Be sure to SUBSCRIBE for more fascinating stories from Everest Mystery. For exclusive content and member perks, please check out the Member section (by clicking the Join button) or find free exclusive content on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/everestmystery
@@coryb8432 because it is the reason why the sherpas aren’t going to home to their families. As well as other people who have experience with high altitude climbing from being killed on that mountain.
3:06 here’s to my fellow brothers and sisters who cannot stand: -parades -fairs -amusement parks -theme parks -massive sports events -malls We’re happy to stay home and watch the madness
Apart from the over crowding, the main reason for climber deaths on Everest is simple incompetence and lack of climber skill required for the mountain. *Edit: with the exception of the Sherpas and porters
@@auralplex The likelihood of all of those things is drastically increased by the number of people up there, which increases the time on the mountain, and especially the time in the death zone by many times.
Great video as always! The truth is that overcrowding has been an issue for 20+ years, but only recently the Nepali government has instituted some "limitations". These limitations apparently aren't being currently enforced the way they should be or aren't that effective, since 390 permits were issued as of April 29 (still too many imo). The Nepali government also doesn't seem to care much about their native population, since the sherpas have no social security net to rely on. The responsibility is basically transferred to mostly foreign businesses with little to no ties to the locals. And because they're businesses, profit is their priority. Preserving Everest's legacy should be the result of continuous and collective effort coming from the Nepali government, tour and exploration companies, the native populations and their representatives, and mountaineering federations and governing bodies. No one should even attempt a summit without extensive prior experience. Successful summits should be diligently tracked and registered by governing bodies. High altitude mountaineering shouldn't be a widespread hobby. Not everyone can and should be a mountaineer! Climbing won't and shouldn't be risk free, and anyone willing to try should earn their chances by acquiring experience.
What's it like letting fear lead you through life? You don't know these people or their families, to assume the reaction of their families is pure ignorance. I for one will be enjoying my elderly years as think back about my life remembering why my body aches and passing on knowing I lived my life to the fullest and raised good men. Laying around at the end of life perfectly healthy regretting things you didn't do because you didn't want to take the risk sounds miserable.
@@CPE1704TK5 That doesn't make sense, the money has nothing to do with this comment. She is reacting to her emotions thinking about the family not the climber. The money for these expeditions is usually raised as a group for the climb, sponsors or people save for a long time. Doggin on people for following their dreams with the support of their families shows just how ignorant she is to the situation. If she watched it all the way through she would have heard how the families reacted and what they had to say. The tragedy is a tragedy whether it's following a dream or getting hit stepping off a sidewalk. I guarantee if the families had a choice they would want them to die on the mountain and stay on the mountain. That all has to be worked out before they start the climb.
I know I’m obsessed. However, I would make sure to get a lot of experience before attempting this mountain. The man from Utah Donald Cash, is someone from my state. His family said after he died that he would have been happy knowing his body would remain forever.
@@em84c yeah, but no teen has ever climbed Annapurna I. That’s the whole point - it is not commercialised and is wickedly dangerous. Everest though is becoming a joke with teens submitting it. This exact kid is not an avid mountaineer or anything, he just paid a shit ton of money to bring him up there and down.
More I learn about current situation regarding Everest, I have less and less desire to do anything there, including going to a base camp. It isn't because I'm afraid, it is because I don't want to be near all that humanity disaster. Leaving garbage and in many cases not caring for fellow humans is disheartening and I don't want to be near it.
I really like this channel. The closest I've got to a mountain is Mt Kosciouzko NSW Australia, but every story about mountaineering is quite riveting to me. To think that over fifty yrs of listening, reading watching & now these absurd numbers just makes it feel like a rich mans bucket list & another notch on the bed post type deal. I find the sherpa's very admirable, but some of the hubris involved with those who employ them ticks me off. C'est la vie ❤
Very well done, Thom. Can't imagine how, after seeing the LONG Conga lines, anyone would want to subject themselves to such a travesty of mountaineering.
First of all: The fact it’s more than likely you will stumble across people who died up there and they’re going to be there for eternity is apparently taken for granted, meanwhile (what I find deeply disturbing). Second: Where’s the respect for the mountains if you’re heading for the summit like a sheep in a flock? How can anyone be proud of summiting Everest that way, for it’s not so much your own performance and will but rather depending on your mountain guides - and the weakest link in your group.
I was out for a walk, contemplating your questions. This came to mind and it is a significant piece. As a climber who started at age 15 in the remote Canadian wilderness and then Alaska, this is something I began to develop from the first climb, ready? I learned how to reach deep inside of myself to tap into my connection with the infinite within. This showed my that my mental limits were not the same as the limits of my body. I was just beginning to test my physical limits to a degree I had never known possible. This one thing changed the course of my life, but that is not all. That wellspring of energy and life force I discovered inside of myself made me realize I had the ability to face and prevail in the face of my challenges. When you ask if inexperienced climbers should be allowed to climb 8k meter peaks because they can pay… consider this did everyone in the group openly acknowledge that their participation in the climb was a liability to the survival of others as well as themselves? Did or do they opening get real with how their families will be affected by their deaths. Denial is easy to come by, being in your face real can be hard to look at. Here is what people gain by developing themselves as climbers over the years, surviving dumb choices and learning from what didn’t kill them. I am one those people who lived to learn and continue enjoying the mountains. Not all of my fellow climbers did live. Alaska spring climbing is cold, -30 or colder is not unusual. Big storms, high winds, avalanches, typical conditions. Every challenging mountain trip adds grit which means you earn your wisdom, you push your limits because you need to in order to survive that day. In a moment when it was -30, ascending a steep slope, looking down between my feet to see what seemed like mostly air and a steep slope below me, I stood frozen in the grip of fear for a minute. I had to get a grip, so to speak because while my sudden fear told me I was going to die, I told my fear that if I stayed there I would surely die. It was an effective internal dialog and I continued climbing. Once again I had reached inside to access that inner power I needed. My friend and I survived an avalanche and that was just the beginning of our epic adventure of getting ourselves back down the glacier as the temps dropped from +28 to -30 , we skied the 12 miles down the glacier very slowly because my friend had a broken ankle from the slab avalanche. We had to rescue ourselves, it was the 70’s, it was remote, no cell phones and we were clear about our self responsibility. It takes a mindset that develops through experience. It takes being humble enough to turn around below the summit as we did on the climb I mentioned above where I had to get a grip. We’d paid to fly in, we had just so much time in which to climb. It is not my opinion that counts as to who should or shouldn’t be guided on the big mountains; there is such a non-reality that is entangled with these expensive big mountain climbs that puts one of a list of ascents. We have such ego driven activities, I get it. The mountains show us the flaws in what we collectively are doing in the name of climbing and adventuring. I’m just sharing.
I appreciate your amazing and insightful comment. I am in total agreement with you on the idea of learning by mistakes or near misses, those that force one to adjust and respond in the situation, not relying on others. I've had similar experiences....albeit not the -30 part!....such as an avalanche on the Mooses Tooth, having to dig a snow cave at 16,000 feet on the West Rib, and on Gasherbrum II leading a team during a descent through a couple thousand feet of perfect avalanche conditions, navigating crevasses into the darkness, guided by a sick climber via two way radio who could see our headlamps from below at Camp 1. If I didn't have this experience, would I have been able to sign onto an 8k expedition and tag the summit? Absolutely.... Yet, that idea of WHY we went into the mountains in the first place, something like a monk meditating in a cave for years to gain insight into the workings of the soul, then learning about the expansion of the comfort zone, using fear as an ally and not an enemy, getting oneself and one's partners out of the muck when the chips are down and inaction could mean the difference between life or death. I by no means consider myself anything but equal to all other humans and the individuals endeavoring to take the short path to the top....however, in this new era of 8k climbing and guiding, let's just say it's a different mindset and community of individuals drawn to the mountains. Not better. Not worse. Just different.... I took a screen capture of your comment and will bring it up in one of my videos, maybe in a live video sometime soon. Thanks for taking the time to share your story. I'm glad you're here and look forward to hearing more of your stories. Best regards!
