Everest climber left to die alone

Washington Times ^ | 5/23/06

[Lester Moore]

It's simple math. Attempting to save one dying man could have killed them all.

If the other climbers had been in dire straits themselves trying to get down your point might stick, but they were just busy with their climb to the top.

striving for excellence and all...

[Lester Moore]

or should the whole party kill themselves?

LOL

yeah right, they dying to get to the top.

[Lester Moore]

There's a reason that people who do heroic things are the exception. The rest of us would like to believe we would do that, but never know for sure until we're in the situation.

Stopping your own hike to the top to help someone down does not qualify as 'heroic'. It's just a change in plans.

Now if these others had been on the way down, low on oxygen in a blizzard and then help this poor soul that would be heroic.

[Lester Moore]

I guess we have to weigh the relative moral value of getting to the summit vs trying to help someone that's dying.

hmmmmm [giving it some thought]

If it's you in trouble I'll just continue with my hike.
For everyone else I'll give up my hiking plans and try to save their life.

[Dialup Llama]

If the other climbers had been in dire straits themselves trying to get down your point might stick, but they were just busy with their climb to the top.

striving for excellence and all...

Is this the future we can all look forward to... when focus and winning at all costs edges out middle class mores and nominally Christian norms?

[spunkets]

Thanks. Jamie McGuinness labeled that pic. It's also a link. Once over that, you're in the "ravine" shown in this pic-"A few steps from the top". They must have approached this along that wall he's on.

Their camp 3 is on a 45^o slope. It indicates the kind of ground they are on. Loose rocks. One guy got out of his tent to take a leak w/o his spikes and tumbled all the way down.

[Mr. Brightside]

or should the whole party kill themselves?
LOL yeah right, they dying to get to the top.

Read the story. The decision to move on was made because the two most experienced Sherpas knew that even they could not get his body down the mountain.

Most climbers die on the way down the mountain- even when they are not lowering a 250 frozen body down a 30 degree ice slope in the death zone on the highest mountain in the world.

But I'm sure you could make a better decision with all you experience and all. BTW, how hot was it today where you live?

[eddie willers]

That's a 12,000 ft. drop down to the Rongbuk Glacier behind him.

One guy got out of his tent to take a leak w/o his spikes and tumbled all the way down.

Well I hope everybody went down there after him....you know....being good Samaritans and all.

[spunkets]

"That's a 12,000 ft. drop down to the Rongbuk Glacier behind him."

Looks closer to me. That's ~2.3 mi down and it means 3.2 mi of horizontal structure is missing.

[spunkets]

"Well I hope everybody went down there after him....you know....being good Samaritans and all."

Sounds like they did. That's how they know what he was up to.

[eddie willers]

Looks closer to me. That's ~2.3 mi down and it means 3.2 mi of horizontal structure is missing.

If he's near the top, that number is correct.

Here's a good aerial photo I found of the Everet Complex as seen from the West.

To the left is the North Face of Everest.

The bowl in the center is the Western Cwm. The peak directly at the back of the bowl is Lhotse and the mountain making up the right (South) side of the Western Cwm is Nuptse.

The beautiful Mountain poking up in the far distance is Makalu.

[IslandJeff]

BTTT

Wasn't David Brashear's IMAX crew the one behind Rob Hall's in 1996?

[Capn TrVth]

Remember: these people climb mountains, they are the most self absorbed bastards in the world.

I hate to use such sweeping generalizations, but I believe this one to be dead on accurate.

[spunkets]

Thanks. I'll have to study these to get oriented.

[eddie willers]

Wasn't David Brashear's IMAX crew the one behind Rob Hall's in 1996?

Yes....and a good thing too.

They were good Samaritans (because Beck and the Taiwan guy could walk) and were rewarded with good weather later and got that camera up to the top!

[gathersnomoss]

..."they passed David Sharp, 34, a stricken British climber who later died. His body remained on the mountain."

A metaphor for todays America...left to die.

[gathersnomoss]

..."This guy MUST be a democrat"

Or most of today's Pubes.!!!!

[eddie willers]

I'll repost the picture of the South route (same shot but from a much lower elevation...cutting out Nuptse on the right) and the aerial photo together....it may help with the orientation.

[IslandJeff]

Thanks much.

While I might hate myself for awhile, this is a sad, sinful world. No way I can, from the comfort of my home, rightfully judge what I'd do up there. Hell, I felt "buzzed" at 10,000 feet on Mt. Adams here in Washington (FANTASTIC sunset over Mt. Hood, if you climb).

While I understand their moral position, I must vote against the Armchair Samaritans. Feels like hell to do so, but, well, the participants knew the risks. If we're past High Camp, well, ditch my ass, go home, and kiss your wife and kids. Of course, I am unmarried without kids - but if I weren't, would I really take on such an endeavor?

Hate to relativize the situation (like lefties love to do), but I'd have to be there to pass judgment.

Thanks for the GREAT shots. I can't get enough of this stuff: "Touching The Void" gets read tonight.

[eddie willers]

Well here's one more.

This from a satellite straight above the summit (red star).

North is up toward the left corner of the picture with the North Face mostly in shadow.

The very bright side is the seldom seen (and climbed maybe twice) eastern Kangshung Face. When Mallory was first scouting routes for the 1921 British Expedition, he looked at the Kangshung Face, snorted, and just kept walking. (Eventually blazing, and dying, on the North Ridge route)