Line to summit of Mt Everest

[Ricordo]

It used to be that people did things because it was hard, difficult.

Read on the news that some are taking selfies at the summit.

Waiting to read that one fell backwards while taking one.

[SC Tiger]

17 hours ago, SilverRidge01 said:

You gotta be jivin me !! These people , hundreds, of em are waiting in line in sub zero conditions, if they don't have enough oxygen containers they die, like the Monday night football segment " come on man !" These people are outa their skulls, brain dead. A few  have been reported dead already .. I'm  a firm believer we are being watched by aliens from other civilizations, they take one look at that craziness going on and put out an all points bulletin, avoid this planet at all costs, these beings are insane, we are a cartoon in the universe, one fella Iphoned his family told them he was a short time from dying, that's not mountain climbing folks that's called "suicide" all the major net works carried the story, don't ya think someone would iPhone these folks and tell em this isn't a good thing to do not good for your health ...amazing just outa sight ..

I completely get taking a crack at climbing one of the big mountains if you have the opportunity.

Honestly I imagine that of all of the issues they expect to face going up that thing, a long line of climbers is probably not one of them.

[SC Tiger]

8 minutes ago, Ricordo said:

It used to be that people did things because it was hard, difficult.

Read on the news that some are taking selfies at the summit.

Waiting to read that one fell backwards while taking one.

If I made it to the top of that thing, I would absolutely take a selfe.

[Ricordo]

23 minutes ago, SC Tiger said:

If I made it to the top of that thing, I would absolutely take a selfe.

Most probably, me too.

While holding on to the Sherpa for dear life.

(Absolutely zero possibility I'd make it to the top)

Edited May 29, 2019 by Ricordo

[dudel]

13 hours ago, NPTim said:

How did the climber get a cell signal? If there is a tower, how are they maintaining power?

Sat phone.   Many years ago when I was with AT&T, I built a network to provide telehealth to Base Camp.  This was a demonstration prior to flying tele health in the ISS.  Used two InmarSat phones bonded together to give me a 128Kb channel for video and data.  The yellow tent was my "computer room".  Khumbu icefall is in the background.  There was plenty of RF on the mountain.  I could track GPS location of our climbers along with internal body temp (a pill).

 

Edited May 29, 2019 by dudel

[SilverRidge01]

1 hour ago, SC Tiger said:

I completely get taking a crack at climbing one of the big mountains if you have the opportunity.

Honestly I imagine that of all of the issues they expect to face going up that thing, a long line of climbers is probably not one of them.

Sounds like a good idea if that makes your world turn and if your 1- physically able 2- have the training, this isn't a walk in the woods folks, 3- have the dollars to invest in the adventure, heard it's a couple of grand at the minimum ( some said 30k but that's kinda steep ) 4- it takes years of dedicated training learning to use your expensive equipment in extreme conditions, when I was young interest was in ultralight backpacking, titanium cookware, Svea alcohol mini stove, freeze dried foods , rip stop nylon tent etc etc, did much traveling on the Appalachian trail, went out for a week at a time, it was a pleasurable experience until it started to rain, snow or I got a blister on my foot, then it became a survival event, this mind you was not the peak of Everest ..so again my point is there are certain degrees of difficulty and you must train both physically and mentally to become proficent at same  ...

[Moshe]

You would think the line of dead bodies left on Everest would be a "clue."  People need to understand their limitations.  I went from the high dessert to La Paz Bolivia and had server altitude sickness.  But, that wasn't by choice.  I did get really sick, and by the time I was on home turf, I did the gosh thing of taking a day off just to recover.  The locals solution was cocaine.  I am sure that would make you feel better, but the infamous "random" piss test that happened 4 times in one office I wasn't going to gamble on.  It was interesting to be lied to and told these tests were random and it wasn't uncommon to hit an office that many times.  They were fishing for someone.  Because, that never happened again in my professional career.

[RenoF250]

26 minutes ago, SilverRidge01 said:

Sounds like a good idea if that makes your world turn and if your 1- physically able 2- have the training, this isn't a walk in the woods folks, 3- have the dollars to invest in the adventure, heard it's a couple of grand at the minimum ( some said 30k but that's kinda steep ) 4- it takes years of dedicated training learning to use your expensive equipment in extreme conditions, when I was young interest was in ultralight backpacking, titanium cookware, Svea alcohol mini stove, freeze dried foods , rip stop nylon tent etc etc, did much traveling on the Appalachian trail, went out for a week at a time, it was a pleasurable experience until it started to rain, snow or I got a blister on my foot, then it became a survival event, this mind you was not the peak of Everest ..so again my point is there are certain degrees of difficulty and you must train both physically and mentally to become proficent at same  ...

