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Nepal bans blind people and double amputees from climbing Everest
The Guardian ^ | Sat 30 Dec ‘17 | Michael Safi

Posted on 12/30/2017 4:21:30 PM PST by nickcarraway

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To: nickcarraway

Able-bodied mountaineers have died trying to climb Everest and other mountains in the Himalayas. Calling the disabled “otherwise enabled” does not change reality, no matter how hard liberals try to smother it with political correctness.


41 posted on 12/30/2017 6:58:18 PM PST by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: af_vet_1981

I was supposed to be part of the summit team. I helped shuttle gear to around 19,000 to 20,000 ft and caught a cold that was going around. It turned into pneumonia and I had to go to lower elevation to recover. We got 5 out of 10 to the summit. The weather turned bad and the last climbers did not get a chance to go for it. I would have been in the 2nd team so not getting sick would not have changed things.

The highest mountain I have climbed to the summit was Cerro Aconcagua which is the highest peat in the Andes at just under 23,000 ft. The team I was with climbed it by the difficult Polish Glacier route. From the start of packing in to getting back took 21 days.


42 posted on 12/30/2017 7:06:47 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber
A man's got to know his limitations.
43 posted on 12/30/2017 7:18:04 PM PST by af_vet_1981 (The bus came by and I got on, That's when it all began.)
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To: af_vet_1981

On Cerro Aconcagua we got lucky with weather. Got pinned in our tents only one day at high camp, around 19,500 ft with 60 mph wind and temp around -25F. The climbing window for weather near the summit is only about one month a year. The rest of the year it is getting blasted by jet stream force wind. Got frost bite on the tips of four fingers. Not too bad, but took years to get feeling back.


44 posted on 12/30/2017 7:41:50 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: nickcarraway

But how about a solo blind double amputee?


45 posted on 12/30/2017 7:44:41 PM PST by DaxtonBrown
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To: MtnClimber
I like mountains that do not require being roped in, helmets, or risking one's life. Here is an example:

Wheeler Peak Train in Great Basin National Park

8.5 miles RT, 2837 foot ascent, 13063 foot top

46 posted on 12/30/2017 8:00:23 PM PST by af_vet_1981 (The bus came by and I got on, That's when it all began.)
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To: dfwgator
Will both of you be accompanying us on our expedition? Image and video hosting by TinyPic
47 posted on 12/30/2017 8:52:46 PM PST by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all white armed conservatives)
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To: MtnClimber

Would the South Koreans even try looking for the Sherpas?

I know a guy that climbs a lot. A Sherpa died on one of their climbs. The group got together and built a new home for the family. And after being in the village for awhile saw other needs (school?, etc.). The guy said that even in Nepal the Sherpas are pretty low on the totem pole. They still send funds monthly to the family to help out with things. Of course the $100 or whatever they send over is nothing to him, and everything to the Sherpa’s family.


48 posted on 12/30/2017 9:02:52 PM PST by 21twelve (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2185147/posts FDR's New Deal = obama)
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To: 21twelve

The south Koreans were trying for media coverage to get Everest sponsorship. I do not think the Sherpas fit into their plan.


49 posted on 12/30/2017 9:08:09 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

“From the start of packing in to getting back took 21 days.”

That’s quite the trek! A friend “climbed” (I think it is more of a hike) Mount Kilamanjaro. I think they made him carry his daypack with a camera, water, snack, etc. Everything else (4 course meals??) was hauled up by porters.

I think it was something like 6 days up and one long day down! (Or maybe 1.5 days down). But it was crazy the difference. I’m guessing a real climb like yours might have been 14 up and 7 down?


50 posted on 12/30/2017 9:09:14 PM PST by 21twelve (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2185147/posts FDR's New Deal = obama)
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To: 21twelve

My Dunkin Donuts girl is from Nepal-——first person I ever met from there.

A VERY hard worker.

.


51 posted on 12/30/2017 9:09:23 PM PST by Mears
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To: 21twelve
Yes, Kilamanjaro climbs require porters to keep people employed. On Aconcagua we hired donkeys from local farmers a
to carry the irst 3 days to base camp at 14,000 ft. We hid supplies along the way so we would not have to carry up and back down. Above base camp we had about 150 pounds per person requiring 2 load carries per camp. We kept supplies behind so that we carried up only what was needed and not much margin if we got pinned in by weather.

I think there were 7 deaths on Aconcagua during the climbing season when I was there. Most seemed altitude sickness related, either cereal edema or pulmonary edema, fluid on the brain or lungs. I felt pretty good on the climb except near the top where the air is so thin it took about three deep breaths per step, any faster and you would black out due to low oxygen absorption blood levels. You would see your peripheral vision blacking out and know you have to stop and just breathe. I lost 25 lbs on that three week climb. Many of the other climbers were Colorado marathon runners. I did better than all of them because I was fit and had some reserve body fat to burn off. They just seemed to hit a wall. I started slower than them, but I could keep my pace and passed them. By the time we were high enough to stay roped up I was faster than them and was not pushed in my pace to keep up.

52 posted on 12/30/2017 9:43:30 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

My hats off to you. In my younger days I hiked up a few peaks (lived in Colorado during college and after for a bit - I enjoyed your photos on your page) - but even something like that doesn’t sound like much fun anymore. I did look up to see what sort of hike it was to get to the top of a very distinct peak from my neighborhood in Puget Sound. Just to be able to look at it and say “I was up there!”.

It has no marked trail, the lower part is heavy brush (many hikers said they spend the day trying to bush-whack a trail and gave up). And once you clear the brush - just go up the steepest part.

Like I said - doesn’t sound enjoyable. 20 years ago it would have been a possible adventure. Of course now I do have extra “reserve body fat” in order to sustain me!

I spent four days of work out in the field in Alaska (steep, brushy and wet) over the summer. My wife thought my pot-belly had diminished a bit when I got home!


53 posted on 12/30/2017 10:18:13 PM PST by 21twelve (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2185147/posts FDR's New Deal = obama)
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To: 21twelve

Aconcagua was 20 years ago for me. Cho Oyu was maybe 15 years ago. I have seen how altitude harms those over 50 so badly. Those days are behind me now too.


54 posted on 12/30/2017 10:29:45 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: nickcarraway

So what is the death rate on Everest? I think near 20% of those who try to summit do die?

Nepal has every right to restrict whoever they feel might not possibly make it or cause others to be imperiled, but I do feel sorry for those who want to summit but will not be permitted to try due to disabilities.


55 posted on 12/30/2017 10:36:26 PM PST by Reddy (B.O. stinks)
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To: dfwgator

“They were going to build a bridge between the two peaks”.

LOL


56 posted on 12/31/2017 6:50:44 AM PST by Col Frank Slade
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