International Mountain Guides Autumn Himalayan Schedule Taking Shape
Posted: February 1, 2013 Filed under: Mountaineering | Tags: Ama Dablam, Cho Oyu, Everest, Himalaya, Himalayas, IMG, International Mountain Guides, Khumbu, Lhasa, Nepal, Tibet Leave a comment »
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2013 Mugs Stump Award
Posted: November 16, 2012 Filed under: Climbing, Mountaineering | Tags: Mugs Stump, Mugs Stump Award Leave a comment »Deadline for applications for the Mugs Stump Award is December 14, 2012
This award is to further great climbs in the honor and memory of Mugs Stump. The award is giving to small climbing
teams with fast and light alpine objectives. Special attention is giving to applicants and teams that leaving no trace of their passage. For more information go to Mugs Stump Award. Past winners and more information on the award can be found here.
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Article attempts to describe people dying on Everest as part psychological trap
Posted: June 20, 2012 Filed under: Editorial, Mountaineering, Mt. Everest | Tags: Climbing, Everest, Mount Everest, Mountain Climbing, Mountaineering, Mt Everest, Nepal, South Col Leave a comment »Probably, the article is right; however, the article misses one major issue; a lot of people climbing Everest are there because they can afford it, not because they know what they are doing.
This past 2012 Everest season garnered a lot of press. A month of slow news days put Everest back in the spotlight. When four people died in one
Mount Everest from Kalapatthar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
day, it made everyone’s news radar. This article, Everest’s Psychological Trap: How the tallest mountain warps climbers’ minds attempts to describe how people believe they can get beyond their turnaround time and still survive.
I believe the article is right.
The article describes the phenomenon as a mind trap. There are several different variations to the mind trap, one which the author calls the red lining. Red lining is having a turnaround time, a drop-dead time as I call you. (If you don’t turn around, then, you will drop dead.)
The author then explains that once you pass your turnaround time, there is nothing to stop you or make you think. There are no more deadlines. When you are sleeping and you hit the snooze button, you still have to be at work by 8:00 AM. On Everest once you pass your turn-around time; you still have the rest of your life, which you may be counting in hours rather than in a year.
The problem is that once we go over the red line, there are no more boundaries. Nothing calling you back to the safe side. And in a brutally tough environment like Everest, once Mother Nature’s jaws slam shut, there may be no one to help you.
The article does miss that last sentence which to this day is miss understood by everyone who has not been above tree line and a lot of people on Everest. By help, the only thing that can be done is to yell at you. There is no one above the South Col that can drag you down from there. That can assist you in getting down. It is physically impossible. Once you hit the snow, you are going to lay there until you die or until you regain enough to stand up again and walk back. However, this last thing has only been accomplished by two climbers on Everest that I know about.
One of the four victims supposedly asked for help as her last words. There is no help at 28000’. See ‘Save me’: last words of Mount Everest climber.
I also believe the article applies to people who are attempting to the highest mountain on the Earth the cheapest way possible. A guide can’t save your life once you hit the ground. A guide can tell you to turn around when you hit your time deadline and keep yelling and pulling on you until you do turn around.
If you have the money to hire a better company, you get a better guide to climber ratio. You get someone who by the summit day knows you, understands you a little and can continuously pester you into turning around rather than running off to check on several other people. Someone who can get in your face and turn you around physically and mentally.
Do Something
Climbers who did not hire guides got to Everest by turning around a lot. If you did not learn your body and did not learn to turn around, you did not live long enough to get to Everest. Even so, Everest is littered with bodies of guides and successful mountaineers, who did not understand, chose to ignore or just could only see the summit.
Read the article, it is interesting, whether you are going to Nepal or just watching a Discovery Channel special on Everest.
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Amer Alp Club–Zack Martin Call For Grant Applications 2012
Posted: March 22, 2012 Filed under: Climbing, Mountaineering | Tags: American Alpine Club, Anatoli Boukreev, Climbing, Federal grants in the United States, grant, Mountaineering, Petzl Leave a comment »The American Alpine Club is pleased to announce a CALL FOR APPLICATIONS for the 2012 ZACK MARTIN BREAKING BARRIERS GRANT. ZMBB grant applications are due, this year, on April 15. Below you will find grant information and the grant application process (at the bottom of the ZMBB Grant page)
A special thanks to Black Diamond and Petzl for supporting this grant through special merchandise deals for the recipients.
