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Wyovanian

Tragedy On Everest

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Worst incident in the history of the mountain. Twelve Sherpa guides confirmed dead, four still missing after an avalanche in the lower Khumbu Ice Fall as the climbing season gets into full swing. These are incredibly brave, hard-working men who scrape out a living helping comparably wealthy people reach the summit. Thoughts and prayers to the families, survivors, and the people who bore witness to this event...

 

Aash Bahadur Gurung- MISSING

Ang Kaji Sherpa

Ang Tshiri Sherpa

Ankaji Sherpa- MISSING

Asman Tonang

Chhiring Ongchu Sherpa

Dorji Sherpa

Dorji Khatri Sherpa

Lakpa Tenjing Sherpa

Nima Sherpa

Pasang Karma Sherpa

Pem Tenji Sherpa- MISSING

Phur Temba Sherpa

Phurba Ongyal Sherpa

Tenzing Chottar Sherpa- MISSING

Then Dorjee Sherpa

 

 

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That really sucks. Reading about Everest, the Khumbu Icefall always seemed the most dangerous part of the journey; even more so than the death zone higher up.

We’re all sitting in the dugout. Thinking we should pitch. How you gonna throw a shutout when all you do is bitch.

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I think it's an industry that needs to be shut down. People in good physical condition and with disposable income want to climb Everest. People die getting them up there. Sometimes the wealthy climbers or the guides die. Give it a rest. Hike in the Sierras or Rockies.

Thay Haif Said: Quhat Say Thay? Lat Thame Say

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The icefall itself really is more dangerous, just because you don't know when that sh!i is gonna move.  The problem with being in the death zone though, is that you're usually there with a bunch of people, which slows you down.  

 

The Sherpas aren't getting paid all that much, according to this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/19/world/asia/fatal-avalanche-on-mount-everest.html.  

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The icefall itself really is more dangerous, just because you don't know when that sh!i is gonna move. The problem with being in the death zone though, is that you're usually there with a bunch of people, which slows you down.

The Sherpas aren't getting paid all that much, according to this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/19/world/asia/fatal-avalanche-on-mount-everest.html.

Yeah. The danger of the Icefall will always be a temptation of luck and fate. Sometimes there is nothing to be done. But you're spot on about the dangers of the death zone. Too many people are allowed to attempt Everest.

We’re all sitting in the dugout. Thinking we should pitch. How you gonna throw a shutout when all you do is bitch.

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I think it's an industry that needs to be shut down. People in good physical condition and with disposable income want to climb Everest. People die getting them up there. Sometimes the wealthy climbers or the guides die. Give it a rest. Hike in the Sierras or Rockies.

 

SMH.........fuggin' libs.  Takeaway the freedom to walk up a mountain? Because some people die? They went there to challenge death and take the risk. Leave it to the entitled to not understand why man climbs mountains.

 

FYI, people don't fly into Everest and put a pack on and start climbing.  They spend weeks and even months in training at the base, they know the risk, they see the bodies along the trail.

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SMH.........fuggin' libs. Takeaway the freedom to walk up a mountain? Because some people die? They went there to challenge death and take the risk. Leave it to the entitled to not understand why man climbs mountains.

FYI, people don't fly into Everest and put a pack on and start climbing. They spend weeks and even months in training at the base, they know the risk, they see the bodies along the trail.

Read Krakauer's book if you haven't. Climbers pay money, but not all of them are prepared. People die as a result.

I've climbed plenty of mountains.

Thay Haif Said: Quhat Say Thay? Lat Thame Say

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The biggest issue I have with Everest right now is that the majority of the clients are not prepared mentally for the climb.  Sure, they have to be physically fit enough.  For the most part they don't have the climbing experience and the experience with oxygen deprivation that you face that high up to be able to make the decisions in a rational manner.  It has gotten clients, team personnel and Sherpas killed in the past, and it will surely happen again.  

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Read Krakauer's book if you haven't. Climbers pay money, but not all of them are prepared. People die as a result.

I've climbed plenty of mountains.

 

Yeah :rolleyes: ....well you should stop, because your mountian climbing is dangerous and kills people.

 

 

 

More regulation!  Someone died.