 

I think $30k is on the low end.  There is a fair amount of airfare and then you are on the mountain for a few weeks.  Someone has to bring all of the supplies up there and cart your **** out plus you have to pay a sherpa to go with you.  From what I saw of the climbing Everest shows it is many hours of one on one with sherpas and other guides.

[RenoF250]

Looks like I was still low:

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-it-costs-climb-everest-2019-5

[M&P15T]

20 hours ago, Pistolay said:

The urge to challenge oneself to do things that are thought to not be doable is a necessary part of the human condition, and there would be no advancement if people didn't have that urge. I imagine that when the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria cast off from Palos, somebody was standing on the dock saying "Dude, that Chris Columbus guy is one crazy mutha*****!"

When the day finally comes when we do colonize space, it's going to be because some "idiots" made it happen.

The urge to challenge oneself is understandable when there's something to be gained from it. Doing so when the chances of failure and death are extremely high, is simply a suicidal mental condition.

Columbus did what he did for personal gain, not out of a suicidal daredevil steak running through him. 

[SC Tiger]

14 minutes ago, M&P15T said:

The urge to challenge oneself is understandable when there's something to be gained from it. Doing so when the chances of failure and death are extremely high, is simply a suicidal mental condition.

Columbus did what he did for personal gain, not out of a suicidal daredevil steak running through him. 

Actually if you look at the statistics, Everest isn't that dangerous for what you are doing - 300 deaths for over 5000 ascents.  Right around 6% death rate.  Considering you are above the "death zone" for a good bit that's not terrible.  Of course one must consider that the people trying this thing are probably already in really good shape.  This isn't something you decide to do over a weekend.

Now - take a crack at K2 and it's 77 deaths for 300 ascents.  25% death rate.  With the same considerations above, but probably moreso.  I don't think non-serious climbers even think about trying K2.  That fvcking thing wants to kill you, and is very good at it.

[RenoF250]

27 minutes ago, SC Tiger said:

Actually if you look at the statistics, Everest isn't that dangerous for what you are doing - 300 deaths for over 5000 ascents.  Right around 6% death rate.  Considering you are above the "death zone" for a good bit that's not terrible.  Of course one must consider that the people trying this thing are probably already in really good shape.  This isn't something you decide to do over a weekend.

Now - take a crack at K2 and it's 77 deaths for 300 ascents.  25% death rate.  With the same considerations above, but probably moreso.  I don't think non-serious climbers even think about trying K2.  That fvcking thing wants to kill you, and is very good at it.

 

Your not bothered by 6%?  I can't think of many things I am willing to do if they have a 6% chance of killing me.

[SilverRidge01]

55 minutes ago, RenoF250 said:

Looks like I was still low:

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-it-costs-climb-everest-2019-5

130k on the high end for the rich and famous, me, I'd rather put my money  in a nice guided couple of weeks on a pristine gin crystal stream, fly fishing for different species of Wild trout in the spectacular Pac north west, camping , relaxing and won't have to wait in lines or push and shove others to move along would just be me and the  beautiful wilderness the good Lord has provided for my use ...

[M&P15T]

1 hour ago, SC Tiger said:

Actually if you look at the statistics, Everest isn't that dangerous for what you are doing - 300 deaths for over 5000 ascents.  Right around 6% death rate.  Considering you are above the "death zone" for a good bit that's not terrible.  Of course one must consider that the people trying this thing are probably already in really good shape.  This isn't something you decide to do over a weekend.

Now - take a crack at K2 and it's 77 deaths for 300 ascents.  25% death rate.  With the same considerations above, but probably moreso.  I don't think non-serious climbers even think about trying K2.  That fvcking thing wants to kill you, and is very good at it.

I'll still avoid a 6% death rate. But thanks for the info on K2, I had no idea there was a climb more dangerous than Everest.

[SC Tiger]

1 hour ago, RenoF250 said:

 

Your not bothered by 6%?  I can't think of many things I am willing to do if they have a 6% chance of killing me.

Now, with a wife and son?  Yes.  But were I single and in my 20s, I'd jump at a chance to climb Everest.  I figure I can avoid being part of the 6% by being smarter than the rest.  At least that's the theory.

In truth I have a stubbornness about things like that and would probably drag myself up there if humanly possible - then freeze to death because I'm too tired to go back down.

But you gotta understand that you are going into the "death zone" and will have little oxygen.  It is going to be dangerous as hell.  I'd take 6% over 26% or more all damn day.

