UKC

NEWS: Griffith, Steck and Moro Attacked On Everest

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 UKC News 29 Apr 2013
Ueli Steck, Jon Griffith and Simone Moro at camp 2. "We were told to put on our helmets, pack our bags, and run.", 5 kbJon Griffith, Ueli Steck and Simone Moro have been attacked by Sherpas on Everest. Steck has a bloody lip from a rock thrown in his face and Griffith and Moro have suffered bruising from being punched and kicked. All three were threatened with death.

The climbers had an altercation with a Sherpa team fixing ropes on the mountain, which led to a huge mob of around 100 Sherpas attacking the climbers when they returned down to Camp 2.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=68020

 Blue Straggler 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:


Wow - what an awful episode. Hope something gets resolved in a civilised manner.
 Jus 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Blue Straggler:

Horrendous, so glad that it did not escalate.
In reply to UKC News:

That's a crazy situation. Glad everyone appears to be OK.

In reply to UKC News: Glad no one was seriously injured, hopefully this episode can act as a springboard for debate and resolve the underlying issues the Sherpas have with Westerners and other visitors to the mountain
 Short&Savage 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

It appears to be in mainstream news now as well.

The usual drivel of a reporting from the daily fail with wrong names (Wool Stick instead of Ueli Steck) and feet instead of metres...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316109/Mount-Everest-fisticuffs-7-...
 Jeromeg 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: Next Danny Boyle film = 127 Sherpas
 Frank4short 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: There's something very peculiar about this whole story and how it's being relayed. It's very much the plucky world class climbers being attacked by the sherpa mob. I don't doubt that something serious did happen but so far the story is very one sided and until we hear something more than a translation of the original italian piece that Simone Moro blogged I'll reserve judgement on the mob.
 Frank4short 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Short&Savage:

> The usual drivel of a reporting from the daily fail with wrong names (Wool Stick instead of Ueli Steck) and feet instead of metres...

It's all coming from the same source a blog piece moro posted online in Italian. So whilst the mailonline's piece maybe garbage it's a lot less bad than it initially appears once seen in the context of the Source material. Mind you think they'd have at a minimum gotten it professionally translated rather than just using an online translator (that's where the wool stick is coming from).
 The Pylon King 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

was anyone arrested?
 Banned User 77 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Frank4short:
> (In reply to UKC News) There's something very peculiar about this whole story and how it's being relayed. It's very much the plucky world class climbers being attacked by the sherpa mob. I don't doubt that something serious did happen but so far the story is very one sided and until we hear something more than a translation of the original italian piece that Simone Moro blogged I'll reserve judgement on the mob.

I've seen two opposite stories.. no doubt the truth lies somewhere in the middle..
 swiss gneiss 29 Apr 2013
Wool Stick and Simboli Moro the dailymail calls the guys. It seams the only funny thing in this affair.

Very sad indeed what the sherpas did. no proper alpinistic behavior what so ever. probably simones italian curses did not make things better but it seams not appropriate how the sherpas behave on the ice face neither what happened down in camp 2. that's nightmarish for sure...

Raymond Reyes 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

from the Himalyan Times... www.himalayantimes.com

Eyewitness describes 'terrifying' Everest brawl


AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE
KATHMANDU: A mountaineer on Everest described Monday the "terrifying" scene of two famous European climbers fighting with Nepalese guides in a high-altitude brawl that has sparked a police investigation.

Ueli Steck, a Swiss national who holds climbing records, and Simone Moro of Italy, who has climbed Everest four times, were approaching the 7,470-metre (24,500 feet) Camp Three on Saturday when the bust-up occurred.

The American eyewitness, speaking to AFP by telephone and on condition of anonymity, said Steck and Moro were asked to wait on the mountain while a group of Nepalese rigged up some ropes.

The Europeans, accompanied by a photographer recording their attempt to climb the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) mountain by a new "undisclosed" route without supplementary oxygen, ignored the request and carried on, the eyewitness said.

"The Sherpas told the team not to climb above them while they were fixing the ropes but they did it anyway. Then some ice fell and hit the Sherpas, which made them angry," he said.

Later in the day, a furious mob of Nepalese stormed up towards the climbers' tents and pelted them with stones until the men came outside, after which a loud argument ensued and punches were allegedly thrown.

"After a while the mob left, and the climbers packed up and walked past us down -- as far as we knew they were leaving the mountain," the eyewitness added. "It was terrifying to watch -- they nearly got killed."

Police near the world's highest mountain are investigating the incident, local officials told AFP.

"We were told our clients disagreed with the instructions of the Sherpa guides and went ahead over some icy terrain," said Anish Gupta of Cho-Oyu Trekking, the Kathmandu-based company that organised the Europeans' expedition.

"We understand that at some point the foreign climbers kicked some ice back and it hit one of the Sherpa guides, causing the fight to start," Gupta told AFP.

According to the climbing company, the men have since descended from the upper stretches of the mountain.

Raj Kumar, a police constable in Lukla, told AFP that Steck spent the night at a hospital near the airport in the town but was "totally normal" and did not show any sign of injuries.

On Monday morning Steck flew in a helicopter back to Everest's base camp to rejoin Moro, who had remained on the mountain. The pair are reportedly mulling whether to try again to reach the summit.

AFP was unable to reach the European climbers for comment. Their trekking company said they did not have mobile phones.

More than 3,000 people have climbed Everest, which straddles Nepal and China, since it was first conquered by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Every year hundreds more set out in April to attempt the climb.
 jon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Raymond Reyes:

However, the translation to English that camp2camp have posted (that I assume Frank is referring to above) is far more entertaining! http://www.camptocamp.org/forums/viewtopic.php?pid=1823088#p1823088
In reply to Frank4short:
> It's all coming from the same source a blog piece moro posted online in Italian. So whilst the mailonline's piece maybe garbage it's a lot less bad than it initially appears once seen in the context of the Source material. Mind you think they'd have at a minimum gotten it professionally translated rather than just using an online translator (that's where the wool stick is coming from).

The UKC report comes direct from Jon Griffith.

Alan
 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

I agree with Frank - we need to hear the full story. It certainly seems like a press release was got out quick from Moro , Steck and Griffiths ( which is understandable ), which means it's there side of the story which gets the coverage.

For whatever reason the whole thing seems to have escalated beyond reason and as has been stated the truth probably lies somewhere in-between. Either way it yet again raises the debate about there being 'to many' people on the mountain.
 dutybooty 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: The eye witness account posted on here is interesting as its from an uninvolved party and shows no mention of an attack from 100 sherpas, mentions no crossing rope, and clearly states Ueli's party as being above the sherpas when problems started.

Completely contradicting Griffiths and Moros accounts.
In reply to dutybooty:
> (In reply to UKC News) The eye witness account posted on here is interesting as its from an uninvolved party and shows no mention of an attack from 100 sherpas, mentions no crossing rope, and clearly states Ueli's party as being above the sherpas when problems started.

I suggest you re-read it.

Alan
 Jamie B 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:

> The UKC report comes direct from Jon Griffith.

Really? It reads a bit clunky for Jon, I'd initially assumed it was a tidying-up of a translation.


 Blue Straggler 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:
> (In reply to dutybooty)
> [...]
>
> I suggest you re-read it.
>

You suggest dutybooty re-read WHICH? The text being referred to (pasted in this thread by Raymond Reyes) does exactly what dutybooty says, unless Jon Griffith's article has been altered since I last read it 2 hours ago
 Blue Straggler 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Jamie B:
> (In reply to Alan James - UKC and UKH)
>
> [...]
>
> Really? It reads a bit clunky for Jon, I'd initially assumed it was a tidying-up of a translation.


Alan said it COMES from Jon, not that Jon wrote it.
 dutybooty 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Raymond Reyes:
> (In reply to UKC News)
>
>
> The American eyewitness

Sherpas, Swiss, English and Italian involved. So independent of the incident.


> "The Sherpas told the team not to climb above them while they were fixing the ropes but they did it anyway. Then some ice fell and hit the Sherpas, which made them angry," he said.

No mention of crossing below the Sherpas ropes. But above them. The "Western" accounts say they crossed at a belay below the lead climber, so no ice could possibly fall on any of them. This says different.

>
> Later in the day, a furious mob of Nepalese stormed up towards the climbers' tents and pelted them with stones until the men came outside, after which a loud argument ensued and punches were allegedly thrown.
>

Since the Sherpa team involved were 17/18 people. This would constitute a mob would it not? Rather than the 100 quoted.


I don't see what I'm misreading.
 off-duty 29 Apr 2013
In reply to dutybooty:

Do you think the American eyewitness was up there fixing ropes - or do you think he is providing a third hand account of how the initial incident was described to him?
 Motown 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Short&Savage: Wool Stick is pretty funny - especially as they get it right earlier on.
 dutybooty 29 Apr 2013
In reply to off-duty: Key phrase is eyewitness in my mind.

Did think it was strange there were any Sherpas there at all as its supposed to be a new route and apparently the Sherpas were in a different group/climbing team (from how I read the accounts anyway)
 Alex Buisse 29 Apr 2013
In reply to dutybooty:

> Sherpas, Swiss, English and Italian involved. So independent of the incident.


And most likely hearsay, since only the sherpas and the three alpinists were at the incident site.


> Since the Sherpa team involved were 17/18 people. This would constitute a mob would it not? Rather than the 100 quoted.


The team of 17 was at the incident site. The mob of 100+ was a few hours later when they descended at a lower camp.
 TobyA 29 Apr 2013
In reply to dutybooty: The description seemed clear enough - one sherpa was leading, fixing ropes, other sherpas were below him presumably belaying. The European team crossed the ropes between the lead sherpa and the others. The lead sherpa said they were knocking ice down onto his belayers - he then fixed and abseiled his own line seemingly down onto Steck - hence the argument that Steck "touched" him - Steck claims he was fending off someone about to land on his head. The Europeans seem to contest that knocked ice down on to the sherpas belaying the lead guy.
 dutybooty 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: The point being theres no proper account from the Sherpas yet. I also think we're pretty unlikely to get one.
In reply to dutybooty:

I can't help feeling that there may be a 'backstory' to this that goes back many months or even years. Obviously, if the European version is even half correct, the Sherpa behaviour was completely unacceptable. However, it does suggest a deep (and very untypical) level of hatred. In my (very good) experience of hiring porter/sherpas, it soon became very clear to me that there was a kind of unwritten code that one had to work within. My porter, who was carrying all my Hasselblad camera gear and tripod in a wicker basket suspended from his head, was very heavily laden, so I offered to take some of the load. He would have none of it, and was obviously offended at the suggestion. The implication being (because he was very young) that he wasn't strong enough. But the 'subtext' most definitely was that he had been hired to do this job and was going to do it to the very best of his ability. There is a hierarchy, yes, but based on total mutual respect. i.e. each member of the team has a prescribed job and is equally important. The Sherpas have a great, and very well deserved, sense of pride in their job/s, and anything which is seen as undermining this is taken as a mark of disrespect.

The nearest equivalent to this attitude in the UK that I have come across is in the film industry, where, under the best directors, every member of the crew is regarded and treated as being equally important, each being a vital part of the whole team effort.

I suspect that, with the revolting increase in sheer commercialism and absurd numbers of teams, climbers, sherpas and porters now involved on Everest, something of these old mores has been lost, and that often sherpas and porters are treated as mere lackeys. I think that skipping about directly above sherpas doing the very important job of fixing ropes may have been taken (perhaps wrongly) as being disrespectful, i.e as if they were mere labourers, to be circumvented. I don't know, just guessing, but suggest that there may have been a long build up of subtle psychological tensions here.
 Damo 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

I also see some contradictions between the reports, but really it's comparing apples with oranges with bananas, given all we don't know about the actual incident. There are other issues at play behind the scenes, which may or may not come out. Some of them should come out.

I did find this interesting though:

"Ueli Steck tried to help calm the situation by offering to help fix the lines up to Camp 3 but this only made matters worse"...

so then a bit later,

"... To help smooth things over Ueli Steck fixed a further 260m of rope to Camp 3."

Er, good work Ueli! :-o
 Blue Straggler 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
>
> The nearest equivalent to this attitude in the UK that I have come across is in the film industry, where, under the best directors....

Come on Gordon, drop us a name please
 off-duty 29 Apr 2013
In reply to dutybooty:

Eyewitness to what occured in the camp.
pram 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: Is there likely to be anything in the fact that these guys are attempting a new route without supplimental Oxygen, and presumably without Sherpas? From what he's done previously, I'd expect Ueli to be climbing in a more alpine, fast and light style, without Sherpas if possible. might this be rubbing them the wrong way?
 Tom Last 29 Apr 2013
In reply to off-duty:
> (In reply to dutybooty)
>
> Eyewitness to what occured in the camp.

Probably, unless the eyewitness is part of another team independent of the sherpas on the mountain.
 Damo 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> (In reply to dutybooty)
>
> I can't help feeling that there may be a 'backstory' to this that goes back many months or even years. Obviously, if the European version is even half correct, the Sherpa behaviour was completely unacceptable. .... The Sherpas have a great, and very well deserved, sense of pride in their job/s, and anything which is seen as undermining this is taken as a mark of disrespect..... but suggest that there may have been a long build up of subtle psychological tensions here.

I agree Gordon, even aside from this particular incident. There are other factors involved as well though. The Sherpas today are better informed, better trained, better connected that they were 10 or 15 years ago and the relationships have changed a bit. They probably feel their side has changed more though and maybe the other side has not come across as much as they'd like. They do many times more trips through the icefall and up the face than the clients, assume that much more risk, some die doing that job, and yet get a fraction of the pay, and recognition, that the paying guided clients get. All sorts of things have been put forward to justify the imbalance, but it's still an imbalance, and an obvious one, and one that is increasingly hard to justify in 2013. Bashing and threatening people is not the answer though.
In reply to Blue Straggler:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
> [...]
>
> Come on Gordon, drop us a name please

Stephen Spielberg is a very good example. I saw it during Raiders of the Lost Ark (I was working on another film at Elstree at the time). He had storyboards of every scene all round the stages in question so that everyone on the crew knew exactly what he was aiming to get. All the best directors, likewise, gave you the same feeling of belonging almost to a family club. Actors too. Albert Finney, was a good example. On the first day of rushes for The Dresser. He came up to me at the end of the rushes (in his full Dresser costume) with his arm extended to shake hands with me. I was gobsmacked. He said, 'I don't know you, and I like to know everyone on the crew.'

Anyhow, we're off topic, but you did ask.

 Frank4short 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Alan James - Rockfax: Which is the exact same as the one on Simone Moro's web page. Which is basically a higher quality translation as the original blog post he put up in Italian.
 Skyfall 29 Apr 2013
I can't say I'm surprised by this. I would guess there is some blame on both sides. Even if the 'tourists' did not climb above the lead sherpa, they were soloing around his ropes probably making him nervous - which was a little arrogant perhaps even if they took care not to interfere with them. I am sure we've all had experiences where we have been hacked off by other climbers who came a little too close for comfort even though they probably felt they had done nothing technically wrong. However, even if that was the case here, it doesn't come close to justifying the end result.

With each successive trip I have taken to the area I have found the locals to be less genuinely welcoming and more commercially minded, but that is understandable and to be expected. It would be surprising if the financial imbalance between the two societies does not start to create problems as their tourist industry (and the people of the region generally) develops and, as other have said, they become more aware of it through the media and their own travels.
 itsThere 29 Apr 2013
In reply to TobyA: How can you knock ice down on a person below you and then they abseil down to where you are. There has to be more to this. Maybe please can you go back there are no fixed ropes, then it somehow snowballed.
 TobyA 29 Apr 2013
In reply to itsThere: Huh? From what the description said they crossed (traversed) the Sherpas' ropes. There was one Sherpa above them, and other sherpas below. The Sherpa leader didn't say he had been hit by ice, but his partners (below him) had been. Steck and co. denied this.
 Jack Geldard 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: Just to reiterate:

This report came directly to UKC from Jon Griffith at Everest Base Camp. It was written by all three climbers.

Jon also included the photograph of the three climbers at camp 2 after the incident, but before they 'legged it' back to basecamp. The photo was sent after I requested it.

There are translations of this report elsewhere online, and there are English translations of the translations of this report elsewhere online!

Thanks,

Jack
 dutybooty 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: Ever so slightly off topic. Anyone know what boots Moro is wearing in that picture?
 drunken monkey 29 Apr 2013
In reply to dutybooty: From what I'm reading, this was on the Lhotse face - so standard route. I'd imagine the sherpa's were fixing ropes for the hordes.
 HimTiggins 29 Apr 2013
In reply to dutybooty:

La sportiva crosslites: http://www.sportiva.com/products/footwear/mountain-running/crosslite

now back on topic ...
 geordiepie 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> (In reply to dutybooty)
>
> Obviously, if the European version is even half correct, the Sherpa behaviour was completely unacceptable.

I don't think the attack is in question just circumstances leading up to it.

Regardless of the background you do not attack someone over what actually sounds like a fairly minor incident. Hopefully the attackers will be identified and suitably punished just like you or I would if we threw a rock in someone's face.
In reply to geordiepie:

Agreed, it sounds like a crime was committed. But I am simply daring to suggest that there may be a deeper malaise that led to it, and also needs to be addressed.
 itsThere 29 Apr 2013
In reply to TobyA: Ah I see, one of the other reports reads like they went above them.
 geordiepie 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Aye fair point...given that nobody was seriously hurt perhaps some good could even come of it.

Once they've calmed down it would be nice to see the climbers (and their sponsors) do their bit to highlight some of the issues Sherpas face. I'm sure they'll be interviewed about this MANY times in the next few weeks so there'll be plenty of opportunity.
longol 29 Apr 2013
Hmm, would be interesting to understand what led Steck to offer to put up the fixed ropes.

I can't imagine offering to carry a sherpa's rucksack let alone fix his ropes unless it was said with a great deal of humour.

To then go ahead and fix those ropes anyway would have been construed as confrontational to say the least.

They would also want to check the work done, regardless of his reputation, so a stupid act. Only my opinion
 Damo 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Damo:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
> [...]
>
> I agree Gordon, even aside from this particular incident. There are other factors involved as well though.

As here:
"The reasons behind the attack are complicated and deep-rooted and to do with the relationship between Westerners and Nepalis on the mountain over many years." - Jon Griffith

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/into-the-death-threat-zone
 dutybooty 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: Just playing with possibilities here. Rather unfounded.

Is it possible the Sherpa leading was giving Ueli and Co some verbal, and when he abseiled Ueli's "lifting hands to protect himself" was something more?

I'm just playing devils advocate here.
 radson 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Simone just looks plain freaky in that pic.
 swiss gneiss 29 Apr 2013
well mate, I can't imagine Ueli to do so... he definitely is kind of a mellow guy.

but what I could think of is that after the leading sherpa refused Uelis offer to fix ropes up to Camp 3 he and his sherpa friends realy pissed off as he did anyway. If it's true and the sherpas felt awkward already because Ueli ond his pack moved so fast and without ropes besides them, this could have been the straw that broke the camels back.
Kevin Rutherford 29 Apr 2013
In reply to radson: Looks better than Ueli, Ueli's either just had his 10 rounds with the porters or fixing 250m's of line has just caught up with him.....
 Tom Last 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Ecosse Mountains:

They all look a bit amped up don't they.
 Epsilon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Series of quotes from Steve House on Twitter:

Steve House ‏@stevehouse10 17m
In 2011, while acclimating on the normal route on Makalu we climbed solo next to fixed lines. Lead sherpa threatened us there as well.