 

 

 

So did you tip your sherpa or do you look at them as being evil murderers?  Kinda like how you look at licensed gun dealers.

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The biggest issue I have with Everest right now is that the majority of the clients are not prepared mentally for the climb.  Sure, they have to be physically fit enough.  For the most part they don't have the climbing experience and the experience with oxygen deprivation that you face that high up to be able to make the decisions in a rational manner.  It has gotten clients, team personnel and Sherpas killed in the past, and it will surely happen again.  

I think a lot of them are not prepared physically either.  When a sherpa is dragging your ass up the hill because you're too tired and groggy to do it yourself, then you need to go back down and bust your ass the next year or two to get in to good enough shape.

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I think a lot of them are not prepared physically either.  When a sherpa is dragging your ass up the hill because you're too tired and groggy to do it yourself, then you need to go back down and bust your ass the next year or two to get in to good enough shape.

Problem is, they paid their $100K this year and expect to have their ass dragged up as opposed to having to prepare (and pay) for another year.

Thay Haif Said: Quhat Say Thay? Lat Thame Say

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Problem is, they paid their $100K this year and expect to have their ass dragged up as opposed to having to prepare (and pay) for another year.

It's amazing, there's guys who are in the top 1% of fitness in the world, and they go up there and have heart attacks because it's so strenuous.

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It's amazing, there's guys who are in the top 1% of fitness in the world, and they go up there and have heart attacks because it's so strenuous.

 

Again, its all about preparation.  I've read many books written about climbing Everest and other 8,000 meter peaks.  In those anyway, it seemed like you earned your stripes climbing things in the Andes, Mexico, Alaska and even lower Himalayan peaks before trying one of the big ones.  But many of them were written years ago.  Things have changed a lot in terms of climbing.  

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It's amazing, there's guys who are in the top 1% of fitness in the world, and they go up there and have heart attacks because it's so strenuous.

 

I disagree with a few of the posts that express a belief that a lot of the current climbers aren't properly prepared. I would say that almost all of them are very well prepared and know exactly what they are getting into. Many of those who have died on Everest have been world class mountaineers. It's just a very dangerous place regardless of fitness level.

 

In 1985, a good friend's bother died on Everest; he was 23, incredibly fit and an experienced climber. He had no plans on making a summit attempt but was making the trek to Camp 2 at just over 21,000 ft. He became ill with, I believe, Pulmonary edema and died before they could get him to a lower elevation. 

 

Here's a good article about the 2013 climbing season:

http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2013/06/03/everest-2013-season-recap/

 

Here's part of it:

Everest 2013 was a good year for most climbers but a difficult one for the professionals. Overall it could be termed a normal year with little drama with one large exception.

 

As of February 2014, the final 2013 numbers on the Himalayan Database showed that 658 climbers made the summit. There were 539 from the south and 119 from the north side. 9 did not use supplemental oxygen and there were 8 confirmed deaths.

This brings the total summits to be around 6,871 by 4,042 different climbers, meaning that 2,739 climbers, mostly Sherpa, have multiple summits. The south side (Nepal) remains more popular with 4,416 summits while the north (Tibet) has 2,455 summits.

 

Overall 248 people (161 westerners and 87 Sherpas) have died on Everest from 1921 to 2013, 140 on the Nepal side and 108 from Tibet. Since 1990, the deaths as a percentage of summits have dropped to 3.6% due to better gear, weather forecasting and more people climbing with commercial operations. Annapurna is the deadliest 8000 meter mountain with a summit to death ratio of 2:1 deaths for every summit (109:55).

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I disagree with a few of the posts that express a belief that a lot of the current climbers aren't properly prepared. I would say that almost all of them are very well prepared and know exactly what they are getting into. Many of those who have died on Everest have been world class mountaineers. It's just a very dangerous place regardless of fitness level.

 

In 1985, a good friend's bother died on Everest; he was 23, incredibly fit and an experienced climber. He had no plans on making a summit attempt but was making the trek to Camp 2 at just over 21,000 ft. He became ill with, I believe, Pulmonary edema and died before they could get him to a lower elevation. 

