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21 Killed n Mount Everest

11K views 79 replies 31 participants last post by  eyepal 
#1 ·
News seen on msn, CNN, Washington Post and more. At last count, 21 have died.
 
#9 ·
At one time, it was an impressive feat. Now, it seems so much more narcissistic than anything.

Cost to summit Everest exceeds $50,000. FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS! I've even read books (K2 and Into Thin Air) that explains the real costs are 6 figure dollar amounts. And odds are good you're going to lose body parts to frostbite, and odds of death are relatively high as well...

One could literally change a person's life with that money. Show up at a poor families house and pay off their home, or buy them groceries for 10 years, etc.

If you can't find something more altruistic do throw your money at, I give zero ***** about your fate on Everest.

About the only worst rich people are big game hunters who are the scum of the earth.
 
#10 ·
Where do you think that 5 to 6 figures is going.

The money that the sherpas make will change 100's of 1,000's of lives. Even the higher tech job of filling O2 bottles is helping people earn a living. Even back home, hiring trainers. Buying equipment. Boarding your cat for 3 months while you are off on you climb. The money goes to many working people. Why would you take that away from them?

Given the option of showing up on someone's doorstep and just handing them life changing cash may not be a good thing. To many, it would be like winning the lottery.

The recipients would need to put forth some effort. Paying for someone's college would be worthwhile. They have to work for those grades.

In the end, the money is not wasted.
 
#11 ·
Where do you think that 5 to 6 figures is going.

The money that the sherpas make will change 100's of 1,000's of lives. Even the higher tech job of filling O2 bottles is helping people earn a living. Even back home, hiring trainers. Buying equipment. Boarding your cat for 3 months while you are off on you climb. The money goes to many working people. Why would you take that away from them?

Given the option of showing up on someone's doorstep and just handing them life changing cash may not be a good thing. To many, it would be like winning the lottery.

The recipients would need to put forth some effort. Paying for someone's college would be worthwhile. They have to work for those grades.

In the end, the money is not wasted.

And in the end its their money to spend on how they want to. They earned it(or were smart enough to have other people raise the money for them) they can spend it how they like.
 
#14 ·
It sounds like more and more are going up there in good condition but not Everest condition. The American that died was 62. That might be a little old for the journey. He fell (maybe because he wasn't up for it), but the article said someone died tied off to the safety line and that line of people getting up and down in the photo above step over him on the way up and down.
 
#15 ·
Maybe rich people should stop putting Sherpa's lives at risk and instead just donate money to them altruistically. Stop destroying the mountain with litter. Nobody dies. Money is injected into the Nepal economy. Win-win for everyone.

In brief research, I've seen numbers from 4000 to 6500 assents. I've seen numbers from 265 to 300 deaths. Over 80 Sherpa deaths.

So for any climber, that's roughly 1 in 15 chance of dying. And far larger number of serious injuries like frostbite. And of the deaths, about 20% have been Sherpas....

Yesterday, 11 tons of trash were removed thru various agency efforts to clean up the "Highest garbage dump in the world" aka Mt. Everest.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/nep...11-tonnes-of-trash-from-mount-everest-2043767

"Hundreds of foreign mountaineers spend thousands of dollars to conquer the peak every spring season, which normally begins in early April and lasts until May. As they go on the dangerous climb, they leave behind a trail of litter.

Various stakeholders, including the Tourism Ministry, the Nepali Army, the Nepal Mountaineering Association, the Nepal Tourism Board, the Sagarmatha National Park, the SPCC and the local government have joined hands for this clean-up campaign.

In recent times, Everest has often earned the moniker of the world's highest garbage dump.

Several tonnes of old equipment, oxygen cylinders, rubbish and human waste litter the famous mountain."





 
#17 ·
I agree with the litering part. However, who are you to say what people should or shouldnt do with their money? Who are you to say what people should do to earn that money?
 
#20 ·
A number of the guiding companies are actually owned and run by sherpas.

The death rate has dropped over the last 10-15 years due to better organization from the guiding companies.