Steve House ‏@stevehouse10 16m
There is a gross misunderstanding of modern climbing by most sherpas in Nepal, likely created by Everest and Ama Dablam "guiding".

Steve House ‏@stevehouse10 15m
We explained we were going to attempt to climb new route on West Face. They replied: "If you fix a new route, we will not follow you."

Steve House ‏@stevehouse10 13m
I can see that the Everest workers/sherpas could feel threatened by what they see as the 'emergence' of climbers who don't need them.
 martinph78 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Epsilon:
> (In reply to UKC News)
> I can see that the Everest workers/sherpas could feel threatened by what they see as the 'emergence' of climbers who don't need them.


Surely that's not a realistic fear as it is only a very small minority of climbers who will attempt to climb in this way?
 Blue Straggler 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Epsilon:
>
> Steve House ‏@stevehouse10 13m
> I can see that the Everest workers/sherpas could feel threatened by what they see as the 'emergence' of climbers who don't need them.


Maybe it's a concern that if "light and fast" becomes popular, there will be more accidents? Sherpas are often involved in rescues of other parties aren't they?
In reply to Martin1978:

> Surely that's not a realistic fear as it is only a very small minority of climbers who will attempt to climb in this way?

Probably quite similar to the multitude of "thin end of the wedge" alarmism that happens here. It doesn't have to be realistic to scare people who depend on the job.
 off-duty 29 Apr 2013
In reply to dutybooty:
> (In reply to UKC News) Just playing with possibilities here. Rather unfounded.
>
> Is it possible the Sherpa leading was giving Ueli and Co some verbal, and when he abseiled Ueli's "lifting hands to protect himself" was something more?
>
> I'm just playing devils advocate here.

If you want to indulge in ill-informed speculation then the bit that leaps out at me is the "get the apology in first" explanation of Simone Moro's behaviour.
But - as I said that would be ill-informed speculation in the highest traditions of UKC

I'm sure there is no difficult situation, under stress and at high altitude that cannot be improved with the arrival of an Italian guide...
( to indicate that this is a joke)
Anuroop 29 Apr 2013
It takes upto $100K (each climber) to climb the everest and a team of around 10 sherpas get about $5K each for three months of work. We know most of the work is done by Sherpas and the expedition of about 12-15 people completely rely on them. So only small percentage of the cost is spent on Sherpas. If this is what the article wanted to point out at the end then it may be true. But we cannot forget that climbing Everest for Sherpas is a very hazardous task. They take all the risk of making the way, fixing ropes, navigating the icefalls by fixing ladders so that climbers can climb in relative ease. Yet Sherpas come and do the work because they can climb Everest only once in a season and that is their main source of income for whole year.
So we can at assume that Sherpas are at least sophisticated enough not to pelt stones at some random climbers just because they walked over their ropes, in the process endangering the whole expedition i.e. their livelihood. Western Media has hyped this story too much without considering the Sherpa's side of story. Portraying Sherpas as the culprit do not do justice to the group of people who have served the climbers from all the world with smile and dedication for more than half a century. I wished journalist have uncovered the whole story before reporting like this in all the major medias of the world.
 The Mole 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: Now on the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22336540

The opening quote is inaccuarate:

"Police in Nepal are investigating an alleged fight between two famous European climbers and their Nepalese mountain guides on Mount Everest."

That statement suggests that Steck and Moro were being guided.
donbilbo 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Blue Straggler:
I think the real threat comes from the hundreds of unprepared amateurs who try to "conquer" Mt Everest every season and not from the very few, highly skilled professionals who go "light and fast". It would be a bit hypocritical if the sherpas referred to safety-issues while fixing ropes for their many, mostly incompetent customers.
 GrahamD 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Bob_the_Builder:

> Probably quite similar to the multitude of "thin end of the wedge" alarmism that happens here.

Sorry you'll have to explain that. I'm afraid it makes no sense at all to me.
 Blue Straggler 29 Apr 2013
In reply to donbilbo:

Yup...what I was alluding to was that more unprepared amateurs might start trying "light and fast" ascents.
 drolex 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Epsilon:
"There is a gross misunderstanding of modern climbing by most sherpas in Nepal, likely created by Everest and Ama Dablam guiding"

This sounds very strange to me, like a lack of consideration and respect towards the local guides. Especially in climbing, I have always understood that you had to follow the rules and habits of the locals. You have to accept the idea that these are "their" mountains (well, unless they completely lose respect for their own mountains) and "tourists" (no pejorative meaning here) should go by the local rules. You can be a better climber, you still have to pay respect to the local habits. If they don't do "modern climbing", deal with it - and don't call it "gross misunderstanding".

Regarding the "western" report, I am certainly not at this level of technique, but since when is stepping over the lines ok? (maybe always. You will tell me ) I find it quite dangerous and if someone had done it to me, I would be quite unhappy and scared that the rope could be damaged (and Steck actually stepped on it, not good at all). Of course threats and violence are an excessive reaction.

As always in this type of situations I will consider both parties are wrong.
 jon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to drolex:

> I would be quite unhappy and scared that the rope could be damaged (and Steck actually stepped on it, not good at all).

None of the hundreds of punters staggering up there would step on it, of course.
 Alex Buisse 29 Apr 2013
In reply to drolex:
> Regarding the "western" report, I am certainly not at this level of technique, but since when is stepping over the lines ok? (maybe always. You will tell me ) I find it quite dangerous and if someone had done it to me, I would be quite unhappy and scared that the rope could be damaged (and Steck actually stepped on it, not good at all). Of course threats and violence are an excessive reaction.

Keep in mind these are fixed lines, not a rope between two climbers. So basically, it runs from BC to the summit (when they are fully fixed). If you were never to step over there, that would mean you couldn't cross from one side of the mountain to the other. So yes, it's ok to step over them.
 Oceanic 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Last year Ueli Steck said this in an interview...

"Going to Everest is a different game. It is not real mountaineering but I have to accept the rules. I often had to wait behind the rope-fixers but I would not pass them out of respect for their work".

From...


http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/culture/Finally_I_can_say_I_ve_climbed_Everest....
 drolex 29 Apr 2013
In reply to jon:
Well, exactly. I don't expect Steck has paid to get the right to endanger other people's lives. He has to show the money before being a moron! (I am joking)
Even if it's a fixed rope for mass tourism, I find it wrong as it could lead to damage to the rope (but once again maybe I am wrong myself). Customers are equally wrong but I don't suppose they would understand. Steck is of another caliber.
 drolex 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Alex Buisse:
Ah thanks for pointing that to me, I am afraid I have a gross misunderstanding of the installation of fixed ropes
Still, I suppose this is a kind of ethical grey area but while they are being installed, I wouldn't dare to cross them either.
andic 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Some wonderful comments in the papers from the "chattering classes", UKC may be uninformed but the ignorance on display in the MSM is awe-inspiring
 Robert Durran 29 Apr 2013
In reply to donbilbo:
> (In reply to Blue Straggler)
> I think the real threat comes from the hundreds of unprepared amateurs who try to "conquer" Mt Everest every season and not from the very few, highly skilled professionals who go "light and fast".

Are you not allowed to go light and fast unless someone is paying you to do so? Or is money the only motivation to climb in good style? what on earth is the world coming to?
 dutybooty 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: Daily mail article, Stecks apparently agreed to continue the climb and the Sherpas are offering an apology, which I assume is something not handed over lightly.

Perhaps admitting responsibility?
 Andy Say 29 Apr 2013
In reply to jon:
At that stage I doubt there would be a lead climber tied to the 'top end' though, Jon.
 henwardian 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: I went up Mont Blanc a couple years ago and on the only steep bit of snow there was a total jam of climbers from the time I arrived there on the way up to the time I arrived there on the way down. A few things that happened in the minutes it took us to get through it included:
- Clients trying to pull me off thinking my rope was one of the fixed ones even after being yelled at 4 or 5 times by myself and their guide about exactly which rope not to pull on.
- A guy climbing up along side me, getting his elbow in my ribs and trying to bodily lever me out of the way.
- A cluster of climbers and ropes in the middle of the slope, all shouting at each other and going nowhere.
"cluster***k" didn't even come close to covering it. If you get on extremely crowded, very easy routes up very popular mountains, you are going to get anger and recrimination right and left. You don't have to search very far to find stories of totally unacceptable things happening on routes like the Hornli ridge. Everest is now an exceptionally crowded easy route (technically) where people pay HUGE amounts of money to be there, so really it should come as no surprise at all that egos and tempers will flare and clash and ever more acrimonious incidents will pile up.
I can't really understand why these hardcore guys would be wasting time with Everest. It's been done without oxygen plenty times already and there have to be hundreds of incredibly hard alpine lines they could try on other summits that would be equal or greater than the challenge of the one they have picked.
 Epsilon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to henwardian:
> I can't really understand why these hardcore guys would be wasting time with Everest. It's been done without oxygen plenty times already and there have to be hundreds of incredibly hard alpine lines they could try on other summits that would be equal or greater than the challenge of the one they have picked.

Denis Urubko is there too, planning to attempt a new route up the Southwest Face in alpine style:

http://www.russianclimb.com/urubko_bolotov_everest.html

One look at that picture should explain the appeal of Everest to these climbers: to attempt extremely technically difficult routes at the highest altitude.
 jon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Andy Say:
> (In reply to jon)
> At that stage I doubt there would be a lead climber tied to the 'top end' though, Jon.

Someone running out a static rope on easy snow in order to fix it is hardly a lead climber, Andy. In any case that's rather irrelevant when in the days to come there'll be dozens - no, hundreds - of tired folk jumarring their way to oxygen soaked glory on that rope - and inevitably trampling all over it!
 Michael Gordon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

What an awful incident! Can't see them being very keen to go back.
 Michael Gordon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Epsilon:
> (In reply to henwardian)
> [...]
>
> One look at that picture should explain the appeal of Everest to these climbers: to attempt extremely technically difficult routes at the highest altitude.

Obviously climbing the SW Face alpine style will be a major undertaking. Not saying that face doesn't have some appeal but it was climbed in the 70s - so will hardly be 'the leading edge' nowadays in terms of technicality. Please correct me if I'm wrong!
 Jim Hamilton 29 Apr 2013
In reply to dutybooty:
> (In reply to UKC News) Daily mail article, Stecks apparently agreed to continue the climb and the Sherpas are offering an apology, which I assume is something not handed over lightly.
>
> Perhaps admitting responsibility?

and realising perhaps that stoning the "best" climber in the world, is not good for the Sherpa image ?
 Doug 29 Apr 2013
an alternative to the Daily Mail version by Ed Douglas
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/29/everest-conquest-anniversary-al...
Neil Gresham 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: I can't stress enough here that we've only heard one side of the story from some very driven climbers who might perhaps have had tunnel vision for their goal. My experience of the Sherpa people is that they are the warmest, most generous and most passive people I've ever had the privilege of meeting.
 Dan Moore 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon: Its not a debate there are most certainly 'too many' people on the mountain! Too many people who have paid enough money, but don't have the competence to climb it without exploiting, and over-exploiting sherpas...
 henwardian 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Epsilon:
> (In reply to henwardian)
> [...]
>
> Denis Urubko is there too, planning to attempt a new route up the Southwest Face in alpine style:
>
> http://www.russianclimb.com/urubko_bolotov_everest.html
>
> One look at that picture should explain the appeal of Everest to these climbers: to attempt extremely technically difficult routes at the highest altitude.

There are much bigger faces. There are much harder faces. There are much more dangerous faces. And there are faces with any combination of those factors.
I'd be a lot more impressed by a harder route on a more serious and less well known mountain. Literally the only thing this route has going for it is "It's on the worlds highest mountain" which isn't much of an accolade at all among climbers.
In reply to Neil Gresham:
> (In reply to UKC News) I can't stress enough here that we've only heard one side of the story from some very driven climbers who might perhaps have had tunnel vision for their goal. My experience of the Sherpa people is that they are the warmest, most generous and most passive people I've ever had the privilege of meeting.

Agreed heartily. One has to imagine the prolonged insensitivity and lack of tack and respect towards the Sherpas by Westerners over recent months and years that must have led to this very uncharacteristic burst of violent hatred.
saclimber2000 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: Is UKC a journalistic publication or a mouthpiece? This and the EpicTV video on youtube is really coloured in favour of the europeans and I guess that guys like steck, moro and griffith wouldn't do what has been claimed but come on, lets try at least be a bit impartial.
saclimber2000 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Neil Gresham: Totally!
 Jonny2vests 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Michael Gordon:
> (In reply to Epsilon)
> [...]
>
> Obviously climbing the SW Face alpine style will be a major undertaking. Not saying that face doesn't have some appeal but it was climbed in the 70s - so will hardly be 'the leading edge' nowadays in terms of technicality. Please correct me if I'm wrong!


Well surely, it depends which path you take.
 Dan Moore 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Epsilon: the last line here is surely an important one, that the 'sherpas could feel threatened by what they see as the 'emergence' of climbers who don't need them'. In my opinion the fixing of lines simply for the 'hoards' to jumar up without doing the work themselves, is akin to rape on this sacred mountain... that these guys were climbing 'alpine style' whether or not they dislodged a little ice which dented some egos and pride, is admirable and surely the only way Everest should be attempted in future. Climbing Everest on fixed lines, just because you can afford to pay the guides, would be no less insulting to the mountain than bolting a shiny scaffold system of via ferrata up the nose of El cap.
 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to DanMooreClimbing:
> (In reply to Henry Iddon) Its not a debate there are most certainly 'too many' people on the mountain! Too many people who have paid enough money, but don't have the competence to climb it without exploiting, and over-exploiting sherpas...

So whats your point? Moro, Steck and Griffiths have the right to be there but guided teams don't? There is much talk of the guided teams being full of wealthy people who have no experience what so ever of mountaineering ' taking advantage of sherpas'. I'd like to see some info to support this broad statement. Are you suggesting that most westerners treat sherpas badly?

While there will be a small element of wealthy incompetents buying a guided trip through a 'small' operator I would surmise that the majority of clients on guided trips have indeed some experience of mountaineering - my understanding ( I may be wrong) is that most operators require clients to have done several trips to altitude previously. Say Aconcagua, Ama Dablam, McKinley etc.
 Michael Gordon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Jonny2vests:

Well yes. No doubt I'm wrong here but from what I can recall it looks pretty similar to the line climbed by the 1975 expedition? As far as I understand it the only 'difficult' climbing is through the rock band.
 Michael Gordon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:

I'm think nowadays many are guided up who previously have only done the likes of Kilimanjaro.
 Jamie B 29 Apr 2013
In reply to henwardian:

> Literally the only thing this route has going for it is "It's on the worlds highest mountain" which isn't much of an accolade at all among climbers.

It does however probably help to leverage sponsorship.

 Doug 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Jamie B: Did anyone else hear Ueli Steck (aka Woolly Stick) on the R4 6 O'clock news this evening?
 Robert Durran 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Michael Gordon:
> (In reply to Jonny2vests)
>
> Well yes. No doubt I'm wrong here but from what I can recall it looks pretty similar to the line climbed by the 1975 expedition? As far as I understand it the only 'difficult' climbing is through the rock band.

It actually looks independent of the bonnington expedition line, just crossing it near the top. I think its line through the rockband had been attempted prior to the Bonnington expedition.

 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to DanMooreClimbing:

You seem to hold absolute distain for those on guided expeditions, and talk of Everest as being a sacred mountain.

Are some mountains not 'sacred' and therefore ok for guiding? Is it ok if the 'easy' route up certain mountains become popular?

I may be wrong but you sound elitist.
 TobyA 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: The latest coming from Moroo appears to be they shaken hands and forgiven the sherpas, but Steck and Griffith have packed it in and are heading home http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=40...
 Dan Moore 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon: To: 'whats your point? Moro, Steck and Griffiths have the right to be there but guided teams don't?' ... Yes, that's pretty much it. Otherwise,like my later comment, we might as well bolt via ferrata up el cap, put a cable car up the eiger nordwand, and a train to the top of snowden... oh wait that disaster already happened. if your going to bring a mountain down to your level then there is no mountain... I dont care about their previous 'experience', I care about conduct on the mountain. And if relying on the risk taking of sherpa's whether you pay 10k or 100k, to make you a ladder to the top, and dropping your oxygen bottles off at the South Col LANDFILL SIGHT on the way down is the way to climb it... then a sacred mountain has truly been made a whore...
 THE.WALRUS 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Agreed, sounds like a case of Swiss Guide's arrogance vs Sherpa Power.

I've climbed in the Alps and Himalayas many time - many of the European guides I have encountered have been obnoxious and arrogant...I've only even encountered modest, pleasant Sherpas.
 Sayon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Neil Gresham: +1. It's hard to imagine Sherpas resorting to violence without provocation. Steck et al must be very mindful of their sponsorship deals when drafting press releases following this incident.
 Michael Gordon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Robert Durran: OK cheers.
 Dan Moore 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon: I don't hold 'disdain' for guided expeditions. All mountains are sacred ... and guiding is admirable until this is neglected... And no, I'm not an elitist. I am more a naturalist. Should you wish to pursue an intellectual discussion on the tangent we are headed, then I should very much like to hear your opinions. I am of course young and ignorant, and in this argument more of a theorist ... my only agenda is that of preserving the finite beauty of mountains big and small for the future, and enjoying them with the least possible impact. therefore any attempts in alpine style, even if they fail 100m from the base of a mountain, I hold more worthy than 'conquering' by unfair means... to baulk at the word 'sacred' says it all for modern 'mountaineers'.
In reply to Doug:
> (In reply to Jamie B) Did anyone else hear Ueli Steck (aka Woolly Stick) on the R4 6 O'clock news this evening?

You can listen here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s37mw

Scroll to 27:51
 Michael Gordon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Some folk seem to have a 'whiter than white' view of Sherpas. As with all types of people you will always get a few 'bad apples', so the fixed rope incident is entirely plausible. What's more surprising is what happened back at Camp 2 but what seems certain is that a) it happened, b) it's shocking, and c) there was absolutely no justification for it.
 martinph78 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Alan James - Rockfax: Thanks for that.

If the Sherpas did get ice kicked down onto them causing injury I guess I can see why they might have been a bit upset.

You've only got to read some of the comments that get posted on UKC to realise how upset some people can get over things, and how that quickly turns into a mob (and that sounds like what happened back at camp).

I'm sure tensions run high amongst everyone on the mountain who has their own agenda, and I'm sure none of us will know the true story as those involved will have their own view of what happened and now be trying their best to manage the press.
 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to DanMooreClimbing:
> (In reply to Henry Iddon) my only agenda is that of preserving the finite beauty of mountains big and small for the future, and enjoying them with the least possible impact. therefore any attempts in alpine style, even if they fail 100m from the base of a mountain, I hold more worthy than 'conquering' by unfair means... to baulk at the word 'sacred' says it all for modern 'mountaineers'.

I think your opinion is unrealistic and elitist - and in a sense a 'theory'.