@@EverestMystery Hi, thanks for your thoughtful reply. Please send a heads up about when you will do your live cast. I don’t know where I would see it. It is amazing the detail you can go into on your podcasts. Good work. Yes, it is a different era. I guess we are the old farts now. Lol sayin’ “ I remember when we went to the remote mountains and we didn’t have cell phone” ! Lol We did an old fashioned rescue once , you know, there were still dinosaurs roams the glaciers and all that. Lol. Two friends went off to climb the face of old snowy, and they didn’t return. Two of us chose not to go that day. We enjoyed a leisure day in the sun and two climbers who were in the military came up the glacier to join us. It turned out one guy was the son of the general at fort wainwright, it turned out to be handy. As I vaguely recall, we waited until morning to go check on them. It was spring, the days were very long and it wasn’t really cold. The four of us skied to their camp, discovered their sleeping bags and stove were still in the tent. Well, that was a cold night out for our friends. We hatched our rescue plan, they skied out to the road to head to delta junction to use a phone to call people to come help. The son called his dad, the general and dad dispatched a helicopter in the early morning. But let’s back up, the two guys left us to go do their part and my friend Jon and I brought Kate and peter’s sleeping bags and other things with us. We skied up the glacier, then climbed the ice fall and then skied again once on the higher glacier. The crevasses were pretty wide up there. 20/30 ft across. We finally made it to where our friend Kate was sitting in the snow at the edge of a crevasse that didn’t have a sturdy enough snow bridge for here to crawl across. Peter had died the previous day when they slid down the face of the mountain. Kate had no idea we would come to look for them so she , with a broken leg and two broken arms crawled 3/4 of a mile down the glacier, spend the night in her bicycle bag, and fleece and carried on in the morning. She had crawled over so many snow bridges, sometimes punching through . Her heart broke from the tragedy of her new love”s death. Talk about grit! So we set up camp right there between crevasses, using ice screws to anchor the tent and we took care of our friend Kate. We had no idea if a rescue was c9ming so we hatched our next plan for the morning , just the three of us and how we would get her out. But at 5 am, … whop whop whop…. Here came a military helicopter over a right to the north. We flagged them down with our jackets waving in the air. This was before the military had put together their version of mountain rescue… we all came close to dying right off when the pilot started to land on the snow bridge! We’d have been chopped to bits. Seeing the terror on our faces and our fronts hand gestures he lifted back up. Whew! This time he paid better attention to where I was showing him he could safely land. Finally he got it. I spent a lot of gestures showing him no don’t land there we will all die, do land right here only! He got it! Yay! We were thrilled. It was amazing. They put Kate in the helicopter and offered us a ride too but we had to break camp and that would take a while. I remember the medics looking at us and asking, how did you get here? I said matter of factory , we climbed. She couldn’t believe it. By the time Jon and I skied down the glacier, climbed down the ice falls and skied down the other glacier and got close to the hut, another helicopter was there and we did take the short ride up onto solid ground where the hut was located. More climbers, lots of climbers from Fairbanks had come to help. Doug and Kim.! Flew up to the base of old snowy to retrieve peter’s body. We were flown out the glacier to the road where it seemed like there were 50 or 100 climbers all there to help. I don’t k ow how many there really were but, it was a lot. This was one of the saddest days of my life. It took me years to finally let it go. There was a consensus we shared, if we died doing what we loved, we were ok with it. But I for one, wasn’t prepared in anyway for being one who lived. Jon and I I could have been on the rope team with our friends. Perhaps we would have made different choices and we would all have lived, but, we weren’t. A month prior another friend and I were climbing a different mountain and we set off an avalanche. Sigh. We lived to tell about it and we had an epic self rescue. I remember the elation I felt at the simple joy of just being alive. To me, that was the most important thing, my awareness of how much of a gift being alive is. I k ow I had to have been glowing because so many people asked me why I was so happy and my answer was just so simple, I’m alive. Just walking out your door in Alaska provides adventure. I appreciate that.
@@sandradyer5956 they certainly do. My guess is that the Tibetan/Chinese government essentially has the power to be stricter since they don’t rely financially on the tourism of the region as much as the Nepali government does.
Right? Plus honestly the Tibet side seems easier to me. I know that both sides have their challenges. However, Tibet doesn’t have the same problems as the Nepal side. The only reason climbing companies use the Nepal side is because of political differences in Tibet.
Its a bunch of entitled wannabees desperate for bragging rights being dragged up by their sherpas these days. No one with any feel for mountains and mountaineering would go near this egofarce.
@@EverestMystery I would love to listen/watch you play stand alone! I just complained about the background music; usually find it too distracting on commentary. Love your views and good coverage of Everest.
People who climb Everest know the risk, or they should, whether overcrowded or not. It's sad when people die, and I'm not trying to be sarcastic or indifferent, but this is the price some pay for the risk they consciously chose to make (and pay for). If someone dies and there body can't be recovered--that's part of the deal and should be expected under the circumstances.
Mt Everest is trashed and is a graveyard now as well !! Would it hurt to give it a break and maybe try to clean it up ?? And when possible, please take your poor dead home for a proper burial ?? Just some thoughts.
Im climbing everest in January.... okay, Im hoping to do the disney ride. I fully expect the lineup to be the most realistic part but its the only way Im ever gonna do it, I've no intention of ever going near the real mountain. Really enjoying the channel. Thanks for keeping my feet on the ground and at sea level.
To me there are 2 issues. One, Nepal needs the money. And secondly, Mount Everest is relatively easy to climb compared to other high mountains. So reasonably healthy people with Sherpa help have a good shot at getting to the summit. So people go.
I think that it's the highest mountain is a big reason. There are people who just climb it to brag. They never climb any other mountain. They just want to say they've been at the highest point on earth. And there are so many companies that will take their money so they can do it.
Once they've paid their $50k to $150k, they are financially committed to reaching the summit. You don't want to pay all that money, and spend 5 weeks reaching camp 4, only to find you have to turn around an hour or two from the summit. If the climb was free, far more people would take a step back and reconsider their options. As far as income to Nepal is concerned, I believe for every climber heading for the summit, there are 100 tourists who just pay to trek to base camp. They are the ones funding the gift shops, hotels and restaurants.
Permits are going to keep being granted regardless of the climber's skill because they need the money, as you've pointed out. Therefore, the vetting should come down to the companies leading the expeditions. They shouldn't let people climb who've just woken up one day and decided to summit Everest. They should be able to prove their experience with previous climbs and be training to tackle the mountain. I'm not sure what that process would look like, as I'm not a climber, but there has to be some way to vet climbers before they reach base camp. That would reduce the overall number of people on the mountain and subsequent deaths.
That's how it works on the Tibetan side of the mountain. They're not motivated by the money made on the mountain. Thanks for watching and for supporting the channel!
