Everest

Soldato
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People seem to be able to blow $11k just to get a permit to climb to the top.. are they even making any of this money back? Don't see the point really.

Is this a serious comment? They're climbing the highest point on Earth, it's the same height that commercial jets fly at, near the top is called the death zone because your body is literally dying, it's an insane feat for a human being to achieve. What do you see the point in out of curiosity?
 
Soldato
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Because climbers what to do it as a personal sense of achievement?

It is a tough challenge - It might not be up your street but for a climber it will be one of the ultimate aims. Nothing wrong with that for those who enjoy climbing.
 
Soldato
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Not many climbers on this forum then! lol

Yeah its expensive to get to everest, also the sums suggested here are vastly under the real amount, in reality to make an attempt at everest with permits (depending on the operator and country you do it from), your looking at £25,000/38,000 (bargain basement minimum) - £175,000 + (several sherpas and gear carried for you).

Even then, none of these companies apart from perhaps the most expensive (who have sherpas to carry even your o2 tank), would ever allow an inexperienced climber to go - most people who attempt it are experienced climbers, not professional climbers, but very keen climbers who work in other things, as far as im aware no novices have ever tried it as that would be certain death.

Sure several thousand have now done it, but non were run of the mill holiday makers - even the least experienced would have had a year or 2 fairly intense prep to get fit enough, however, if you have the money and the time, yes nearly 'anyone' can climb it - but its still one of the most difficult things to do - far far more difficult than running a marathon for example, don't let the fact a few thousand people having done it take away from how rediculously difficult it is to do.
 
Associate
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What p***es me off is how they litter the mountain with rubbish. The 'death zone' is impossible to clean so what is up there remains permanently, even the dead bodies in all their climbing gear..

I watched a documentary on Prime where a British socialite climbed Everest. She was fit but not an experienced climber and she managed to get to the summit quite easily.
 
Soldato
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It is a tough challenge - It might not be up your street but for a climber it will be one of the ultimate aims. Nothing wrong with that for those who enjoy climbing.

It's not even on the radar for myself or any of my climbing partners. I'd much rather climb a more technically interesting line such as the Frendo Spur, Innominata Ridge or the Walker Spur than join the Everest circus. I'm not knocking the achievement though as I know how hard climbing is at 4000m, so performing at 8000m must be soul destroying.
 
Associate
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It doesn't even look that difficult to climb and the numbers all standing around kind of proves that. What it really comes down to is if you can withstand the high altitude and if you can afford to be there.
 
Soldato
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It doesn't even look that difficult to climb and the numbers all standing around kind of proves that. What it really comes down to is if you can withstand the high altitude and if you can afford to be there.


Yep that’s all it is, they just pretend it’s tough and that loads of people die just to keep the prices up , we all know anybody can jog up it in their slippers if they really wanted to
 

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Deleted member 66701

Associate
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Yep that’s all it is, they just pretend it’s tough and that loads of people die just to keep the prices up , we all know anybody can jog up it in their slippers if they really wanted to

I never said it was not a tough climb. Using the stairs to reach the top floor of the Burj Khalifa build, that would be tough climb but in no way difficult.
 
Soldato
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But there is nothing unknown or special about this any more, really.

There is nothing adventurous or in any real way special or unique.

Why do people do this??

You don't see anything special about being one of around 4 thousand people to ever reach the highest point on the earth's surface?!

Most people who enjoy mountaineering often do so to get away from such crowds and enjoy a sense of isolation in the wilderness, but I can still see why Everest holds a massive appeal even with the many dangers.
 
Caporegime
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when dean rocket hall did it he said it cost about £100,000 all in with sherpas. id like a go at it maybe 10-15 years ago. :D

must be amazing feeling being at the top. been up smaller stuff but nothing monsterous.
 
Caporegime
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Bragging rights/ dying rights.

Cheaper to go to space in a few years.

There's not too much to do on earth these days that's still original or a big deal.

I've a sick sense of humour and don't get Assey or offended but I find it ironically funny/ridiculous that people die queuing to do this, I know they don't die in the actual queue..... But whatever.

It's as cliché as people posing with tigers in Thailand and other dead cool scarey thingzzzz
 
Man of Honour
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[..] They're climbing the highest point on Earth [..]

I think when you put in those terms the answer is Mount Chimborazo.

It comes down to highest relative to what. Chimborazo is highest relative to the centre of the Earth, so I think you're right in the context of Roar87's post.

But if you're not talking to someone interested in mountain climbing, saying you climbed Mount Chimborazo won't count for much. Mount Everest, well, everyone's heard of that mountain. It's not the hardest climb and it's not the highest point on Earth, but it sure is the most famous one. Is Chimborazo hard to climb? I have no idea.

Incidentally, there's a definite correlation between the amount of money spent on climbing Everest and the death rate. The really expensive trips have never had a paying customer die. The people at most risk are the sherpas, since they plan, test and prepare the route and often climb it repeatedly. They don't get a big percentage of the fee, either.
 
Soldato
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Personally I would love to do it.

Living in India, I took a flight to Nepal and spent 2 days at base camp a few years ago.

I was in total awe, and almost star struck with the guys that were doing it.

One day.......
 
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