Regards
Image via Wikipedia
“JP” John Parsons
john.p.parsons
720-254-6165 cell
The AAC Grants Webpage
Zack Martin Breaking Barriers Grant Page
The Zack Martin Breaking Barriers Grant (ZMBB) is a dual-purpose grant fund. The primary objective is humanitarian and the secondary objective is climbing, alpinism and/or exploration in the natural environment. The grantee must meet both objectives and is strongly encouraged to obtain additional funding. The humanitarian objective must be reasonable, and sustainable. Objectives that continue after implementation will receive the highest level of consideration. Focus the objective to affect the greatest human change. The alpine objective should focus on climbing and/or exploration but need not be at the leading edge of climbing or alpinism.
Zack Martin died just before his 25th birthday on Thanksgiving Day 2002. He was a recipient of AAC grants, the Anatoli Boukreev grant and others. Zack was concerned about the general arrogance and self-serving aspirations of climbers and explorers. He committed that on all future expeditions he would not only climb and explore but more importantly he would perform humanitarian service in the local community. He would “break a barrier” in the alpine environment and “break a barrier” in the heart of man. As Zack often said, “The only barrier holding you back is yourself.”
The American Alpine Club Webpage
The Donate To The Zack Martin Fund
American Alpine Club
c/o Donations—The Zack Martin Grant Fund
710 10th St
Suite 100
Golden, CO 80401
Include on check:
Zack Martin Breaking Barriers Fund
(all funds are tax deductible)
To be removed from this mail contact john.p.parsons
PR piece with great information on building to climbing a big mountain
Posted: February 21, 2012 Filed under: Mountaineering, Mt. Everest | Tags: Climbing, Everest, IMG, International Mountain Guides, Mount Everest, Mountaineering, Mountains, Nepal, Recreation, Sherpa Leave a comment »
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Start Small (Relatively Speaking) For beginner climbers it’s important to set yourself up for success. Remember you can’t eat an elephant in one bite. We get a lot of “I want to climb Everest….what should I do?” And the answer is always the same: Have you climbed Mt. Rainier? Mt. Baker? Something in the North Cascades? If the answer is no, then we know where we need to start. Unfortunately a lot of folks try to run in crampons before they know how to walk in them. Let’s see if you even like climbing before we get you to the South Col on Everest! Are your knees shot? No excuses…try a trek. Machu Picchu, Everest Base Camp, or even Kilimanjaro! We’ll take care of the weight on your back and the logistics – you just put one foot in front of the other. ________________________________________ |
Ok, I’ve Climbed A Few Things – Now What?
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We hear this a lot: “Last summer I climbed Mt. Rainier and had a blast! The summer before that my wife and I climbed Shuksan and it was super fun. This year we want another challenge – what do you recommend?” This is a great question and one that is fun to answer. Once you’ve got a couple climbs under your belt the world starts opening up. Climbs in Mexico, Ecuador, and Bolivia, or climbs like Mt. Bona, Mt. Whitney, and Chulu Peak, are popular ‘next steps’ after a first or second climb. Many of these programs feature cultural aspects to them, so be sure look at the non-climbing days on the itinerary to see what else you’d enjoy on the program. ________________________________________ |
Bolivia Was Fun, Now Can I Climb Everest?
| Ok, so you’ve climbed a few things and you’ve got you eyes on one of the big guys! It’s important to keep in mind that every mountain is different and can have its own prerequisites. Take Denali for example, success on Rainier in the summer and a high five on the summit of Aconcagua often isn’t enough. A Denali Prep Course on Rainier is needed to get you qualified for Denali. The same goes for Everest, a summit of Rainier and success at altitude in Mexico just doesn’t cut it, whereas going to Cho Oyuto test your lungs at 8000m is often the route of choice for our Everest climbers.The point being, there is no tried and true recipe to the top of the world. Some people just let the cards fall where they may and climb as their vacation, families, and resources allow. Others set long term goals and map out a 5-year plan.