You wish to preserve the mountain and wilderness so it can be enjoyed. My question is enjoyed be whom? An elite?

 malk 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News: surprised that the expedition photographer did not capture the scene...
 Postmanpat 29 Apr 2013
In reply to THE.WALRUS:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
>
> Agreed, sounds like a case of Swiss Guide's arrogance vs Sherpa Power.
>
>
I don't think that was Gordon's point nor was it that simple.
craigloon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to malk:
> (In reply to UKC News) surprised that the expedition photographer did not capture the scene...

I think you'll find he was otherwise engaged at the time. As in being beaten and feart for his life.
 Damo 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to DanMooreClimbing)
> [...]
>
> So whats your point? Moro, Steck and Griffiths have the right to be there but guided teams don't? There is much talk of the guided teams being full of wealthy people who have no experience what so ever of mountaineering ' taking advantage of sherpas'. I'd like to see some info to support this broad statement. Are you suggesting that most westerners treat sherpas badly?
>
>


FFS, it's not about 'rights' to be anywhere! Treat Sherpas badly? Usually not. Taking advantage of Sherpas? Yes, they do. But it's not obvious extreme bad behaviour is the problem. It's that the accepted status quo that commercial expeditions, particularly Everest, are built on is exploitative and the Sherpas are getting jack of it, unsurprisingly. They take multiple more risk for a fraction of the reward on offer. Everyone has accepted this due to some self-serving ad hoc theories of international economics, but that is bullshit and it always was bullshit, it's just bullshit that worked in our favour. They're human beings, not inputs to an economic equation.

Moro has just said almost exactly what I wrote further above in this thread, about the changing relationship:
"But the relationship between Sherpa and westerners has changed a lot. I think the Sherpa are aware of how much money goes into all of this and they no longer accept that it’s not all theirs."
http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=40...

Steve House's comments are yet more evidence that large-scale commercial expedition mountaineering on Everest / Ama Dablam etc has filtered through to other mountaineering, in a detrimental way. I've banged on about that here countless times, but Steve is famous, so take it from him, not me. These things don't happen in isolation, we can't just do what we want, our actions affect others, it's not a free-for-all. So many people seem to have a hard time understanding that, because it affects them getting what they want, and nothing else matters than that.
In reply to Damo:

I suspect you're getting near to hitting the nail on the head.
In reply to Damo:

PS. The kind of deeper analysis that you're applying to the problem is surely what needs to be done now.
 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Damo:

Are those comments aimed at me or DanMooreClimbing ? Or a general point?

DanMooreClimbing has a very elitist attitude and suggested that climbers doing hard new routes are eligible to be on the mountain but other guided parties not. I was asking him to clarify his point.

I'm not disagreeing with what you say, but unless there is suddenly a very small number of permits issued I wonder how the issue can be resolved re numbers, or what can be done done share the profits / give the sherpas a higher stake in proceedings.
 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> (In reply to Damo)
>
> PS. The kind of deeper analysis that you're applying to the problem is surely what needs to be done now.

Exactly. Glib elitist remarks complaining about 'hordes' not deserving to be on the mountain isn't going to solve it - whats needed is a deeper debate.
In reply to Henry Iddon:

It's so obvious, isn't it? We've got to analyse just what's gone wrong to bring one of the truly nicest peoples in the world, famous for their calm, wit, intelligence and fortitude, to such a state of anger. Like Neil Gresham, I have never met such strong, calm, solid, nice people in all my life as the Sherpas. I see them as icons that we should all try to emulate.
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I meant really 'role models' rather than 'icons'. And I'm being 101 per cent serious about my evaluation.
 steveej 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon: maybe people jumaring a line fixed by others and not themselves and breathing o2 to bring the mountain down to the equivalent of 6000m shouldn't be on the mountain?

 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Indeed I agree.
In reply to Henry Iddon:

I'm very aware, of course, that I'm generalising. Because, of course, in the old days, only the creme de la creme were fortunate enough to be hired up by westerners. When I went there 14 years ago, I was truly stunned by their calm, fortitude, humour and total lack of bullshit.
In reply to steveej:
> (In reply to Henry Iddon) maybe people jumaring a line fixed by others and not themselves and breathing o2 to bring the mountain down to the equivalent of 6000m shouldn't be on the mountain?

Separate subject, though a very important one (belongs to what I called earlier 'a broader malaise'.) The whole subject is like a massive tier cake. I'd be delighted if we could tackle this problem, idealistically, 'top down'; but, really, we're stuck first with the nasty problems at the very bottom.

 steveej 29 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej:

this is all a side effect of the guiding culture within climbing - which has a long old history. For all we harp on about self sufficiency and responsibility and the need to accept your own personal risk/responsibility when we go climbing, it seems that the rules are completely different on Everest. the commercial guides / expeditions who are whoring themselves out to make a living are doing it at the expense the fundamental principles of the sport. For me, guided climbs are just the complete antethesis of what climbing is about. Irony.

 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej:

How do legislate against it though? And how do you stop the problem moving elsewhere?

Lets say the UIAA put guidelines in place and along with the relevant authorities put in place a system whereby those on an Everest expedition and to have a log book signed saying they had done x y z previously. Would that work?

Say all commercial expeditions were outlawed - only small teams of 4 - using in fast and light alpine style were allowed on Everest with a limited number of permits allowed. Would that work?

What would 'mr successful needing a challenge' do? Decide to walk to the South Pole on a guided expedition ? Would the poles become a circus like Everest - would that work?

While I appreciate the issues - I wonder what the answer is.

There was a debate at Kendal a number of years ago - the panel included Kenton, Bonnington, Doug Scott, Russell Brice and Messner.

One of the comments made was that at least if all the major expeditions go to Everest it leaves large tracts of the Himalaya free for those looking for 'real' challenges.
 steveej 29 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej: the people who are supposed to be at the top of their game, should be looking after it, but theyre not.
 Damo 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> (In reply to Henry Iddon)
>
> It's so obvious, isn't it? We've got to analyse just what's gone wrong to bring one of the truly nicest peoples in the world, famous for their calm, wit, intelligence and fortitude, to such a state of anger. Like Neil Gresham, I have never met such strong, calm, solid, nice people in all my life as the Sherpas. I see them as icons that we should all try to emulate.

They're just people, Gordon, just human beings. Elevating them to some sanctified state does no one any good, even them. Because they get angry and jealous and hurt and frustrated just like the rest of us weak humans, even if they never show it to outsiders, their employers. The economic disparity that has existed for most of the history of mountaineering has put them in a relatively subservient position. As noted above, this has started to change.
 steveej 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon: your not going to legislate against it.

It all started in the alps and continues today doesn't it. In my personal view (which is probably elitist) any ascent that is guided is pure cheating. Climbing isn't just a physical act, its about skills, and paying someone else to make up for your skill shortage is poor form to say the least.

There are always going to be spineless people prepared to pay for it , but its the climbers who allow it.

In reply to Damo:

OK, I don't disagree with that ... but they start from a fantastic system of calm values that should be the envy of the western world. I was fantastically moved seeing school children on the same open air terrace on which we were camped, in a circle, listening and eagerly following what their teacher was saying in a concentrated, enthusiasic way that I've never, ever seen in England.
 JSTaylor 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth: From the "golden age" onwards we have seen mountaineering inexorably head along the road towards increasing commercialisation. The scale of commercial activity surrounding mountains and climbing generally, from gear companies to guiding etc is huge. What has happened on Everest epitomises that commercialisation.
In reply to Damo:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
> [...]
>
> They're just people, Gordon, just human beings. Elevating them to some sanctified state does no one any good, even them. Because they get angry and jealous and hurt and frustrated just like the rest of us weak humans, even if they never show it to outsiders, their employers. The economic disparity that has existed for most of the history of mountaineering has put them in a relatively subservient position. As noted above, this has started to change.

PS.

To say anyone is 'just a human being', is, I think, a bad premise.

 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej:

Those that use a guide aren't always those with lack of ability. I know people who have used guides as they have certain objectives a short window of opportunity and the easiest way to satisfy that is to hire a guide.

For example a few years ago I was working in Washington State in the winter - there is some excellent ski touring in the cascades. I was there on my own - it would be unwise to tour in an unknown backcountry area solo. I hired a guide and had an excellent day out - relishing the landscape and the environment around Mount Baker.

I have a friend who is retired, he is in his early 60's and fit and can climb mid week. On occasion he will head up to Scotland when conditions are in and hire a guide as he knows he will have a reliable partner who has some knowledge re conditions etc. Is that wrong?
In reply to JSTaylor:

Sure: that is the very problem.
 steveej 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon: when hiring a guide you will not be on an equal footing with the decision making. So its not an even relationship is it?
 Damo 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to steveej)
>
>
> What would 'mr successful needing a challenge' do? Decide to walk to the South Pole on a guided expedition ? Would the poles become a circus like Everest - would that work?
>

> One of the comments made was that at least if all the major expeditions go to Everest it leaves large tracts of the Himalaya free for those looking for 'real' challenges.

It's known as The Outhouse Effect. Keeps all the sh!t in one place.

The Poles have already become their own little circus, for brief windows of time, as are the other Seven Summits sometimes little microcosms of Everest. Everest is just a bigger stage, with more actors on-stage at once and more risk.

I don't see more, or any, regulation as the answer. We just need more honesty in the community about what is involved with all this, the real ramifications and broader effects. If 'climbing' Everest was put in some broader contexts - the dependency, ineptitude, exploitation and mendacity involved - it might not seem so attractive to so many. Even if the numbers did not decrease, the whole thing might progress in a different way.

Unfortunately there is no immediate financial return in that happening like that, whereas there are interests to be protected by maintaining the status quo. I'll somewhat unfairly pick out Adrian Ballinger here, who gives (I think) a fair account:
"To me, the bottom line is that multiple mistakes were made by both sides. On Everest, the professional climbers (even when attempting new routes) also benefit from fixed ropes, trails broken, and rescue caches placed, primarily by the Sherpa. The professional climbers involved could have and should have chosen somewhere else to acclimatize on this day, instead of solo climbing above the rope fixing team. Everyone knew about the rope fixing effort, and other teams that would have liked to be climbing where the incident occurred respected the rope fixing effort and stayed off the Lhotse Face. Even if no rock or ice actually was knocked off by the professional climbers, and even if no rope-fixing sherpa was injured, there was still a perception of disrespect for the effort. As part of past rope-fixing efforts on Everest, I can attest to the importance of not having other climbers pushing the team from below, or putting the team at risk from above. With that said, the response from some (not all) of the Sherpa was inexplicable and inexcusable." Continuing at http://alpenglowexpeditions.com/blog/everest-best-and-worst-0 but in the end I think he shies away from dealing with the deeper and broader issues.

Of course, when it is used on Alan Arnette's site, he typically evades the point and tries to sweep it away under the carpet with:
"I think most expeditions see it as an embarrassment and want it to go away. I believe it will pass but be used by Everest critics as yet another reason Everest is a bad thing." (UKC won't accept the link)

Yeh, well, it is another reason Everest is a bad thing. But it's a bit more than an 'embarrassment'. That kind of self-serving myopia only prolongs the problem, it doesn't fix it.
 clochette 29 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej:
> (In reply to Henry Iddon)

> In my personal view (which is probably elitist) any ascent that is guided is pure cheating. Climbing isn't just a physical act, its about skills, and paying someone else to make up for your skill shortage is poor form to say the least.
>
> There are always going to be spineless people prepared to pay for it ,

My word what an arrogant, spiteful and ignorant person you are. Elitist doesn't even come close. I hope to God I never meet you.
 adnix 29 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

I've had similar experieces while overtaking guided parties in Chamonix on the more popular routes. There was never fighting but there was quite bad words.

I can image the situation there. First they climb pass the lead sherpa and shortly after they do his job. I can imagine this being bad in culture where saving your face is important.
 Damo 29 Apr 2013
In reply to adnix:
> (In reply to UKC News)
>
> I've had similar experieces while overtaking guided parties in Chamonix on the more popular routes. There was never fighting but there was quite bad words.
>
> I can image the situation there. First they climb pass the lead sherpa and shortly after they do his job. I can imagine this being bad in culture where saving your face is important.

"Alpinism is ego" - Voytek Kurtyka
 steveej 29 Apr 2013
In reply to clochette: have I upset you?

I am entitled to my opinion as you are yours. What's your counter argument seen as you have failed to mention it?

Some things don't need to be all inclusive. Some people believe that everything is for sale but that is not true. Some things in life require commitment not just in the short term but the long term, a commitment to building the foundations and then a continued commitment to build on them and make sacrifices to achieve your long term goals, which for people with day jobs will likely take decades.

Paying for an experience when you haven't earned the right to be there manifests itself in what is all that is wrong with the commercialisation of climbing.

I am not ignorant of the current affairs in the climbing world nor spiteful of people who happen to have 50G's to pay for a ride up Everest - In fact, I'm about to go on a trip with one. But you can't compare like with like.

I'd love to know what qualifies you to be so judgemental.



 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej:

>
> Paying for an experience when you haven't earned the right to be there manifests itself in what is all that is wrong with the commercialisation of climbing.
>

Who is to say that someone who may have made sacrifices at points in there life, worked hard and possibly created a situation where they can afford 50k to go on an expedition to Everest or wherever 'hasn't earned the right' ? How would you decide who has and hasn't earned the right?

There seems to be a misplaced view that commercialisation of climbing is a new thing. The very earliest Everest expeditions were commercial in many respects - funds were raised, equipment donated etc. In 1924 John Noel bankrolled the expedition to the tune of £8000 by putting the money up front and then selling shares in his film. He was an entrepreneur intent on making a few £. Mallory and Finch toured after 1922 - one of the reasons Finch didn't go in 1924 was because he felt he should be able to go and do his own lectures without having to handover money to the Everest committee. There was also huge pressure to get news back to London for the newspapers.

There does seem a certain irony about people getting flak for going to Everest with little experience - again thats always been the case. Sandy Irving was no great mountaineer, neither was Geoffrey Bruce in 1922.
 steveej 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon: it started way earlier than Everest, it started in the Alps and is part of the history of climbing. Look at the history of Mont Blanc which started way before Everest.

Who is to say that someone who may have made sacrifices at points in there life, worked hard and possibly created a situation where they can afford 50k to go on an expedition to Everest or wherever 'hasn't earned the right' ? How would you decide who has and hasn't earned the right?

I would say they haven't earned the right when they have to pay someone to make up for their shortfall in skills. I would also say that climbing up a fixed rope that has been fixed by someone else is not climbing. The thing is, I don't actually blame them for it. This whole thing is inductive of the guiding culture in climbing which started hundreds of years ago.


 steveej 29 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej: its like someone fixing a line down the Indian face on cloggy and punters paying someone a hundred quid to jumar the fixed line and then proclaiming to have climbed the Indian Face.

This wouldn't be acceptable because most Brit climbers can understand and rationalise what is going on, because they have had experiences in the same sphere so to speak.
 Henry Iddon 29 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej:

So do you agree with any aspect of guiding? ( see my earlier examples)

Or are you against guiding on 'big' mountains - but are happy for someone to be instructed on - say Little Chamonix at Shepherds Crag in the Lake DIstrict?
 steveej 29 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon: personally I see guiding and instruction as two separate things.

I have no problem with instructing.

I also have no problem with guiding. But paying for guided climbs reduces climbing purely to a physical endeavour. In view this is completely missing the point of what climbing is about. Climbing is not just the physical challenge, but the process of planning, preparing, decision making etc that makes for a completely different experience than just a physical one.

But to say a guided client is on par with someone who is self sufficient is quite ignorant to say the least (not you but the other person up thread).
In reply to Henry Iddon:

>or what can be done done share the profits / give the sherpas a higher stake in proceedings.

I should have thought the sherpas unionising was the obvious answer. Send Bob Crow out there on sabbatical, couple of choruses of Joe Hill, two or three wildcat strikes when the sahibs are at camp six or so, and I think we'd soon see the sherpas getting a fairer whack.

jcm
 damowilk 30 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:
This seems like a huge own goal for the Sherpas. Like others, my experience was that they were friendly and helpful, but there is definitely a business and financial side to Sherpa life. There is undeniably an inequality between western climbers and climbing Sherpas, but an equally big gulf between the elite climbing Sherpas, and the low-lander porters, who got the lion share of my sympathy.
I also got a sense of the importance of status among Sherpas (I remember the almost religious awe that the BD Cobras of our head climbing Sherpa were greeted with by the other Sherpas), the increasing desire to be regarded as of equal or superior climbing ability to western climbers. This is probably easier with the majority of expedition clients, but if they are your normal yard stick of comparison, a Uli Steck is going to put your nose out of joint.
In reply to damowilk:

Warning: middle of the night diatribe coming up .. because I've just woken up, read your post and feel I must respond. 'Own goal'. This is such a 'western' analysis of what's happened. 'Own goal' is a term that, if applied correctly, refers only to organised policies that have gone wrong/backfired. I believe that this is a fundamental misreading of what's happened in the Solu Khumbu. This looks to me like an explosion of anger and no organised protest at all ... as a result of months and years of maltreatment, in every sense, but primarily at a business level.

'Friendly and helpful.' Again, what a patronising little box you put them in. I.e. that they are very amenable, and typically toe the line just as you would wish. Everything else you say points out correctly how they have been corrupted by western commercial values, but appears to show no respect or, perhaps, memory of the fact that Nepal was only opened up to the western world, and all its very corrupt and materialistic values as late as c.1952.

I don't know how many people have seen a recent piece of video footage that Kenton Cool put out on Twitter a few days ago (I'm sure because he was equally appalled by it), of how Everest Base Camp now typically looks from a helicopter. It now extends all the way from where it used to be, roughly east of Kala Pattar, all the way southwards on the moraines to opposite Gorak Shep.

I see this whole phenomenon as little more than yet another example of the way western values have corrupted the world, and very little to do with mountaineering as such. It's really, really disgusting. I recommend that you read again the enthusiasm of those dear old Brit Everest vets for the beauty of Nepal when they were first allowed in there in 1952 (e.g. Murray and Hunt's books). Since then, the Khumbu has been turned into this childish arena for the very shallowest of western values. A commercial litter bin, that treats the local people and culture with complete contempt, because they have, literally, nothing in common.

PLEASE, do not blame the Nepalese for the very confused state they have now been left in by this behemoth of western greed.
In reply to damowilk:

PS. Can you remember the history of how the monarchic Nepalese government held out for decades against western values, because of their fear of what those values might do to their beautiful country if they let westerners in? They finally gave in in c.1951/2, and I think all their worst fears have now been vindicated.
abseil 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Absolutely no offence to you, Gordon, and I appreciate your posts here, but I personally want to listen to what Nepalese say about Nepal.

For interested readers, here is just one place to start:

http://www.sherpakyidug.org/sherpa/sherpa_facts.asp
 TobyA 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth: Oh come on Gordon, this whole thread is getting ridiculous - people are seeing in it whatever they want to. It's becoming just like the US discussion of the Boston bombers - every conceivable favourite hobby horse: immigration, gun control, the dangers of Islam, etc etc has been ridden out of that mess; and now we're doing the same here. You think it's western greed destroying some idyllic and next to perfect "native" society; others think it is evil guiding destroying the perfect sport of mountaineering. Maybe the lead sherpa had undiagnosed mental health problems and this is all about lack on mental health care in Nepal!? Maybe Mr. Moro used really bad words and this is about corrupting influence of the Berlusconi era on Italian society?! Or maybe not.

> PLEASE, do not blame the Nepalese for the very confused state they have now been left in by this behemoth of western greed.

