7 ms·

A most excellent article. I was based in the Kathmandu AP office for over two years. Every week during climbing season I heard of the fatalities on the mounta

A most excellent article. I was based in the Kathmandu AP office for over two years. Every week during climbing season I heard of the fatalities on the mountain. I understand why people attempt it, the varying reasons are immense from personal lifetime goals to fundraising to pure ego. Many attempt it on the cheap with poor training and physical fitness. Remember that altitude sickness and frostbite is a great leveler of people regardless of your race, financial status or intelligence. It can strike anyone at anytime. Say goodbye to your loved ones and ensure your estate is in order before you do this trek, there is a huge chance that you might never see your family ever again. By the way, I'm heading to base camp in two years and have an apartment that I rent out in Patan if anyone is coming for a short trip over. Though the startup scene is small in Kathmandu, we exist...

tim333 9y ago
Nitpick that the 'trek' is to basecamp generally and fairly safe - the odd heart attack amongst the unfit. The climb above there to the summit is the dangerous bit.
- beilabs 9y ago
  Agreed. I have heard of many cases of evacs from Base camp. There are often deals worked out with chopper companies that allow them to claim off your insurance and you get a cheaper trip down the mountain (unnecessary evacuations, fast rides down).
- jahnu 9y ago
  It's true. But it can and does kill fit people occasionally too. Some 25% of people are genetically predisposed to altitude sickness above 4000m according to a researcher I met while walking that trek myself. Base camp is well above 5000m. Amazing trek though. One of the greatest experiences of my life.
- avenoir 9y ago
  I was flown out of base-camp with pulmonary edema along with a Sherpa on a climbing team who was dying from the same thing. Happens to everyone. This is probably the biggest scare if you're doing the trek to base-camp. Drink plenty of water. Don't go too fast. Try not to catch cold before your trek. If you can, get your hands on some meds that help you acclimate easier/faster. And I almost forgot, get yourself travel insurance. Costs $90 but could potentially save you a $10K heli ride out of the mountains and a couple of grand in hospital expenses if shit hits the fan.
  - krtkush 9y ago
    > Drink plenty of water. Cannot stress on this enough. Dimox is usually advised for anyone doing a high altitude trek in which case one has to drink more water than usual.
  - matwood 9y ago
    > Drink plenty of water. FYI, this is true anytime you go from sea level to any altitude. Live on the coast and go to Denver for ski trip? Drinking a ton of water will help your body acclimate faster.
    - exclusiv 9y ago
      Go easy on alcohol too. It hits you way harder and faster at altitude.
  - developer2 9y ago
    >> get your hands on some meds that help you acclimate easier/faster Do such drugs safely assist with acclimation, or do they mostly mask symptoms? It would be very dangerous to take them if it's the latter. I'm thinking of any similarity to pain killers - just because you can't feel the pain does not mean you should be running around trying to operate at 100%.
    - avenoir 9y ago
      We had a number of people in my team who started taking prescribed drugs 2 weeks prior to the trip. Now, I never took anything, but from us measuring blood oxygen levels a few times a day, the drugs seemed to have helped absorb and retain oxygen levels in your blood stream better. It didn't seem to mask symptoms. In fact, by the time we got to base-camp nearly every single person on the team had some mild symptoms of altitude sickness (headache & dizziness). It's just that nobody's symptoms escalated to a full-blown HAPE (except for mine that is). Having said that, I don't think anything but proper acclimatization will help you with HACE. Once you get it, which typically happens at very high altitudes, you're pretty much screwed which I believe happens nearly every season on Everest climbs.
65827 9y ago
lol nobody thinks their race is going to protect them from mountains. Where on earth do you people get this nonsense?
- hunterjrj 9y ago
  From reputable publications: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sherpas-evolved-live-and-work-altitude-180963438/ http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sherpas-evolved-liv...
- CWuestefeld 9y ago
  Didn't I just see an article about Sherpas having a quirk of their metabolism that makes them better adapted for it?
- aaron695 9y ago
  Both you and OP are bizzare. Race does matter, sherpas are genetically different for altitude. It's not level. But I did read their incredible carrying capacity seems to just be training. Which makes sense since that's a recent thing.
- dang 9y ago
  Please don't post uncivilly, even when someone else is wrong.
- PhasmaFelis 9y ago
  So you do think that financial status and intelligence can protect you from frostbite.
kevin_thibedeau 9y ago
> fundraising I've never seen the point of behind giving someone money "for charity" to do something they can't afford on their own. It's all about them and not the charity.
- beilabs 9y ago
  You'd be surprised how many try it....and even more how many get away with it. Many do it for PR for their own brand / company.
- k-mcgrady 9y ago
  Usually when I see people do that kind of thing the money raised is a side effort and all going to charity. They're doing the event (climbing, running, etc.) anyway, not using the donations to fund the event. I'm not saying it doesn't happen where people use the donations to fund their event but it's not something I see very often and I don't understand why anyone would donate to it.
  - justinator 9y ago
    In my opinion, this is the way to go: all the funds go to the org. or don't fund raise. Fundraising for yourself is a little strange, even if you use, "part" of the money raised to donate to a charity. Technically, the money you collect is taxed, which is a big chunk of what you've raised. You would need to start a non-profit for this to be 100% kosher IMHO, but even then, I've caught "organizations" that just say they're a non-profit or are, "waiting non-profit status" and it turns out to be a big scam. It really irks me, as it casts a bad shade on people doing it the right way. Just sell something to raise the funds - anything: stickers, a t-shirt, a dinner date, and drop the whole charade. Using a platform like Go Fund Me sounds fine with me, as long as you're giving everyone deliverables. There's too big of a chance that you won't put on the trip altogether, and it's tough luck for your backers. Saying that, I have done something similar - partially funded a trip and gave some to another org, but it was for a local needle exchange organization, which operated in a major grey area as what they were doing wasn't legal, but was done with the knowledge of the local police. Since then, needle exchange has become legal. The experience was rough - fundraising is just another way to employ yourself - it's just easier to find another job, honestly. Alan Arnette is a standup guy. Wish him luck with his unfortunate leg injury and recovery!
tlrobinson 9y ago
To put a number on "huge chance", I think it's about 1% of summits in recent years. Probably less if you just count clients not guides/Sherpas, and less if you expand to include climbers that don't end up attempting the summit.
- jessriedel 9y ago
  A 1% fatality rate definitely qualifies as huge. The statistical value of life in the US, which is inferred from what people are willing to pay to avoid risk, is ~$10M. So a 1% risk is worth about $100k, i.e., this is something like what the median person would pay to avoid that risk. Non-expert climbers who pay for help to climb Everest probably have above average wealth and hence would probably pay even more to avoid this risk. It's sizeable. At least as risky as spaceflight.
- mbostleman 9y ago
  For all time, Everest fatalities are 4% of summits. Of the 14 8k peaks, it ranks 11. The "huge" caught me too. At 30% fatality to summits, Annapurna and K2 are huge.

