suggested.
Peak Freaks already has an Everest training session that includes one 5,800 meter peak and two over 6,000.
That provides a role model, and would provide more income as well.
http://www.peakfreaks.com/everest_mountaineering_course.htm
Given the state of the Nepalese political situation, ( a Supreme Court justice known for corruption was just
assassinated yesterday) I think these changes will have to come from the climbing agencies and the
Nepal Mountaineering Association, not the government.
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jstan
climber
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Apparently many people get into trouble on the descent.
So, rig a zip line from the summit back down to BC. Then it is just a matter of getting to the summit. Pretty exciting, what?
That will reduce the traffic by a factor of two.
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john hansen
climber
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I think two lines are better than one... I am surprised that some one can't take a chance and step off of the fixed ropes,, that slope don't look that bad.
Edit,,, Zip line sounds good,
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Degaine
climber
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This may be a rhetorical question (and already mentioned), but isn't it a guide's responsibility to evaluate the abilities of his/her clients?
On summits in the Alps like the Matterhorn or even Mont Blanc, many if not most guide companies offer week long courses with one or two summits at or above 4000m to both acclimate, bring up to speed and evaluate their clients. Many guides, if not most guides, won't take someone up the Matterhorn if they have never climbed with the person.
Seems like it could work for Everest. Instead of $60 K, you charge $75 K per head, put two summits in the package, one to evaluate, and then if all is good, Everest, and if not, another summit to improve the person's mountaineering skills.
That written, given the margin needed when guiding someone, I personally think it's crazy, bordering on suicidal, to guide people with little to no experience up an 8000m peak.
Anyway, as a guide is your life really worth $60 K per head and the inherent pressure that comes with that to summit?
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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The problem is that the decision to turn someone around on the mountain is
left in the hands of the Sherpas who if their client is slow, are separated by a
long distance from the western guide. It is very hard for a Sherpa to say no.
It is not in the Asian tradition to be that blunt usually, they're taught to respect
age and people who are wealthier and more educated, and they've been
carefully groomed by us for over a hundred years now to fulfill our every
demand.
The only solution is for more Sherpas to become internationally qualified guides
with the authority of guides and not just people who porter up the oxygen
bottles.
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
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Or ban the internationally qualified guides altogether, and let the sherpas do it. That would be a really easy fix - just require a work visa to be a mountain guide in Nepal.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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They're not quite there yet but in five years they could be.
We're just now seeing the first group of college educated Sherpas
get into the business.
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dirtbag
climber
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Quote Here For her to burn a $100K bag in the name of "art", she should be stripped of the name "Eastwood" and forced to work an honest day's job in her life.
As art, it sort of sucks. As a protest against consumerism, it might have worked. Burn it to show people that when a handbag that costs $100k is gone, it's no different from a handbag that costs $50.00 being gone. There is nothing intrinsically valuable in that handbag, just the cost of desire and elitism.
Maybe that's what they meant and just marketed their message wrong.
Dave
Have her daddy sign it, but it on E-bay, it will fetch $200,000. Donate that money to a worthwhile charity: stating the obvious, a lot of good could be done with that kind of dough.
Interesting thread though.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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This is just a disaster waiting to happen.
One of the things that bugs me the most is seeing some client who refuses to turn around on summit day. I wish they had a radio controlled cut-off on their oxygen until they head down.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Quote Penba Jarbu Sherpa (from the video): "The mountain itself feels like it's loosing it's value... we can't treat it like an amusement."
He also suggests limiting the # of permits.
Penba seems pretty educated. If this is the next generation of Sherpas... they don't need no stinkin' Westerners running the show. Boot most if not all foreign guide services and a lot of the problem is solved.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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It's certainly going to be interesting talking to the Sherpas about all this the next time I go to Kathmandu!
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TwistedCrank
climber
Dingleberry Gulch, Ideeho
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Rich people devalue things by buying them.
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Stewart Johnson
climber
lake forest
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how aboot thinking like this: succesful people spending thier monies in a poor part of the world.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 1, 2012 - 12:07pm PT
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Hordes of rich caucasions driven to Everest by existential angst and hubris, fun group of people.....the sherpas must love that.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Caucasion?
I think there is a pretty large asian contingent too.
It is not so much racial as a socio-economic gap.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Says the man with the sleds.
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scuffy b
climber
heading slowly NNW
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Come on, Ron, you meanie!
You want to crush the dream of someone to be the first cross-dressing one
legged bicyclist juggler to summit while wearing a Stupid Hat?
(apologies and thanks to Tami)
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
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For some reason, a lot of the Everest climbers seem to have some Guiness Book of World Records goal like that. In the movie the Dark Side of Everest, the South African lady who left several people to die, wouldn't help the rescuers or even let them borrow her radio, was going to be the first South African woman to climb both north and south routes w/o oxgyen.
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