Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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May 25, 2012 - 11:23am PT
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Simone Moro has just cancelled his attempt at climbing Everest with no oxygen due to crowding on the fixed lines.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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May 25, 2012 - 11:55am PT
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From Voice of America today
Several climbers are heading for Mount Everest's summit, despite concerns of overcrowding after four deaths last week.
Many are trying to take advantage of what is seen as the last weekend of good weather to reach the 8,850 meter summit.
Officials in Nepal say at least 50 climbers reached the top of the world's highest peak early Friday. Close to 100 others were also on their way to the top of Mount Everest.
I like how the writer describes over 100 climbers as "several"
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fattrad
Mountain climber
GOP Convention
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May 25, 2012 - 11:58am PT
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I'm troubled that extremely talented climbers are having to cancel their attempts due to the conga line.
TheTool
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bmacd
Trad climber
100% Canadian
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May 25, 2012 - 12:14pm PT
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How fortunate for everyone else there will be an ace rescue pilot on standby at the basecamp heliport now.
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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May 25, 2012 - 05:03pm PT
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“Hello, this is Mark Jenkins reporting for National Geographic from Mount Everest.
“Well, we did it. This morning, May 25, all five of us—Kris Erickson, Hilaree O’Neill, Sam Elias, Emily Harrington, and myself—summited Mount Everest 55 days after we first arrived in Base Camp.
“We left Camp 4 on the South Col at around 9:30 p.m. wearing our puffy down suits, oxygen masks, and headlamps. Looking up the black mountain, we could see at least a hundred pinpricks of light, all in a vertical line going straight into the stars. These were the headlamps of all the climbers who had started before us.
“We first ascended the face, passing three bodies frozen in the ice. Reaching what is called the Balcony, we ridge-walked for four hours all the way to the South Summit, descending only slightly, we then climbed the famous Hillary Step, reaching the summit beyond.
“The wind howled from start to finish. And without goggles, we would have quickly frostbitten our eyes. We all had to pass dozens upon dozens of climbers, a fair number of whom have no business being on Everest. Crowds of inexperienced climbers are generally the bane of the highest point on Earth if you take the standard route. But there are over a dozen other routes for hard-core mountaineers.
“None of us get more than a few minutes on the summit. The irony and absurdity of which, I admit, we are all fully aware. Climbing Mount Everest makes absolutely no sense at all.
“Why do we do it? Well, we all need some deep sleep before we can answer that. Assuming we even can.
“Mark Jenkins, reporting from Mount Everest, National Geographic.”
Note: Conrad Anker did not summit with the team this morning. After a long hike from Camp 2 to Camp 4 on Thursday, May 24, he determined that it would not be in his best interest to make the final push. He was spent after several days helping Sherpas fix the ropes up the mountain. “I did a 5,000-foot day yesterday, and it was just too much,” he said. “I tapped all my reserves.”
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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May 25, 2012 - 05:21pm PT
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Good for Conrad.
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fattrad
Mountain climber
GOP Convention
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May 25, 2012 - 05:26pm PT
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Conrad will be well rested for the rescue efforts.
TheTool
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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May 25, 2012 - 06:43pm PT
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Way to go Mark!
-didn't he graduate the same year as us (and Todd S) Mike?
Mouse Fm, are you related to Dr Sprock?
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Ron Anderson
Trad climber
USA Moundhouse Nev.
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May 25, 2012 - 06:46pm PT
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Congrats! And Conrad knows good decisions- im sure it wasnt ean easy one!
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Ron Anderson
Trad climber
USA Moundhouse Nev.
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May 25, 2012 - 08:43pm PT
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Thanks for the pics!^^^
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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May 25, 2012 - 09:06pm PT
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the Everest scene is lame and has been so for decades
it takes a special species of narcissist to bother with that slag and the riffraff it attracts. They can have it.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
bouldering
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May 25, 2012 - 09:16pm PT
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^^^ agreed. I don't see the attraction.
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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May 25, 2012 - 09:30pm PT
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29,000 feet? Am I the only one here who understands meteorology? Basic atmosphreic physics? You think writing a 70,000 dollar check is gonna buy you safety up there? Am I the only guy who read "Into Thin Air?" Krakaur was one bad-ass climber, and when he writes about how he almost died up there -- not because of bad rock, or shitty anchors -- but simply because there is no Oxygen to breath -- I go, "whoa".
Roughly 235 torr at the summit. Thin air indeed.
Curt
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Ron Anderson
Trad climber
USA Moundhouse Nev.
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May 25, 2012 - 09:47pm PT
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Euli was breathin something...so was Sherpa..we got enough brain cells to donate to a worthy cause..;-)
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onyourleft
climber
Smog Angeles
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May 26, 2012 - 12:08am PT
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Yogi Berra's quote about a bar in Brooklyn comes to mind:
"Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded."
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Riley Wyna
Trad climber
A crack near you
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May 26, 2012 - 12:36am PT
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. the Everest scene is lame and has been so for decades
it takes a special species of narcissist to bother with that slag and the riffraff it attracts. They can have it re
I recommend seeing Everest before you develop any opinions concerning the highest mountain in the world.
It is an amazing sight!
Even now, just thinking about it, my heart lifts up into the top of my chest.
There is a lot of strange judgements going on on this thread by many good people who I know are much better than this sh#t.
I really don't get it.
After the pathetic display of humanity and self reliance I see and deal with everyday even this mess on Everest is pretty darn uplifting for my soul.
No matter what - these folks are grabbing a big ol' pile of adventure and getting sum!
It would be great to go back there, with a group of friends and climbers from ST, and climb some 6000+ meter peaks.
We would all be like kids in a candy store.
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Bruce Kay
Gym climber
BC
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May 26, 2012 - 12:50am PT
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good observations Rilley. As fuked up as it is, there's far worse to moan about.
The same can be said for Denali, Aconcagua, Rainier or Gondolas up into a logging cut block.
None of it means sh#t to anyone in Darfur or east LA.
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona
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May 26, 2012 - 01:49am PT
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Between this thread and the one on soloing the WF of El Cap, I'd say this forum is getting pretty jaded. Here's an idea: how about limiting ourselves to 10 posts between every time we actually climb something? That would put some brakes on the natural tendency to fill cyberspace with thick layers of bullsh#t.
On belay!
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kaiser
Trad climber
squamish
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May 26, 2012 - 02:04am PT
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Any word on how chad kellogg is doing?
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