|
socialclimber
Jun 18, 2006, 8:36 AM
Post #1 of 2
(1830 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 18, 2001
Posts: 1163
|
The dissection of David Sharps death continues while Xweb takes another stab at Russell Brice. See the story at Mount Everest.com
|
|
|
|
|
climbwild
Jun 19, 2006, 12:06 AM
Post #2 of 2
(1830 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 18, 2006
Posts: 5
|
Asian Trekking, Russell Brice, 7summits and all the other commericial pogues of 8000m climbing are what's wrong with the Big E now. It used to be that to climb Everest you had to be a seasoned mountaineer of unquestioned experience and caliber, invited by an expedition, after careful screening of your climbing resume and personal traits for compatability with the rest of the expedition and to make sure your experience was sufficient.
Then the "guides" got hold of the Himalaya and started charging clients up to 70,000K for their services, which meant you carried nothing but your own necessities for the day, while Sherpas did all the work. Any idiot with lots of money could be dragged up the Big E, and many were. Big bucks were no guarantee of success or survival however, as many found out, especially those climbing with Rob Hall and Scott Fisher in 1996.
Now, any number of "budget" priced expeditions will lead you up Everest for around 15,000K, basically financing the guides' own ascents while the clients often remain in high camps on summit day, or are left behind to die (i.e. Lincoln Hall, left by 7summits "leader" Harry Kikstra, then rescued by Sherpas the next day after a night in the open.) These run of the mill outfits seem to multiply like cockroaches every year and have turned a once-majestic peak into a circus and a joke.
People don't seem to mind a few more dead bodies up there every year.....it's good copy for news, and basic human nature seems to invite watching death and tragedy unfold, as long as it's happening to someone else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