A lot of these people who die would've had a successful summit and return if Nepal would stop giving out so many permits. It's really sad people can't climb it anymore without taking a much larger risk than the mountain itself presents.
Sir, I believe, you are a very respectable guru and gentle human being. If Nepalese 🇳🇵 government and mountain climbers don't listen you than i am afraid, in very near future we will see their fatal mistakes to be converted into deaths .
Every time I see new updates on the human conditions on Everest, they just seem to get worse and worse with each passing season. This is just my opinion(controversial one I guess)but personally I think the Nepalese government and quite honestly countries with mountains like Everest need to stop allowing people to access these mountains, Everest is nothing but dump site now, and they’ve exploited the mountain as a tourist trap. Honestly I think in time as other mountains become more exploited by the locals if there’s money to be made, I can see whole mountains just being ruined. The mountains should just be left to nature, and let the mountains be.
An equal amount of blame must be borne by expedition companies out for the money grab who are willing to overlook the inexperience of clients for the almighty dollar.
Sir, have you ever covered the role of porters? They do a ton of work, in poor footwear and clothing, they tell of being abused, physically and verbally, and made to carry way more than the weight limit. All that for pennies. They get very little money for taking abuse and harming themselves after being bullied into carrying much more than they're supposed to. People spend tens of thousands of dollars on gear, permits, sherpas, who organized in order to get the respect and pay they deserve. But the porters are on the bottom of the pay and respect levels.
If you’re going to risk it all, and then be left up there.. don’t cover them up of blur them out. Let them be the reminder of reality of the danger. It’s still unbelievably selfish for people to not give way to those struggling just so you can reach to peak of some rock
Leave the dead there. Let people stay vigilant and aware of the dangers. I feel sorry for the local people, for whom the mountain is a sacred place that was never to be set foot on. AFAIK it was only when western climbers came and offered pay to the poor people there that the Sherpa walked there. It’s why they offer prayers and wished to the mountain gods before every climb. It’s a superstitious place for them. Climbers for, other countries have no respect for that sacred place. Why can’t they? Tourists used to climb Ayers Rock in Australia - a sacred place for the aborigines and never to be climbed. Recently the Australian government has finally done the right thing and protected the area from tourists. It can be done. The Nepalese government could hit restart. Close Everest. Set up climbing routes on a ring of neighbouring mountains for climbers to climb up and SEE Everest. Set some restrictions like only a certain number of climbers per pou tain per season, all rubbish to be brought down, maximum pack weights for Sherpas, rank the mountains in terms of difficulty and demand high climbing experience for those climbing the most difficult highest peaks. The Nepalese government could actually earn MORE money from Everest like that. Poor Everest. Desecrated every year, covered in filth and dead bodies, ruined by lines of wealthy individuals seeking only the right to tick a box on their wish lists. The locals, taken advantage of, forced to wreck their bodies climbing with enormous weights to earn some money… It’s a disgrace what we’ve done to such a beautiful place. Just my opinion.
Looks like the problem solved itself. This is why you need to be intelligent and experienced enough to realize you're not capable of handling conditions like that. Unfortunately a lot of people like that are addicted to the validation and adrenaline rush, leading to many arrogant and egotistical personalities who struggle with admitting they can't handle something.
FAR too crowded nowadays. Totally unsafe! (Stating the obvious there I feel!). It's NOT a mountain that I'd want to climb now! For me, being in the mountains is about the solitude or the company of a few good friends, not being in a crowd. To put it in UK terms, Yr Wyddfa is a gorgeous mountain, but personally I'll only ever climb it either in Winter conditions, or absolutely foul weather, purely because of the crowds. Generally it's NOT a safety issue in Wales, it's just about the ambience. On a good weather day, I'd rather take a bimble up Cnicht instead.
I absolutely love anything about Mount Everest and K2 as well. I just don't understand how they can stay in there in The Death zone in that line. They have to realize you have to come back down it.
A 19 year old on Mt Everest? Just going out on a limb here, but how has a 19 year old gained the experience and money required to get up an 8000er? There's a really simple test to apply to people who wish to climb Everest. Would they be able to climb K2 unassisted? No? Then they shouldn't be on Everest.
I have an interview with 19 year old Ryan Mitchell that will answer the questions. Also, he discusses his new interest in climbing K2 and how he'll gain the experience necessary. Here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/w1mJsdeE81Q/v-deo.html Thanks for watching!
While climbing Mt Everest is one of my childhood dreams, I am Not interested in climbing via the Nepal side under current circumstances. I’d rather prepare more and climb via the Chinese side.
@@EverestMysteryThanks for your response Thom, I’ve been told China/Tibet requires a climber to have climbed at least one other 8,000m peak before attempting Everest. Do you know if that is true?
@@HumanityRisingNow yes, in order to get a permit from the Chinese Tibetan Mountaineering Association you have to submit a resumé. Most of the Chinese nationals interested in climbing Everest are going to the Nepal side in order to gain access to the mountain or for 8000 meter peak experience
Kind of like driving around on the highway system.When there's a lot of traffic, maybe you ought to get off the freeway and take the back road.Enjoy the view quit the road rage
Moving the bodies does nothing more than remind those who are seeing them what being this high up can do to you, and I suspect some people upon seeing a dead climber snap them out of their summit fever for a moment to think this could happen to them, and maybe for a moment convince them they should turn around, and not go any further. If there are some who have turned around because of seeing the dead climber then leaving the dead climber there has saved a life instead of adding one more to the death toll. I'm all for leaving the climbers where they have passed away. Moving them is disrespectful, and should not be attempted unless they lay in a path which could pose a danger to the climbers climbing Everest. Then they could be moved from the path a few feet, and cover them over, and be respectful while doing it.
It's too easy these days ... Sherpa's put ropes up and Westerners only have to hike. Similar to waiting in line for a roller coaster. Getting to the top isn't a big deal these days. It only signals that you can save or borrow a hundred grand. If you can afford a fully loaded pickup truck you can stand on Mt Everest 😅😅😅.
I realize that for a few this is an "ultimate experience"... But it just seems so self indulgent to me. Maybe a person could try to be an incredible and devoted volunteer somewhere in the world that needs help. Maybe THAT "ultimate experience" could create a better world. This whole drama exists b/c of consuming mindsets. I want. I must have. I will pay for this thing. I will be lauded and admired for what I can paid for. I will take what I want and leave my smear on this land. It's disgusting really. Selfishness to the literal max. Shame on all of them.
I really enjoyed your video and your opinions. I think they should limit the number of permits issued and also increase the amount of the price of the permits, and use the extra money for maintenance of Everest and to compensate the sherpas better.
Just a thought on the collapse of the cornice…it seems our seasons are off by a month…could it have been warmer or the sun stronger to melt the snow up there? We have been bombarded by solar storms and very strong heat from the sun…again just a thought?? This May we had a huge solar storm..could it have affected the snow up there to be weak?
There is absolutely a fascination with risk takers. If people are dying, it has to be extreme right? That is a serious draw for thrill seekers. It is the thought of almost dying that gives some of these people a thrill like no other. Now it’s all about not dying, instead of the win of climbing the highest mountain in the world. I think there needs to be a cap on climbing but that wont happen. Climbing to Everest is a money maker for all of the Sherpa who summit. They are hurting to provide for their families so there is a major incentive to the pay that climbing brings. Its a crappy situation for everyone. Without those wanting to climb, an entire nation doesn’t make money. To climb in these conditions, you are asking to die.