Regardless of what type of climber you are or what your goals may be: if you’re having fun, you’re doing it right. ________________________________________ |
From A Guide’s Perspective: Staying In Shape
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By Jess Culver
Lets face it, it’s hard to stay in shape between seasons. It starts when the Halloween candy comes out, gets even worse come Thanksgiving and hits its peak somewhere between Christmas and New Years. Then, the 1st of the year rolls around and you’re a few pounds guiltier and several pounds heavier. Finding the motivation to shed this weight can be tough. Here are some tips I use between seasons. For me, I know I have to be in good shape when the Rainier season opens, which is probably in the back of a lot of your minds as well. With that in mind, I’ve found that setting small goals between big goals really makes the time go by a lot quicker than the alternative: 4-5 days a week on the hamster wheel. I like to sign up for a few running races in the winter and spring. I’ll start small, maybe a 5k, then work up to a 10k and eventually a half-marathon and then the full 26.2. There are countless programs out there that will set you up for success at these races. They work if you’re honest with yourself and stick to the program. And don’t be intimidated by the people that run these races, they are all smiles and are super supportive to all shapes, sizes and speeds. Trust me, you’ll have a blast. (Read more)
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Medical Minutes by Adventure Medical Kits
Q: What should you do if you find yourself in the mountains without adequate eye protection?
A: Improvise
It is possible to improvise a pair of “sunglasses” that will help protect eyes from ultraviolet light, especially in snow and at elevations above 2500m (8000 feet). Cut small slits in a piece of cardboard (e.g., use one side of a cracker or cereal box) or in a piece of duct tape folded back over onto itself (Fig. 25). The slits should be just wide enough to see through, and no larger than the diameter of the eye. Tape or tie these “sunglasses” around the head to minimize the amount of light hitting the eyes.
If you remember from a previous newsletter snow blindness is a sunburn to the eye that results in a corneal abrasion. It results from exposure to intense ultraviolet radiation at high altitude or while traveling in the snow. At higher elevations, more ultraviolet light is easily reflected off snow. Because signs and symptoms of snow blindness are delayed by about 4 to 6 hours from the time of exposure to the light, victims are unaware that the injury is occurring until it is too late to prevent it. Wearing adequate eye protection (100 percent UV-blocking sunglasses with side protectors) can prevent snow blindness. (read more)
Image via Wikipedia
25 Great Years Thanks To You!
Posted: January 10, 2012 Filed under: Mountaineering | Tags: Climbing, Dick Bass, Everest, Guided Climbing, Guides, IMG, IMG (company), International Mountain Guides, Mount Everest, Mount Rainier, Recreation, Seven Summit Leave a comment »International Mountain Guides is 25 Years Old. Congratulations
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IMG releases 2012 Mt Rainier Dates
Posted: September 9, 2011 Filed under: Mountaineering, Mt. Everest Leave a comment »The long wait is over. We’re not quite done this year but we’re already looking forward to another great season on Mt. Rainier next year. We’ll have all the classic climbs like the 3.5 Day Disappointment Cleaver, 4.5 Day Emmons and 4 or 5 Day Kautz climbs as well some more technical climbs via the Fuhrer Finger & Liberty Ridge routes. And for those of you looking to learn a bit more, the Glacier Skills Seminar or the New Little Tahoma Mountaineering Seminar should fit your needs.
And for those of you with Denali on the brain don’t miss our Winter and Denali Prep Seminars this winter.
Already Climbed Rainier? Try Lobuche Peak In Nepal
Want to trek to Everest Base Camp and do a fun climb too? Check out Lobuche Peak!
We have been climbing 20,000 foot Lobuche Peak since 2007, in both spring and autumn seasons – a total of eight different expeditions. It is a perfect acclimatization climb for our Everest and Ama Dablam climbers, and also a terrific climb for people who just want a fun climb with an incredible view of Mt Everest from the summit. If you have climbed Mt. Rainier, you have the basic skills you need (crampons, ice axe, rope travel). We’ll help you get set up with your ascender and practice using the fixed ropes and rappelling, so you are all ready to go.
The climbing is steep, but straightforward. From our custom IMG Base Camp, we start early before dawn, climbing up rock slabs until we reach the glacier. Then, we are into our crampons and climbing on snow and ice until we reach the summit ridge. After about 400 meters of fixed rope up to the ridge crest it is just one more push up to the 20,000 foot (6000 meter) summit where we enjoy one heck of a view!
For more information go to International Mountain Guides website.
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Why do you climb Mt Everest, study looks at the reasons and does not come up with the best of man kind’s motivation for some.
Posted: March 10, 2011 Filed under: Mountaineering 1 Comment »Study shows that climbers who pay to summit do not have the same team philosophy as other climbers.
The study found “…finds that people who pay for transformative experiences often lack the communitarian spirit that usually defines such activities.”
