Miracle on Everest

[Inky_Wretch]

On the final day of this year's climbing season, a sherpa climbing guide was left behind. He was last seen on May 29 near Camp III at 23,000 feet. A serious rescue operation wasn't mounted because the route up the mountain was being disassembled with fixed ropes and ladders across crevasses in the Khumbu Icefall being removed.

Sherpa climber left to die near Camp III as Everest season closes

Somehow, he survived and yesterday was found crawling out of the Icefall towards base camp by a crew cleaning up the debris left by climbing teams.

Miraculous survival on Mt Everest: Missing Dawa Sherpa found alive after a week, rescued by SPCC team

He survived six days without bottled oxygen or food and somehow made it through the Icefall without falling into a crevasse.

 

[wicked]

The sherpas from what I’ve read are the ones who make those hikes possible for some random guy from Wisconsin who is going through a midlife crisis and wants to do a bucket-list item. They are athletes.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

The sherpas from what I’ve read are the ones who make those hikes possible for some random guy from Wisconsin who is going through a midlife crisis and wants to do a bucket-list item. They are athletes.

They are. Nothing on Everest could happen without them.

 

[qtlaw]

On the final day of this year's climbing season, a sherpa climbing guide was left behind. He was last seen on May 29 near Camp III at 23,000 feet. A serious rescue operation wasn't mounted because the route up the mountain was being disassembled with fixed ropes and ladders across crevasses in the Khumbu Icefall being removed.

Sherpa climber left to die near Camp III as Everest season closes

Somehow, he survived and yesterday was found crawling out of the Icefall towards base camp by a crew cleaning up the debris left by climbing teams.

Miraculous survival on Mt Everest: Missing Dawa Sherpa found alive after a week, rescued by SPCC team

He survived six days without bottled oxygen or food and somehow made it through the Icefall without falling into a crevasse.

Sucks that "no serious rescue operation" was undertaken, BUT if it was the random guy from Wis. they would've moved heaven and earth to find him/her.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Imagine the awkwardness of seeing him walk out of hte debris.

"Oh. Hey Bob. We were just going to go looking for you!"

 

[No Phonies]

The sherpas from what I’ve read are the ones who make those hikes possible for some random guy from Wisconsin who is going through a midlife crisis and wants to do a bucket-list item. They are athletes.

What an incredible story. And yes, the sherpas are the best. Amazing, amazing athletes

 

[WriteThinking]

Wow. That is a miracle!

I'm with qtlaw and BYH2, though. That's awful that no attempt was made, not without a little more knowledge/proof of death, or what happened...

And yeah, so many people owe their lives, and certainly, their dream trips, to sherpas.

 

[Here me roar]

If you haven't read Into Thin Air by Krakaeur, I highly recommend it

 

[Driftwood]

I say this as someone who will never be even on the continent of Mt. Everest, but I don't see it as that big of a deal.
When 100 people a day pay $50K a pop to summit Everest and have their picture taken, so what. It's like breaking a 10-minute mile.

If I could do one of the 7 Summits, it would be Kilimanjaro. I would sing Hakuna Matata every step of the way.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Went down the Mount Everest rabbit hole (goodness knows I;m never going UP Mount Everest) and crossthreading this with the no context Wikipedia thread:

Although record numbers summitted, old-time summiteers that made expeditions in the 1980s lamented the crowding, feces, and cost.

 

[BTExpress]

A 24-hour period-record 274 people did it on May 21 this year.

 

[Driftwood]

When money can make man's greatest achievement common place.

 

[wicked]

A 24-hour period-record 274 people did it on May 21 this year.

 

[Slacker]

Imagine the awkwardness of seeing him walk out of hte teh debris.

Fixed!

 

[qtlaw]

When 100 people a day pay $50K a pop to summit Everest and have their picture taken, so what. It's like breaking a 10-minute mile.

And of that $50k, the sherpa who risks his life to save theirs gets what $500? Yeah big pass.

 

[wicked]

And of that $50k, the sherpa who risks his life to save theirs gets what $500? Yeah big pass.

What is US$500 worth vis-a-vis Nepal’s currency, though? For all we know it could be like hitting the lottery. Not saying these guys don’t deserve more.

 

[MisterCreosote]

It should be noted that the line to reach the summit isn’t because too many climbers are doing it.

It’s because there are only tiny windows when it is safe to get there without getting blown off by the wind shears. So everyone in the base camp has to make the climb within that window.

 

[MisterCreosote]

I say this as someone who will never be even on the continent of Mt. Everest, but I don't see it as that big of a deal.
When 100 people a day pay $50K a pop to summit Everest and have their picture taken, so what. It's like breaking a 10-minute mile.

If I could do one of the 7 Summits, it would be Kilimanjaro. I would sing Hakuna Matata every step of the way.

I have a friend who climbed Kilimanjaro. She played us a recording of what apparently is the tradition of a massive villager-led celebration when they return safely. It sounded awesome.

Not sure what, if anything, they do for people after descending from Everest.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

What is US$500 worth vis-a-vis Nepal’s currency, though? For all we know it could be like hitting the lottery. Not saying these guys don’t deserve more.

There are all types of roles sherpas perform for Everest expeditions. Some are just porters who carry ... well, everything ... to Base Camp and never go higher. Some work as cooks and camp managers at Base Camp. Others are high-altitude porters who go up the mountain setting up advance camps and then some work as legit guides and sirdars (basically, the boss of the other sherpas on that team).

Pay ranges from around $500 per two-month season for entry-level gigs to more than $12,000 for the folks leading clients to the summit. Plus, clients should be tipping too. The average yearly income for non-Everest sherpas is around $600 per year.

Conrad Anker and his wife Jenny Lowe-Anker established the Khumbu Climbing Center a couple of decades ago. They teach Nepali students technical climbing and first aid skills they weren't receiving during the "Into Thin Air" era. This has allowed them to move up from simple porters to being top-notch mountaineers.

Melissa Arnot and David Moreton started The Juniper Fund more than 10 years ago to provide financial support to local families who lose members on mountaineering expeditions. It's the only insurance they've got.

(Yes, I'm an Everest junkie. I have a whole shelf of Everest books and my streaming services have all the mountaineering documentaries saved. I have no desire to climb the thing, but I do want to see it in person before I leave this world.)

 

[qtlaw]

What is US$500 worth vis-a-vis Nepal’s currency, though? For all we know it could be like hitting the lottery. Not saying these guys don’t deserve more.

Are you Matt Kuchar??