Mount Everest Kills Again
Posted on: Fri, 2006-05-26 17:30
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Mount Everest Kills Again
Its still May and yet this season already 14 people have died trying to climb the mountain.
The latest victims are Thomas Weber a partially blind German (today) and David Sharp. There was some controversy about the Death of David as he was allegedly found by other climbers and left to die so they could reach the summit: Article in the Sydney Morning Herald
There are also stories that read like miracles about people being saved: Today an Australian was saved
Just the other day I saw a documentary on National Geographics. It was part of the series "Expeditions to the Edge". It was about a group that climbed the mountain and in their excitement went beyond reason. Either you start your descent at a certain time or you can be caught in the death zone (the zone above a certain altitude where breathing without oxygen will be almost impossible) by bad weather or by nightfall. Up there it is so cold, that you simply freeze to death. Some people of the group died, among them an expert guide who stayed with another tourist. The guide survived for more than a day and then died.
Seems to me, that people loose all reason when they are trying those extreme things. But keep in mind, oxygen deprivation will also make you irrational.
Not many people have been able to reach the mountain without oxygen. Reinhold Messner, a famous Austrian climber, is one of them.
When we are talking about Altitude Sickness at Altitudes above 2000m, imagine what these guys are doing. At 4000m the air is only half as thick and at 8000m only 1/4th. Its a wonder how anyone can breath such a thin atmosphere.
Andre
reminds me of the movie "vertical limit"
it seems almost unreal in there quest to reach the top the left a man to die.
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I think its hard for us to judge. At those altitudes you cannot do much else but focus on your own survival. I am not sure they could have done much and maybe they knew they couldn't. They didn't make an effort though, I think that may be what the critizism is all about.
They will probably never be there again and they were really close to the top. Maybe something they have worked for all their lifes. They found someone who was most likely not going to make it.
Sure we are not able to comprehend the decision, but we weren't up there either. I think most of us couldn't bear the financial burden anyways. The fees are outragous and the equipement and guides cost a fortune too.
Here is some more information:
First Weber and Hall (the Australian) were both pronounced dead:
http://www.mounteverest.net/news.php?id=3298
One day later they found Hall had survived a full day at this altitude without oxygen:
http://www.mounteverest.net/news.php?id=3301
I guess the guy is celebrating his re-birth now.
Andre
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I didn't know it back then, but when they climed the mountain during that fateful season they actually made a show. I have already watched the first episodes on Discovery Channel.
The show is called Beyond the Limit.
Its an amazing Tale of Hardships and unbelievable adventures.
During last weeks episode they were involved in the rescue of an Indian Climber who suffered from severe High Altitude Cerebral Edema (swelling of brain tissue). It was unclear if he would survive.
Andre
Travel Photos
From these information, we can conclude that there are really many people who are adventurous and determined to reach their goals no matter what the consequences will be. The difference lies in what kind of goal or mission we want to achieve and accomplish. It just so happened that these people have a common goal and they really took it as a real challenge.
Tonight aired the last episode of Everest, Beyond the Limit.
It was where they found the dying climber. It was really dramatic and people were near their breaking limits. Since they all leave at around midnight for the summit, they haven't discovered him until they were on the way down.
They tried to revive him with Oxygen, but he was too far gone. Eventually they had to abandon him. It was also one of the coldest days on the summit ever and almost everyone came down with severe frostbites (most had fingers and toes amputated).
The show is going to air again on Friday and Sunday (I believe). It was really interesting to watch.
Andre
Travel Photos
I saw the show last week (repeat). I didn't even know how many people are on that mountain on a climbing day. They were actually in each others way to the extend that it became dangerous, because they were all moving slowly and running out of oxygen.
When they finally found the guy dying they were all so devestated and contemplating why each year so many people come to die on the mountain. I'd have to say I agree with that assesment. No idea why people do that to themselves.