‘It Was Like a Zoo:’ Death on an Unruly, Overcrowded Everest

NY Times ^ | May 26, 2019 | Kai Schultz, Jeffrey Gettleman, Mujib Mashal and Bhadra Sharma

[C19fan]

Ed Dohring, a doctor from Arizona, had dreamed his whole life of reaching the top of Mount Everest. But when he summited a few days ago, he was shocked by what he saw.

Climbers were pushing and shoving to take selfies. The flat part of the summit, which he estimated at about the size of two Ping-Pong tables, was packed with 15 or 20 people. To get up there, he had to wait hours in a line, chest to chest, one puffy jacket after the next, on an icy, rocky ridge with a several-thousand foot drop. He even had to step around the body of a woman who had just died.

[21twelve]

A few months ago there was a “race” across Antarctica. Two guys skiing solo and towing huge sleds. One American, one Brit. They were dropped off far enough away from each other so they never saw each other. No resupply or help from the science station at the south pole.

The American won it - something like 60 days. He waited a few more days for the Brit, and they flew out together.

Oh - it wasn’t across the entire expanse of the Antarctic. From one bay to another bay - but still about 1000 miles. It was really interesting to follow them along “live” on twitter. The American would post every night and a photo. Amazing to read of their tenacity and the struggles they faced. Obviously the physical hardship, but also the mental aspect of it.

I seem to recall something like:

Day 36: “The wind is blowing so hard, I just want to stay in my tent. But, even if I only make two miles today, at least I will be moving towards my goal. Or - do I wait until tomorrow for the winds to die down. But what if they don’t die down...?”

Day 37: Yesterday I spent most of the day in my tent. Then around midnight the winds died down. So I decided to not waste anymore time and took my camp down and headed out. Made 15 miles from Midnight to 6 pm. (Note - the sun is always out!)

[21twelve]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piNRRg7WuG8

She should have just skied down!

[sparklite2]

Well, chute.

[avenir]

I have never cared for the Spandex Crowd. They always look unhappy. I ride the roads on my touring bike (classic road bike but extra sturdy) and have a back rack with a pack attached. Maybe because they feel sorry for me, looking so geeky, they don’t bother me (and I avoid getting in their way wherever possible).

[avenir]

I have never cared for the Spandex Crowd. They always look unhappy. I ride the roads on my touring bike (classic road bike but extra sturdy) and have a back rack with a pack attached. Maybe because they feel sorry for me, looking so geeky, they don’t bother me (and I avoid getting in their way wherever possible).

[rlmorel]

Yes...they had her set up in a circular room with the ocean being projected on the walls all around. Remarkable. Shackleton was a real man, a real leader.

[dp0622]

LOL!!

I saw you post in my comments section but i’m too lazy to open the article.

How does Mount Everest end up getting crowded??? :)

[sparklite2]

In a world of participation trophies,
a man has to find out his limits the hard way.

[Libloather]

‘Chasing a dream - and beneath our very feet was a lifeless soul’: Filmmaker posts photo of Everest climbers stepping over a dead body as they queue for the summit on peak that has claimed 11 lives in nine days

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7075077/Filmmaker-posts-disturbing-photo-Everest-climbers-stepping-dead-body-queue-summit.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490

[LouAvul]

Well, there used to be a tower of terror. I'm telling the truth, they don't tell you to buckle up and they don't tell you what those steel handles on either side are for.

I sure was glad I buckled up and quickly figured out what the handles were for.

[KamperKen]

One of those guys from the Steger expedition pointed out that one of Cook's photos from his polar expedition showed a distinct land formation in the distant background ... in a place where Cook claimed he was miles from any land mass.

What Cook photographed (and reported) was an ice island, which are common in the arctic and are often mistaken for land. The apparent land form was reported at around 88 degrees N but at the pole itself Cook explicitly reported there was no land. This was not known at that time and was one of a number of observations that were subsequently confirmed by other expeditions.

The National Geographic was one of the original backers of Peary and have never admitted like every polar explorer or expert on polar exploration that Peary's claim was a fraud. In backing this Steger expedition they're still trying to show that Peary could have attained the north pole (he didn't) and to further discredit Cook by saying that a photograph that Cook claimed as taken near the pole showed a land form.

There was a major campaign of vilification and character assassination of Cook by the Peary backers and partisans which has tainted the historical record to this day. Peary was a fraud and Cook was one of the greatest polar explorers. Read sometime about how he literally single-handed rescued the Belgica expedition of 1897-1899 in the Antarctic.

[SunkenCiv]

The flat part of the summit, which he estimated at about the size of two Ping-Pong tables, was packed with 15 or 20 people. To get up there, he had to wait hours in a line, chest to chest, one puffy jacket after the next, on an icy, rocky ridge with a several-thousand foot drop. He even had to step around the body of a woman who had just died.

Just kick her out of the way, gravity will take care of the rest. Thanks C19fan.

[SunkenCiv]

[snip] Shriya Shah–Klorfine. Shriya, who reached the summit in 2012, ran out of oxygen and died from exhaustion because she spent 25 minutes celebrating her victory before beginning her descent. [/snip]

http://www.atchuup.com/200-bodies-on-mount-everest-used-as-landmarks/

[gathersnomoss]

You don’t ef around on the peak. Get your photos, and descend.

[SunkenCiv]

She'd mortgaged her home for $100K to finance her attempt on the summit.