I agree about patience, but doesn't having patience mean waiting longer? I imagine each extra day spent waiting for the right opportunity is going to cost more and more. Some people save up their whole lives and realize they will never be able to afford this again, so the gamble of going up in bad weather seems unfortunately too alluring. I feel bad for people that have to turn back because of bad weather knowing full well, they not just lost 10s of thousands of dollars, (some say it isn't completely wasted because they at least had the opportunity to visit basecamp which is still a once in a lifetime experience) but realize they will never complete their ultimate goal. I would imagine the companies refund a little if they don't make the summit. Or at least I hope they get something back.
Limits on number of permits would help mitigate the added risk of overcrowding. But, it seems the financial gains outweigh the obvious solution to overcrowding. Assuming it could be enforced properly. Those who have overblown ego, no respect for the Mountain, Sherpa, other climbers simply shouldn’t be there. I am truly heartbroken at how Everest mountaineering has progressed from the early days. I have a longing to go back the days when the biggest human exposure to Everest for most people was through printed articles in the National Geographic magazine.
I echo what Mark Synnott said in the Lost On Everest film, about our 2019 search for Sandy Irvine. Off camera I asked him what he thought when he looked up and saw all those climbers going for the summit. He said "Inspired"....with the idea that there were people willing to put it all on the line to live out a dream. I do think Nepal could do a better job of managing it....but, as I've pointed out before, it's none of my business. Thanks so much for watching and for supporting the channel!
Let's shut down ALL climbing of Mt Everest !!! Ego maniacs have brought 40 tons of trash and literally left it there ! Companies by and large are greedy bastards ...and Nepal government is complacent in all of it ! Let's start a petition to shut down Everest until all climbers and guides are back charged to clean up the garbage !!!
The reason it is impossible to organize and implement a rescue on the Tibetan side is not due to overcrowding (which is a very real issue). It is due to the fact that China has stolen the country and controls the air space and routes.
Love your channel❤ Extreme Sports come with Extreme Risks😟 As a comparison, wing suit pilots die at a rate of one per 500 jumps. That works out to 24 per year. Considering how many fewer people take up wingsuit jumping, I’d say climbing Everest is still somewhat safer in comparison to other extreme sports. Like you said it is all very perilous.
Have to wonder if we're getting to a point where drones and helicopters could provide more fast response rescue services there now. It seems the capabilities have definitely improve far beyond where they used to be. There really ought to be a limited number of people allowed to summit per day though.
There should be a lottery system that assigns when you are able to ascend with your group. For example, if there are only 5 days in May that permit ascending and your expedition has not been lucky enough to get a "golden" ticket to ascend, too bad. This hopefully will weed out some of those going for this who really have no mountaineering skills. They might think twice about spending big bucks if they have no guarantee that they will be able to even try to ascend.
@@UnhallowedFury I disagree . However like cave diving which is probably just as perilous you push the limits and sometime you get buried alive or drown and pass doing exactly what you choose . Commuting on American roads is a true horror.
@@markheller8646 there's a reason why there are much less casualties on the Tibetan side of Everest. They vetted the guiding companies thoroughly and the guiding companies also vetted their customers just as thoroughly. It's a matter of life and death, and not just your life, others as well. Cave diving is entirely different, there are no overcrowding issues which lead to multiple deaths.
Im not sure I view the bodies on Everest as gruesom.. Death is always sad but climbers doing what they love, reaching goals almost inhuman.. They become something else.. Dying on Everest is not unfair, not some freaky accident.. I understand ppl dont want to see death while doing their thing but its part of your route.. I kind of salute the brave souls still up there who didnt make it but gave their best :)
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE for more fascinating stories from Everest Mystery. For exclusive content and member perks, please check out the Member section (by clicking the Join button) or find free exclusive content on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/everestmystery
The absolute best channel regarding anything Everest. Your respect and love for the Mountain really shows in your coverage.
Yes and he has been there many times so he has the experience to back everything up.
My go to guy on mountaineering 🧗♀️ He makes it easy for the layperson, but is obviously so knowledgeable & humble
@@vinylhorror there's a mountain in my pants. You ought to give her a go mothafckah
Great channel!
The overcrowding has added an element of risk that can't be mitigated with conditioning and good equipment.
It’s more the fact that there are unethical climbing companies taking new climbers with no experience up there.
@Evolvingwithin777 if people have the money to pay them why would they not? Should McDonald's not serve fats
@@coryb8432 because it is the reason why the sherpas aren’t going to home to their families. As well as other people who have experience with high altitude climbing from being killed on that mountain.
@@Evolvingwithin777 the sherpas that get paid to do that job
@@coryb8432 Not enough and are the unsung heroes.
3:06 here’s to my fellow brothers and sisters who cannot stand:
-parades
-fairs
-amusement parks
-theme parks
-massive sports events
-malls
We’re happy to stay home and watch the madness
Apart from the over crowding, the main reason for climber deaths on Everest is simple incompetence and lack of climber skill required for the mountain.
*Edit: with the exception of the Sherpas and porters
That's what they say. Most of the people who climb Everest!
How about celebral/pulmonary edema, heart attacks, strokes, avalanches, storms, hypothermia, and crevasse collapses?
@@auralplex The likelihood of all of those things is drastically increased by the number of people up there, which increases the time on the mountain, and especially the time in the death zone by many times.
@@auralplexOr simply not being fit enough or having other health conditions that would slow them or put them heavily at risk.
I get angst, queuing up a Woolworth, queuing up at 8000 meters is not for me. I'd rather sail from Sydney to Hobart.
Imagine a person with a jet pack flying up to the top landing and taking back off in under 5 minutes
Great video as always!
The truth is that overcrowding has been an issue for 20+ years, but only recently the Nepali government has instituted some "limitations". These limitations apparently aren't being currently enforced the way they should be or aren't that effective, since 390 permits were issued as of April 29 (still too many imo).
The Nepali government also doesn't seem to care much about their native population, since the sherpas have no social security net to rely on. The responsibility is basically transferred to mostly foreign businesses with little to no ties to the locals. And because they're businesses, profit is their priority.
Preserving Everest's legacy should be the result of continuous and collective effort coming from the Nepali government, tour and exploration companies, the native populations and their representatives, and mountaineering federations and governing bodies. No one should even attempt a summit without extensive prior experience. Successful summits should be diligently tracked and registered by governing bodies. High altitude mountaineering shouldn't be a widespread hobby. Not everyone can and should be a mountaineer! Climbing won't and shouldn't be risk free, and anyone willing to try should earn their chances by acquiring experience.
" a man's got to know his limitations " Clint Eastwood
Over ninety and still going strong.
A great line. However, I think Mr Eastwood did not write it.
‘’stupid is as stupid does” - Forrest Gump
The ego is the real killer.
Boosting for the algorithm 🙌 Love your work, keep it up! 🌻🐝
Thom - LOVE this channel. Thanks for the great video
He didn't suffer....no, he left that for his family.
What's it like letting fear lead you through life? You don't know these people or their families, to assume the reaction of their families is pure ignorance. I for one will be enjoying my elderly years as think back about my life remembering why my body aches and passing on knowing I lived my life to the fullest and raised good men. Laying around at the end of life perfectly healthy regretting things you didn't do because you didn't want to take the risk sounds miserable.
@@endlessmountainoutdoors You're absolutely right. Maybe they were glad to be rid of him. As you say, you have no actual knowledge to the contrary.