The authors stated that the climbers experienced forced companionship rather than developing any communal relationships with the other climbers.
The study was published in The Journal of Consumer Research Publication, 1974-2011 (Vols. 1-37), published by The University of Chicago Press.
For a summary of the study see: Climbing Mount Everest: Noble Adventure or Selfish Pursuit?
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Denali National Park and Preserve: National Park Service Hosting Open Houses on Mountaineering Use Fee
Posted: January 7, 2011 Filed under: American Alpine Club (AAC), Mountaineering, National Park Service (NPS) Leave a comment »Golden, Colorado – Tuesday, January 18, American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th St., 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
There is going to be a public comment meeting at the American Alpine Club Mountaineering Center in Golden Colorado January 18, 2011. To find out more about the issue see:
American Alpine Club and proposed Mountaineering Fee Increases
AAC, Access Fund and AMGA write NPS over fee increases at Denali and Mt Rainier
To see the NPS information on the issue go to:
Denali National Park and Preserve: Special Mountaineering Use Fee
National Park Service Hosting Open Houses on Mountaineering Use Fee
Even if you have no intention of ever climbing Denali you should attend this meeting to learn how the NPS works and how to deal with the issue if it arises in your favorite park.
Thanks to Mountain Trip for the heads up!
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UIAA has a YouTube Channel
Posted: December 30, 2010 Filed under: Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Union Internationale des Association d’Alpinisme (UIAA) Leave a comment »Fun and educational videos are available.
The UIAA (Union Internationale des Association d’Alpinisme or International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation) has created a YouTube video channel to post its videos. The site is called Everything Mountaineering. Most of the videos are of climbing competitions including the world cup.
However there are three safety videos.
UIAA Mountain Equipments Testing 1
UIAA Mountain Equipments Testing 2
UIAA Mountain Equipments Testing 3
The three videos show different types of testing of equipment. The videos are very interesting, in fact fascinating in how some equipment actually breaks.
As a climber, mountaineering or ski mountaineer I encourage you to watch the Testing videos.
The UIAA also has a Twitter account and is on Facebook.
Twitter: UIAAmountains
UIAA on Facebook
See Everything Mountaineering.
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American Alpine Club and proposed Mountaineering Fee Increases
Posted: December 14, 2010 Filed under: American Alpine Club (AAC), Mountaineering, National Park Service (NPS) Leave a comment »Climbing Mt Rainier and Denali are going to cost more.
I’m not necessarily opposed to the fee increases of any park, forest or wild area. Our parks do not have enough money to operate and prying that money of Washington DC or a state capital is impossible. There is a threat to put oil and gas wells in Colorado State Parks to increase funding. However, I think the AAC has good points. The fee increases are too high in both cases.
- What do these fees actually provide for climbers? Do climbers really want and need this level of service, law enforcement, and rescue preparedness?
- Everyone is searching for ways to do more for less in this world. Are there ways to deliver programs similar to the current programs at a lower cost?
- High fees (Denali is proposing $500) discriminate against climbers with less economic means.
- The main attraction in each of these Parks is a very big mountain. Knowing that people are climbing these peaks can inspire—and therefore benefit—all visitors. Should costs be covered by increasing the entry fee for all visitors by a much smaller amount?
I’m not a fan of the last one. I think that climbers should pay for themselves and people with cameras who just want to look should pay for themselves. I don’t believe that people who never want to climb a mountain should pay for those of us who do. That does not justify all of the fee increases.
However points 1 and 2 of the AAC list are very valid.
If you want to contact the parks or make a comment see:
Denali: Public Comment Information
To read the AAC article see: Denali and Rainier: Voice Your Opinion. For more information see Denali Nat. Park Fee Increase.
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Pakistan reduces climbing fees (supposedly).
Posted: November 25, 2010 Filed under: Mountaineering Leave a comment »Forty (40%) Percent fee reduction for 6500 meter peaks.
The Government of Pakistan has reduced the royalty fee by 40% for climbing mountains above 6500 meters for 2011.
This is a great opportunity for mountaineers wishing to explore and climb Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Tourism, has decided to raise the altitude for peaks where no peak fees or Liaison Officer are required from below 6,500 meters for which opens up many additional mountains for small teams to attempt. The only restrictions will be the usual trekking fee of US$ 50 per person per month, if the peak located in the specified trekking routes in Restricted Areas. Foreigners are allowed to trek or climb in the open zone without permit up to 6500 meters.