The Nepalese people have suffered through over a decade of often brutal civil war where some were victims and others perpetrators; like all civil wars I'm sure this has done huge damage to the fabric of the country's society. I don't think some hugely romanticized view of either the Sherpas or the much wider Nepalese society is going help explain what happened on Everest.
In reply to TobyA:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth) Oh come on Gordon, this whole thread is getting ridiculous - people are seeing in it whatever they want to. It's becoming just like the US discussion of the Boston bombers - every conceivable favourite hobby horse: immigration, gun control, the dangers of Islam, etc etc has been ridden out of that mess; and now we're doing the same here. You think it's western greed destroying some idyllic and next to perfect "native" society

I never referred to a perfect native society, simply to their fears of what might happen if they let western commercial tourism in.


> Maybe the lead sherpa had undiagnosed mental health problems and this is all about lack on mental health care in Nepal!? Maybe Mr. Moro used really bad words and this is about corrupting influence of the Berlusconi era on Italian society?! Or maybe not.

Could easily be. But it seems like a good time for us to have a closer look at the immense mess we have made of Everest and the Khumbu region ... not just culturally, but materially. I cannot see how it is anything for us westerners to be proud of. All the problems I'm talking about are ones we/western tourists have brought into their beautiful country.

> The Nepalese people have suffered through over a decade of often brutal civil war where some were victims and others perpetrators; like all civil wars I'm sure this has done huge damage to the fabric of the country's society. I don't think some hugely romanticized view of either the Sherpas or the much wider Nepalese society is going help explain what happened on Everest.

I wasn't wanting to romanticise it at all. I simply said that their fears of the effects of this influx of an utterly different culture proved to be well grounded. Further point. The much lauded Buddhist 'religion' has given them a culture that is totally impotent to stand up to the realities of human greed and power politics (thus, as you rightly say, the problems of civil war and the rise of Maoism in Nepal).



 TobyA 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

The Sherpas as a group seem to have done a lot better than most Nepalese out of the country's tourist industry. You can't close a country (well DPRK are trying), and people will try and make a living with what opportunities are available.

> I wasn't wanting to romanticise it at all.

Well that's what you were doing it.

> Further point. The much lauded Buddhist 'religion' has given them a culture that is totally impotent to stand up to the realities of human greed and power politics (thus, as you rightly say, the problems of civil war and the rise of Maoism in Nepal).

Buddhist monks have been central to stirring up murderous sectarian violence just weeks ago in Burma and over recent years in Sri Lanka. Maybe Nepalese Buddhism is different, but Buddhists are people too.
In reply to TobyA:

BTW .. didn't my last reply suggest that I have a rather contemptuous attitude towards Buddhism?

BTW2. I have to get to work soon. I can only indulge in these kinds of discussions in the middle of the night ... and I'd like a coffee now. It 'amuses' me just how many people on these UKC forums, paradoxically the most right-wing ones, spend huge amounts of the day pontificating on these threads about work, for example, while the rest of us are working.
 astrange 30 Apr 2013
In reply to astrange:

Some one or maybe several people have done some great diplomatic work here.
mountainfox 30 Apr 2013
In reply to off-duty:

Nice bit of racism there.
 Skyfall 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

> It 'amuses' me just how many people on these UKC forums, paradoxically the most right-wing ones, spend huge amounts of the day pontificating on these threads about work, for example, while the rest of us are working.

That's funny Gordon - given that UKC is about the most pinko liberal foruum I've ever come across. Mostly in a nice way but don't pretend this comment doesn't just reflect your own political leaning.

As to your posts on Nepal culture, you fluctuate between having a right go at anyone who hints at being a tad condescending to their culture and then doing exactly the same yourself. As someone else said above, they are only human when all is said and done (ie. they have largely the same feelings as us), they just display them rather differently.

 tnewmark 30 Apr 2013
Has anyone ever read anything the anthropologist Sherry Ortner wrote about the Sherpas?

Just remembered an article by Ortner from the late 90s called 'Thick resistance: death and the cultural construction of agency in Himalayan mountaineering'. Not directly relevant to the current issue, and I'm sure a lot has changed but it's a nice reflection on the contact between international mountaineers and the Sherpas. I don't have much time to read it properly again but she's an anthropologist who spent a lot of time doing fieldwork with the sherpas, and so has some interesting things to say about them.

If anyone is interested in a copy I can send them it.
In reply to Skyfall:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
>
> [...]
>
> That's funny Gordon - given that UKC is about the most pinko liberal foruum I've ever come across. Mostly in a nice way but don't pretend this comment doesn't just reflect your own political leaning.
>
> As to your posts on Nepal culture, you fluctuate between having a right go at anyone who hints at being a tad condescending to their culture and then doing exactly the same yourself. As someone else said above, they are only human when all is said and done (ie. they have largely the same feelings as us), they just display them rather differently.

I don't follow you at all. I'm about as pinko liberal as they come, i.e. neither left nor right, and about 100 per cent pro the Nepalese re their treatment at the hands of the west (not talking about their internal probs). The only way I may have sounded condescending towards them is my criticism of their Buddhism in that (imho) it ill equips them to face some of the nastier aspects of modern western culture ... and, anyhow, it's not their real 'religion', which is really Bon, plus Hinduism. Their Buddhism was a much later, elitist, intellectual addition, I think.

Just as English people are not really Church of England ... but pagan (oops, that's letting a nasty cat of truth out of the bag, isn't it?) )

In reply to Skyfall:

PS. Aren't you as shocked as I am at just how right-wing some people are in these forums? It's forgivable in the old, of course, but really shocking in the young (well, I find it shocking), because, almost by definition, it means that their values come from received opinions i.e. they've swallowed whole just what they've been told to believe.
 Henry Iddon 30 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

This whole 'affair' has brought a wide range of issues to the fore - the role of guiding in mountaineering, commercialism of the wilderness and mountain environment, effects of tourism on local populations, some sort of malaise and moral greed in 'western society'.

As has been mentioned 'the human condition' is in many ways the same the world over, personally I doubt we can 'wind the clock back' to some time when life was all harmonious ( when ever that was ?! )

Various walks of life are consumed by a desire for motivated individuals to attain there personal goals and it can manifest itself in a selfish greed - look at corruption in business and politics and use of dope in sport. The whole Lance Armstrong case is a case in point. So it may be naive to think that 'mountaineering' and 'wilderness travel' should be immune from such emotions.

( I'm not suggesting that those involved in this incident are motivated by a selfish greed - but making a general point)
In reply to Henry Iddon:

Yes, the Hobbesian picture is probably more truthful and useful than the Rousseauesque one (of a mythical 'Golden Age') in that it accepts that, at bottom, at an uncivilised level, we are brutish.
 MG 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> (In reply to Skyfall)
>
> PS. Aren't you as shocked as I am at just how right-wing some people are in these forums? It's forgivable in the old, of course,

Of course.

but really shocking in the young (well, I find it shocking), because, almost by definition, it means that their values come from received opinions i.e. they've swallowed whole just what they've been told to believe.

Whereas you formed your values in a pure vacuum unsullied by outside influence and they are therefore better than anyone's who disagrees?
 TobyA 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> and about 100 per cent pro the Nepalese re their treatment at the hands of the west (not talking about their internal probs).

But what can that mean? They are not just passive victims with no agency of their own. It's 30 million people; some are nice, some are nasty, some are generous, some have sharp elbows in business. Their "internal problems" aren't separated from Nepal's relations with the rest of the world; they are part of those relationships (periphery/rural marginalisation; ethnic/caste tensions; geo-political meddling from two huge neighbours etc etc).

And I'm not sure where all this gets us in relation to what happened on the Lhotse Face last week.
 Postmanpat 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> (In reply to Skyfall)
>
> PS. Aren't you as shocked as I am at just how right-wing some people are in these forums? It's forgivable in the old, of course, but really shocking in the young (well, I find it shocking), because, almost by definition, it means that their values come from received opinions i.e. they've swallowed whole just what they've been told to believe.
>
Oh please, Gordon! "Right wingers" have no more swallowed received opinion than a leftie form a leftie background. We are all influenced by our backgrounds but most of us synthesise, sometimes reject them entirely, but usually emerge with some variation of our own which itself changes with experience and learning.



 TobyA 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

> Yes, the Hobbesian picture is probably more truthful and useful than the Rousseauesque one (of a mythical 'Golden Age') in that it accepts that, at bottom, at an uncivilised level, we are brutish.

But your earlier post "Can you remember the history of how the monarchic Nepalese government held out for decades against western values, because of their fear of what those values might do to their beautiful country if they let westerners in?" sounds exactly like a romanticized Golden Age. Maybe they held out because they wanted to maintain absolute control over a caste-bound and impoverished country for their own personal benefit? "Western values" at the time (Moscow being west of Kathmandu) included both liberal ideas such as universal votes and early moves towards the emancipation of women, as well as socialism and the destruction of traditional land owning elites.

But anyway, as we are name checking philosophers, perhaps we should hope that this incident introduces some sort of Rawlsian social-democratic dimension to the discussion on tourism around Everest, and the wants and desires of the Sherpas get some attention. Nobody has mentioned the building collapse not so far away in Dhaka that happened around the same time. That seems a far more brutal example of western capitalism meeting third world realities than this; and there is already discussion about what legal changes must result from the horror (Primark have to their credit already stepped forward to say they will help support survivors). The Sherpas seem to already have more negotiation power than Bangladeshi garment workers; so hopefully a better situation can arise from both incidents.
In reply to Postmanpat:

Well I object to extreme left wingers as much as extreme right wingers, but they seem very thin on the ground now in UK, and thus much less of a problem.
In reply to TobyA:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
>
> [...]
>
> But your earlier post "Can you remember the history of how the monarchic Nepalese government held out for decades against western values, because of their fear of what those values might do to their beautiful country if they let westerners in?" sounds exactly like a romanticized Golden Age.

OK, fair enough. I didn't write clearly enough what I meant. (Their monastic system being crap, I know.) But I thought I put that comment in the context simply of what the impact would be once they opened the floodgates of tourism? And I believe that was their chief worry.

>Maybe they held out because they wanted to maintain absolute control over a caste-bound and impoverished country for their own personal benefit? "Western values" at the time (Moscow being west of Kathmandu) included both liberal ideas such as universal votes and early moves towards the emancipation of women, as well as socialism and the destruction of traditional land owning elites.

I certainly can't deny this as a possibility, and you almost certainly know more about the realpolitik situation than I do.
>
> But anyway, as we are name checking philosophers, perhaps we should hope that this incident introduces some sort of Rawlsian social-democratic dimension to the discussion on tourism around Everest, and the wants and desires of the Sherpas get some attention. Nobody has mentioned the building collapse not so far away in Dhaka that happened around the same time. That seems a far more brutal example of western capitalism meeting third world realities than this; and there is already discussion about what legal changes must result from the horror (Primark have to their credit already stepped forward to say they will help support survivors). The Sherpas seem to already have more negotiation power than Bangladeshi garment workers; so hopefully a better situation can arise from both incidents.

Very, very good points. But of course the reason why we're talking so much about the Everest bust up here is that this is a climbers' web site.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Sorry, bad typo: I meant monarchic system, not monastic system.
 TobyA 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> But of course the reason why we're talking so much about the Everest bust up here is that this is a climbers' web site.

Absolutely, and because of the general bizarreness of the story.

To no-one in particular; I was reading around a bit on this and came across Alan Arnette's site (which I think Damo mentioned earlier) http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/ . Not being very interested in Everest I hadn't read it before; but he seems highly regarded for accurate tracking of what goes on there. It's interesting that he is a bit of an expert on Everest, having written about it for Outside for instance; but notes himself that while he does a bit of ice and rock climbing he never leads. There is of course nothing wrong with that, and he makes no claim to be some super hard mountaineer, but it again makes the point rather clearly how different an activity guided ascents of the big peaks is to what most of weekend punters do as "climbing". Moro, Steck and Griffith were doing what they do as alpinists I guess - (soloing quickly and unroped up moderate [for them] ground), while the Sherpas were doing some completely different. Everyone is wearing/using similar gear, but they are still very different things.
 Henry Iddon 30 Apr 2013
In reply to TobyA:

Indeed - and people find the differing approaches fulfilling.

Meanwhile there appears to be a sense amongst some that their personal fulfilment is of a higher order. This I find smug and elitist.

 Damo 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to TobyA)
>
> Indeed - and people find the differing approaches fulfilling.
>
> Meanwhile there appears to be a sense amongst some that their personal fulfilment is of a higher order. This I find smug and elitist.

But some people's fulfilment negatively impacts on others' fulfilment. Someone going off to climb a new route on an obscure 6000er does not impinge on the Everest clients' experience, but the filtered-down elements of Everest/commercial/fixedguided climbing is starting to impinge on the experience of the former. Hence the comments from House above, my various previous rants (insurance, media, red-tape etc). Do what you want - just don't muck it up for others.

Despite how it may seem from my numerous posts up this thread, I actually couldn't give a flying fcuk about who does what on Everest, guided, famous or otherwise. But I am interested in how things that happen there either affect, or are affected by, broader issues in mountaineering in general and how it all fits into a broader historical, sociological and psychological understanding of climbing.
 Sankey 30 Apr 2013
In reply to TobyA: Actually what the lead Sherpas do is more similar to what "climbers" in general, or Moro etc. were doing as they have to go and get the ropes up in the first place, which involves leading/moving together in an Alpine style approach. E.g. when I "did" Island peak the lead sherpa and his apprecntice left earlier and climbed ahead in pure Alpine style, while also carrying huge meterage of fixed lines for us punters.
 Henry Iddon 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Damo:

The comment wasn't aimed at you by the way, and I don't disagree with what you're saying either.

And I to refer to the complex issues in a previous post - and how intertwined they all are and how difficult it will be to now separate them. Hence Doug Scott's comment about let them have Everest and others can go elsewhere. In a sense things have happened because of climbings history and how people have understood it.

On a lovely summers day would people go to Shepherds in Borrowdale or a remote mountain crag in Scotland or for that matter some sport crag in France? I would suggest they choose what works for them and what they wish to 'get' from climbing. Invariably there will always be 'honey pots' - which in sone senses go back to early writing / art and guide books ( such as viewing stations built in the Lake District to allow visitors to witness what was deemed a 'picturesque view ).

The anthology 'Philosophy, Risk and Adventure Sports' by Mike McNamee touches on some of these issues raised by this debate, and there is plenty written on the notion of 'wilderness'.


 Henry Iddon 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Damo:

So in a sense what you'd hope for is a trickle down of 'best ethical practice' in the different aspects of mountaineering / climbing?

Something that I'm sure we'd all support - but as I said in a previous post I doubt that is now possible. I dunno !
ice.solo 30 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

storm in a tea cup, yet another season of had-wringing over 'the everest problem' as it only gets bigger. a few pin up sponsored athletes pissed off a few other minority locals in a small corner of nowhere. these tiny elite groups represent no one but themselves, its a parody. join the circus.

that the daily mail carried it says it all.
 Andy Say 30 Apr 2013
In reply to astrange:

Interesting attempt at a summary from earlier in that blog:

'I have received some insight into what happened directly from people who were there. One point is that, publicly, we only have Moro’s version of the story. It is doubtful given the Sherpa culture, that we will have the same level of detail for the Sherpas involved so for now the Moro version will control the media.

This is what I think happened based on my investigating and first hand reports. I could be way off so this is just an opinion.

Moro, Steck and Griffith were climbing to spend an acclimatization night at Camp 3 on the Lhotse Face. At the same time, the Sherpa team was trying to set the lines to the same Camp to be used by a large number of commercial climbers located at Camp 2.

There is an unwritten rule that all climbers stay off the Face while the Sherpas are fixing rope. In fact, a team of Russians began following them, were asked to stop by a Western Guide and complied with the request, turning back to wait until the work was finished.

The Sherpas had been working hard to find a safe route up the Lhotse Face. They had been stalled the previous day after finding a large crevasse near the normal location of Camp 3 thus needing to return the next day and find a new safe route.

In 2012, several Sherpa were injured by falling rock due to low snow levels that year prevented lose rock from being attached to the Face. In 2013, early conditions were similar so they had initially taken a longer, more difficult route to avoid the hazard but then ran into more difficulties. Now they were taking the normal direct route up the center of the Lhotse Face.

Moro and crew were anxious to reach their camp and started climbing a bit away from the Sherpas working on the Face. They must have had little patience for the slow moving Sherpas who had to go slow since they were carrying line, anchors and setting protection every few hundred feet, a slow and tedious process by design.

The Sherpas seeing the three climbers, asked them not climb above them due to potential rock fall. They also asked them not to touch the ropes, a common request given they need to be manipulated during the fixing. Everyone agreed but the three continued climbing higher and became parallel with the Sherpas but still trying to be very careful along the way.

Once they reached their high point and location of a tent previously established by Denis Urubko, they traversed across the Face just above the Sherpas. A piece of ice was dislodged, falling down the face and hit one the Sherpas who works for a large commercial guiding company. He was slightly injured.

This continued movement and falling ice enraged the lead Sherpa who reacted emotionally. He decided to take action.

The lead Sherpa fixing the ropes, approached them and apparently he and Steck touched, most likely by accident. However, there was one report of a Sherpa being “grabbed” by his jacket. The situation became even more heated and the Sherpa team descended to Camp 2 leaving Moro and team alone on the Face.

Moro and Steck took some of the fixed rope and continued climbing higher and finished fixing the line to Camp 3. Perhaps this was an effort to appease the Sherpas. However, it probably inflamed the situation as now they were doing the Sherpa’s work.

Moro and team returned to Camp 2 where words were exchanged, tempers flared, threats were made. Other Sherpas joined in, most likely standing around to see what all the yelling was about. Western climbers and guides also came out of their tents.

One Western Guide was reported to have swatted a rock out of the hands of one of the Sherpa. This was the final straw for the Sherpas.

With the huge crowd gathered at 21,500 feet, tempers flared, a few rocks were thrown and there was a push or two. Some of the more senior Sherpa and Western Guides interceded to calm things down.

Moro and crew returned to Base Camp as did the Sherpas crew but by different routes avoiding each other.

The rope fixers took Sunday off intending to resume work on the Lhotse Face Monday.

As for how Ueli got his “deep cuts”on his face, that I have no idea and will not speculate but hope he is safe.'
 tony 30 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

It now seems they've all kissed and made up:
http://www.explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=21437
 Sayon 30 Apr 2013
In reply to TobyA:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
> [...]
>
> Absolutely, and because of the general bizarreness of the story.
>
It is bizarre, in part because of most people's experience of meeting Sherpas, and also because we only have the western mountaineers' accounts to go by. According to this narrative, Steck and co. did absolutely nothing wrong and were subjected to an unprovoked attack.
In reply to Sayon:

Less bizarre in the light of most people's experiences of meeting Italian guides, perhaps.

jcm
 Skyfall 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Andy Say:

I'm afraid I find that a somewhat baised account both in tone and what it leaves out. Hard working sherpas vs impatient westerners. Complete contradiction about climbing above the Sherpas - no attempt at explanation. A "push or two" (not the widely reported kicks, slaps and punches).

