Abandoned on Everest

[the Talking Can]

http://godheadv.blogspot.com/2010/04...n-everest.html

Fascinating blog post on what goes on in Everest's "dead zone" along with some unbelievable pictures.

NSFW warning...not because they're all graphic, but there are pictures of dead, frozen bodies.

You have to be crazy...

This morning, however, Green Boots had company. Sitting no more than two feet to the left of the corpse was a man who at first glance appeared to be dead. His gloved hands were on his knees, his hood and hat cast his face in shadow. The only feature visible was the man's severely frostbitten nose, already a greenish black hue. On closer inspection, the vapor from the man's breath could be seen rising.

What happened next entered the folklore of the highest mountain on earth. Every man interviewed gives a different story. What is certain is that every single one of the 40-odd climbers attempting the summit that day left the man in the cave, whose name was David Sharp, to freeze, either by choice, by ignorance, or by misjudging him as a corpse they already expected to see in that infamous cave....

[Groves]

Originally Posted by Silock

Can you explain exactly how you'd get someone down?

I understand that the margins for life in that environment are slim even when all goes well.

I understand that to undertake a rescue put people in jeopardy and most definitely eliminates your ability to reach the summit.

I understand that people have spent many years of training and millions of dollars to position themselves to do what many people aspire to do. Sponsorships. Equipment. Training. Permits, etc.

I understand.

It's a living person, folks. Have you no soul?

The avalanche of justifications always begins with questions like, "Can you explain exactly how you'd get someone down?"

Everyone who shoots for the summit is aiming to accomplish what is all but impossible. Everyone accepts death as a potential outcome, do they not?

So, if they've already accepted a death-sized risk, now all they're saying by passing up the living is that reaching the top of some mountain is more important than saving a living person. It's not even worth trying, they're essentially saying.

It's not like the cure to cancer is at the top. It's not like the solution to world peace is attainable if only you get to the top of everest.

People want the ego boost that reaching the summit gives them, without all that nastiness of kindness getting in the way.

I hope they go through life haunted by the horrible trade-off they made.

I'm generalizing, surely. I'm no expert, double surely.

All the justifications get chucked right quick if it's your wife or child up there (guys with bad wives insert joke here, of course). They get chucked cause they were made of tissue paper, and if enough climbers talk about it like it's justifiable, then we get a trail littered with bodies, which it is.

Maybe I'm just ticked because Burger King pulled their Jack-in-the-Box-esque tacos from the menu after only a 6month trial run. That could very well be. I think it sulleys the whole accomplishment.

[Silock]

Of course people up there have a soul. However, beyond a certain point, one can really only be responsible for themselves. It is physically impossible to rescue someone at those altitudes that can't move. It's not about the sponsorships and training and equipment.

What would you have them do? Again, you offer all these nice platitudes, but no real solutions. That's not a knock on you; it's just the way all of these things go.

There's a reason that expeditions full of experienced climbers and sherpas that are created specifically for rescue are abandoned. It's TOO HARD, and once you get to a certain point, you're endangering even more lives just to attempt to save one (or get a body). If my wife were stuck up there, I wouldn't be able to rescue her. I'd die trying, but I know ahead of time that it's a fruitless effort and I WILL die. Would I die for some random stranger? Sure, but not if we're both going to die. If he's a goner, then **** that -- I'm getting out. There is ZERO reason for us to both die, and that's the exact reason people get left up there. Trying to rescue someone is only going to kill you and you'll both die.

So, again, how are you going to get them down? It's not a question of morality. It's a question of logistics.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Groves

I understand.

It's a living person, folks. Have you no soul?

The avalanche of justifications always begins with questions like, "Can you explain exactly how you'd get someone down?"

Everyone who shoots for the summit is aiming to accomplish what is all but impossible. Everyone accepts death as a potential outcome, do they not?

You try hauling anyone but yourself off that mountain, death isn't going to be a possibility, it's a certainty.

[-King-]

So...because you have a soul you should risk your life 20,000+ feet up in -33 degree temperatures to save someone who is likely going to die anyway?


Um...no.

[DMAC]

Originally Posted by Brock

You try hauling anyone but yourself off that mountain, death isn't going to be a possibility, it's a certainty.

Yeah, only if you are a pussy.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by DMAC

Yeah, only if you are a pussy.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Groves

I understand that the margins for life in that environment are slim even when all goes well.

I understand that to undertake a rescue put people in jeopardy and most definitely eliminates your ability to reach the summit.

I understand that people have spent many years of training and millions of dollars to position themselves to do what many people aspire to do. Sponsorships. Equipment. Training. Permits, etc.

I understand.

It's a living person, folks. Have you no soul?

The avalanche of justifications always begins with questions like, "Can you explain exactly how you'd get someone down?"

Everyone who shoots for the summit is aiming to accomplish what is all but impossible. Everyone accepts death as a potential outcome, do they not?

So, if they've already accepted a death-sized risk, now all they're saying by passing up the living is that reaching the top of some mountain is more important than saving a living person. It's not even worth trying, they're essentially saying.

It's not like the cure to cancer is at the top. It's not like the solution to world peace is attainable if only you get to the top of everest.

People want the ego boost that reaching the summit gives them, without all that nastiness of kindness getting in the way.

I hope they go through life haunted by the horrible trade-off they made.

I'm generalizing, surely. I'm no expert, double surely.

All the justifications get chucked right quick if it's your wife or child up there (guys with bad wives insert joke here, of course). They get chucked cause they were made of tissue paper, and if enough climbers talk about it like it's justifiable, then we get a trail littered with bodies, which it is.

Maybe I'm just ticked because Burger King pulled their Jack-in-the-Box-esque tacos from the menu after only a 6month trial run. That could very well be. I think it sulleys the whole accomplishment.

It's a nice dream. The reality, unfortunately, is that if you try and help someone up there, you die. Period.

[DMAC]

Okay, okay! You die if you try to help people on Mt Everest. Good lord people, none of us are ****ing going there...shit.

[Bump]

so would those people be candidates for a Darwin award?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Silock

Can you explain exactly how you'd get someone down?

Originally Posted by Groves

No.

There, much shorter this way.

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by Groves

It's a living person, folks. Have you no soul?

It's a bunch of extremely wealthy people who use their money to hire guides and sherpas to lug all of their crap up and down a mountain and lead them on a line, make all of the decisions for them, care for them, and take their photo at the top so they can say "I did it."

[Rain Man]

I'm going to offer a deal to Groves and DMAC. If you ever get stuck on Mt. Everest, send me a PM and I'll come get you. If I ever get stuck on Mt. Everest, you do the same. And screw these other guys.

Deal?

[Otter]

I can think of about 999,999 places I'd rather hike that have a good steak, garlic salad and big glass of red wine at the destination.

[DMAC]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'm going to offer a deal to Groves and DMAC. If you ever get stuck on Mt. Everest, send me a PM and I'll come get you. If I ever get stuck on Mt. Everest, you do the same. And screw these other guys.

Deal?

If Groves is going, i AINT going. Guys a prick.

[raybec 4]

Originally Posted by DMAC

If Groves is going, i AINT going. Guys a prick.

But he will get you down the mountain because he has a soul