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AAC, Access Fund and AMGA write NPS over fee increases at Denali and Mt Rainier
Posted: September 11, 2010 Filed under: Mountaineering, National Park Service (NPS) 1 Comment »September 7, 2010
Jon Jarvis
Director, National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
E-mail: Jon_Jarvis@nps.gov
RE: Mountaineering Fees: Denali National Park & Preserve/Mount Rainier National Park
Dear Director Jarvis:
The Access Fund, American Alpine Club, and American Mountain Guides Association recently became aware that Denali National Park & Preserve (Denali) intends, without public notice, to raise mountaineering fees 150% from $200 to $500 per climber. In addition, a steep increase for mountaineering fees (from $30 to $50 on top of camping fees) is proposed at Mount Rainier National Park (Rainier). In these tough economic times, these large fee increases awill price Americans out of their own parks. We write today to protest these unnecessary and unfair mountaineering fee increases, and request information about National Park Service mountaineering programs and any associated budgeting and related costs to better understand the need to raise these already disproportionate recreation fees.
We are particularly troubled that these fee increases did not receive the benefit of public input and the National Park Service failed to even consult with its long-time partners at the Access Fund, American Alpine Club and American Mountain Guides Association. We request that any proposals to increase mountaineering fees at Denali or Rainier be analyzed through a range of alternatives and benefit from an open public process with published information about the need and purpose for an increased fee.
Access Fund, American Alpine Club and American Mountain Guides Association
The Access Fund, American Alpine Club, and American Mountain Guides Association are national climbing advocacy organizations dedicated to climbing access, conservation, advancing the climbing way of life, and advocating for American climbers. These national climbing organization each have a long history of working with the National Park Service, including input on the 2006 revision to the NPS Management Policies, comment letters on hundreds of local management plans around the country, rescue cost-recovery and recreation impact studies, grants and many thousands of volunteer hours in support education and stewardship projects, field training and climbing management conferences, and congressional advocacy urging robust funding for National Park Service operations. We have also long worked collaboratively with the National Park Service and dozens of other national parks around the country on climbing management planning initiatives and stewardship projects. For more about us, see www.accessfund.org, www.americanalpineclub.org, and http://amga.com/.
The Access Fund, American Alpine Club, American Mountain Guides Association are your best partners with respect to the education of mountaineers, public support for your management goals and programs, and the fulfillment of your obligation to provide unique mountaineering opportunities in the parks. However, these fee increases were proposed without input from the mountaineering community despite our expertise and affiliation with this specific user group (mountaineers). Denali’s plan to raise mountaineering fees from $200 to $500 reflects an unprecedented increase, is not based on need, and unfairly targets climbers. Moreover, simply raising fees 150% without public input during these tough economic times is shocking and is likely to result in lower numbers of Americans able to afford the unique mountaineering experiences found at Denali. This extraordinary mountaineering fee increase is a national issue and we believe that Denali managers may simply be unfairly shifting more of the burden of the park’s budget onto climbers. We’re also skeptical that the current fee level for mountaineering is warranted. Rainier’s fee increase appears similarly unjustified. We fear that these added costs will make the unique mountaineering opportunities available at Denali and Rainier too expensive for many Americans.
So we can better understand the National Park Service’s specific management challenges related to mountaineering (and thus inform our members and the public generally), we request your cooperation in providing us with as much information as possible related to mountaineering programs and any associated plans or programs at both Denali and Rainier. To that end, we request the following information from these two parks:
- Any costs, expenses, and budgeting documentation, correspondence or related information (including years) concerning the mountaineering programs (or other park operations affecting climbing management) at Denali and Rainier, specifically:
o Search and rescue and any emergency medical services
o Visitor use statistics (numbers, categories and attributes of park users)
o General park operations and law enforcement
o Interpretation
o Visitor and resource protection
- Any National Park Service records or correspondence related to the establishment and maintenance of the current mountaineering fee at Denali and Rainier national parks.
- Any National Park Service records or correspondence related to any proposals to increase the mountaineering fee at Denali and Rainier national parks.
- All public or individual notices provided by the National Park Service concerning the preparation of any management plans or policies that have any proposals or influence on recreation fees at Denali and Rainier national parks.
We will be filing a Freedom of Information Act request to both Denali and Rainier to obtain the information outlined above. If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact any of us at your convenience. We look forward to working with the National Park Service to preserve the world-class mountaineering opportunities found at Denali and Rainier national parks.