And to add - I misspoke.  That is the death-to-summit ratio.  Doesn't include people who tried to summit, failed, and came back alive.

34 minutes ago, M&P15T said:

I'll still avoid a 6% death rate. But thanks for the info on K2, I had no idea there was a climb more dangerous than Everest.

K2 is an absolute bitch, and even she isn't the most cold-blooded killer.  Annapurna Massiff (another 8000 in the same range) has a rate of 61 fatalities to 191 successful summits.  32% death to summit ratio, compared to 26% for K2.  Lately Kangchenjunga has been deadly as hell too.

Fvck that.

Edited May 29, 2019 by SC Tiger

[RenoF250]

24 minutes ago, SC Tiger said:

Now, with a wife and son?  Yes.  But were I single and in my 20s, I'd jump at a chance to climb Everest.  I figure I can avoid being part of the 6% by being smarter than the rest.  At least that's the theory.

In truth I have a stubbornness about things like that and would probably drag myself up there if humanly possible - then freeze to death because I'm too tired to go back down.

But you gotta understand that you are going into the "death zone" and will have little oxygen.  It is going to be dangerous as hell.  I'd take 6% over 26% or more all damn day.

And to add - I misspoke.  That is the death-to-summit ratio.  Doesn't include people who tried to summit, failed, and came back alive.

K2 is an absolute bitch, and even she isn't the most cold-blooded killer.  Annapurna Massiff (another 8000 in the same range) has a rate of 61 fatalities to 191 successful summits.  32% death to summit ratio, compared to 26% for K2.  

Fvck that.

Yeah, I am talking wife and kids.  The guy I listened to had a wife and kids.  If you are single do what you want, whole different ball game.  I guess your parents would still not be happy but there are worse things you can do.

 

Edited May 29, 2019 by RenoF250

[Lazy R]

I can drive 3 hours to Glacier Park and beat myself silly climbing stuff there. Prolly not die and stuff too.

[SilverRidge01]

Bad public relations will get you positive results every time, this event with people standing in line and dead bodies pushed off the trail has obvious gone viral I mean all over the world ... The Nepal government agency which control the distribution of permits will now require applicants to show certification that they are proficent at those altitudes and mountain climbing and have experienced oxygen depravation b4 no more yupee crap ...

[janice6]

3 hours ago, SilverRidge01 said:

Bad public relations will get you positive results every time, this event with people standing in line and dead bodies pushed off the trail has obvious gone viral I mean all over the world ... The Nepal government agency which control the distribution of permits will now require applicants to show certification that they are proficent at those altitudes and mountain climbing and have experienced oxygen depravation b4 no more yupee crap ...

And raise the price.

[pipedreams]

15 hours ago, Lazy R said:

I can drive 3 hours to Glacier Park and beat myself silly climbing stuff there. Prolly not die and stuff too.

Beautiful place.  

[M&P15T]

I saw a new article on this, this morning. The title was something about the dead climbers being "victims".

I almost passed out from rolling my eyes so hard.

[tadbart]

I'm old and fat. Traipsed all over Rocky, spent a lot of time above 10k'. The couple hours I've hiked above 14k' have been painful, both at the time, and for a few days after.

I can't even imagine the effort that hiking over twice as high as I've ever been, must require. I'd die, for sure. Nope, won't catch me on Everest, ever.

[dudel]

14 hours ago, janice6 said:

And raise the price.

 

Yep.  Everest licenses are a major revenue source for the Nepalese government.  If they are going to sell less tickets, the price will go up to cover the shortfall. 

There is a huge garbage dump up at and beyond camp 4.  Everything you carry up to survive is dumped on the way down.  Every ounce you shed makes the trip easier. Had some climbers chuck the GPS we put on them.  Only weighed a few ounces; and could have saved their lives had they gotten lost in a storm.  Once they felt safe, into a crevasse or off the side of the mountain it would go.  Had a few scary moments, until I realized what the clowns were up to.  Hah Hah, got me.

They are trying to clean the place up; but they can't get Waste Management to make a pickup.. 

[OwlsNest465]

4 hours ago, M&P15T said:

I saw a new article on this, this morning. The title was something about the dead climbers being "victims".

I almost passed out from rolling my eyes so hard.

Victim: - a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action.

 

[pipedreams]

6 hours ago, M&P15T said:

I saw a new article on this, this morning. The title was something about the dead climbers being "victims".

I almost passed out from rolling my eyes so hard.

That's the press doing their thing, I really doubt you would hear a mountaineer making that comment.  Like anything one does voluntary you hear few complaints.  I'm pretty certain most everyone here has lifetime goals or challenges, Everest just happens to be one of theirs.