Posted on 05/22/2016 8:00:39 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Dr Strydom, who also goes by Marisa, was on a seven-week expedition with her husband Robert Gropel - who has also been injured during the trek.
The 34-year-old's family say the couple's GPS tracker stopped working on Friday.
A single transmission from the tracker on Saturday gave them hope but a Google search on Saturday night delivered the devastating news that Dr Strydom had died, her sister Aletta Newman told AAP.
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Conflicting media reports attributing her death to altitude sickness, snow blindness and a stroke only added to the distress of the Strydom family, who have yet to hear from the company behind the expedition.
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Seven Summit Treks confirmed Dr Strydom's death but said it didn't have her family's details.
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The family is also worried about Maria's husband Robert Gropel, a veterinarian who was with his wife on the expedition.
The Department of Foreign Affairs told Ms Newman only that Dr Gropel is injured and they are trying to get him down from the mountain.
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Ms Newman said efforts were underway to recover her sister's body but from an elevation of 8000 metres it would be difficult.
Dr Gropel is at camp two and a rescue will be attempted.
Dutch climber Eric Arnold, who was in the same climbing party, died of altitude sickness on Friday - both fatalities the first this year on the world's highest peak.
Ms Newman said her sister and brother-in-law were experienced climbers and took extra oxygen bottles as a precaution.
Dr Strydom and Dr Gropel are vegans who were determined to climb the highest mountains on each continent.
"It seems that people have this warped idea of vegans being malnourished and weak," Dr Strydom said in March.
"We want to prove that vegans can do anything and more."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
They looked so happy.
Frozen veggies.
Interesting. Thank you.
Nobody is having sex at the summit. At that altitude, simply placing one foot in front of the other requires every ounce of strength that an experienced climber can muster.
I think every climber should be required to pick up an oxygen canister and throw it as far as they can down hill on their return trip.
Maybe two feet.
Even very experienced climbers can and do get sick and/or die. It’s a very dangerous pastime.
My brother has been an avid climber (mostly cliffs) since he was in his teens. He was on an alternate team for Everest once, but did not end up going. He’s climbed all over the world. On a trip in the Andes he got very sick from the altitude and close to death. My mother was very angry with him for nearly dying just because he likes to “push the boundaries” or whatever risk-takers like to call it. He has had several friend die over the years (mostly falls I think). He’s pushing 60 and still climbs.
Extremely dangerous pursuit, known in advance.
Many lost their lives exploring and settling this great lande.
If anyone went on an Everest expedition hoping to have sex at the summit then they are colossally stupid and naive... You are imply trying to exist above 8000 meters. You can take a couple of steps in a minute. No one is thinking that.
As for the waste th climbers have to spend 3-4 weeks acclimating to that altitude. Base Camp is at 19,000 feet... That’s a ton of time each year and hundreds of people are there (not just climbers but support and Sherpa). Once you get higher (camps 3 and 4) you can’t waste energy bringing down stuff. That extra weight saps your energy. Forget trying to get a body down. Never going to happen. Yeah it’s a mess but there’s just no easy way at that altitude. Base Camp is a different story.
It should end it, but now they can’t make up their mind which bathroom to use...
Yep. They are the true heroes on Everest. Remember that each year they climb fi ST and fix the ropes that the paid clients use to get to the top. Some Sherpa climb Everest multiple times in a year.
In 2014, at the start of the “climbing” season, an avalance took out a bunch of Sherpas... almost all McClimbers “lost” their opportunity to climb and went home. Those brave enough to stay had to be flown to various higher altitude “camps” so that they avoid those pesky climbs.
“I thought everyone carried one of those bags you could pressurize a sufferer in these days?”
They can barely carry their oxygen tanks and need sherpas to “port” those for them. Forget about additional gears.
That had a real purpose ... discovering new land, finding a place to live. Climbing Mount Everest does not.
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But to die stupid is definitely the worst way to go.
There is no way that any ‘vegan’ could be in acceptable shape for such a climb. They just proved what most already knew.
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