Thank you for your assistance.
Copyright 2010 Recreation Law (720) Edit Law, Recreaton.Law@Gmail.com
© 2010 James H. Moss
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UIAA has prepared a comprehensive guide to climbing Aconcagua by the Normal Route
Posted: July 29, 2010 Filed under: Mountaineering, Union Internationale des Association d’Alpinisme (UIAA) 1 Comment »A very well done report for those looking a climbing the highest peak in North and South America.
The Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme (UIAA) has put a comprehensive guide to climbing Aconcagua online. It is not enough to get you up to the mountain. However, it will get you a lot of information about the mountain in one easy place.
The information covers the following:
· Aconcagua – The Highest Mountain in the Americas
· Mountain
· Route
· Location
· Altitude
· Overview
· Ascent Profile
· Access
· Route Description
· Transport of Equipment
· Duration
· Local Languages
· Currency
· Visa Requirements
· Vaccinations
· Nearest Hospital
· Evacuation
· Climbing Seasons
· Communication
· Conditions
· Temperature
· Technical Difficulty
· Dangers
After reading this review a mountaineer will have a good idea of the issues and costs associated with climbing the mountain. If you want more information I would suggest R. J. Secor’s book Aconcagua: A Climbing Guide, Second Edition by R. J. Secor, Uma Kukathas, and Crystal Thomas
See Aconcagua – The Highest Mountain in the Americas
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New Zealand Government argues Mountain Guides are taking too much risk and must make mountaineering safe
Posted: February 16, 2010 Filed under: Guide, Mountaineering Leave a comment »A Classic argument between those who ride a desk and those who live, and sometimes die enjoying life
The New Zealand Labour Department in a report released after the death of a mountain guide on Mt. Cook in 2008, states mountain guides are resistant to eliminate or minimize risk of harm when guiding.
How do you climb a mountain (altitude, chance of falling, rock and ice fall) covered with snow (avalanches, hypothermia, slabs, cornices), and glaciers (crevasses) and eliminate the risk of doing so?
The article about the report does not state whether the report makes any suggestions on how climbing a mountain was supposed to be made safer. The article is more of a “he said she said” response to the report.
See Zero-risk approach ‘would kill outdoor guiding’
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Dex works
Posted: October 29, 2009 Filed under: First Aid, Mountaineering Leave a comment »Dexamathasone or Dex as it is commonly known has been shown to improve exercise capacity at high altitude. Dex has been shown to prevent HAPE (high altitude pulmonary edema) and AMS (acute mountain sickness). Now it has been shown to improve oxygen uptake and decreased the anaerobic threshold.
The study was reported in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
See Dex Improves High Altitude Exercise Capacity and Taking Dex Can Improve High Altitude Exercise Capacity In Certain Climbers, Study Finds.
Great Article from Middle America about Mountaineering
Posted: August 18, 2009 Filed under: Mountaineering 2 Comments »
An Honest account of climbing and falling Mountain climbing is sort of an “out there” sport for more than 90% of the US. The only people who obviously undertake the sport are “nuts” according to your garden variety suburbanite. Finding a well written account of falling into a crevasse while climbing Mt Rainer is unexpected. The article has some interesting issues. The fall is described as scary but the climber also took some pictures while in the crevasse. Even more interesting is a fairly good quote from the owner of the climbing company that does not incriminate or avoid the issues in the article. It is refreshing to find a fairly good article about mountaineering in a New York newspaper.
