Posted on 05/25/2019 3:35:46 AM PDT by C19fan
Four more deaths have been reported on Everest as concerns grow about the risks posed by the severe overcrowding on the world’s highest mountain this year. Kevin Hynes, 56, from Ireland, died in his tent at 7,000 metres early on Friday, having turned back before reaching the summit. The father of two was part of a group from the UK-based 360 Expeditions. The climbing company said: “It is with the greatest sadness that we have to confirm that one of our Everest team has passed away. Kevin was one of the strongest and most experienced climbers on our team, and had previously summited Everest South and Lhotse.”
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
With the increasing number of inexperienced climbers, Cool [14 climbs on Everest] said he saw some kind of capability assessment as a “step in the right direction”.
The death tool has risen to 10. Based on news reports I believe that is over a 3% death rate. Perhaps if these organizers mention you have a decent percentage chance of dying that might weed out the amateurs.
If ya gotta die, and ya gotta, why not go out on the top of the world?
I don’t get it. Misery for tens of thousands of dollars.
It has been done so many times as to be meaningless.
I’d rather go to Hawaii and tan while staring at hotties in thong bikinis...
I watched Into Thin Air last night; the 70 degrees below zero, crazy winds, and 100 below wind chill reminded me why I am glad not to be part of the mob climbing Everest.
It’s borderline mentally ill.
Father of two dead, for what?
On a clear day, I can see Mt. Rainier from the front door of my apartment building.
Almost every year, someone dies up there.
Sometimes they fall off one of the hiking trails.
Sometimes they die climbing - avalanche, crevasse, or they just start tumbling down hill and can’t stop.
Sometimes we get 2 or 3 deaths in one year.
Crazy - hard to believe that so many people take so many foolish risks.
It would be like if I took the elevator in a 100-story skyscraper to the 67th floor and walked up the stairs the rest of the way to the top. Could I then say that I climbed that skyscraper?
The picture at the jump is in itself almost unbelievable - people lined up cheek-to-jowl in a queue at least 50 deep, waiting to set foot on the summit. Just personally, I have little tolerance for lines, and it would take something extraordinarily good to get me to stand in one I didn’t have to - literally freezing to death in one just so I could say I climbed the highest mountain in the world involves a kind of ego gratification I don’t really understand.
I do remember an incredible feeling of accomplishment just from finishing a marathon - but if I had to stand in line and spend an extended period of time in single file over the last half mile to cross the finish line, I think I would’ve said “screw it” and walked home.
While camping in Arizona in the 1970s I would watch climbers go up a shear cliff …at night you could see a light as they dangled there held up by pitons the next morning I’d get on my dirt bike (motorcycle) and take the long way round up switch back trails to the top and see those climbers almost to the top. I won. The bike ride was exhilarating. After noon I’d have a few beers. Life is good!
Sorry...my “give a damn” meter is hovering right around zero.
A dozen or so years back a brilliant surgeon from Texas braved Everest. He came back, alive, no toes, fingers or nose. No more surgery. They did affix some sort sort of nose from butt skin.
Totally worth it, lol.
IMO anyone wanting to climb Everest should have a letter signed by his psychiatrist before being allowed to proceed.
This. Listening to someone bragging about how they climbed Everest should produce little more than a yawn. Most of the time it was just some Sherpa dragging them to the top anyway.
You. An breath at 18,000 ft. The hard part is from there to the top. You probably go up 8000 ft just to get near Everest.
Sorry.
You can sort of breathe at 18,000 ft. The hard part is from there to the top. You probably go up 8000 ft just to get near Everest.
I did Rainer in 1990. Sure was a beautiful drive up! Lol
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes”
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