EXACTLY
@@endlessmountainoutdoorsmoney spent doesn’t equal risk that’s the point!
@@CPE1704TK5 That doesn't make sense, the money has nothing to do with this comment. She is reacting to her emotions thinking about the family not the climber. The money for these expeditions is usually raised as a group for the climb, sponsors or people save for a long time. Doggin on people for following their dreams with the support of their families shows just how ignorant she is to the situation. If she watched it all the way through she would have heard how the families reacted and what they had to say. The tragedy is a tragedy whether it's following a dream or getting hit stepping off a sidewalk. I guarantee if the families had a choice they would want them to die on the mountain and stay on the mountain. That all has to be worked out before they start the climb.
When I was a kid I would have never thought that Mt Everest would have an overcrowding problem 😂
Yep definitely!! Also the social media platform madness like TikTok etc has had a major impact. You nailed it, the ID can be a persons downfall.
Thank you for another very interesting video Mr. Pollard. Mount Everest is indeed fascinating.
I know I’m obsessed. However, I would make sure to get a lot of experience before attempting this mountain. The man from Utah Donald Cash, is someone from my state. His family said after he died that he would have been happy knowing his body would remain forever.
After a 19 year old summited Everest, it became a joke in my eyes. It completely lost its prestige and glory
Why would that age matter?
I don't think age matters. It depends if they actually love climbing and have climbed other mountains first. Skill and experience.
@@em84c it does matter. Do you know any teenager who summited Annapurna?
@@ian-atg there are teenagers in the Olympics. There would be teens climbing for years
@@em84c yeah, but no teen has ever climbed Annapurna I. That’s the whole point - it is not commercialised and is wickedly dangerous. Everest though is becoming a joke with teens submitting it. This exact kid is not an avid mountaineer or anything, he just paid a shit ton of money to bring him up there and down.
More I learn about current situation regarding Everest, I have less and less desire to do anything there, including going to a base camp. It isn't because I'm afraid, it is because I don't want to be near all that humanity disaster. Leaving garbage and in many cases not caring for fellow humans is disheartening and I don't want to be near it.
There should be a sign at the entrance to Base Camp: *WELCOME TO MT. EVEREST. YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN*
@@Bob31415 How about "Abandon all hope, all he who enter here." It about sums up the feelings I share with this OP.
Just look around wherever you live, I’m sure there are already plenty of individuals doing those exact same behaviors.
I really like this channel. The closest I've got to a mountain is Mt Kosciouzko NSW Australia, but every story about mountaineering is quite riveting to me. To think that over fifty yrs of listening, reading watching & now these absurd numbers just makes it feel like a rich mans bucket list & another notch on the bed post type deal. I find the sherpa's very admirable, but some of the hubris involved with those who employ them ticks me off.
C'est la vie ❤
Leave the bodies where they are.
Very well done, Thom. Can't imagine how, after seeing the LONG Conga lines, anyone would want to subject themselves to such a travesty of mountaineering.
Thank you kind sir, it's great having you here to visit the channel!
First of all: The fact it’s more than likely you will stumble across people who died up there and they’re going to be there for eternity is apparently taken for granted, meanwhile (what I find deeply disturbing). Second: Where’s the respect for the mountains if you’re heading for the summit like a sheep in a flock? How can anyone be proud of summiting Everest that way, for it’s not so much your own performance and will but rather depending on your mountain guides - and the weakest link in your group.
I am always a little extra happy when you've posted a new video. Thanks for your great work!
Happy to hear that! I really appreciate it and am glad that you're here!
I was out for a walk, contemplating your questions. This came to mind and it is a significant piece. As a climber who started at age 15 in the remote Canadian wilderness and then Alaska, this is something I began to develop from the first climb, ready? I learned how to reach deep inside of myself to tap into my connection with the infinite within. This showed my that my mental limits were not the same as the limits of my body. I was just beginning to test my physical limits to a degree I had never known possible. This one thing changed the course of my life, but that is not all. That wellspring of energy and life force I discovered inside of myself made me realize I had the ability to face and prevail in the face of my challenges. When you ask if inexperienced climbers should be allowed to climb 8k meter peaks because they can pay… consider this did everyone in the group openly acknowledge that their participation in the climb was a liability to the survival of others as well as themselves? Did or do they opening get real with how their families will be affected by their deaths. Denial is easy to come by, being in your face real can be hard to look at. Here is what people gain by developing themselves as climbers over the years, surviving dumb choices and learning from what didn’t kill them. I am one those people who lived to learn and continue enjoying the mountains. Not all of my fellow climbers did live. Alaska spring climbing is cold, -30 or colder is not unusual. Big storms, high winds, avalanches, typical conditions. Every challenging mountain trip adds grit which means you earn your wisdom, you push your limits because you need to in order to survive that day. In a moment when it was -30, ascending a steep slope, looking down between my feet to see what seemed like mostly air and a steep slope below me, I stood frozen in the grip of fear for a minute. I had to get a grip, so to speak because while my sudden fear told me I was going to die, I told my fear that if I stayed there I would surely die. It was an effective internal dialog and I continued climbing. Once again I had reached inside to access that inner power I needed. My friend and I survived an avalanche and that was just the beginning of our epic adventure of getting ourselves back down the glacier as the temps dropped from +28 to -30 , we skied the 12 miles down the glacier very slowly because my friend had a broken ankle from the slab avalanche. We had to rescue ourselves, it was the 70’s, it was remote, no cell phones and we were clear about our self responsibility. It takes a mindset that develops through experience. It takes being humble enough to turn around below the summit as we did on the climb I mentioned above where I had to get a grip. We’d paid to fly in, we had just so much time in which to climb. It is not my opinion that counts as to who should or shouldn’t be guided on the big mountains; there is such a non-reality that is entangled with these expensive big mountain climbs that puts one of a list of ascents. We have such ego driven activities, I get it. The mountains show us the flaws in what we collectively are doing in the name of climbing and adventuring. I’m just sharing.
I appreciate your amazing and insightful comment. I am in total agreement with you on the idea of learning by mistakes or near misses, those that force one to adjust and respond in the situation, not relying on others. I've had similar experiences....albeit not the -30 part!....such as an avalanche on the Mooses Tooth, having to dig a snow cave at 16,000 feet on the West Rib, and on Gasherbrum II leading a team during a descent through a couple thousand feet of perfect avalanche conditions, navigating crevasses into the darkness, guided by a sick climber via two way radio who could see our headlamps from below at Camp 1. If I didn't have this experience, would I have been able to sign onto an 8k expedition and tag the summit? Absolutely.... Yet, that idea of WHY we went into the mountains in the first place, something like a monk meditating in a cave for years to gain insight into the workings of the soul, then learning about the expansion of the comfort zone, using fear as an ally and not an enemy, getting oneself and one's partners out of the muck when the chips are down and inaction could mean the difference between life or death. I by no means consider myself anything but equal to all other humans and the individuals endeavoring to take the short path to the top....however, in this new era of 8k climbing and guiding, let's just say it's a different mindset and community of individuals drawn to the mountains. Not better. Not worse. Just different....
I took a screen capture of your comment and will bring it up in one of my videos, maybe in a live video sometime soon. Thanks for taking the time to share your story. I'm glad you're here and look forward to hearing more of your stories.
Best regards!