Fwiw, I agree with Icesolo that this particular incident is a storm in a tea cup. However, there is clearly a far wider issue and perhaps JCM is not far off the mark - unionisation? God help everyone
KD 30 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:
Hi,
I came here looking for more info on this story, I've never been on this forum before.
There are some interesting thoughts and discussions but I had to register in order to comment on my dismay at some of the elitism from some of the posters.
Who am I? Nobody to you, not a climber.

I did do a month long expedition to Patagonia, using a guide (gasp). I can tell you that for me, camping in Snow on week long treks was very very challenging, especially considering my 'skills gap'.
We climbed a frozen waterfall, obviously using ropes set by one of our guides. Truly magical for us. To most of our 'normal' friends back home, our expedition was 'extreme' and they thought we were crazy but to some of you it seems we're just tourists who don't deserve to be there.

Patagonia is beautiful and I am truly privileged to have been there, a trip of a lifetime that will stay with me always. Day trips wouldn't have allowed us to see it in all its majesty, it would be a few photos and back on the bus. So a guide allowed us to experience it.

In my 'real life; I have been able to do amazing things that your 'skills gap' would not allow you to do without help. Would I encourage you and offer you advice and help, or would I say, get off my playground, amateur?

People I have met in the climbing community have always been cool, with a passion and hunger for life, maybe you don't care but I feel some of you are letting the side down and perhaps have forgotten the wonder that should be taking you up those mountains in the first place?
Hey ho, it takes all sorts.
Peace,
KD
In reply to KD:
> >
> In my 'real life; I have been able to do amazing things that your 'skills gap' would not allow you to do without help. Would I encourage you and offer you advice and help, or would I say, get off my playground, amateur?
>

I think the issue is that many people don't feel that Everest (or any serious mountain) should be considered a "playground".



 Kean 30 Apr 2013
In reply to dutybooty:

> Is it possible the Sherpa leading was giving Ueli and Co some verbal, and when he abseiled Ueli's "lifting hands to protect himself" was something more?

I second that...It does seem strange that somebody as "fast and light" as Ueli Steck can't get out of the way of somebody abseiling....
KD 30 Apr 2013
In reply to professionalwreckhead:
Fair enough, I wasn't suggesting it is a playground, that was a turn of phrase, in much the same way as my areas of expertise are not playgrounds.
My point is if someone is capable of the mental and physical needs but needs a guide, to fill skill gaps, who is to say they shouldn't?

Jon Griffith about to be on Radio 5Live
 steveej 30 Apr 2013
In reply to KD:

I think the issue hear is that hordes of people trying to climb something that is beyond their skills and experience and is only made possible for them through money changing hands with people who are prepared to fix a rope to the top for them, has a negative impact on other groups who would like to climb the mountain in better style.

Its a bit like buying a ticket to enter the tour de france, sticking a motor on your bike, turning up at the start line and expecting everyone else to not to start the race until you've finished picking your nose.
 Milesy 30 Apr 2013
I think more they have upset the balance of what has been accepted as "normal practice" on that part of the mountain as they were using it to acclimatise.

Maybe in hindsight they should have acclimatised on another peak before trying their new route which would have avoided going near the commercial circus side of it?
RCC 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Milesy:

> Maybe in hindsight they should have acclimatised on another peak before trying their new route which would have avoided going near the commercial circus side of it?


I can see the logic in that, but would they not need a separate permit to do that (which I guess wouldn't be free)?

Also, if they had already established a camp, then the acclimatisation trip may well have had an additional purpose for the expedition.
 Neil Rankin 30 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Something stinks here. The story that is being told in the media is completely one-sided, and quite frankly hard to believe. The Western climbers seem to be in damage control mode.
 Milesy 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Neil Rankin:

To you maybe. I'll accept Jon's story as an alpinist I look up to.
 Banned User 77 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Neil Rankin: Really.. it seems people are leaping either way.. nasty westerners or they can do wrong,...

Had this not had been Stick and Jon I think UKC would have been far less supportive..

I just think hold off with wild judgements either way..

But this blanket stereotyping of all sherpas as peaceful for eternity is strange..

Its like this sterotyping of buddhists as peaceful.. it maybe on the whole.. yet a group of buddhists just set fire to a muslim man and insisted no one put water on him and he burned to death..
 Martin W 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Milesy:

> Maybe in hindsight they should have acclimatised on another peak before trying their new route which would have avoided going near the commercial circus side of it?

AIUI (from reading only, not having done anything of the sort) it is perfectly normal practice for climbers to acclimatise by going up to the intermediate camps for a while and then coming back down to base camp.
 Neil Rankin 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Milesy:

Meh. I don't simply accept someone's story when there is something to be gained or lost from the outcome. And I don't care how accomplished a climber is either. Being a good climber doesn't require honesty or integrity. All I know is there was a huge melee involving people who have a reputation for passivity, and the folks on the other side say, "Hey man, we didn't do anything, those guys just went crazy." And they're all over the media to tell their side of the story. C'mon, there's really nothing to find questionable there?
 TobyA 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Neil Rankin:

> Something stinks here.

What "stinks"? Something happened in a relatively remote and inaccessible place only a couple of days ago. The different sides are telling their stories and, oddly (I mean that ironically), different people see things differently and tend to see their own actions as justified.
 L.A. 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Martin W: As Galpinos posted on another thread
Another version of events from the Sherpas side of the story..
http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2013/04/30/everest-2013-the-sherpas-viewpoi...

Im sure everyone involved in the 'scuffle' is now hugely embarrassed at it all and how out of hand the reporting has gotten worldwide. Maybe its time to just move on instead of speculating at either the 'Great White God' mentality, or the 'Peaceful Sherpa' myth.
They were two groups of people in a stressful environment who lost it for a bit. Weve all done it at some time,just maybe not had the media. and thousands of others who werent in that situation. speculating on the rights or wrongs .
 TobyA 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Neil Rankin:
> All I know is there was a huge melee involving people who have a reputation for passivity,

Is that like black people having a good sense of rhythm? Come on; why put Sherpas on a pedestal anymore than some European climber?
 Henry Iddon 30 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

I wonder what the webstats are for those involved over the last few days? I would hate this sorry affair to become the opportunity for people to build careers and raise profiles.
 Neil Rankin 30 Apr 2013
In reply to TobyA:

Do you really think there are no cultural differences between Westerners and the Nepalese? I do. A reputation is beliefs generally held about someone(s) or something's character. The Nepalese have a reputation for passivity. That's not putting them on a pedestal. It's a fact. Of course it doesn't always hold true, but that is their reputation.
 off-duty 30 Apr 2013
In reply to mountainfox:
> (In reply to off-duty)
>
> Nice bit of racism there.

Ffs. Maybe I didn't make it clear enough it was a joke. I would have thought the smiley face and saying "this is a joke" would have been clues.

Or have you never had any experience of European guides crossing ropes and trying to drag clients up or down past you in the Alps?
 L.A. 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Neil Rankin: Might be their reputation but dont be deluded - theyre pretty much just like anyone else. I lived in Nepal for a couple of years and met some right Cnuts. I also met a whole load of wonderful people. Just like anywhere else in the world.
As for a reputation for passivity -Ever seen a pissed off Ghurka ?
 mrchewy 30 Apr 2013
In reply to L.A.: Good job it wasn't Ghurkas up there!
andyathome 30 Apr 2013
In reply to tony:

So it would seem that a meeting was held and 'all' formally signed a conciliatory statement which sought to bury the hatchet. The text is in your link.

And then, now 'out of it', the climbers have made statements about the incident subsequently to the media of the world (certainly Jon and Ueli).

And this will engender trust in the sherpas of the integrity of the people they look after?
andyathome 30 Apr 2013
In reply to TobyA:
> (In reply to Neil Rankin)
>
> [...]
>
The different sides are telling their stories

No. I don't think they are. I've only heard ONE story (garbled and mistranslated as that might be) which is a peculiar 'third person narrative' account of the incident as it happened from the perspective of 'the three'. Then I've got personal accounts by 'the three'. I've heard nothing else.
 Dogwatch 30 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej:
>
> I think the issue hear is that hordes of people trying to climb something that is beyond their skills and experience and is only made possible for them through money changing hands with people who are prepared to fix a rope to the top for them, has a negative impact on other groups who would like to climb the mountain in better style.

So in your view, your personal definition of "better style" should limit other people's freedom to follow their dreams.


andyathome 30 Apr 2013
In reply to L.A.:
And for folks who can't be arsed to follow the link perhaps the relevant section is:

'while these young men were working to fix the route for all expeditions at base camp, no expedition would disrupt or create a distraction for them. Unfortunately, Simone Moro did not attend this meeting, and might not have been aware that this protocol is an unwritten rule on Everest.

Over the next few days all the teams at base camp pitched in and Sherpas carried over 50 loads through the Khumbu Icefall to Camp 2. The fixing started on April 26th, for 2 days the Sherpa were scouting the best route on the Lhotse face and by the 27th they were less than an hour from reaching camp 3.

The 3 European climbers set out the morning of the 27th heading for the Lhotse face. After suggestions from both guides and Sherpa at Camp 2 and below the Lhotse face to turn around, because fixing the Lhotse face demands strict concentration, the 3 climbers continued on to the Lhotse face moving up and to the left of the fixing route. The 3 climbers moved alpine style up the Lhotse face and were headed towards their camp (just below camp 3 on the Lhotse face).

At this time the Sherpa fixing team were working on the Lhotse Face and have reached one of the steeper & more exposed areas. The temperature was dropping and the winds were picking up. As the fixing team was moving through a steeper section of the Lhotse face, the 3 European climbers met with the fixing team. The fixing team alerted the 3 climbers to not touch or cross the rope. This is a high intensity environment where people’s instincts are at a heightened state. The lead fixing Sherpa spoke with one of the 3 climbers at which point physical contact was made, at that point Simone came in verbal contact with a number of the fixing team who had now congregated at one of the anchors to secure themselves from sliding down the face.

Simone began to shout, many of the words in Nepali language, and many of the words were inflammatory. At this point the fixing team made the correct decision to drop their loads of rope and hardware, attaching them to the installed line, and descend without any further interaction or confrontation with the 3 climbers. The fixing team descended to camp 2 and went to their respective camps as a number of expedition teams work together to fix the route on Mt. Everest. As the fixing team descended to camp 2, Simone radioed down requesting to know what the Sherpa were talking about. At one point Simone stated over open radio frequency (fixing frequency-tuned in by all the fixing teams and anyone listening on the mountain) that if the Sherpa had a problem he could come down to Camp 2 soon and “f—ing fight”.

As Simone returned back to Camp 2 he again spoke over the fixing frequency a demand to speak with the fixing team comprised of 16 Sherpa (of 8 different teams) back at camp 2. He explained that he would meet them at one of the expedition camps. When he arrived in Camp 2 he went to his tent. At this point some western guides went to Simone’s camp to explain that he should apologize for the situation his team created during a very dangerous workday. As the western guides spoke to Simone, Sherpas from many different teams congregated as a result of his radio call from the Lhotse face and wanted to speak with Simone and get an apology and to explain to him how difficult their job had been that day. The Sherpas who were together felt that Simone’s words and interactions were both hurtful to the individuals, as well as grave and serious insults to the entire Sherpa community. As the Sherpas approached Simone’s camp tensions were high and they wanted to have a discussion with an already angered Simone. Then Simone came out to talk and both sides approached each other in loud discussion at which point a careless western climber who had not been involved up on the Lhotse face arrived and entangled physically with a Sherpa. This was the ignition for what ensued next. It is safe to say that the Sherpa thought this western climber was part of Simone’s team and had initiated a dangerous confrontation. At this point the Sherpa felt as if they needed to defend themselves as they had just seen one of their colleagues attacked. The tense situation ignited and a brawl ensued.

The brawl was stopped by a group of western climbers and Sherpa working together. Simone’s team was protected by both a Sherpa group and a few western climbers and guides. As the group separated, Simone requested to apologize for his actions. After things calmed down, Simone’s team descended to base camp. The following day, April 28th, was peaceful.

An interesting, perhaps slghtly less partisan, take on the situation.
andyathome 30 Apr 2013
In reply to L.A.:

And thanks for that informative link ;-0
 TobyA 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Neil Rankin: Well hang on Neil, I thought you were talking about Sherpas, a couple of hundred thousand people. But now you're saying "Nepalese"?! 30 million people, and a country that has just been through 15 years of protracted insurgency and civil war? Knowing a little about Nepalese politics (and actually having somewhat naively walked through central Kathmandu past hundreds of lahti holding riot cops on one of the first days of the general strike that marked the start of the civil war!), I really don't think the Nepalese have a reputation for passivity.

Have you not read about Argentine troops around Stanley who fled when they heard Gurkhas were advancing on their positions? They had been told the Gurkhas don't take prisoners, they eat prisoners! Regardless of that silliness, the Gurkhas reputation for hard fighting is fully justified.

You can maybe make an argument about Sherpas (although I'm sure anyone who knows the region well could point out why that it misty eyed romanticism too), but for Nepal generally - no, it's no more peaceful than many other similar developing countries, and possibly worse than some of them.
 L.A. 30 Apr 2013
In reply to andyathome: It was actually Galpinos who posted it on another UKC thread so thanks to him
 TobyA 30 Apr 2013
In reply to L.A.: Yep, also Melissa Arnot's limited reflections on the events are interesting - she seems to have been personally very brave and positive in stopping the situation getting worse.
 Jim Hamilton 30 Apr 2013
In reply to andyathome:

I wonder what happened to the "careless western climber" who apparently started the whole thing
VwJap 30 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej:
> (In reply to KD)
>
> I think the issue hear is that hordes of people trying to climb something that is beyond their skills and experience and is only made possible for them through money changing hands with people who are prepared to fix a rope to the top for them, has a negative impact on other groups who would like to climb the mountain in better style.
>
> Its a bit like buying a ticket to enter the tour de france, sticking a motor on your bike, turning up at the start line and expecting everyone else to not to start the race until you've finished picking your nose.

No it's not!!!! The tour is a race. Not a hobby like climbing, surely you should be able to enjoy your hobby in any way you see fit? You want to climb solo like David sharp go ahead, enjoy, you want to have a bit of a safety net with guides, Sherpas and ropes again go ahead, enjoy, why should it just be for people who climb to the extreme to live there dream? Snobbery I call it
 galpinos 30 Apr 2013
In reply to L.A.:
> (In reply to andyathome) It was actually Galpinos who posted it on another UKC thread so thanks to him

Having found it I thought I should post the counter-point. It doesn't quite seem to add up though.
 Epsilon 30 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

"I have pieced together an objective version of events"

Now there's a laugh. It's pretty obvious what his opinion and agenda are throughout that whole spiel.
In reply to andyathome:
> (In reply to L.A.)

> An interesting, perhaps slghtly less partisan, take on the situation.

or perhaps not.

reads more like a witness statement drafted with the help of the legal team.

i'm sure much of what is said is true, but see no reason to think that the sherpa side of the story should be by definition any less of a partisan account. its their side of the story told by them, not The Truth.

but thanks for posting it, it is helpful to read for purposes of balance,

cheers
gregor

 barranco 30 Apr 2013
In reply to TobyA:
You're right there - All of the Nepali boys I work with are so laid back they're almost horizontal but if you pick a fight with one of them the whole rabble will come at you
 Damo 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Jim Hamilton:
> (In reply to andyathome)
>
> I wonder what happened to the "careless western climber" who apparently started the whole thing

Reading Kellog's blog in the other thread might give a hint.

All these people talking about 'alpine-style' and 'alpine' climbing on this route. There is no such thing, has not been for years. Climbers bigging themselves up with claims that conveniently omit the Sherpa fixed icefall are the kinds of things that piss off the Sherpas (amongst other bigger issues).

If professional climbers - superstars, guides, whoever - want 'adventure', 'challenge', blah blah blah then they should go somewhere else and they should know that, or accept the consequences of their hypocrisy - crowds, rules, arguments etc. Ignorance is no excuse.

Using the Sherpa fixed route to acclimatise for your super climb then making a big deal out of your super climb as being so distinct from (and, by definition, superior to) the commercial circus client yak route is not just hypocritical but downright rude. Make your own route through the icefall and acclimatise on Nuptse, at the very least. Or is that not convenient enough?

There's a very high unclimbed independent mountain almost in sight of the C2 fight club. Any takers? No. Even the pros want Brand Everest. They want the name, the fame, the media that is all part of Everest, because that's where the numbers are. Everest is a click-magnet and sponsorships now factor website hits, Twitter followers and Facebook 'friends' into negotiations over remuneration.

How anybody thought they could keep exploiting the Sherpa work for their own overhyped careers in 'alpinism' is gobsmacking. People die to fix that route that western superstars gloss over in their pr guff. I made this comment on ExplorersWeb a week ago in regard to Urubko's claims for an 'alpine style' new route on the SW face. You think Sherpas can't use the internet? They see this stuff and go 'hey!'.

As someone said above, being a good climber is no guarantee of honesty or integrity or being a nice guy or whatever. This is about money. Ueli could climb anything on earth, so why is he here? Money.

A few years ago Moro did an unauthorised traverse where he lied that it was unintended, that he 'had' to descend the north side, but that he had not meant to. But it transpired that he carried his passport to the summit - who does that? - and had friends set a tent for him on the north side route, with gear marked with his name on it. He lied to the Nepalese and Chinese authorities and just paid a huge 'fee' to be allowed out of Tibet back into Nepal. He has form for lying about his climbing.

So many people want to 'move on' and 'put this behind us'. I'm sure they do. It reflects badly on them because the situation is bad. Peoples' actions are bad. The status quo is bad. But that suits some people.

 steveej 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Dogwatch: no it shouldn't, but neither strategies should impact on others.
 steveej 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Dogwatch: I must say I find the commercial climbing world bizzare. Would it be acceptable for someone to pay a million pounds for a place in the Olympics, to say have a crack at the sprint, the hurdles or some other event, because they want to follow their dreams?

In fact, why doesn't the tour de france start selling tickets at 50k a piece, for some rich boy to show up on a motorbike, complete the route and go home and brag about it.

It seems acceptable in the commercial climbing world to fix lines, breath oxygen, and pay other human beings to shepherd you and your gear up and down the mountain. I don't blame the sherpas who are only trying to make money the only way possible for them.




 Damo 30 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Jeff Jackson over at Rock & Ice has written a piece and brought in Luis Benitez with some good comments:

"I contacted Luis Benitez, who summitted Everest six times as a guide for major outfitters and asked specifically about why he thought the Sherpas went berserk. He wrote:

It brings up the ever-present question on Everest: When will leadership in ethics and values play a greater part in not only the goal of summitting, but the road to get there. I keep reading these reports man, this is nuts. Does no one remember Henry Todd [head of a guiding company] being banned from Nepal for three years for violence only to return to operate as usual? How can we not be condemned to repeat history if we do not learn from it? When western media (which mostly knows nothing of Everest) is calling for limits on crowds and team size, who among the guiding community will rise to the challenge? Guiding companies go about their business even when, during the torch relay for the China Olympics, most had satellite phones confiscated and some were kicked off the hill for having Tibetan flags and Nepali soldiers with guns were at Camp 2 halting climbers from passing. The Nepalese government paid attention when China asked them to, but refused to pay attention to the rights-abuses on the mountain. Why? Money. Everest is a money mint for the government and the country.