tim333 9y ago

Nitpick that the 'trek' is to basecamp generally and fairly safe - the odd heart attack amongst the unfit. The climb above there to the summit is the dangerous bit.

beilabs 9y ago
Agreed. I have heard of many cases of evacs from Base camp. There are often deals worked out with chopper companies that allow them to claim off your insurance and you get a cheaper trip down the mountain (unnecessary evacuations, fast rides down).
jahnu 9y ago
It's true. But it can and does kill fit people occasionally too. Some 25% of people are genetically predisposed to altitude sickness above 4000m according to a researcher I met while walking that trek myself. Base camp is well above 5000m. Amazing trek though. One of the greatest experiences of my life.
avenoir 9y ago
I was flown out of base-camp with pulmonary edema along with a Sherpa on a climbing team who was dying from the same thing. Happens to everyone. This is probably the biggest scare if you're doing the trek to base-camp. Drink plenty of water. Don't go too fast. Try not to catch cold before your trek. If you can, get your hands on some meds that help you acclimate easier/faster. And I almost forgot, get yourself travel insurance. Costs $90 but could potentially save you a $10K heli ride out of the mountains and a couple of grand in hospital expenses if shit hits the fan.
- krtkush 9y ago
  > Drink plenty of water. Cannot stress on this enough. Dimox is usually advised for anyone doing a high altitude trek in which case one has to drink more water than usual.
- matwood 9y ago
  > Drink plenty of water. FYI, this is true anytime you go from sea level to any altitude. Live on the coast and go to Denver for ski trip? Drinking a ton of water will help your body acclimate faster.
  - exclusiv 9y ago
    Go easy on alcohol too. It hits you way harder and faster at altitude.
- developer2 9y ago
  >> get your hands on some meds that help you acclimate easier/faster Do such drugs safely assist with acclimation, or do they mostly mask symptoms? It would be very dangerous to take them if it's the latter. I'm thinking of any similarity to pain killers - just because you can't feel the pain does not mean you should be running around trying to operate at 100%.
  - avenoir 9y ago
    We had a number of people in my team who started taking prescribed drugs 2 weeks prior to the trip. Now, I never took anything, but from us measuring blood oxygen levels a few times a day, the drugs seemed to have helped absorb and retain oxygen levels in your blood stream better. It didn't seem to mask symptoms. In fact, by the time we got to base-camp nearly every single person on the team had some mild symptoms of altitude sickness (headache & dizziness). It's just that nobody's symptoms escalated to a full-blown HAPE (except for mine that is). Having said that, I don't think anything but proper acclimatization will help you with HACE. Once you get it, which typically happens at very high altitudes, you're pretty much screwed which I believe happens nearly every season on Everest climbs.