@@EverestMystery Hi, thanks for your thoughtful reply. Please send a heads up about when you will do your live cast. I don’t know where I would see it. It is amazing the detail you can go into on your podcasts. Good work. Yes, it is a different era. I guess we are the old farts now. Lol sayin’ “ I remember when we went to the remote mountains and we didn’t have cell phone” ! Lol
We did an old fashioned rescue once , you know, there were still dinosaurs roams the glaciers and all that. Lol. Two friends went off to climb the face of old snowy, and they didn’t return. Two of us chose not to go that day. We enjoyed a leisure day in the sun and two climbers who were in the military came up the glacier to join us. It turned out one guy was the son of the general at fort wainwright, it turned out to be handy. As I vaguely recall, we waited until morning to go check on them. It was spring, the days were very long and it wasn’t really cold. The four of us skied to their camp, discovered their sleeping bags and stove were still in the tent. Well, that was a cold night out for our friends. We hatched our rescue plan, they skied out to the road to head to delta junction to use a phone to call people to come help. The son called his dad, the general and dad dispatched a helicopter in the early morning. But let’s back up, the two guys left us to go do their part and my friend Jon and I brought Kate and peter’s sleeping bags and other things with us. We skied up the glacier, then climbed the ice fall and then skied again once on the higher glacier. The crevasses were pretty wide up there. 20/30 ft across. We finally made it to where our friend Kate was sitting in the snow at the edge of a crevasse that didn’t have a sturdy enough snow bridge for here to crawl across.
Peter had died the previous day when they slid down the face of the mountain. Kate had no idea we would come to look for them so she , with a broken leg and two broken arms crawled 3/4 of a mile down the glacier, spend the night in her bicycle bag, and fleece and carried on in the morning. She had crawled over so many snow bridges, sometimes punching through . Her heart broke from the tragedy of her new love”s death. Talk about grit! So we set up camp right there between crevasses, using ice screws to anchor the tent and we took care of our friend Kate.
We had no idea if a rescue was c9ming so we hatched our next plan for the morning , just the three of us and how we would get her out. But at 5 am, … whop whop whop…. Here came a military helicopter over a right to the north. We flagged them down with our jackets waving in the air.
This was before the military had put together their version of mountain rescue… we all came close to dying right off when the pilot started to land on the snow bridge! We’d have been chopped to bits. Seeing the terror on our faces and our fronts hand gestures he lifted back up. Whew! This time he paid better attention to where I was showing him he could safely land. Finally he got it. I spent a lot of gestures showing him no don’t land there we will all die, do land right here only! He got it! Yay! We were thrilled. It was amazing. They put Kate in the helicopter and offered us a ride too but we had to break camp and that would take a while.
I remember the medics looking at us and asking, how did you get here? I said matter of factory , we climbed. She couldn’t believe it.
By the time Jon and I skied down the glacier, climbed down the ice falls and skied down the other glacier and got close to the hut, another helicopter was there and we did take the short ride up onto solid ground where the hut was located. More climbers, lots of climbers from Fairbanks had come to help. Doug and Kim.! Flew up to the base of old snowy to retrieve peter’s body. We were flown out the glacier to the road where it seemed like there were 50 or 100 climbers all there to help. I don’t k ow how many there really were but, it was a lot.
This was one of the saddest days of my life. It took me years to finally let it go.
There was a consensus we shared, if we died doing what we loved, we were ok with it. But I for one, wasn’t prepared in anyway for being one who lived. Jon and I I could have been on the rope team with our friends. Perhaps we would have made different choices and we would all have lived, but, we weren’t. A month prior another friend and I were climbing a different mountain and we set off an avalanche. Sigh. We lived to tell about it and we had an epic self rescue. I remember the elation I felt at the simple joy of just being alive. To me, that was the most important thing, my awareness of how much of a gift being alive is. I k ow I had to have been glowing because so many people asked me why I was so happy and my answer was just so simple, I’m alive.
Just walking out your door in Alaska provides adventure. I appreciate that.
Sounds to me that Tibet has it right. I feel so bad for the Sherpas. It’s like people treat them as disposable. 😢
Sherpas have gotten people killed as well. It's VERY popular to give them almost a Diety status but they're human like the rest of us.
@@sandradyer5956 they certainly do. My guess is that the Tibetan/Chinese government essentially has the power to be stricter since they don’t rely financially on the tourism of the region as much as the Nepali government does.
Right? Plus honestly the Tibet side seems easier to me. I know that both sides have their challenges. However, Tibet doesn’t have the same problems as the Nepal side. The only reason climbing companies use the Nepal side is because of political differences in Tibet.
10:17 looks insane
Feels so bad for sherpas, doesn't give a sh*t about workers in her own country.
I just found your channel today and have already watched 4 videos. Absolutely phenomenal and I love your vibe!! ❤❤❤
That's fantastic, I'm super happy you found the channel...thank you!
The greatest danger on Everest, to Everest, and to the people has *always* been the people.
Its a bunch of entitled wannabees desperate for bragging rights being dragged up by their sherpas these days. No one with any feel for mountains and mountaineering would go near this egofarce.
That was Don Cash 100%
Another very interesting video.
Some day, play us some tunes on your guitars that are always in the background! 😊
Thank you! I will indeed lay down some backing tracks of my own making. Much appreciated....
@@EverestMystery I would love to listen/watch you play stand alone! I just complained about the background music; usually find it too distracting on commentary. Love your views and good coverage of Everest.
The Mountain will always take her revenge for the abuse of her beauty.
Good 👍
People who climb Everest know the risk, or they should, whether overcrowded or not. It's sad when people die, and I'm not trying to be sarcastic or indifferent, but this is the price some pay for the risk they consciously chose to make (and pay for). If someone dies and there body can't be recovered--that's part of the deal and should be expected under the circumstances.
Basecamp trek doable enough for me
The fact that anyone is surprised by anyone dying on Everest is evidence of humanity's ignorance and hubris
Mt Everest is trashed and is a graveyard now as well !! Would it hurt to give it a break and maybe try to clean it up ?? And when possible, please take your poor dead home for a proper burial ?? Just some thoughts.
the criteria for being able to climb these higher mountains should be more stringent when using guides.
Why?
They should only be retrieved if there is no danger to the rescuers
Died waiting in the queue...nuts to butts...cashed out
Thank you for this video. It's always a pleasure listening to you.
Im climbing everest in January.... okay, Im hoping to do the disney ride. I fully expect the lineup to be the most realistic part but its the only way Im ever gonna do it, I've no intention of ever going near the real mountain. Really enjoying the channel. Thanks for keeping my feet on the ground and at sea level.
To me there are 2 issues. One, Nepal needs the money. And secondly, Mount Everest is relatively easy to climb compared to other high mountains. So reasonably healthy people with Sherpa help have a good shot at getting to the summit. So people go.
I think that it's the highest mountain is a big reason. There are people who just climb it to brag. They never climb any other mountain. They just want to say they've been at the highest point on earth. And there are so many companies that will take their money so they can do it.
Great insights Thom. Can you get more involved as a consultant?
That would be fun, always open for offers :)
Climbing 28,500 ft. to get in a queue......no thanks.
The industry needs to be regulated. I know it may cost livelihoods but the toll on the mountain and the mounting casualties should be a wake up call.
Once they've paid their $50k to $150k, they are financially committed to reaching the summit. You don't want to pay all that money, and spend 5 weeks reaching camp 4, only to find you have to turn around an hour or two from the summit. If the climb was free, far more people would take a step back and reconsider their options. As far as income to Nepal is concerned, I believe for every climber heading for the summit, there are 100 tourists who just pay to trek to base camp. They are the ones funding the gift shops, hotels and restaurants.
