6 ms·

Why ban solo climbing? If an idiot wants to do something stupid, why interfere with natural selection? And why waste money looking for them?

ceejayoz 9y ago
If nothing else, I'd imagine it's nicer for everyone else not to have to step over a pile of dead bodies to get up the mountain.
- ansible 9y ago
  There's already more than a few bodies up there now. Some are a little famous, like the green boots guy. The bodies can't be removed. It's such an extreme environment. You can't really rescue people who are in trouble. At best, with multiple climbers, you can have someone else tell you that you shouldn't proceed, which might save your life. But if someone is already in trouble, you can't really help out, or you will die too. Sure, if you have an extra energy bar, you can give that to your buddy, but that's about it.
  - bhickey 9y ago
    > There's already more than a few bodies up there now. Some are a little famous, like the green boots guy. The bodies can't be removed. The Times just had an interesting feature on Everest body recovery: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/18/sports/everest-deaths.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/18/sports/everes...
    - CaliforniaKarl 9y ago
      This. The linked article's title is "Deliverance From 27,000 Feet". It's been posted on HN four times (see https://hn.algolia.com/?query=https:%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Finteractive%2F2017%2F12%2F18%2Fsports%2Feverest-deaths.html&sort=byPopularity&prefix&page=0&dateRange=all&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?query=https:%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F... ), but I believe first post is https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15951204 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15951204 Although the main theme of the article is about the recovery of a body from near the summit, it has background information on when climbs can take place, and how the route to the summit is established every year. IMO, it's a worthwhile read!
  - qaq 9y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didier_Delsalle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didier_Delsalle I bet you could design helicopter that would be able to repeat this with much less effort
    - thinkpls 9y ago
      Yes, I’m sure it really is that simple.
      - qaq 9y ago
        It's not a question of it being simple it's a question of ROI the market would be too small. If you read the article this was done using stock Eurocopter AS350 Squirrel.
        thinkpls 9y ago
        I don’t doubt you at all. I truly believe nobody has ever thought through all the ways of rescuing people from Everest. This has the power to be game-changing.
        plsthink 9y ago
        I’m sure they haven’t thought of this yet. Please tell me more.
        qaq 9y ago
        Who are "they"? I was replying to a person postulating that rescue is impossible. My point it's not impossible it's impractical given the resources that would need to be allocated to solving this problem.
    - rascalbrother 9y ago
      That chopper was stripped to the bone so that one dude could fly in it, with a fuel time of 1 hour. It also landed on the summit which is more flat. Don't think it would be easily and safely able to carry an addition (dead) body that's probably perched on an incline, let alone carry rescuers. It takes upwards of 6 hours to chip the dead body off the ice (if it's been frozen there for a while)
look_lookatme 9y ago
I haven’t read the current rationale but one thing I’ve read is that Everest is _crowded_. This is OK when everything is moving along ok, but when something goes wrong it can be catastrophic for the climbers in front and behind you. I imagine it’s likely that solo climbers have higher incidents of accidents on Everest than group climbers. As far as why waste money.. if you are asking that question in earnest there’s probably not a rationale that could convince you as to why. So I’ll abstain.
- WalterBright 9y ago
  It's not just a waste of money. Climbing Everest, even with oxygen, produces permanent brain damage.
  - danaur 9y ago
    Interested in this, where did you read/hear this?
    - felipelemos 9y ago
      Evidence of brain damage after high-altitude climbing by means of magnetic resonance imaging. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16443427/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16443427/
    - WalterBright 9y ago
      "Into Thin Air" by Krakauer. I've seen it other places, too.
- steveax 9y ago
  If you wanted to reduce the crowds on Everest, you’d ban guided climbs, not solo climbs. Solo climbing big mountains is rarified territory that attracts relatively few participants.
  - chimeracoder 9y ago
    > f you wanted to reduce the crowds on Everest, you’d ban guided climbs, not solo climbs. Solo climbing big mountains is rarified territory that attracts relatively few participants. It's not about reducing the crowds; it's about reducing the risk that solo climbers pose to the crowds.
mindfulplay 9y ago
I am with you there. But rich priveleged people have both the means to do stupid shit and willingly/callously put other people's lives at risk when their stupidity causes an oops moment.
Fricken 9y ago
Why do you call them idiots? Is it because you're a coward, or someone stupid enough to believe death is something that can be avoided?
- oblio 9y ago
  I don't know about you, but I've managed to avoid death by Everest for over 3 decades. And regarding the "coward" part, surely there must be some ways more productive to society by which they can demonstrate their bravery...
  - Fricken 9y ago
    You could live to be 100, but you're going to die, and be dead for the rest of eternity. What's the difference between 30 and 100 measured against eternity? Both numbers are infinitesimally small. Be afraid of that, cower before it. Go on the internet to call anyone who isn't an idiot. Hide behind an illusory concept of productivity.
    - oblio 9y ago
      Yes, there's nothing in between nihilism and Carpe Diem...
- plsthink 9y ago
  “Can’t avoid death, so might as well die a ridiculously stupid, horrific one at 35 instead of a calm, peaceful one at 80 surrounded by loved ones.”
- dang 9y ago
  Posting uncivilly will get you banned here regardless of how wrong someone else was, so would you please read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and not do this again?
crimsonalucard 9y ago
Why stop a little baby from crawling off a cliff? Why not let natural selection take its course? Grow up.
dang 9y ago
Please don't post uncivil, unsubstantive comments to Hacker News. I'm sure you can do considerably better than this, and if you want to comment here you need to. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

ceejayoz 9y ago

If nothing else, I'd imagine it's nicer for everyone else not to have to step over a pile of dead bodies to get up the mountain.

