Everest summits
The Everest summits are slowly piling up. People are reaching the top of Mt. Everest almost daily, thanks to a recent window of good weather.
I have been closely following the Everest Peace Project expedition which approached the mountain from the north side in Tibet. I have met Lance Trumbull shortly in Kathmandu in December ‘02. While trekking in India in summer ‘02, he conceived the idea of climbing the Everest with a diverse group of mountaineers representing major faiths of the world. When I heard about the project then I thought it was ‘a bit’ over-ambitious. But after four years of planning, bringing people and sponsors onboard, and initial troubles (the project was postponed a few times), he persevered and finally succeeded on May 18th, ‘06 when 10 members of his team summitted the Everest. Congrats to all of you guys. You deserve it!!!
Read more about it here:
- Lance’s night: Everest Peace Project Summits 10 (MountEverest.net)
- Everest Climb for Peace 2006
There is a short summit video on the above website. Watch it, it’s cool;)Also, Jamie McGuinness, who I know from my previous Himalayan escapades, summitted the Everest for the second time (He was the climbing director of the team). So, now guys get you ‘asses’ off the mountain safely and enjoy your success;)
Speaking of Everest summits, a New Zealander who also happens to be a double amputee (Mark Inglis), arrived back in NZ the other day from his successful climb of Everest. Another New Zealander, who happens to be the first person along with Sherper Tenzing to summit Everest (Sir Edmund Hillary) has criticized Inglis for not abandoning his climb to save a dying British climber…full story here and here.
Rob
Comment by rob thomson | May 26, 2006
That video on the website is awesome by the way. I got goose bumps all over.
Rob
Comment by rob | May 26, 2006
Thanks for the links, Rob;)
Yep, the Everest this year wasn’t as easy as it looked in the beginning. Despite a long window of good weather, relatively speaking, many people have died. Seven seems to be the current count on the North side, plus three more on the South. The highest since the tragic 1996 year. The good weather seemed to be the trap as many moved up higher with latent AMS. They even summited but found troubles on way down when struck with celebral and/or pulmonary edema.
There is still one rescue going on the North side, as I’m writing this, of Lincoln Hall, who was previously thought to have perished day or two ago, high on the mountain (@ 8,700m). Seems like he might make it. GOOD!!!
I love mountaineering but what is happening every year on Everest just re-inforces my thoughts that there are plenty of ‘lesser’ mountains to climb, and enjoy doing so, rather than to succumb to this ‘pathetic’ conquering mentality of many who are trying to scale the Everest.
But who am I to tell??? I’m enthralled every year following it, but it ‘pisses’ me off when people die unnecessarily… Juan Oiarzabal said it well here:
In my opinion, solidarity doesn’t exist on Everest. And the reason is, that most of the climbers attempting that mountain are not experienced Himalaya mountaineers,” he said. “I wouldn’t even consider many of them climbers.”
“Too often people go to Everest without knowing what it is like above 8000m. They pay huge amounts of money – and they don’t pay for a climb, but for a summit. Thus, reaching the summit becomes their first and only priority. In order to get the summit, they will use all the resources they can afford: Sherpas, bottled O2, camps and ropes previously fixed, etc… Up there, everybody focus on their own progress only, selfishly pursuing their goal.”
“They don’t care for the rest.”
Comment by Rich | May 26, 2006