I think it would be worse if it wasn't so insanely cost prohibitive to at least 95% of the world's population. People love getting a bargain.
I really really enjoyed this video! You are extremely knowledgeable and informative.
Subscibed, Thanks 🙏🏼
Great program Thom.
It means very much that you enjoyed it!
Permits are going to keep being granted regardless of the climber's skill because they need the money, as you've pointed out. Therefore, the vetting should come down to the companies leading the expeditions. They shouldn't let people climb who've just woken up one day and decided to summit Everest. They should be able to prove their experience with previous climbs and be training to tackle the mountain. I'm not sure what that process would look like, as I'm not a climber, but there has to be some way to vet climbers before they reach base camp. That would reduce the overall number of people on the mountain and subsequent deaths.
That's how it works on the Tibetan side of the mountain. They're not motivated by the money made on the mountain. Thanks for watching and for supporting the channel!
Excellent point. Very well stated.
A lot of these people who die would've had a successful summit and return if Nepal would stop giving out so many permits. It's really sad people can't climb it anymore without taking a much larger risk than the mountain itself presents.
I am new to the channel but is becoming my favorite youtube channel. ❤❤❤
Sir, I believe, you are a very respectable guru and gentle human being. If Nepalese 🇳🇵 government and mountain climbers don't listen you than i am afraid, in very near future we will see their fatal mistakes to be converted into deaths .
You did a phenomenal 🥇🏆job, indeed, thank 🤙 you., well articulated.❤️🌹
Every time I see new updates on the human conditions on Everest, they just seem to get worse and worse with each passing season.
This is just my opinion(controversial one I guess)but personally I think the Nepalese government and quite honestly countries with mountains like Everest need to stop allowing people to access these mountains, Everest is nothing but dump site now, and they’ve exploited the mountain as a tourist trap.
Honestly I think in time as other mountains become more exploited by the locals if there’s money to be made, I can see whole mountains just being ruined.
The mountains should just be left to nature, and let the mountains be.
Anywhere called the death zone that also has gridlock? Nooooo thank you
I’ve avoided death on Everest by vacationing closer to sea level.
Extremely sensible!
An equal amount of blame must be borne by expedition companies out for the money grab who are willing to overlook the inexperience of clients for the almighty dollar.
Absolutely, full on exploitation in some instances....
Expedition Co. taking inexperienced climbers and allowing so may permits is a combination for disaster
Seems like humanity is about three hours from just laying a track of ladders all the way up the side...
So, the one guy and his Sherpa fell 11,000 feet? What???? Holy cow 🐮 that’s so scary 😱 and terrifying. Those poor men.
If the country wasn't so poor and need the money, they could just shut down all climbing.
“ What can be done to make Everest safer?”
It’s not the mountain’s job to change.
This might be a dumb question but why don't you have ropes going up and ropes for coming down
Crazy stuff
That doesnt even look fun standing all bunched up in huge lines....
this isn't going to change until one of those long long lines of people all fall together.
Good point.... Thanks so much for your support!
Sir, have you ever covered the role of porters? They do a ton of work, in poor footwear and clothing, they tell of being abused, physically and verbally, and made to carry way more than the weight limit. All that for pennies. They get very little money for taking abuse and harming themselves after being bullied into carrying much more than they're supposed to. People spend tens of thousands of dollars on gear, permits, sherpas, who organized in order to get the respect and pay they deserve. But the porters are on the bottom of the pay and respect levels.
If you’re going to risk it all, and then be left up there.. don’t cover them up of blur them out. Let them be the reminder of reality of the danger. It’s still unbelievably selfish for people to not give way to those struggling just so you can reach to peak of some rock
It ain't a feat of daring anymore...it's about how much cash you have.
Leave the dead there. Let people stay vigilant and aware of the dangers.
I feel sorry for the local people, for whom the mountain is a sacred place that was never to be set foot on. AFAIK it was only when western climbers came and offered pay to the poor people there that the Sherpa walked there. It’s why they offer prayers and wished to the mountain gods before every climb. It’s a superstitious place for them. Climbers for, other countries have no respect for that sacred place. Why can’t they? Tourists used to climb Ayers Rock in Australia - a sacred place for the aborigines and never to be climbed. Recently the Australian government has finally done the right thing and protected the area from tourists. It can be done.
The Nepalese government could hit restart. Close Everest. Set up climbing routes on a ring of neighbouring mountains for climbers to climb up and SEE Everest. Set some restrictions like only a certain number of climbers per pou tain per season, all rubbish to be brought down, maximum pack weights for Sherpas, rank the mountains in terms of difficulty and demand high climbing experience for those climbing the most difficult highest peaks. The Nepalese government could actually earn MORE money from Everest like that.
Poor Everest. Desecrated every year, covered in filth and dead bodies, ruined by lines of wealthy individuals seeking only the right to tick a box on their wish lists. The locals, taken advantage of, forced to wreck their bodies climbing with enormous weights to earn some money…
It’s a disgrace what we’ve done to such a beautiful place.
Just my opinion.
Looks like the problem solved itself. This is why you need to be intelligent and experienced enough to realize you're not capable of handling conditions like that. Unfortunately a lot of people like that are addicted to the validation and adrenaline rush, leading to many arrogant and egotistical personalities who struggle with admitting they can't handle something.
FAR too crowded nowadays. Totally unsafe! (Stating the obvious there I feel!). It's NOT a mountain that I'd want to climb now! For me, being in the mountains is about the solitude or the company of a few good friends, not being in a crowd. To put it in UK terms, Yr Wyddfa is a gorgeous mountain, but personally I'll only ever climb it either in Winter conditions, or absolutely foul weather, purely because of the crowds. Generally it's NOT a safety issue in Wales, it's just about the ambience. On a good weather day, I'd rather take a bimble up Cnicht instead.
I absolutely love anything about Mount Everest and K2 as well. I just don't understand how they can stay in there in The Death zone in that line. They have to realize you have to come back down it.
The number one cause is being on Everest
A 19 year old on Mt Everest? Just going out on a limb here, but how has a 19 year old gained the experience and money required to get up an 8000er?
There's a really simple test to apply to people who wish to climb Everest.
Would they be able to climb K2 unassisted? No? Then they shouldn't be on Everest.
I have an interview with 19 year old Ryan Mitchell that will answer the questions. Also, he discusses his new interest in climbing K2 and how he'll gain the experience necessary. Here's the link: ua-cam.com/video/w1mJsdeE81Q/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching!
Have you heard Brian Dickinson’s story?? It’s unreal. Would love to see you interview him!!
He has a book- Blind Descent
I am a very compassionate person, but I am not able to gather enough compassion for these people. They sould be candidates for the Darwin Awards.
While climbing Mt Everest is one of my childhood dreams, I am Not interested in climbing via the Nepal side under current circumstances. I’d rather prepare more and climb via the Chinese side.
Yes, the Chinese/Tibetan side is fantastic
@@EverestMysteryThanks for your response Thom, I’ve been told China/Tibet requires a climber to have climbed at least one other 8,000m peak before attempting Everest. Do you know if that is true?