The congestion issue arises because of the limited days that you can actually summit. Will they cap numbers , unlikely to be a straight cap, but there is discussion around people wanting to climb to have previous high altitude climbing experience before being allowed to climb the big peaks.
 
#26 ·
Death rate and estimates are all over the place. Simple math shows around 1 in 15. Think about that. 1 in 15. And even those who live, have a significant chance of losing a foot, toes, hands and/or fingers.

This article said odds are 1 in 62, or about 1%. Seems to be fuzzy math, maybe they are not including Sherpas or excluding multi-trip or only those that summit? Same article says BBC calculates it's 25% for "older" climbers and 2% for younger climbers.
https://www.climbing.com/news/climbing-everest-who-makes-it-to-the-top/

Even on the "low" end, spending $50-100,000 for an "at best" 2% chance of death or serious injury is not very appealing. And on the high end, 1 in 4 or even 1 in 15 is pretty terrible.

Is there anything you partake in that has even a 1% chance of death today? Probably not. How about 25% chance of death? Or otherwise extremely high likelihood of injury?

Probably the most risky think most folks do that can have an instant deadly result is driving. And odds of death while driving are extremely remote. About 100 deaths per day, out of hundreds of millions of daily drivers.

Yeah, I just think it's foolish and have zero sympathy for people who spend their money on such foolish selfish narcissism.
 
#28 ·
snipe

Yeah, I just think it's foolish and have zero sympathy for people who spend their money on such foolish selfish narcissism.
I can agree with your last line.

However, it is their choice. While the money is foolishly spent by climbers, it does not go to waste.

People choose to work in that industry because it is better then other options. Close the mountain and condemn many to poverty.
 
#42 ·
That is anathema to experienced climbers. You never leave something behind to aid another climber, pitons, spikes, all verboten in serious climbing, ya gotta earn your wings. Angel wings at that.

This is the first I've seen actual lines in a climb. Looks like something out of a Disney theme park. All that's missing is the fried turkey drumsticks and obese people on electric carts. The line thing cheapens the feat of beating the mountain to me.
 
#37 ·
yeah apparently the backlog is caused by everyone heading out in good weather hoping to get some tanning in.

seriously it is a big tourist thing these days but in reality with only 350 annual licenses to climb issued each year 20 people are year represents a less than 10% casualty rate. the reality is, mount Everest is a really really dangerous mountain to climb for people not sufficiently experienced. With out their guides more people would likely die. Although if anyone wants to see me go risk death and dismemberment message me about the 100,000 transfer and I will top Everest. Because real men can do things like Climb Everest.
 
#47 ·
I feel the same way about cruises. Over priced and dangerous. There aren't that many cruise ships out there, yet they seem to have more problems with disease, storms, breakdowns, etc. (and worst sinking) than other forms of overpriced vacationing. Packed on a boat with thousands of other people and the view is just water. Not to mention don't go on a cruise if you're having any difficulties with your spouse.

Better to fly to Europe and spend your tens of thousands there.
 
#48 ·
I've been on a dozen cruises, never had a problem.
Planes crash, cars wreck, trains derail, people get struck by lightening on the golf course. Safer to just stay home, except slips, trips and falls in the home are a leading cause of accidental death. And most car accidents happen within 7 miles of your home (you should move :D:).

Now back to the subject at hand, Everest.
 
#56 ·
I think this whole Sherpa argument has no correct answer.

Yes, they are taken advantage in some respects and totally ignored (Without looking it up, who was Sir Hillary's sherpa?) But without that industry they would still be where they were in 1950.

The only reason I even know the answer to 'Who was the first Sherpa?', is that I went to college with Tenzing Norgay's son in Northern Wis. An accomplishment that would have been impossible Pre-Expeditions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamling_Tenzing_Norgay

So in the true capitalist spirit I recommend his book.

https://www.amazon.com/Touching-My-Fathers-Soul-Sherpas-ebook/dp/B0069SQ25O
 
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