ansible 9y ago
There's already more than a few bodies up there now. Some are a little famous, like the green boots guy. The bodies can't be removed. It's such an extreme environment. You can't really rescue people who are in trouble. At best, with multiple climbers, you can have someone else tell you that you shouldn't proceed, which might save your life. But if someone is already in trouble, you can't really help out, or you will die too. Sure, if you have an extra energy bar, you can give that to your buddy, but that's about it.
- bhickey 9y ago
  > There's already more than a few bodies up there now. Some are a little famous, like the green boots guy. The bodies can't be removed. The Times just had an interesting feature on Everest body recovery: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/18/sports/everest-deaths.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/18/sports/everes...
  - CaliforniaKarl 9y ago
    This. The linked article's title is "Deliverance From 27,000 Feet". It's been posted on HN four times (see https://hn.algolia.com/?query=https:%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Finteractive%2F2017%2F12%2F18%2Fsports%2Feverest-deaths.html&sort=byPopularity&prefix&page=0&dateRange=all&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?query=https:%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F... ), but I believe first post is https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15951204 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15951204 Although the main theme of the article is about the recovery of a body from near the summit, it has background information on when climbs can take place, and how the route to the summit is established every year. IMO, it's a worthwhile read!
- qaq 9y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didier_Delsalle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didier_Delsalle I bet you could design helicopter that would be able to repeat this with much less effort
  - thinkpls 9y ago
    Yes, I’m sure it really is that simple.
    - qaq 9y ago
      It's not a question of it being simple it's a question of ROI the market would be too small. If you read the article this was done using stock Eurocopter AS350 Squirrel.
      - thinkpls 9y ago
        I don’t doubt you at all. I truly believe nobody has ever thought through all the ways of rescuing people from Everest. This has the power to be game-changing.
      - plsthink 9y ago
        I’m sure they haven’t thought of this yet. Please tell me more.
        qaq 9y ago
        Who are "they"? I was replying to a person postulating that rescue is impossible. My point it's not impossible it's impractical given the resources that would need to be allocated to solving this problem.
  - rascalbrother 9y ago
    That chopper was stripped to the bone so that one dude could fly in it, with a fuel time of 1 hour. It also landed on the summit which is more flat. Don't think it would be easily and safely able to carry an addition (dead) body that's probably perched on an incline, let alone carry rescuers. It takes upwards of 6 hours to chip the dead body off the ice (if it's been frozen there for a while)

look_lookatme 9y ago

I haven’t read the current rationale but one thing I’ve read is that Everest is _crowded_. This is OK when everything is moving along ok, but when something goes wrong it can be catastrophic for the climbers in front and behind you. I imagine it’s likely that solo climbers have higher incidents of accidents on Everest than group climbers. As far as why waste money.. if you are asking that question in earnest there’s probably not a rationale that could convince you as to why. So I’ll abstain.

WalterBright 9y ago
It's not just a waste of money. Climbing Everest, even with oxygen, produces permanent brain damage.
- danaur 9y ago
  Interested in this, where did you read/hear this?
  - felipelemos 9y ago
    Evidence of brain damage after high-altitude climbing by means of magnetic resonance imaging. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16443427/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16443427/
  - WalterBright 9y ago
    "Into Thin Air" by Krakauer. I've seen it other places, too.
steveax 9y ago
If you wanted to reduce the crowds on Everest, you’d ban guided climbs, not solo climbs. Solo climbing big mountains is rarified territory that attracts relatively few participants.
- chimeracoder 9y ago
  > f you wanted to reduce the crowds on Everest, you’d ban guided climbs, not solo climbs. Solo climbing big mountains is rarified territory that attracts relatively few participants. It's not about reducing the crowds; it's about reducing the risk that solo climbers pose to the crowds.

mindfulplay 9y ago

I am with you there. But rich priveleged people have both the means to do stupid shit and willingly/callously put other people's lives at risk when their stupidity causes an oops moment.

Fricken 9y ago

Why do you call them idiots? Is it because you're a coward, or someone stupid enough to believe death is something that can be avoided?

oblio 9y ago
I don't know about you, but I've managed to avoid death by Everest for over 3 decades. And regarding the "coward" part, surely there must be some ways more productive to society by which they can demonstrate their bravery...
- Fricken 9y ago
  You could live to be 100, but you're going to die, and be dead for the rest of eternity. What's the difference between 30 and 100 measured against eternity? Both numbers are infinitesimally small. Be afraid of that, cower before it. Go on the internet to call anyone who isn't an idiot. Hide behind an illusory concept of productivity.
  - oblio 9y ago
    Yes, there's nothing in between nihilism and Carpe Diem...
plsthink 9y ago
“Can’t avoid death, so might as well die a ridiculously stupid, horrific one at 35 instead of a calm, peaceful one at 80 surrounded by loved ones.”
dang 9y ago
Posting uncivilly will get you banned here regardless of how wrong someone else was, so would you please read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and not do this again?

crimsonalucard 9y ago

Why stop a little baby from crawling off a cliff? Why not let natural selection take its course? Grow up.

dang 9y ago

Please don't post uncivil, unsubstantive comments to Hacker News. I'm sure you can do considerably better than this, and if you want to comment here you need to. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html