I read something interesting tonight that Sherpa animosity could be about Westerners getting most of the credit and funds. It’s true. For example, my friend Lhakpa Rita a senior guide for Alpine Ascents, first Sherpa to do the Seven Summits, got barely a nod from the media. There are great org's like the Khumbu Climbing School that are trying to even the odds and Sherpas for many teams like IMG work directly with the western clients, yet only when the western guides are the assistants and the Sherpas are the lead guides will we really, as a climbing community, have put our money where our mouth is. Furthermore, the government will never regulate the amount of climbers on the hill. It is up to the guiding industry to stand up and say something like "we will go every other year" or every third year and have a cap on the amount of clients. The opportunity to do something different is there, it will just take a company that's brave enough to say “enough is enough.”

http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/tnb-mayhem-crawling-balling-and-brawli...
 Robert Durran 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Damo:
>
> Using the Sherpa fixed route to acclimatise for your super climb......... is not just hypocritical but downright rude.

They weren't! And it seems that contributed to the problem.

> Make your own route through the icefall.

Probably impracticable. I presume they had permission to us the ropes through the icefall.

> This is about money. Ueli could climb anything on earth, so why is he here? Money.

Or just maybe because it's the highest mountain on earth? (Sorry not to be cynical enough for you). It would be a shame if proper mountaineering (or as proper as is possible given the joke mountaineering circus going on) became impossible on Everest.

 Robert Durran 30 Apr 2013
In reply to VwJap:
> (In reply to steveej)

>
> The tour is a race. Not a hobby like climbing, surely you should be able to enjoy your hobby in any way you see fit?

It is perfectly defensible to argue that this is not true. Just like it is considered reasonable to resist bolting of routes. The Everest circus screws up proper mountaineering on the mountain just like bolting Right wall would screw it up as a trad route.
 Robert Durran 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to UKC News)
>
> I wonder what the webstats are for those involved over the last few days?

The what?!
craigloon 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Damo:

So, how do you make a living Damo?
 steveej 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Damo: I whole heartedly agree.

but the same can be said about the cerro torre argument last year. The bolt choppers freed the route but would they may never have been able to do so with the topos / beta of other ascents that had used the bolts.

So even though they physically didn't use the bolts for upward progress, they benefited from the knowledge and beta that came from others experience of using them.

Without this information they may never have succeeded, yet they chopped them anyway so it was never going to be a clean free ascent, yet they received unprecedented support about their style.

Some people want to blame these three for climbing the normal route to acclimatise. Their are plenty of other big mountains where ascending the normal route to acclimatise is perfectly acceptable so you have knowledge of the descent and are closer to scope out lines and weaknesses in the ascent route etc before moving onto something more technical and committing.

People are mentioning Alan Arnette's blog (who self proclaimed has never led anything himself) about an unwritten rule on Everest never to interfere with the line fixing.

Unwritten rule by who? the commercial expeditions that's who, acting as if they own the place!? Russel doesn't want people disrupting his show, afterall he makes a good living out of it. Ever seen the discovery channel documentary? He's happy taking money off people on his expedition who should never be there. His clients at 7000M+ asking their Sherpa to unzip their Olympus mons boot to put a handwarmer inside the gaiter because their feet are cold.

The place is an absolute circus and has nothing to do with climbing but everything to do with money.
 Damo 30 Apr 2013
In reply to craigloon:
> (In reply to Damo)
>
> So, how do you make a living Damo?

According to my tax return, I don't.
 steveej 30 Apr 2013
In reply to VwJap: no, Im not saying if people want to pay for increased safety because they don't have the skills they shouldn't be there.

But those people/groups shouldn't take precedence over other people that want to climb it in a different style, just because they are paying for it.
 Damo 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:
> (In reply to Damo)
> [...]
>
> They weren't! And it seems that contributed to the problem.
>
> [...]
>
> Probably impracticable. I presume they had permission to us the ropes through the icefall.
>
> [...]
>

I assume they *paid* to use the ropes through the icefall, like the rest. Which is part of the route, so they were using the Sherpa route, Robert, even if they climbed beside the rope in the bit between C2 and C3.

Impracticable? Sure. All the more reason to:
a) not make claims of route superiority, or
b) go somewhere else

There are also two other faces and two / three other ridges right there on Everest that they could climb if doing a new route is so important.
 Damo 30 Apr 2013
In reply to steveej:
> (In reply to Damo) I whole heartedly agree.
>
>
> Unwritten rule by who? the commercial expeditions that's who, acting as if they own the place!? Russel doesn't want people disrupting his show, afterall he makes a good living out of it. Ever seen the discovery channel documentary? He's happy taking money off people on his expedition who should never be there. His clients at 7000M+ asking their Sherpa to unzip their Olympus mons boot to put a handwarmer inside the gaiter because their feet are cold.
>
> The place is an absolute circus and has nothing to do with climbing but everything to do with money.

Agreed. But with regard to Brice et al, while I'm no fan of taking very inexperienced clients to such a place, the 'independent' or superduperalpinists or hardcore badasses or whatever would have more credibility if they did not use Brice's ropes, the path his Sherpas make, or have the psychological security of his structure at hand. In later years they've been asked to pay, but years they just used all this then turned around and dissed the 'big operators'. C'mon, one or the other...

Yes, using the normal route for acclimatisation, recce, descent prep etc is all fine and normal on many mountains, but in the case of the S Col route on Everest it is a reasonably unique situation with the extensive fixing of the icefall and the process in place to do that.

There was a time when good climbers (e.g.. Roskelley) did not want to do that route because of the work / risk in the icefall, they felt it unjustifiable. But now of course westerners don't do that work, they don't take on that risk, they pay poorer, stronger people to do it for them. They minimise the risk to themselves by bringing more money, and increasing the risk to others, the Sherpas. This has worked for a while. Now, maybe not.
 steveej 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Damo:

I agree entirely
 Trevers 30 Apr 2013
In reply to UKC News:

I want to know more about this:

"at which point physical contact was made"
 Robert Durran 30 Apr 2013
In reply to Damo:
> Impracticable? Sure. All the more reason to:
> a) not make claims of route superiority, or
> b) go somewhere else

Or, all the more reason to end the Everest circus.

> There are also two other faces and two / three other ridges right there on Everest that they could climb if doing a new route is so important.

Indeed. Given that they were planning a new route, I presume they were only using the "tourist" route to acclimatise (and why not?). I don't know what their intended new route was/is. Steck's blog mentions having been to the west shoulder, so maybe that gives a clue.

 Epsilon 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:
> (In reply to Damo)
> [...]
>
> Or, all the more reason to end the Everest circus.
>
> [...]
>
> Indeed. Given that they were planning a new route, I presume they were only using the "tourist" route to acclimatise (and why not?). I don't know what their intended new route was/is. Steck's blog mentions having been to the west shoulder, so maybe that gives a clue.

Complete speculation on my part: maybe a link up of the west ridge with the southwest face?
 Henry Iddon 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

The Individuals involved are all getting a huge amount of media coverage
- which will no doubt be reflected in the traffic to their websites. Something
Not lost on the media savvy professional. Curiously the least known of
the three - Jon Griffiths seems to be the most pro active in pushing out
the info to the media - the front cover of the Sun featured a portrait
which I was assume was supplied with the press release. And then an interview
on national radio. From a profile raising point of view things couldn't have
gone better - better in fact than a new route.

So although everyone has kissed, made up, and signed this peace document
There is still some PR and marketing mileage to be had it seems.

Commercialism indeed.
 Damo 01 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)
>
>
> So although everyone has kissed, made up, and signed this peace document
> There is still some PR and marketing mileage to be had it seems.
>

"This ‘peace deal’ was just a pretext for everyone to get out of the situation but for me it was just sweet talk. I don’t think it solved any problems. We are in Nepal and we have to play by their rules but if you think about how they tried to solve something like this, it is actually unbelievable."


"swissinfo: What do your sponsors say about this situation? Have they shown understanding?

U.S.: Of course they understand but on the other hand we are living in the Western world and we don’t get anything for free. The sponsors want to benefit from me. And now, all three of us have to deal with financial disaster. We spent a lot of money and even if we got it from our sponsors, they want something in return and now we have to deal with this. "


http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Sherpa_fight_ends_climber_s_Everest_am...
ice.solo 01 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:

How f*cking ridiculous.

Sherpas dont traditionally fix ropes up mountains. They were contributing to the industry that brings hundreds more of the sort of westerners to nepal that make steck and friends actions insignificant by comparison.

Bong smoking backpackers do more damage to nepalese culture than climbers. If its about that then the circus came to the wrong town.
 Morgan Woods 01 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:

How come this is acceptable on the Lhotse face:

http://www.planetski.eu/images/site/everest_line_400.jpg

but not 3 independent climbers moving around a fixing team?
 Morgan Woods 01 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)
>
From a profile raising point of view things couldn't have
> gone better - better in fact than a new route.
>

Yeah he must be ecstatic with how things turned out....oh wait you were being serious.
 Jack Loftus 01 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:

and the winner of most inaccurate information goes to????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TD0kRx4zIew
EvilThree 01 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:
Garrett Madison's 'objective' report is a shameful piece of misinformation in the light of Chad Kellogg's eyewitness account (link below).


[QUOTE from Chad's report:]
The men promised that if Simone came out on his knees and begged for forgiveness he would not be hurt. Simone tried to get out of the tent on his knees when he was beaten and forced back inside. A while later Melissa asked Simone to get back on his knees outside the tent and ask for forgiveness again. She had been assured by the instigators that he would not be hurt. So Simone got on his knees to ask for forgiveness and was kicked under the chin, someone tried to stab him with a pen knife, but fortunately the knife hit him in the padded belt of his backpack.

Simone retreated inside the tent again. Marty Schmidt recalled when I talked with him at Camp 2 that he saw a man getting ready to bring a large rock down on Simone’s head to kill him. Marty grabbed the rock and the man’s arm and shouted “no, no violence.” For his intervention he received a rock to the head himself. Marty was still wearing the bandage on his head when I spoke with him.

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/blog/stories/drama-at-21000-feet-chad-kellog...
 mrchewy 01 May 2013
In reply to Jack Loftus: Oh my lordy.
 mrchewy 01 May 2013
In reply to EvilThree: New member registered today - not a reporter are you?
 TobyA 01 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon: Oh come off it; you've obviously never been involved even marginally in a story the national media (let alone the international media here!) are interested in if you really believe that! I was one of the few researchers who had written about the Counter-Jihad before Breivik's murders; once one newspaper found my (academic) paper and wrote about it my phone and email went crazy - journalists calling from all around the world; and all that was because I had written something. Just imagine what it's like for the actual people involved directly in a story. I suspect Jon, his friends and family, will all have been deluged with requests for comment. If there's a pic of you somewhere 'in the public domain' the papers will use it without a moments hesitation. Of course there are two sides to every story but saying Jon or anyone else is stirring this for personal gain I think is quite offensive when you know how the media swings behind a story. Talking to a journo who knows his stuff like Ed Douglas seems a rather sensible path.
EvilThree 01 May 2013
In reply to mrchewy: New? Yes. Reporter? Nope, not even a mountaineer. Just unhappy with the misinformation coming from Garrett's report. Read for yourself...
 L.A. 01 May 2013
: To be honest does anybody really give a flying Fcuk about what happened here?
Two groups of people had a scuffle and egos on both sides got bruised, Someone blogged about it. Millions across the world read about it.Thousands, without any real facts,speculated about what happened.
Hopefully those involved on both sides are embarrassed at the spiraling media attention that theyve brought on themselves for an incident like this that that happens in most high streets at weekends.

EvilThree 01 May 2013
In reply to L.A.: Yup, we care.
Obviously you haven't read Chad's eyewitness account. Or you just don't give a 'flying Fcuk' about Everest/mountaineering/...
 Martin W 01 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:

> Jon Griffiths seems to be the most pro active in pushing out
> the info to the media - the front cover of the Sun featured a portrait
> which I was assume was supplied with the press release.

As it said in the second UKC news article on this topic (the thread about which seems to have gone strangely quiet) it's Jon's Facebook profile photo: https://www.facebook.com/jon.griffith.188 (also note the correct spelling of his surname - at least the Sun got that right).

Given the gutter press' propensity for copying & pasting content off the Internet I reckon there's a strong chance Jon didn't give them the photo, although he might have given them permission to use it. Although you'd think that if he was really trying to raise his profile/make cash out of the incident then surely he would have pushed them in the direction of the Alpine Experience web site, wouldn't you?

Like satire, cynicism can sometimes tip over into simple nastiness, particularly when it's being used as a tool to support a point of view.
 L.A. 01 May 2013
In reply to EvilThree: I have read it and all the other reports as well.
You seem to be extremely trusting of one account, Care to tell more ? maybe put up a profile ?
Actually dont bother as youre right, I dont care about your opinions
 Henry Iddon 01 May 2013
In reply to Martin W:

I may have sounded cynical - put where in what I wrote did I make an implicit criticism?

Early in the thread I comment on the the group of three putting a press
Release out and and in brackets say that it is a perfectly understandable thing
to. I would have done the same.

"All publicity is good publicity "

Would there have been as much coverage if there had been a New route
- not in the mainstream media. In the longterm will those involved's profiles
Be damaged? Probably not - will it be raised - probably.

I cann't help wonder if this had happened to three unknowns would
There be the same support on here - or would there have been more slagging off
Going on?

Good luck to 'em.
 Mr Lopez 01 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)
>
> The Individuals involved are all getting a huge amount of media coverage
> - which will no doubt be reflected in the traffic to their websites. Something
> Not lost on the media savvy professional. Curiously the least known of
> the three - Jon Griffiths seems to be the most pro active in pushing out
> the info to the media - the front cover of the Sun featured a portrait
> which I was assume was supplied with the press release. And then an interview
> on national radio. From a profile raising point of view things couldn't have
> gone better - better in fact than a new route.
>
> So although everyone has kissed, made up, and signed this peace document
> There is still some PR and marketing mileage to be had it seems.
>
> Commercialism indeed.

Don't be silly...

Jon doesn't need this kind of publicity. He's a successful photographer well connected within the climbing industry in which this clusterf*k wouldn't exactly help business. He was in fact in Everest working as photographer/cameraman for Ueli and Simone.

I assume he wrote the press release because he's the team member whose first language is English, and is thus the better prepared to write an eloquent and accurate statement.

The front page photo in The Sun is his Facebook profile photo which was nicked form there, hence the poor quality. Any interviews are not sought, but it is usually a response to one of the hundreds of journalist requests they must be having right now. Logically, in the UK media they concentrate in Jon, the same way that Moro featured more in the Italian one, and i assume Ueli in the Swiss.

You know, for a moment there it seems that you are suggesting they intentionally got beaten up and nearly lynched by an 100 strong mob in an attempt to be in the tabloids, thus forfeiting a project they have been planning and training for for months...

Being featured in The Sun might be your life's goal, but i can assure you he would rather be climbing.
EvilThree 01 May 2013
In reply to L.A.: Ouch, so you don't care about Everest/mountaineering/my opinions/...

Melissa Arnot , wants to move forward (: http://www.melissaarnot.com/going-forward/ )
But confirms the facts : http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=19074928&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.i...

There's the report of the russians too, but you only seem to be interested in making sure that 'in the blame game the score ends up as a draw'
I wish you good luck. With the eyewitness accounts, the truth will come out, despite what the commercial pressure to cover things up.
 Rubbishy 01 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Reading it from all sides it looks like a group of people who should all have known better.

They let themselves down, they let their friends down and they let their countries down - they should all sit on the naughty serak and think about what they did.
 Ridge 01 May 2013
In reply to EvilThree:
At last, an utterly convincing eyewitness account.

If I'm ever in a tent surrounded by a baying mob I'll be sure to climb out wearing my stab-proof rucsac.
VwJap 01 May 2013
In reply to steveej: all I hear from "proper climbers" is Everest is a tip, or Everest isn't a real climb, the only technical part of Everest is the Hillary step, base camp is full of pompas ar*eholes so far up there own ar*ses, Everest ain't a proper mountain, the list goes on, so why would "proper climbers" really want to go there? What's wrong with us mere mortals wanting to do something special? I'd love to summit Everest, but I know I couldn't, if I felt fit enough and had the money I prob would put my name down, would I do it alpine style without oxygen? No I bloody wouldn't, maybe it's time for "proper climbers" to go to a more demanding mountain and climb there and stop slagging Everest off, just a thought
 MG 01 May 2013
In reply to Ridge:

> If I'm ever in a tent surrounded by a baying mob I'll be sure to climb out wearing my stab-proof rucsac.

Do you see a marketing opportunity here? The "Moro Pack"?
 Jamie B 01 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Just out of interest, what was the "project" that Steck, Moro and Griffith were attempting? It seems to me that such accomplished alpinists could have directed their efforts at much less crowded terrain, a la Steve House. But maybe they need the status of Everest as much as the Sherpas do?
 Henry Iddon 01 May 2013
In reply to Mr Lopez: In reply to Mr Lopez:

At no point do I suggest this whole affair was planned as a stunt - that is ridiculous

Obviously they would rather have limbed a new route

Those involved now have a higher profile - mainly in the non climbing world - an undeniable fact and unfortunate by product of this affair which no one would have wanted to happen.

If that raised profile helps them in the future then fine.

When you put out a press release to however any media outlets then you by it's nature
Taking 'ownership' of the facts as you see them. Unfortunately a genie is then out of the bottle and all media can twist it how they want - hence the ridiculous headline in the Sun - which paints Sherpas in a bad light. I'm sure Jon is mortified by it and rather embarrassed by it in many ways
RCC 01 May 2013
In reply to Jamie B:

> Just out of interest, what was the "project" that Steck, Moro and Griffith were attempting?

I think that they were being a bit cagey about the exact goal. I read that Griffith had a permit for the normal route, and Steck and Moro had a permit for the West ridge and Lhotse! Read into that what you will....
 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to Jamie B:
> (In reply to UKC News)
>
> Just out of interest, what was the "project" that Steck, Moro and Griffith were attempting? It seems to me that such accomplished alpinists could have directed their efforts at much less crowded terrain, a la Steve House. But maybe they need the status of Everest as much as the Sherpas do?

Maybe they want to climb a new route on Everest at least partly because it is the world's highest mountain (ie the same reason as all the joke punters whose circus, it seems, unfortunately makes this rather problematic.) The difference is that they don't want to cheat by getting Sherpas to climb the mountain for them first.
 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to RCC:
> (In reply to Jamie B)
>
> I think that they were being a bit cagey about the exact goal. I read that Griffith had a permit for the normal route, and Steck and Moro had a permit for the West ridge and Lhotse! Read into that what you will....

Well, if they were planning a traverse of Everest (via the west ridge) and Lhotse, it sounds like a potentially ground breaking and historic bit of mountaineering more than worthy with their talents. All the more shame if it has been ruined as a result of the pointless Everest circus.

 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to VwJap:
> What's wrong with us mere mortals wanting to do something special? I'd love to summit Everest, but I know I couldn't, if I felt fit enough and had the money I prob would put my name down, would I do it alpine style without oxygen? No I bloody wouldn't.

ie you wouldn't do anythging special; you would cheat and then kid yourself you had done something special.
In reply to Robert Durran: But it would be "special" to all the circle of friends of any "normal" person..

Lets face it, who of us only hangs with uber alpinists? Or who of us work and hang out with normal people who have normal lives. I suspect my mum would think it was pretty special if I <was carried> climbed Everest. And I like impressing my mum

So yes it would be special to 99% of the population if VwJap told them he had summited Everest.
 GrahamD 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

> ie you wouldn't do anythging special; you would cheat and then kid yourself you had done something special.