 

Here's a good article about the 2013 climbing season:

http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2013/06/03/everest-2013-season-recap/

 

Here's part of it:

Everest 2013 was a good year for most climbers but a difficult one for the professionals. Overall it could be termed a normal year with little drama with one large exception.

 

As of February 2014, the final 2013 numbers on the Himalayan Database showed that 658 climbers made the summit. There were 539 from the south and 119 from the north side. 9 did not use supplemental oxygen and there were 8 confirmed deaths.

This brings the total summits to be around 6,871 by 4,042 different climbers, meaning that 2,739 climbers, mostly Sherpa, have multiple summits. The south side (Nepal) remains more popular with 4,416 summits while the north (Tibet) has 2,455 summits.

 

Overall 248 people (161 westerners and 87 Sherpas) have died on Everest from 1921 to 2013, 140 on the Nepal side and 108 from Tibet. Since 1990, the deaths as a percentage of summits have dropped to 3.6% due to better gear, weather forecasting and more people climbing with commercial operations. Annapurna is the deadliest 8000 meter mountain with a summit to death ratio of 2:1 deaths for every summit (109:55).

I'm not purporting to be an expert on this stuff.  Pulmonary or cerebral edema can happen to anyone regardless of fitness level.

 

When I was reading the Krakauer book, it just seemed like some of the teams had climbers that needed a lot of personal attention or weren't in the necessary condition to be up there but had paid a bunch of cash so they were giving it a go.

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I'm not purporting to be an expert on this stuff.  Pulmonary or cerebral edema can happen to anyone regardless of fitness level.

 

When I was reading the Krakauer book, it just seemed like some of the teams had climbers that needed a lot of personal attention or weren't in the necessary condition to be up there but had paid a bunch of cash so they were giving it a go.

 

I haven't read the book but concede that there may be some truth to your statement. At the same time, it's interesting that the "death rate"  has been declining.

 

edit: I think it says something about the activity when they keep track of death rates/summit!

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I disagree with a few of the posts that express a belief that a lot of the current climbers aren't properly prepared. I would say that almost all of them are very well prepared and know exactly what they are getting into. Many of those who have died on Everest have been world class mountaineers. It's just a very dangerous place regardless of fitness level.

 

In 1985, a good friend's bother died on Everest; he was 23, incredibly fit and an experienced climber. He had no plans on making a summit attempt but was making the trek to Camp 2 at just over 21,000 ft. He became ill with, I believe, Pulmonary edema and died before they could get him to a lower elevation. 

 

Here's a good article about the 2013 climbing season:

http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2013/06/03/everest-2013-season-recap/

 

Here's part of it:

Everest 2013 was a good year for most climbers but a difficult one for the professionals. Overall it could be termed a normal year with little drama with one large exception.

 

As of February 2014, the final 2013 numbers on the Himalayan Database showed that 658 climbers made the summit. There were 539 from the south and 119 from the north side. 9 did not use supplemental oxygen and there were 8 confirmed deaths.

This brings the total summits to be around 6,871 by 4,042 different climbers, meaning that 2,739 climbers, mostly Sherpa, have multiple summits. The south side (Nepal) remains more popular with 4,416 summits while the north (Tibet) has 2,455 summits.

 

Overall 248 people (161 westerners and 87 Sherpas) have died on Everest from 1921 to 2013, 140 on the Nepal side and 108 from Tibet. Since 1990, the deaths as a percentage of summits have dropped to 3.6% due to better gear, weather forecasting and more people climbing with commercial operations. Annapurna is the deadliest 8000 meter mountain with a summit to death ratio of 2:1 deaths for every summit (109:55).

I agree most of the people climbing are highly experienced but still die.  Heck look at the Sherpa's.  They have climbed that particular mountain more than anyone and they still die due to the dangerous nature of the sport. 

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Let them climb. If they die, so be it. I never for the life understood why anyone would want to climb Everest now, considering how many people have done it. But I've never understood mountain climbing in general.

Planning is an exercise of power, and in a modern state much real power is suffused with boredom. The agents of planning are usually boring; the planning process is boring; the implementation of plans is always boring. In a democracy boredom works for bureaucracies and corporations as smell works for skunk. It keeps danger away. Power does not have to be exercised behind the scenes. It can be open. The audience is asleep. The modern world is forged amidst our inattention.

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