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posted by martyb on Thursday June 20 2019, @06:27AM   Printer-friendly
from the how-many-people-would-climb-it-if-it-was-safe-and-easy? dept.

Everest summits smash records amid deadly bottlenecks

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

A record 885 people climbed Everest in May this year, figures showed Tuesday, capping a deadly traffic-clogged season that also saw 11 climbers die on the world's highest mountain.

The number smashed last year's record of 807 summits despite a short weather window that resulted in fatal bottlenecks on the peak.

[...]A traffic jam forced teams to wait for hours in freezing temperatures to reach Everest's 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) summit and then descend, increasing the risk of frostbite, altitude sickness and exhaustion from depleted oxygen levels.

Experts said too many of the new wave of mountaineer tourists were ill-prepared and inexperienced. Others have called for a cut in the number of climbing permits, or tougher standards for guides.

[...]A government team re-measuring the height of Everest also reached the top.

 
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  • (Score: 2) by eravnrekaree on Thursday June 20 2019, @12:35PM (4 children)

    by eravnrekaree (555) on Thursday June 20 2019, @12:35PM (#857873)

    The compulsion to climb Mount Everest is a mental disorder. To protect these mentally compromised persons, the number of climbers ought to be reduced, to keep them from hurting themselves. However, given that the permits are a lucrative source of income, plus all of the outfitters, guides, etc, I doubt that will happen.

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  • (Score: 2) by OrugTor on Thursday June 20 2019, @01:31PM (2 children)

    by OrugTor (5147) Subscriber Badge on Thursday June 20 2019, @01:31PM (#857900)

    Let 'em go. Thin the herd.

    • (Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Thursday June 20 2019, @04:07PM (1 child)

      by AthanasiusKircher (5291) on Thursday June 20 2019, @04:07PM (#858000) Journal

      I'd agree, if they weren't littering a beautiful natural location with all their junk, dead bodies, and literal poop. Seriously -- look up the garbage problems they have on Everest. It's appalling.

      And when people die up there, their bodies are often left there, and with fewer people to carry junk down. It's the world's highest garbage dump.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 20 2019, @06:07PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 20 2019, @06:07PM (#858102)

        I'm still waiting for the day when these overly-wealthy attention seekers will actually start climbing the world's tallest mountain.
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauna_Kea [wikipedia.org]

        I mean, we have the bathyscaphe technology to reach the Pacific sea floor, and the last little bit of the hike has the advantage of breathable air and available restroom facilities. I say, get the hard part out of the way first and enjoy the end of the trip. Not to mention there is a chance for some actual, you know, worthwhile scientific discovery by going to a place not yet regularly visited by humans.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 21 2019, @10:53AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 21 2019, @10:53AM (#858499)
    I'd say it's fine to let them climb if they're legally adults and they haven't had children yet (including unborn ones).

    Part of natural selection.