UIAA Medical Commission provides advice on contraception at altitude
Posted: July 2, 2009 Filed under: First Aid, Mountaineering 1 Comment »
OK, maybe the headlines were a little titillating or confusing, but there are real issues with climbing and drugs. As the article describes there are issues with any drug at altitude. Additionally some women take contraception to control the effects of menstruation cycle while they are climbing No matter how titillating the medical issues and need for the article is real. See Medical Commission gives advice on contraception at altitude. You can read the actual article at Contraception and Period Control at Altitude
Well it’s happened: K2 will have its first true commercially guided climb this season
Posted: June 2, 2009 Filed under: Guide, K2, Mountaineering Leave a comment »
Fabrizio Zangrilli is working with Field Touring Alpine to lead a guided climb on K2 this late summer season. This is probably the first true commercial, guided climb on K2. By commercially guided I mean a guide is being paid to take clients up a mountain versus some people going for free or a trip leader making money on his group of climbers. By clients I mean people who may but probably do not have the total ability/skill/experience necessary or maybe desire to climb the mountain without a guide. It was to be expected. Most people consider the 1984 guided climb of Dick Bass and Frank Wells as the first commercially guided trip on Everest. However commercial Everest expeditions took off after the 1996 mess. (I refuse to call a natural weather event a disaster.) Publicity good or bad does not deter either mountaineers or those with money and a desire to check a box. It has always been an unconfirmed rumor that after the 1996 Everest mess Mountain Madness added more phone lines, even though its owner and founder had died on the mountain. This guided expedition occurs after a year where 11 people died on K2 which was reported worldwide for weeks. Publicity good or bad does not deter, just highlight. See K2′s First Commercial Expedition
Criminal Charges brought against Everest Guide in the UK
Posted: July 15, 2008 Filed under: Guide, Mountaineering, Mt. Everest Leave a comment »
The Yorkshire Post UK, Everest killing charge , reported on what appears to be the extreme result of frustration, anger and loss. The father of a climber lost on Everest in 1999 has brought criminal charges against three of the outfitters and guides on the climb. David Matthews’s, 62, millionaire father of the missing and presumed dead Michael Matthews, 22, an Everest summiter, brought the prosecution. Charged where Jonathan Tinker, Henry Todd and Michael Smith with unlawfully killing and manslaughter in Central Criminal Court, London. The charges were eventually dismissed by the court. (See Everest verdict that frees the mountain.) Michael Matthews disappeared as he was descending from the summit in 100 mile per hour winds. Mr. Matthews has also sued the outfitter and guides in this matter. The civil lawsuit is still pending in the US. As most readers to this blog know, any mountain holds the lives of the climbers on its flanks and consequently the lives of those relatives sitting at home. Those who tackle these mountains accept that risk, in fact thrill in revel in it. However families at home may or may not understand both the risk and our acceptance of it. Complicate this lack of understanding of the motivation with the question what happened? We have grown up learning each day how our world works. Green cheese once formed the moon we then saw a rock that came from the moon. Transplanting hearts from the dead to the living was the subject of movies and nightmares; today there is someone in every community who lives because of it. Yet, how and why someone dies on the summit of Everest, at least for now is a mystery. We can speculate based on those who have come close and survived as well as the research done by our scientist, but we want a body and we want to know why and how a loved one died. My father had a large life insurance policy on me for many years. He figured half would go to get my body home. I never cared and told him to spend the money, rather than bring me home but he said “your mother would insist on it.” At what point do those unanswered questions require an answer so badly that we not only sue someone, but we have them charged criminally. At what point does the loss of a loved one, require the destruction of the people the deceased wanted to spend time with. No more answers are going to be forthcoming. No answers at all will be found in either the criminal or civil courtroom. In fact, rarely are any answers found in court. This lawsuit and these criminal charges will bring no satisfaction and no answers. At best it may create some level of retribution, possibly justice to the father when it is done, but even that is doubtful. At some point in life, you just must accept the fact that a loved one lived and died doing what they enjoyed and accept as much comfort as you can from that.
Storm Over Everest
Posted: April 17, 2008 Filed under: Mountaineering, Uncategorized | Tags: Altitude, Climbing, David Breashears, Everest, Expeditions, Mount Everest, Mountaineering, Recreation Leave a comment »David Breashears has created a stirring and thought provoking movie in Storm over Everest. I saw the movie last year at the Telluride MountainFilm
Image via Wikipedia
Festival. The premise of the story is people who survived the 1996 Everest storms. David went back and interviewed the survivors, all but one I believe, from the 1996 Everest mess. (I am hesitant to call any wilderness high altitude death a disaster, it is simply what the mountain, weather, time and luck create). The recollections and thoughts about what happened ten years later are thought provoking, scary, exhilarating and very interesting.
For more information about the film see PBS Frontline Storm Over Everest which is scheduled to premiere May 13, 2008.
What struck me though was the attitude of the people ten years later. Some of them are still a little dumb founded they were not rescued by their guides. It is not overt statements by the survivors, but subtle statements that show a little confusion or mystery in the participants mind.
If you are an outfitter or guide, you might want to watch to see how your participants may look at you for their safety.
Either way, the movie answers a lot of questions about that chapter of Everest’s history and is truly worth seeing.
Image via Wikipedia
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