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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 21, 2017 - 07:26am PT
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In a fairly strange BBC report, they say:
A famous feature of Mount Everest has collapsed, potentially making the world's highest peak even more dangerous to climbers.
Mountaineers said the Hillary Step may have fallen victim to Nepal's devastating 2015 earthquake.
The near-vertical 12-metre (39 ft) rocky outcrop stood on the mountain's southeast ridge, and was the last great challenge before the top.
It was named after Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first to scale it in 1953.
British mountaineer Tim Mosedale confirmed the news of the Step's demise after reaching the summit on 16 May.
"It's official - The Hillary Step is no more," he wrote on Facebook.
"Not sure what's going to happen when the snow ridge doesn't form because there's some huge blocks randomly perched hither and thither which will be quite tricky to negotiate."
"It was reported last year, and indeed I climbed it last year, but we weren't sure for certain that 'The Step' had gone because the area was blasted with snow," Mr Mosedale wrote on Facebook.
He concluded: "This year, however, I can report that the chunk of rock named 'The Hillary Step' is definitely not there anymore."
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39989992
Any rumors that The Hillary Step was destroyed on the orders of our President, who thought it was named for Hillary Clinton, are simply rumors, at this time.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 21, 2017 - 07:40am PT
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One small step for mountaineers....gone. One aluminum ladder step for well heeled clients...coming.
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Ben Harland
Gym climber
Kenora, ON
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May 21, 2017 - 07:43am PT
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I've stared at these before/after photos trying to make out exactly what's come down.
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Denver CO
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May 21, 2017 - 07:51am PT
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One aluminum ladder step for well heeled clients...coming.
Oh well, so much for climbing only with your hands and feet. I'm waiting for them to build a landing pad for a helicopter to make my ascent.
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Denver CO
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May 21, 2017 - 03:57pm PT
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Great story Norman, and colder than ever, helicoptering over 3 dead bodies frozen into the Khumbu icefall. Life goes on, I guess.
The 'Altitude' facebook page has this to report today:
Multiple fatalities on Everest:-
1. Slovak climber Vlad Strba died in C4, after an unsuccessful summit push. Strba originally planned to climb SW Face, however switched to normal route after his climbing partner had to cancel the expedition at last moment.
2. Australian Francesco Enrico Marchetti passed away at around 7500m on Northside. He was suffering from altitude sickness.
3. Roland Yearwood, a US climber, died near Balcony area today.
Lastly, another climber from India, Ravi Kumar,is reportedly missing since yesterday. He summited earlier that day.
What a horror show. I wish the Nepali government would shut all this down.
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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May 21, 2017 - 04:26pm PT
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you know, I'm amazed that the Half Dome cables route gets only 0.9 fatalities per year, or whatever the stat is. Everest gets (guess) perhaps 2.8 fatalities per year?
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gunsmoke
Mountain climber
Clackamas, Oregon
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May 21, 2017 - 05:09pm PT
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It appears that there have been five deaths from the cables since they were installed in 1919. Two of those deaths were when the stanchions were down. Four of the five were in wet or icy conditions.
The user SomebodyAnybody noted this link recently:
http://hikehalfdome.com/accidents/
Edit: That's about 0.05 per year. Safer than driving your car.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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May 21, 2017 - 05:32pm PT
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Safer than driving your car.
Driving your car up half dome is much more dangerous than hiking? nobody has died doing it
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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May 21, 2017 - 09:04pm PT
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It was a busy day on Everest as intense winds eased up enough for dozens of people to try and reach the famed summit. About 70 people made it, according to the Himalayan Times.
It's hard to tell if that story came from USA Today, or The Onion.
Seventy people per day on the summit seems both ludicrous and absurd.
Driving your car up half dome is much more dangerous than hiking? nobody has died doing it.
Technically, he died at Happy Isles. He was headed to the cables, to make the first automotive ascent of Half dome. For an unknown reason, his vehicle left the road and he plunged into the Merced River.
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fear
Ice climber
hartford, ct
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May 21, 2017 - 10:04pm PT
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If historical records are true then statistically it would seem you're less likely to die free-soloing the regular NW face of half-dome...
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clinker
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
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May 21, 2017 - 10:20pm PT
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Rock climbing in general compared to Alpine climbing is cruising in armored cars vs motorcycles.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
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May 21, 2017 - 10:57pm PT
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10b4me
Mountain climber
Retired
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May 22, 2017 - 04:15pm PT
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Fake news
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rbord
Boulder climber
atlanta
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May 22, 2017 - 04:26pm PT
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Rockfall in the mountains?! Sacre bleu! Someone should start a gofundme to rebuild that sacred thing.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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May 24, 2017 - 12:27pm PT
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Get used to it. Its the "circus in May". Happens each year.
Forget about Nepal banning it, its a huge cash cow.
As long as there are guided trips offered there will be a long list of aspirant clients with stars in their eyes, unable to envision what a dangerous zoo it will be (not to mention those that refuse to turn around at 2:00.)
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