@@HumanityRisingNow yes, in order to get a permit from the Chinese Tibetan Mountaineering Association you have to submit a resumé. Most of the Chinese nationals interested in climbing Everest are going to the Nepal side in order to gain access to the mountain or for 8000 meter peak experience
@@EverestMystery Thanks for that intel Thom. Keep up the great work on your channel 👏 I like your informative and at the same time thoughtful videos.
Kind of like driving around on the highway system.When there's a lot of traffic, maybe you ought to get off the freeway and take the back road.Enjoy the view quit the road rage
Any updates about Mingma's harrassment case?
I haven't heard any updates....
it is self-amplifying because of nature of many people to be attracted to crowded spaces.
Moving the bodies does nothing more than remind those who are seeing them what being this high up can do to you, and I suspect some people upon seeing a dead climber snap them out of their summit fever for a moment to think this could happen to them, and maybe for a moment convince them they should turn around, and not go any further. If there are some who have turned around because of seeing the dead climber then leaving the dead climber there has saved a life instead of adding one more to the death toll.
I'm all for leaving the climbers where they have passed away. Moving them is disrespectful, and should not be attempted unless they lay in a path which could pose a danger to the climbers climbing Everest. Then they could be moved from the path a few feet, and cover them over, and be respectful while doing it.
It's too easy these days ... Sherpa's put ropes up and Westerners only have to hike. Similar to waiting in line for a roller coaster. Getting to the top isn't a big deal these days. It only signals that you can save or borrow a hundred grand. If you can afford a fully loaded pickup truck you can stand on Mt Everest 😅😅😅.
I realize that for a few this is an "ultimate experience"...
But it just seems so self indulgent to me.
Maybe a person could try to be an incredible and devoted volunteer somewhere in the world that needs help.
Maybe THAT "ultimate experience" could create a better world.
This whole drama exists b/c of consuming mindsets. I want. I must have. I will pay for this thing. I will be lauded and admired for what I can paid for. I will take what I want and leave my smear on this land.
It's disgusting really.
Selfishness to the literal max.
Shame on all of them.
Stop the rape of Everest/Himalayas.
I really enjoyed your video and your opinions. I think they should limit the number of permits issued and also increase the amount of the price of the permits, and use the extra money for maintenance of Everest and to compensate the sherpas better.
Just a thought on the collapse of the cornice…it seems our seasons are off by a month…could it have been warmer or the sun stronger to melt the snow up there? We have been bombarded by solar storms and very strong heat from the sun…again just a thought?? This May we had a huge solar storm..could it have affected the snow up there to be weak?
There is absolutely a fascination with risk takers. If people are dying, it has to be extreme right? That is a serious draw for thrill seekers. It is the thought of almost dying that gives some of these people a thrill like no other. Now it’s all about not dying, instead of the win of climbing the highest mountain in the world. I think there needs to be a cap on climbing but that wont happen. Climbing to Everest is a money maker for all of the Sherpa who summit. They are hurting to provide for their families so there is a major incentive to the pay that climbing brings. Its a crappy situation for everyone. Without those wanting to climb, an entire nation doesn’t make money. To climb in these conditions, you are asking to die.
Thanks!
Thank YOU so much!
Thank you, Thom!
News flash, rich people wanting to get a selfie endangering poor Sherpas trying to provide for their families, how is that fair? Thanks for the video
I agree about patience, but doesn't having patience mean waiting longer? I imagine each extra day spent waiting for the right opportunity is going to cost more and more. Some people save up their whole lives and realize they will never be able to afford this again, so the gamble of going up in bad weather seems unfortunately too alluring. I feel bad for people that have to turn back because of bad weather knowing full well, they not just lost 10s of thousands of dollars, (some say it isn't completely wasted because they at least had the opportunity to visit basecamp which is still a once in a lifetime experience) but realize they will never complete their ultimate goal. I would imagine the companies refund a little if they don't make the summit. Or at least I hope they get something back.
Limits on number of permits would help mitigate the added risk of overcrowding. But, it seems the financial gains outweigh the obvious solution to overcrowding. Assuming it could be enforced properly. Those who have overblown ego, no respect for the Mountain, Sherpa, other climbers simply shouldn’t be there.
I am truly heartbroken at how Everest mountaineering has progressed from the early days. I have a longing to go back the days when the biggest human exposure to Everest for most people was through printed articles in the National Geographic magazine.
Everest is a clown show. I was there in'98, and it was already becoming ridiculous. I can't imagine what it's like today.
The whole situation is demonic. And so sad. Make hay while the sun shines Nepal. It cant end too soon.
I echo what Mark Synnott said in the Lost On Everest film, about our 2019 search for Sandy Irvine. Off camera I asked him what he thought when he looked up and saw all those climbers going for the summit. He said "Inspired"....with the idea that there were people willing to put it all on the line to live out a dream. I do think Nepal could do a better job of managing it....but, as I've pointed out before, it's none of my business. Thanks so much for watching and for supporting the channel!
Let's shut down ALL climbing of Mt Everest !!! Ego maniacs have brought 40 tons of trash and literally left it there ! Companies by and large are greedy bastards ...and Nepal government is complacent in all of it ! Let's start a petition to shut down Everest until all climbers and guides are back charged to clean up the garbage !!!
The reason it is impossible to organize and implement a rescue on the Tibetan side is not due to overcrowding (which is a very real issue). It is due to the fact that China has stolen the country and controls the air space and routes.
Love your channel❤
Extreme Sports come with Extreme Risks😟
As a comparison, wing suit pilots die at a rate of one per 500 jumps. That works out to 24 per year.
Considering how many fewer people take up wingsuit jumping, I’d say climbing Everest is still somewhat safer in comparison to other extreme sports. Like you said it is all very perilous.
I'm at the beach. You keep climbing. I not down with that cold stuff.
Have to wonder if we're getting to a point where drones and helicopters could provide more fast response rescue services there now. It seems the capabilities have definitely improve far beyond where they used to be. There really ought to be a limited number of people allowed to summit per day though.
Don Cash had zero experience and climbed 7 peaks in 5 yrs! He was not a mountaineer. He was just somebody with money
Too bad there isn't an "emergency lane" for rescues. Only one way up and down...
There should be a lottery system that assigns when you are able to ascend with your group. For example, if there are only 5 days in May that permit ascending and your expedition has not been lucky enough to get a "golden" ticket to ascend, too bad. This hopefully will weed out some of those going for this who really have no mountaineering skills. They might think twice about spending big bucks if they have no guarantee that they will be able to even try to ascend.
They should only let skilled mountaineers on Everest. Problem solved.
@@UnhallowedFury I disagree . However like cave diving which is probably just as perilous you push the limits and sometime you get buried alive or drown and pass doing exactly what you choose . Commuting on American roads is a true horror.
@@markheller8646 there's a reason why there are much less casualties on the Tibetan side of Everest. They vetted the guiding companies thoroughly and the guiding companies also vetted their customers just as thoroughly. It's a matter of life and death, and not just your life, others as well. Cave diving is entirely different, there are no overcrowding issues which lead to multiple deaths.
It's not the cold ??
Im not sure I view the bodies on Everest as gruesom.. Death is always sad but climbers doing what they love, reaching goals almost inhuman.. They become something else.. Dying on Everest is not unfair, not some freaky accident.. I understand ppl dont want to see death while doing their thing but its part of your route.. I kind of salute the brave souls still up there who didnt make it but gave their best :)
Imo it's childlike having to have a grown man hold one's hand to climb a mountain. Any man who depends on a Sherpa to climb Everest is not a real man.