65827 9y ago

lol nobody thinks their race is going to protect them from mountains. Where on earth do you people get this nonsense?

hunterjrj 9y ago
From reputable publications: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sherpas-evolved-live-and-work-altitude-180963438/ http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sherpas-evolved-liv...
CWuestefeld 9y ago
Didn't I just see an article about Sherpas having a quirk of their metabolism that makes them better adapted for it?
aaron695 9y ago
Both you and OP are bizzare. Race does matter, sherpas are genetically different for altitude. It's not level. But I did read their incredible carrying capacity seems to just be training. Which makes sense since that's a recent thing.
dang 9y ago
Please don't post uncivilly, even when someone else is wrong.
PhasmaFelis 9y ago
So you do think that financial status and intelligence can protect you from frostbite.

kevin_thibedeau 9y ago

> fundraising I've never seen the point of behind giving someone money "for charity" to do something they can't afford on their own. It's all about them and not the charity.

beilabs 9y ago
You'd be surprised how many try it....and even more how many get away with it. Many do it for PR for their own brand / company.
k-mcgrady 9y ago
Usually when I see people do that kind of thing the money raised is a side effort and all going to charity. They're doing the event (climbing, running, etc.) anyway, not using the donations to fund the event. I'm not saying it doesn't happen where people use the donations to fund their event but it's not something I see very often and I don't understand why anyone would donate to it.
- justinator 9y ago
  In my opinion, this is the way to go: all the funds go to the org. or don't fund raise. Fundraising for yourself is a little strange, even if you use, "part" of the money raised to donate to a charity. Technically, the money you collect is taxed, which is a big chunk of what you've raised. You would need to start a non-profit for this to be 100% kosher IMHO, but even then, I've caught "organizations" that just say they're a non-profit or are, "waiting non-profit status" and it turns out to be a big scam. It really irks me, as it casts a bad shade on people doing it the right way. Just sell something to raise the funds - anything: stickers, a t-shirt, a dinner date, and drop the whole charade. Using a platform like Go Fund Me sounds fine with me, as long as you're giving everyone deliverables. There's too big of a chance that you won't put on the trip altogether, and it's tough luck for your backers. Saying that, I have done something similar - partially funded a trip and gave some to another org, but it was for a local needle exchange organization, which operated in a major grey area as what they were doing wasn't legal, but was done with the knowledge of the local police. Since then, needle exchange has become legal. The experience was rough - fundraising is just another way to employ yourself - it's just easier to find another job, honestly. Alan Arnette is a standup guy. Wish him luck with his unfortunate leg injury and recovery!

tlrobinson 9y ago

To put a number on "huge chance", I think it's about 1% of summits in recent years. Probably less if you just count clients not guides/Sherpas, and less if you expand to include climbers that don't end up attempting the summit.

jessriedel 9y ago
A 1% fatality rate definitely qualifies as huge. The statistical value of life in the US, which is inferred from what people are willing to pay to avoid risk, is ~$10M. So a 1% risk is worth about $100k, i.e., this is something like what the median person would pay to avoid that risk. Non-expert climbers who pay for help to climb Everest probably have above average wealth and hence would probably pay even more to avoid this risk. It's sizeable. At least as risky as spaceflight.
mbostleman 9y ago
For all time, Everest fatalities are 4% of summits. Of the 14 8k peaks, it ranks 11. The "huge" caught me too. At 30% fatality to summits, Annapurna and K2 are huge.