It depends what you mean by 'special' I suppose. Pretty much anyone I know would consider summitting Everest as something 'special'
 MG 01 May 2013
What happens to all these fixed ropes each year? Are they collected, or do they just accumulate?
 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to Bjartur í Sumarhús:
> (In reply to Robert Durran) But it would be "special" to all the circle of friends of any "normal" person.........So yes it would be special to 99% of the population if VwJap told them he had summited Everest.

Yes, climbing Everest by cheating will impress the 99% of the population who don't know any better. VwJap could kid himself, his friends or both depending on his motivation!

 Alex Buisse 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

The Lhotse permit was to allow them to acclimatize on the normal route up to the South Col. AFAIK, they were not planning to climb the mountain.
VwJap 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran: cheat!!!! Really!!!! That's a bit harsh! Id prefer to Climb within my abilities, ok I maybe not a super hero climber like you but WTF makes it your mountain only, is it because I can't hang my body weight by my little finger? Tbh I really wouldn't want to be in your circle of friends, as you seem a bit, how shall I say it, elitist, I prefer people who live in the real world!!!!
 steveej 01 May 2013
In reply to VwJap: well we seem to have a different concept of what climbing entails.

Of course Everest is a real mountain. But climbing up a fixed rope and paying others to shlep your gear up and down the mountain and look after you is not real climbing.

If people want to kid themselves and fool the general public then fine. But their tactics seem to make it very difficult for anyone else to climb in a differing and arguable much better and accepted style.
 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to VwJap:
> (In reply to Robert Durran) cheat!!!! Really!!!!

Yes.

> That's a bit harsh! Id prefer to Climb within my abilities.

Eh? So why cheat to kid yourself you have done something which is actually outside your abilities.

> ok I maybe not be a super hero climber like you......

I'm anything but - I'd struggle to make it much above base camp on Everest.

> you seem a bit, how shall I say it, elitist.

It really is boring when people wheel out the "dirty" E word as if it wins the argument just by using it.

 nw 01 May 2013
In reply to Ridge:
> (In reply to EvilThree)
> At last, an utterly convincing eyewitness account.
>
> If I'm ever in a tent surrounded by a baying mob I'll be sure to climb out wearing my stab-proof rucsac.

No,no, whatever you do don't emerge from the safety of your tent. Those things will keep angry Sherpa mobs at bay for hours. Rock and knife proof they are.

Bellie 01 May 2013
In reply to nw: .... and bombproof, given the usual description of mountain tents.
VwJap 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:
> (In reply to VwJap)
> [...]
> Eh? So why cheat to kid yourself you have done something which is actually outside your abilities.
>
Apparently "because its there" or "because I can" is a good argument, and climbing to the top aided for me WOULD be outside my abilities, and something special to me, and I would feel somewhat upset if someone would call me a cheat, I would've done something I would never manage or dream to do, I would have pushed myself to the limit and beyond, but you'd want to take all that away from me because I needed help! My aim wouldn't to be anything like a new route or a more dangerous way to get there, my aim would be to get there, and that to me would be special!

Oh and I'm betting all these proper climbers out there at the mo have used ropes or ladders that have been laid by the Sherpas! So everybody who goes to Everest is a cheat then? Even these 3 climbers must have gone thru the icefall! So technically they cheated too. Did Malory and Irvine also cheat because they used Sherpas? What about Hillary and tengsing? Just a thought
> [...]
>
> I'm anything but - I'd struggle to make it much above base camp on Everest.
>
Hopefully there in October, yes I will struggle, but I want to experience being near to the place,
> [...]
>
> It really is boring when people wheel out the "dirty" E word as if it wins the argument just by using it.

Would "arse" be better?

 tony 01 May 2013
In reply to VwJap:
>
> Oh and I'm betting all these proper climbers out there at the mo have used ropes or ladders that have been laid by the Sherpas! So everybody who goes to Everest is a cheat then? Even these 3 climbers must have gone thru the icefall! So technically they cheated too. Did Malory and Irvine also cheat because they used Sherpas? What about Hillary and tengsing? Just a thought

If you don't recognise the difference between what Mallory and Irving did, and what Hillary and Tensing did, compared with what hundreds of paying clients do every April and May on Everest, you don't really have a very clear understanding of mountaineering.
 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to VwJap:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)
> Oh and I'm betting all these proper climbers out there at the mo have used ropes or ladders that have been laid by the Sherpas! So everybody who goes to Everest is a cheat then?

Actually, I've no problem with you or others cheating as such - that's your problem and it's yourself you're kidding The problem, and the one highly relevant to the current events on Everest, is that it screws things up for people who want to do the the thing properly. If oxygen, like the diamox I cheat with, came in pill form rather than with an army of sherpas, I wouldn't have much of an issue with it.

> Would "arse" be better?

Whichever you prefer. I can take it.

VwJap 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:
> (In reply to VwJap)
> [> Would "arse" be better?.]
>
> Whichever you prefer. I can take it.

I had to laugh at that bit, sorry, I'm childish, and read that as you could take it up the arse, again sorry, but I did spit my drink all over the keyboard

I personally don't like to belittle any ones achievements, no matter how they accomplish them
 biscuit 01 May 2013
In reply to VwJap:

>
> I personally don't like to belittle any ones achievements, no matter how they accomplish them

Lance Armstrong ?
 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to VwJap:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)

> I had to laugh at that bit, sorry, I'm childish, and read that as you could take it up the arse, again sorry, but I did spit my drink all over the keyboard.

I hope your keyboard is ok.

> I personally don't like to belittle anyone's achievements, no matter how they accomplish them.

I'm not belittling it. Just seeing it for what it is - maybe in mountaineering terms an achievement somewhere between The Gouter route on Mont Blanc and the West Buttress on Denali. I don't really mind people bringing stuff down to their own level/cheating as long as it does not deny others the opportunity to do it properly (as appears to happen on Everest). I feel the same about top-ropers hogging routes at Stanage or people who would bolt up perfectly good trad crags.

VwJap 01 May 2013
In reply to biscuit: the drugs didn't do it all for him, he still had to do a lot a work to get there didn't he?
To be fair I'm not sure about what he was up to and when, as I haven't really read anything about it, so I really wouldn't want to judge the man on speculation alone
VwJap 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran: so you disagree with personal achievement? And everyone must be at the top of their game to be able to do anything, ok i get your point, I better stop working now because I'm very good at what I do but maybe not the best, so the downs boy who made it to Everest cheated, nonsense, I think it was a fantastic achievement, just like anyone who has pushed themself to the limit or beyond, it's not always about who's the best of the best, just because someone's goals are different it doesn't make the cheaters
 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to VwJap:
> (In reply to Robert Durran) so you disagree with personal achievement?

Read my last post. I have nothing against personal achievement. What I object to is when people who want to climb in a better style are prevented from doing so by people who reduce the challenge to their own level. Without an underlying ethos of elitism (no, it is not a dirty word) in climbing it would be a greatly diminished thing.

The people climbing fixed ropes on Everest could get as great a personal achievement from climbing Mont Blanc or Denali (or whatever) in better style, but they don't because they want to pay for the bragging rights associated with Everest which have little to do with personal achievement and much to do with other people's ignorance.
 GrahamD 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

> The people climbing fixed ropes on Everest could get as great a personal achievement from climbing Mont Blanc or Denali (or whatever) in better style, but they don't because they want to pay for the bragging rights associated with Everest which have little to do with personal achievement and much to do with other people's ignorance.

You could equally say that the elite sponsored 'athletes' and Everest. For sponsored climbers bragging rights is a very big deal.

hyperion 01 May 2013
In reply to Milesy:

Listen to Milesy, he knows his stuff
In reply to UKC News:

What I don't understand, is this unwritten "rule" that the sherpas are given space to carry out the rope fixing.

I watched with my own eyes (on the TV at least), Russell Brice allowed one of this paying clients to summit at the same time as the rope fixing sherpas, the first summit of the season. I also watched the client and his sherpa get tangled up with the rope fixers (which got quite heated) in the dead zone.

Seems it's one rule for the commercial entities and another for independent climbers.
 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to GrahamD:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)
> You could equally say that the elite sponsored 'athletes' and Everest. For sponsored climbers bragging rights is a very big deal.

Of course there is some truth in this!
However, a proper alpine style ascent of Everest witout oxygen is probably worthy of bragging rights (unlike an ascent with sherpas and fixed ropes).

Of course, Everest offers a truly unique high altitude challenge to mountaineers (stating the obvious....) and this challenge is blatantly ducked by the use of oxygen. Perhaps (and excuse me for suspending cynicism) the likes of Steck and Moro are primarily motivated by this challenge. It is a shame that the opportunity for taking up this challenge is compromised (and destroyed on the "tourist" route) by the presence of the commercial circus.

Incidentally (and please again excuse my lack of cynicism), I very much doubt the likes of Steck and Moro are motivated much by money; they are real mountaineers motivated by mountaineering challenges. Yes, meeting these challenges costs money and this might have steered them towards Everest in order to attract sponsorship. I expect they are now regretting it though!

 GrahamD 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

Clearly the style of ascent expected by an elite climber is way superior to that aspired to by paying punters. I don't think it detracts from the achievement of those punters who chose their own challenge within their own set of parameters, however. If their challenge is just to get to the top of Everest I can understand that.
 Henry Iddon 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

Out of curiosity who made the first ascent if Everest in Alpine style without supplementary oxygen and without any support what so ever? By no support I mean without using any prior fixed rope, fixed ladders etc in the icefall , load carrying support and so on.

As I understand it Messner and Habler had Sherpas when they did the 1st ascent without supplementary oxygen.

Also are even minimalist alpine style trips obliged to have a liaison officer and cook? Or is it possible to attempt Everest in a small team without any support what so ever?
 Milesy 01 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> Out of curiosity who made the first ascent if Everest in Alpine style without supplementary oxygen and without any support what so ever? By no support I mean without using any prior fixed rope, fixed ladders etc in the icefall , load carrying support and so on.

Are you talking about portering or high altitude guiding? Most of the early attempts were made from the North Col which doesnt go through the icefall. These used porters but the early climbers were the ones who were doing all the climbing and many got pretty close to the summit before Hillary, and without oxygen.
 Milesy 01 May 2013
Here is an account of the 38 expedition.

http://www.himalayanclub.org/journal/mount-everest/

By the time they reached the second step, they can had managed to convince only 2 of their porters to continue to climb with them but it was certainly an almost equal relationship in the high camps. They were not being ferried up fixed ropes by them.
 Epsilon 01 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)
>
> Out of curiosity who made the first ascent if Everest in Alpine style without supplementary oxygen and without any support what so ever? By no support I mean without using any prior fixed rope, fixed ladders etc in the icefall , load carrying support and so on.
>
> As I understand it Messner and Habler had Sherpas when they did the 1st ascent without supplementary oxygen.
>
> Also are even minimalist alpine style trips obliged to have a liaison officer and cook? Or is it possible to attempt Everest in a small team without any support what so ever?

Probably Messner in his 1980 solo ascent.
 dycotiles 01 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:

Read the "Crystal Horizon" by Messner's solo ascent.
 Milesy 01 May 2013
I am fairly sure that Bonatti critisised Messner's attempt due to the fact he piggy backed on support that was already in place on the mountain and he could not have achieved his attempt had that not been in place.
 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to Epsilon:
> (In reply to Henry Iddon)
>
> Probably Messner in his 1980 solo ascent.

And even then he had to do it out of season to avoid the compromising effect of other siege style expeditions on the mountain. I doubt it has had many such uncompromised ascents since. Troillet/Loretan (I think) springs to mind. Venables' was pretty good style (impressed Messner anyway!).

 Henry Iddon 01 May 2013
In reply to Milesy:

I'm aware of the history Milesy - in fact just last week I finished Wade Davies's excellent book about the 21, 22 and 24 expeditions.

With all the talk on here about 'elitism' and climbing Everest in the 'best style' - without help etc - I was curious as to what people consider the 'purest' ascent. Stephen Venables springs to mind - but although I've read his book I cann't remember how much if any sherpa support was involved. A new route without supplimentary oxygen is good going.

 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to Milesy:
> I am fairly sure that Bonatti critisised Messner's attempt due to the fact he piggy backed on support that was already in place on the mountain and he could not have achieved his attempt had that not been in place.

The ascent with Habeler perhaps (though I think they were just trying to prove it could be climbed at all without oxygen), but not the 1980 solo.

 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to Milesy)

> I was curious as to what people consider the 'purest' ascent. Stephen Venables springs to mind - but although I've read his book I cann't remember how much if any sherpa support was involved. A new route without supplimentary oxygen is good going.

No support, but they did fix some of the technical bits low down.

 Henry Iddon 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

Are we letting Stephen off that

ha ha
 Robert Durran 01 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)
>
> Are we letting Stephen off that

Yes. He's a jolly good chap. The right sort, you know.
 Henry Iddon 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

Indeed
 Michael Gordon 01 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:
> (In reply to RCC)
> [...]
>
> Well, if they were planning a traverse of Everest (via the west ridge) and Lhotse, it sounds like a potentially ground breaking and historic bit of mountaineering more than worthy with their talents. All the more shame if it has been ruined as a result of the pointless Everest circus.

Yes, a great shame. Whatever their objective was, it could well have been groundbreaking.
 Hugh Cottam 02 May 2013
In reply to Henry Iddon:

When discussing 'best style' Göran Kropp comes to mind.

For his famous 1996 ascent, Kropp left Stockholm on October 16, 1995, on a specially-designed bicycle with 108 kg (240 lb) of gear and food. He traveled 8,000 miles on the bicycle and arrived at Everest Base Camp in April 1996. Following a meeting of all of the Everest expeditions currently on the mountain, it was agreed that Kropp would attempt to summit first. On May 3, Kropp blazed a trail through thigh-deep snow and reached a point 300 feet from the summit. However, Kropp decided to turn around because it was too late in the day and if he continued, he would be descending at dark. While Kropp recovered from the ordeal at base camp, the 1996 Everest Disaster unfolded. Kropp helped bring medicine up the mountain. Three weeks later, on May 23, Kropp again tackled the mountain, this time successfully summitting (without extra oxygen support). He then cycled part of the way back home.[2] He returned to Everest in 1999 with girlfriend Renata Chlumska to undertake a cleanup, during which they removed 25 discarded canisters from the mountain. They also made a successful summit attempt together.
 Robert Durran 02 May 2013
In reply to Hugh Cottam:

So he blew it by only cycling part way back home. Poor effort.
 Hannes 02 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:
> So he blew it by only cycling part way back home. Poor effort.

I believe they failed to get visas for Iran so ended up taking the train through Russia (or something similar, it was ten years since I read his book)
 Trevers 02 May 2013
In reply to Hannes:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)
> [...]
>
> I believe they failed to get visas for Iran so ended up taking the train through Russia (or something similar, it was ten years since I read his book)

Didn't he get attacked or beaten up en route somewhere?
 munro 02 May 2013
In reply to Trevers:
> (In reply to Hannes)
> [...]
>
> Didn't he get attacked or beaten up en route somewhere?

Sherpas around every corner...
In reply to Hugh Cottam:
> (In reply to Henry Iddon)

> For his famous 1996 ascent, Kropp left Stockholm on October 16, 1995, on a specially-designed bicycle with 108 kg (240 lb) of gear and food. He traveled 8,000 miles on the bicycle and arrived at Everest Base Camp in April 1996. Following a meeting of all of the Everest expeditions currently on the mountain, it was agreed that Kropp would attempt to summit first. On May 3, Kropp blazed a trail through thigh-deep snow and reached a point 300 feet from the summit. However, Kropp decided to turn around because it was too late in the day and if he continued, he would be descending at dark. While Kropp recovered from the ordeal at base camp, the 1996 Everest Disaster unfolded. Kropp helped bring medicine up the mountain. Three weeks later, on May 23, Kropp again tackled the mountain, this time successfully summitting (without extra oxygen support). He then cycled part of the way back home.[2] He returned to Everest in 1999 with girlfriend Renata Chlumska to undertake a cleanup, during which they removed 25 discarded canisters from the mountain. They also made a successful summit attempt together.

....and then got killed climbing some perfectly protected roadside E1. Sometimes the cosmos has a strange sense of humour.

jcm
 Trevers 02 May 2013
In reply to munro:
> (In reply to Trevers)
> [...]
>
> Sherpas around every corner...

Not on the mountain *rolls eyes*
 malk 02 May 2013
In reply to ice.solo:
>
> Bong smoking backpackers do more damage to nepalese culture than climbers.

oh really? care to explain your logic?
 Henry Iddon 02 May 2013
In reply to Hugh Cottam:

Ah yes I - knew he cycled there but wasn't sure of how he went about his ascent. His lecture at Kendal was brilliant - a very funny man. Sadly missed.
 Hugh Cottam 02 May 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
As a friend often used to joke to me after witnessing a bizarre choking incident in the States; "A man could die just eating a loaf of bread".
ice.solo 02 May 2013
In reply to Hugh Cottam:

or as yvon chouinard said 'more people die from eating bad mayonaise'.

but then theres hunter s thompson sayin 'the problem today is most people live out their lives never finding out if they are a coward or not.'
ice.solo 03 May 2013
In reply to malk:
> (In reply to ice.solo)
> [...]
>
> oh really? care to explain your logic?

id gamble there are more nepalese who have given up their traditional values by selling dope and tourist crap to miserly backpackers than sherpas who work in the mountains.
ive yet to see a sherpa pan handle for change, yet places like thamel are brimming with glue smashed beggars harassing tourists.
 Damo 03 May 2013
In reply to ice.solo:
> (In reply to malk)
> [...]
>
> id gamble there are more nepalese who have given up their traditional values by selling dope and tourist crap to miserly backpackers than sherpas who work in the mountains.
> ive yet to see a sherpa pan handle for change, yet places like thamel are brimming with glue smashed beggars harassing tourists.

Hmm. While I agree with your basic premise, Ed, that Everest/mountaineering is small beans in the harm stakes, even compared to trekking/tourism:

- there have been more than a few climbing Sherpas succumb to alcoholism that was reportedly related to their place in the big circus (Sungdare being one of the best known, the first to 5x summits and drowned in a river while drunk)

- destitute locals in KTM is a bit of an apples v. oranges debate here. KTM has a real problem with unemployment as no one wants to be a farmer any more so they all move to the city, where there aren't enough jobs, and get exploited in various ways. The tourist drug scene is just one of those. And you're talking about various ethnic groups in Nepal with different backgrounds to the Sherpa.
In reply to UKC News:

Ueli's account.

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/mountaineering/ever...

A fairly chilling read.. certainly makes you think about who you would take with you to the remotest places on Earth.
 silverdarling 03 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Some thoughts -

- The notion that sherpas are somehow a wonderfully pacifist people is a western myth (in our nonsense tradition of new age veneration for anything Tibetan-bhotia). it's a cultural misconception, spun by tourists, sherpas and commercial interests alike. I've annnoyed sherpas (as in sherpa people, not trekking/climbing operatives) myself, and was quite rightly (i was drunk and out of order), threatened with a good kicking/killing, same as i'd expect in a similar situation anywhere else. Our 'amateur' sherpa porter rescued me.

