A record-setting Norwegian mountaineer has pushed back against claims that she could have done more to save a Pakistani porter who slipped off a narrow trail near the peak and died there after several hours.
One the one hand, it sounds like they DID try to save the guy for hours. And this is an incredibly dangerous thing to attempt with a shockingly high number of people dying an attempt every year. I also think everyone that attempts one of these climbs knows exactly what they are doing. The porter that died might not have been well paid by Norwegian standards, but I have little doubt that he was paid quite well for Pakistan…
… but on the other hand, this is completely unnecessary. These people are dying - whether they are a hired sherpa or a Western climber - for totally no good reason. They aren’t really exploring new lands anymore. They aren’t discovering new sources of X mineral or sailing unknown seas. Everything about this is just rich-person’s adrenaline vacation, and not something particularly important.
I can’t remember if it was a documentary or a book where there was a jam getting to the summit of everest because basically the people in front of the line were struggling to keep walking up. The expert mountaineer said, paraphrasing : Out of shape, under prepared, whatever the cause, every minute not moving at pace means someone behind them is more likely to die.
He explained they were a moving road block and gave them a 50/50 chance to make it down, IF they had paid for help. He decided 30 minutes later to give up his ascent and telling guides and others on the way down that there people struggling and to turn back.
At that elevation, walking is a struggle even with oxygen. Helping someone out whether by giving them your oxygen or helping them down could mean both die. I personally wouldn’t do it, but I hope whatever people go up the mountain know exactly that, if they can’t carry their own weight, they’ll be left to die.
And that freedom is only possible if they would otherwise be financially stable and have good options for work.
We don’t know why this porter did what he did. Was because he loved pushing rich foreigners up a mountain? Or was it because he needed the money and had the skill?
I don’t think you understand the context. Watch 14 peaks on Netflix, it is really good. Doing 14 peaks in 92 days isn’t some tourist activity. That is an insane feat that they accomplished.
I don’t think anyone is trying to take away how difficult the activity is. There’s a reason why so many people die trying.
What I am trying to explain is that there is no good reason to do it.
Other very dangerous jobs involve doing something - hauling supplies to northern towns in the arctic over iced-over roads, catching fish in the Bearing straight, working on oil platforms in the gulf. Highly compensated, highly dangerous jobs, but they do it because they are supplying people with food or essential fuel or something like that.
Climbing a mountain is just climbing a mountain. They aren’t bringing back some rare mineral that is only found on the top of these mountains. They aren’t discovering some new path through which might cut travel time in 1/2 for the indigenous people. They’re going up a mountain.
What I am trying to explain is that there is no good reason to do it.
I think these personal value things. I personally have no desire to take that risk. But for some, it’s the type of activity that makes life worth living. It’s the famous Everest quote: “Why should a man climb Everest? Because it is there.” You watch interviews with mountaineers, climbers like Alex Hannold, etc… they’re just different. It’s their raison d’etre. They know the risk more than anyone, and I think it’s okay that they choose to take those risks.
I have mixed feelings about this.
One the one hand, it sounds like they DID try to save the guy for hours. And this is an incredibly dangerous thing to attempt with a shockingly high number of people dying an attempt every year. I also think everyone that attempts one of these climbs knows exactly what they are doing. The porter that died might not have been well paid by Norwegian standards, but I have little doubt that he was paid quite well for Pakistan…
… but on the other hand, this is completely unnecessary. These people are dying - whether they are a hired sherpa or a Western climber - for totally no good reason. They aren’t really exploring new lands anymore. They aren’t discovering new sources of X mineral or sailing unknown seas. Everything about this is just rich-person’s adrenaline vacation, and not something particularly important.
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I can’t remember if it was a documentary or a book where there was a jam getting to the summit of everest because basically the people in front of the line were struggling to keep walking up. The expert mountaineer said, paraphrasing : Out of shape, under prepared, whatever the cause, every minute not moving at pace means someone behind them is more likely to die. He explained they were a moving road block and gave them a 50/50 chance to make it down, IF they had paid for help. He decided 30 minutes later to give up his ascent and telling guides and others on the way down that there people struggling and to turn back. At that elevation, walking is a struggle even with oxygen. Helping someone out whether by giving them your oxygen or helping them down could mean both die. I personally wouldn’t do it, but I hope whatever people go up the mountain know exactly that, if they can’t carry their own weight, they’ll be left to die.
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And that freedom is only possible if they would otherwise be financially stable and have good options for work.
We don’t know why this porter did what he did. Was because he loved pushing rich foreigners up a mountain? Or was it because he needed the money and had the skill?
They why do politicians get to decide this for billions.
I don’t think you understand the context. Watch 14 peaks on Netflix, it is really good. Doing 14 peaks in 92 days isn’t some tourist activity. That is an insane feat that they accomplished.
I don’t think anyone is trying to take away how difficult the activity is. There’s a reason why so many people die trying.
What I am trying to explain is that there is no good reason to do it.
Other very dangerous jobs involve doing something - hauling supplies to northern towns in the arctic over iced-over roads, catching fish in the Bearing straight, working on oil platforms in the gulf. Highly compensated, highly dangerous jobs, but they do it because they are supplying people with food or essential fuel or something like that.
Climbing a mountain is just climbing a mountain. They aren’t bringing back some rare mineral that is only found on the top of these mountains. They aren’t discovering some new path through which might cut travel time in 1/2 for the indigenous people. They’re going up a mountain.
I think these personal value things. I personally have no desire to take that risk. But for some, it’s the type of activity that makes life worth living. It’s the famous Everest quote: “Why should a man climb Everest? Because it is there.” You watch interviews with mountaineers, climbers like Alex Hannold, etc… they’re just different. It’s their raison d’etre. They know the risk more than anyone, and I think it’s okay that they choose to take those risks.
Thus my description of “rich persons adrenaline vacation”