- there is a huge income and power disparity between most Nepalese and tourists. This is accentuated in the Everest region which sees many very rich, arrogant and ignorant visitors (and all tourists can be that way at times).

- tourists being 'respectful' in a situation where they have an almost colonial power in someone elses country is often close to 'patronising'

- right across Nepal there is a (justified in my view) resentment of Western power and money, reflected in support for marxist politics.

- if the tools at your disposal for addressing grievances are rocks and mob intimidation (as discussed these are common ways for dealing with issues in Nepal) then that's what will be used, these 'oh what a terrible way to behave' western more-civilised-than-thou comments have little appreciation of the political/cultural reality.



Bellie 03 May 2013
In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: Fills in a few of the gaps in other accounts for me. Bad situation!


Bellie 08 May 2013
In reply to Mikkel: The IMG account sound like cobblers given the accounts elsewhere.
 Mikkel 08 May 2013
In reply to Bellie:

why?
 pigeonjim 08 May 2013
In reply to Bellie: Where you there? Do you believe that sponsors would want people to tell the truth?
Bellie 08 May 2013
In reply to Mikkel: Maybe its just me but it paints too rosy a picture of the Sherpa for my liking. Wonder why. Perhaps a vested interest in not putting potential clients off a future trip. Just a thought. Maybe I am wrong - just having read various accounts, this one seems suddenly different - even to what the Sherpas account had said.



 earlsdonwhu 08 May 2013
In reply to Mikkel: Well I certainly don't like ... "We will do as we please; we are going climbing on this route."

~Simone Moro and Ueli Steck

Since Hammill wasn't present, I don't think he should be presenting comments that he can only have received from a biased source(the Sherpas) as direct factual quotes. It is possible that such comments were made but the quotation should not be used when they are actually only alleged to have been made.
 Mikkel 08 May 2013
In reply to Bellie:

I think its pretty much the same story as all the others.
But this time with Moro as the one who started it all, instead of the Sherpas going nuts without reason.
 Epsilon 08 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Any reports from IMG, Himex, etc. are basically going to be public relations press releases with the objective of protecting their business interests.

In contrast, Denis Urubko's report above to ExWeb is luringly detailed and pulls absolutely no punches.
 Mikkel 08 May 2013
In reply to Epsilon:
> (In reply to UKC News)
>
> Any reports from IMG, Himex, Moro, Sleck etc.


Fixed it for you :0)
 Epsilon 08 May 2013
In reply to Mikkel:
> (In reply to Epsilon)
> [...]
>
>
> Fixed it for you :0)

Not really, because those guys were actually there. These "reports" are being written by the non-climber bosses of commercial teams, cobbled together from 2nd and 3rd hand information. These types also have a pour track record when it comes to allowing the truth about controversial events getting out. When the Chinese gunned down the Tibetan refugees near Cho-Oyo, Russell Brice and others were furious when some western climbers contacted ExWeb and other media sites with the truth. They were, of course, worried that the Chinese might get angry and this would endanger their commercial interests.
 Mikkel 08 May 2013
In reply to Epsilon:

and you think Moro is telling the truth?
Their climb is as commercial as anything else there with their sponsors etc

isn't Moro sponsored by TNF which is one of the big evils on here? ;0)
 French Erick 08 May 2013
In reply to manumartin:
So by the widely different account, it's all a big misunderstanding and there has been 2 separate incidents! Either Sherpas were arrogant monsters after money (that sounds like trolls from JRR Tolkiens) or the elite Western climbers were reckless selfish individuals quite happy to kill a few Nepalis to get their route.

Could there be a third reality where noone is black or white and a fair bit of arrogance and self-importance was displayed?

We will never know, will we? It just adds to the Everest circus. I never had an interest in it... but that makes sure my pennies will not fuel this weird situation.

The shame in this is that everyone's reputation has been tarnished.
 pigeonjim 08 May 2013
In reply to Epsilon:
> (In reply to Mikkel)
> [...]
> These "reports" are being written by the non-climber bosses of commercial teams,

So the other ' three climbers' werent there for commercial reasons?
 pigeonjim 08 May 2013
In reply to French Erick:

Aye good post. Sounds to me like both sides were playing get off my mountain.
 Bruce Hooker 08 May 2013
In reply to pigeonjim:
> (In reply to French Erick)
>
> Aye good post. Sounds to me like both sides were playing get off my mountain.

Isn't it technically true that for one side of the dispute it really is their mountain? Just a thought.

Lukas V-L 08 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:

Didnt really seem like Griffith and Co were telling anyone to get off the mountain eh.
 Michael Gordon 08 May 2013
In reply to above:

Whatever view one takes of the fixed rope incident, there is only one 'party' to blame for what happened at Camp 2 and that is the Sherpas! Anyone who suggests otherwise is deluding themselves.
 Robert Durran 08 May 2013
In reply to pigeonjim:
> (In reply to Epsilon)
> [...]
>
> So the other ' three climbers' werent there for commercial reasons?

If you can't see the difference between genuine mountaineers going mountaineering and, because it is expensive, funding it through sponsorship, and an expedition where companies and guides make a profit or living by charging punters to be taken up a mountain, then where do we start? Perhaps by pointing out that the genuine mountaineers are no different to me and you except they happen to be good/committed enough to attract sponsorship whereas tyhe guided expeditions bear no relation to what people like me and you do.

 steveej 08 May 2013
In reply to UKC News: the mindstate of some of the people on here just saddens me.
 steveej 08 May 2013
In reply to steveej: and the IMG report is just depressing. Shows just how commercialised this form of climbing has become, which in my view is damaging to climbing as a whole. seems we are turning into adventure tourists.
 Robert Durran 08 May 2013
In reply to earlsdonwhu:
> (In reply to Mikkel) Well I certainly don't like ... "We will do as we please; we are going climbing on this route."

And even if he did say this, so what? If, say, a Chamonix guide asked me to stay off a route for the day so that he could have it to himself for comercial reasons, I would quite rightly be outraged and tell him where to go. I don't see why this is any different.
 Tom G 08 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:

http://www.explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=21469

Denis Urubko had some interesting thoughts...
 Bruce Hooker 08 May 2013
In reply to steveej:

> seems we are turning into adventure tourists.

Just realised that? It's been going on for a long time, it started with trekking I think, back in the sixties or before and now it's got to "rentaexpedition" level... You (not you personally!) pay the bill and you even have your gear carried on the approach and the tent is up at each camp with your bed made and tea ready

I agree, it's nout to do with climbing as I see it.
 Bruce Hooker 08 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:
> (In reply to earlsdonwhu)
> [...]
>
> And even if he did say this, so what? If, say, a Chamonix guide asked me to stay off a route for the day so that he could have it to himself for comercial reasons, I would quite rightly be outraged and tell him where to go. I don't see why this is any different.

What about if they were replacing cabled and steps on the path to a refuge and didn't want you to be hurt by rock fall? Would you just hoist the Union Jack and barge past?

 Bruce Hooker 08 May 2013
In reply to Tom G:
> (In reply to UKC News)
>
> http://www.explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=21469
>
> Denis Urubko had some interesting thoughts...

It was already posted higher up the thread - but what can you expect from something called "explorersweb.com"? There aren't many explorers up there nowadays just guides and rich punters with a few exceptions possibly. His articles makes the Daily Mail look like a tribune for multi-cultural expression!
 Robert Durran 08 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)
>
> What about if they were replacing cabled and steps on the path to a refuge and didn't want you to be hurt by rock fall?

The analogy is silly; the Lhotse Face is part of the climb, not the path to Lobuche. And I don't think anyone has suggested the Sherpas'concern was that the climbers might get hurt.

> Would you just hoist the Union Jack and barge past?

Your suggestion of nationalism is misplaced if not a touch offensive; I would feel the same about a guide on Ben Nevis. It is a sad day whenever commercial interests trump genuine mountaineering.

 Tyler 08 May 2013
In reply to Mikkel:

That account strikes me as bull. This is the first time anyone has suggested Ueli abbed down and grabbed a Sherpa (and there have been other accounts from the Sherpas that were there). Likewise, considering how many witnesses there seem to have been no one seems to have identified the mystery westerner who started the fight at camp 2. Similarly, the injured Sherpa seems very shy (the article disingenuously tries to imply several injured Sherpas).

However, the clincher for me was the way that the author acknowledges that the Sherpas might resent the ostentatious Westerners but lays the blame for this at Moro's door whilst absolving clients of commercial expeditions who, let's face it, haven't exactly proven themselves to be the most compassionate bunch.
Clauso 09 May 2013
In reply to Tyler:

I've been following this thread for days and, until this evening, have declined to get involved on the basis that I wanted to weigh all the pros and cons.

My mind is now made up. I let the tyres down on a Sherpa van, tonight, by way of protest.

... There's more where that came from, too.
 Bruce Hooker 09 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

> And I don't think anyone has suggested the Sherpas'concern was that the climbers might get hurt.

This is exactly what they said, and it was confirmed by an article linked above, amongst others.
 Robert Durran 09 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)

> This is exactly what they said, and it was confirmed by an article linked above, amongst others.

Fair enough, I may have got this wrong. I thought the upper Sherpas were concerned about the climbers knocking stuff down on the lower Sherpas. I havn't read all the accounts and they all seem to contradict each other anyway.

 Michael Gordon 09 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:

My understanding was more that one of the Sherpas' concerns was that they might get hurt by the climbers touching their ropes or knocking ice down.

I don't think they had any concerns for the climbers' safety. Or if they did they quickly changed their minds!
 Bruce Hooker 09 May 2013
In reply to Michael Gordon:

That was said too... all in all it's difficult to see through the various reports. It looks like they'll have to install traffic lights soon.
 PMG 09 May 2013
I think that much of this discussion is pointless. How can we make judgement without being sure about the facts? Whom should we believe?

Determining trustworthiness of complete strangers is always tricky. Trickier still as nobody involved is a free man, all have commercial interests to protect. This does not automatically imply that somebody is a liar. It simply introduces another dimension to consider.

Of course trying to kill somebody (or even making such threats) is unacceptable, period. Not much to add here.
andyathome 09 May 2013
In reply to French Erick:
> (In reply to manumartin)

>
> Could there be a third reality where noone is black or white and a fair bit of arrogance and self-importance was displayed?
>
> We will never know, will we? It just adds to the Everest circus.
> The shame in this is that everyone's reputation has been tarnished.

+1
 Skyfall 09 May 2013
In reply to Clauso:

I think your attempt at levity just went 'swoosh' (over heads).

Nice diversion mind and keep up the good work!
 Robert Durran 09 May 2013
In reply to PMG:
> I think that much of this discussion is pointless. How can we make judgement without being sure about the facts? Whom should we believe?

In some ways the details don't matter and nor does it matter who to believe; the whole sorry state of affairs would never have happened without the sad commercialistion of the Everest guiding circus.

ice.solo 10 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

see i dont know.

i think its a result of the compression of people in busy areas with a bit of attention. same thing happens in train stations and traffic jams all the time - just this time on the slopes of everest. there may be a degree of romanticizing sherpas involved - but top climbers are romanticized too. maybe more - we may be able to cope with exotic sherpas blowing a fuse, but dear ueli steck? isnt he next to gandhi?

basecamps are hotspots for egos, tantrums, rumours and bitchiness. interpersonal scuffles evolve season to season, between nepal, pakistan and the andes. face-offs happen all the time, just this time with famous climbers in a location weve all heard of.

show downs occur in any climbing area, some like chamonix even more commercial than everest, others more remote like K2 and the pamir.

its just people.
 Michael Gordon 10 May 2013
In reply to ice.solo:

I'd like to think folk almost being stoned to death doesn't happen very often, at least within the context of mountaineering!
 Banned User 77 10 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:
> (In reply to pigeonjim)
> [...]
>
> Isn't it technically true that for one side of the dispute it really is their mountain? Just a thought.

No..
 Bruce Hooker 10 May 2013
In reply to IainRUK:
> (In reply to Bruce Hooker)
> [...]
>
> No..

Why not, they are Tibetans, "we" are visitors, guests should at least be polite - the days of the Raj and "coolies" are over, or at least they should be.
 Robert Durran 10 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:
> (In reply to IainRUK)
> [...]
>
> Why not, they are Tibetans, "we" are visitors, guests should at least be polite.

It's a tricky one, but the trouble is that by a similar argument we would happily sit back and not moan when the Swiss bolt up routes done 150 years ago on "their" mountains for (arguably) commercial reasons. I'm not sure we should; I'm not happy with this idea of ownership.
 Bruce Hooker 10 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

Not quite the same though, is it? From what we can gather the argument started when three foreign climbers refused to respect the requests of some Sherpas who were fixing ropes for general use. Fixed ropes are standard on this sort of place but that's not the real issue, it is one of respect for people working, just doing their job for the benefit of all.

At least that's what it appears to be, there are different versions but some of those in English linked on ukc show a somewhat unpleasant attitude with regard to locals on the personal level... but this criticism concerns those who wrote the articles, not directly the protagonists themselves.
 GrahamD 10 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:

> Why not, they are Tibetans,

Doesn't that make them Chinese in your book ? they certainly aren't Nepalese though.
 Tyler 10 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:

> refused to respect the requests of some Sherpas

to respect the requests of some private companies who wanted the route fixed to enable them to take their fee paying clients up the mountain and make a profit.

> just doing their job for the benefit of all

for the beneift of some private companies to enable them to take their fee paying clients up the mountain and make a profit.
 Epsilon 10 May 2013
In reply to UKC News:

According to Denis Urubko (who was apparently up on the face, at his own camp) on ExWeb, at the time of the rope-crossing, the sherpas were ascending a rope that he and Sergei Bolotov had previously fixed, not fixing one themselves. Of course he could be mistaken, but that seems like a remarkably specific detail that one would only include if fairly certain about it.
 Bruce Hooker 10 May 2013
In reply to GrahamD:

Tibet is part of China at present but the people who live there are mostly Tibetans, but I meant to type Nepalese, it was a mistake. So why aren't they Nepalese?

What I should have said was they're locals... as a tourist you should try to respect the locals, if you don't you're heading for trouble. I've been twice in the mountains of the Himalayan chain, in the Hindu Kush and the Hindu Raj and although we were young , early 20s and they took us for being much younger, and we had no weapons we never had the slightest trouble, not even theft, and this despite haggling hard on the cost of donkeys and porters for the walk in. Same thing Bolivia, the local Aymaras carried all our hundreds of tins of food as such like from the road head on llamas then, as it hadn't been packed in the right loads so was repacked in small sacks and then just tipped out at the base camp site in a huge heap without any of us present - we were still puffing along behind - there wasn't a single tin missing, and these are people so poor they only eat potatoes and a tin of fish from time to time.

To come to the point, sorry for the length of the "explanation", there had been a German expedition in the same area the year before who had been bossy with the locals (or so we were told) and when they were away from camp, up climbing, their gear was pillaged and valuables stolen. Same place, same comparatively wealthy foreigners, two quite different results.

I don't know exactly the whys and the wherefores of this incident but clearly there is something behind it, and this something needs to be addressed. These three climbers may have paid for the acts of others but for those who appear to suggest that this is due to a totally Sherpa problem I'd beg to differ.
 remus Global Crag Moderator 10 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:
> (In reply to GrahamD)
> I don't know exactly the whys and the wherefores of this incident but clearly there is something behind it, and this something needs to be addressed. These three climbers may have paid for the acts of others but for those who appear to suggest that this is due to a totally Sherpa problem I'd beg to differ.

While this is true it seems to me that the sherpas went beyond this when they gathered a mob and tried to kill the offending party.

Mutual understanding is something that needs to be worked on by everyone. Mob justice is, as far as i can tell, purely a sherpa problem here.
 Bruce Hooker 10 May 2013
In reply to remus:

In that case the answer is simple - don't go there anymore... You don't like the people, go somewhere else. Problem solved.
 Banned User 77 10 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker: If I was on Kinder could I dictate to others who weren't from there?
 Bruce Hooker 10 May 2013
In reply to IainRUK:

Who do you think does tell foreign tourists what to do in delicate climbing areas, like in US National Parks or around Mont Blanc? Haven't you noticed recent threads about access to the Gouter route on Mont Blanc, or camping on the Col du Midi? Compare comparable things.
 Banned User 77 11 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker: Not really.. US authorities do.. not US climbers..
 Robert Durran 11 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:
> (In reply to remus)
>
> In that case the answer is simple - don't go there anymore... You don't like the people, go somewhere else. Problem solved.

No,that does not solve the problem. Pretty obviously I would have thought. If the highest mountain in the world became a no-go area for proper climbers it would be a massive shame. I expect plenty of climbers already avoid, not because it is not a fantastic mountaineering challenge but because of the "guiding" circus.

RCC 11 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:

> ....recent threads about access to the Gouter route on Mont Blanc, or camping on the Col du Midi? Compare comparable things.

Likewise... Once you start issuing expensive permits, the concept of host and guest (and local rights) becomes a lot less relevant. If you had paid several thousand euros for a permit to climb the Gouter route, and some local guides tried to tell you that you weren't allowed on (or near) the route at the same time as them then I doubt you would be happy about it, unless this was mentioned before you paid for the permit.

There is absolutely no reasonable justification for not allowing a strong team to carefully cross your line. This would be like the fort William guides telling people that they weren't allowed on no3 gully buttress if they were guiding Thompson's! Absolutely absurd.


 Bruce Hooker 11 May 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

> but because of the "guiding" circus.

So now the Everest "circus" is blamed on the Sherpas?

 Bruce Hooker 11 May 2013
In reply to RCC:

> This would be like the fort William guides...

The Fort William guides?

> If you had paid several thousand euros for a permit to climb the Gouter route, and some local guides tried to tell you that you weren't allowed on (or near) the route at the same time as them then I doubt you would be happy about it, unless this was mentioned before you paid for the permit.

Paying money doesn't buy you the right to treat people whose guest you are badly. The white man's privilege is past it's sell by date.
 Robert Durran 11 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:
> (In reply to Robert Durran)
>
> [...]
>
> So now the Everest "circus" is blamed on the Sherpas?

No, but they are part of it.

RCC 12 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:

> Paying money doesn't buy you the right to treat people whose guest you are badly. The white man's privilege is past it's sell by date.


No, but it does give you a right to be on the route!
 Bruce Hooker 12 May 2013
In reply to RCC:
> (In reply to Bruce Hooker)
>
> [...]
>
>
> No, but it does give you a right to be on the route!

Not without taking into consideration the other parties who have also paid their "dues". The more I read about the situation the less I understand why any climber would want to go near the place... It seems totally screwed to me.

RCC 12 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:

> Not without taking into consideration the other parties who have also paid their "dues". The more I read about the situation the less I understand why any climber would want to go near the place... It seems totally screwed to me.

Indeed. Such as climbing on a separate line and only crossing when necessary. Consideration works both ways.
 Robert Durran 12 May 2013
In reply to Bruce Hooker:
> The more I read about the situation the less I understand why any climber would want to go near the place... It seems totally screwed to me.

Indeed. But is it a lost cause? Sadly, I suspect so; it's hard to see the commercial/bragging rights for sale nonsense coming to an end any time soon.

 beastiebhoy 26 Jun 2013
In reply to UKC News:

For the sake of balance re this article I would like to post this response from Russell Brice.

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/everest-sherpa-steck-fight-the-sherpa-story

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