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Why would anyone do this?

by Kay King
22 replies
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I always thought of climbing Mt Everest as a lonely trek...boy was I wrong. At $11,000 per permit, looks like a lot of people have money to spare.


Why would anyone want to climb a mountain by standing in line behind hundreds of other people? Several deaths recently of those who could not get through the crowds to get back down to safety.



Report of the mountain being littered with trash and of pre-placed oxygen containers stolen. I've never wanted to climb a mountain but if I did - it wouldn't be this one. Not at all the images I had in my mind.



https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48401491


I guess it's a real money maker for Nepal, though.
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  • Profile picture of the author Odahh
    cause it was real hard to do 50 years ago.. now it's big business for wealthy foreigners who want to say they climbed mount Everest .. selfies on the summit place on facebook and instegram to show you have made it .

    but i guess that could just be my personal disdain for the old rich person bucket list.. stuff only very rich people could do when there where not many very rich people .. now that there are millions or milions of new very rich people minted around the world every year .. not so impressive..

    the formerly rare and exclusive stuff..that is now rather common and everywhere ..

    like owning fine and expensive art pieces..that are only that because certain artist made them and certain rich people said they where very valuable ..

    but again my pessimism ..
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  • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
    Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

    I always thought of climbing Mt Everest as a lonely trek...boy was I wrong. At $11,000 per permit, looks like a lot of people have money to spare.

    Why would anyone want to climb a mountain by standing in line behind hundreds of other people? Several deaths recently of those who could not get through the crowds to get back down to safety.

    Report of the mountain being littered with trash and of pre-placed oxygen containers stolen. I've never wanted to climb a mountain but if I did - it wouldn't be this one. Not at all the images I had in my mind.
    Yes, l don't get it, apart from showing off at cocktail parties.

    Go through hell, risk dying horribly, for boasting credits and a nice picture of mountains, snow and clouds.

    Inventing stuff that changes the world for the better is much safer.

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  • Profile picture of the author sgalla414
    I can't speak personally for the draw of climbing Mt. Everest but I don't believe most people go to that extreme just for a few selfies on the mountain top. A few months ago I ended up on this hike called Tour Du Mont Blanc which is 110 km around this mountain range between Switzerland, Italy and France. This experience was challenging and far outside my comfort zone. But the lessons, experience and the knowledge you gain about yourself doing these extremely difficult treks is soo worth it. I'm sure in this day and age it is largely about bragging rights, but I also think some people truly do things for personal development.
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    • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
      Originally Posted by sgalla414 View Post

      I can't speak personally for the draw of climbing Mt. Everest but I don't believe most people go to that extreme just for a few selfies on the mountain top. A few months ago I ended up on this hike called Tour Du Mont Blanc which is 110 km around this mountain range between Switzerland, Italy and France. This experience was challenging and far outside my comfort zone. But the lessons, experience and the knowledge you gain about yourself doing these extremely difficult treks is soo worth it. I'm sure in this day and age it is largely about bragging rights, but I also think some people truly do things for personal development.
      Including death apparently?

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  • Profile picture of the author wwicsreview
    Great read, Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author agmccall
    Not to mention the time you are just sitting around. i watched a documentary about this and you go from base camp to base camp spending weeks at these camps. then when you get to the last camp you might wait weeks just for a gap in the weather then you make a run for the top.

    Give me a mountain lake in the Adirondacks any day. Fishing, Kayaking, Hiking. Then at my own "Base Camp" with a cold beer and steaks on the campfire.

    al
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  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

    I always thought of climbing Mt Everest as a lonely trek...boy was I wrong. At $11,000 per permit, looks like a lot of people have money to spare.


    Why would anyone want to climb a mountain by standing in line behind hundreds of other people? Several deaths recently of those who could not get through the crowds to get back down to safety.
    I can understand climbing a mountain (or any other arduous task). because of what you might discover about yourself. But it would be a solitary effort.

    But doing it in a group, and waiting at base camps, and using guides....seems like something you would do if you wanted to tell others about your "dangerous trek"...without much of the real risk.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    I can see that - I used to think it was a personal test of man (or woman) against mountain....but now it seems the biggest danger is a human traffic jam. People staying too long in low oxygen environment because the trail is too crowded to descend.


    And for this they pay upwards of $100k in fees and equipment?
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      I can see that - I used to think it was a personal test of man (or woman) against mountain....but now it seems the biggest danger is a human traffic jam. People staying too long in low oxygen environment because the trail is too crowded to descend.


      And for this they pay upwards of $100k in fees and equipment?
      First world spending.

      I guess that there is an attraction in doing something that only wealthy 'sportspeople" can do.

      It reminds me of wealthy people that will shoot a lion (or other magnificent animal). They are taking no risk, accomplishing nothing of value.....and when they tell the story, it will make the listeners gasp in amazement. Fake amazement, if the listener knows the real story.

      Or people who "Wrestle a bear"...a declawed tame fat old bear wearing a muzzle. Bragging rights for paying a fee.
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      • Profile picture of the author Odahh
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        First world spending.

        I guess that there is an attraction in doing something that only wealthy 'sportspeople" can do.

        It reminds me of wealthy people that will shoot a lion (or other magnificent animal). They are taking no risk, accomplishing nothing of value.....and when they tell the story, it will make the listeners gasp in amazement. Fake amazement, if the listener knows the real story.

        Or people who "Wrestle a bear"...a declawed tame fat old bear wearing a muzzle. Bragging rights for paying a fee.
        as far as the trophy hunting.. that goes on it is kind of the same as the old muzzeled bear thing you mention.. the wild life refuges .. charge wealthy westerners a heft fee .. to shoot the older animals that would haveto be culled anyway to keep the heards healthy or are close to natural death.. and these fees in decently run countries go to support the locals and pay to guard the animals in the park from poachers .. unless it one of the despotically ruled countries ..where the government just take 90 percent of the money ..

        but over the last few years it has become not a good thing or not well received to take picture with the dead animals and post them on anti social media ..

        there is an explosion of wealth around the world right now ..so a lot of things that use to be exclusive to very rich or highly privileged people .. are common.. but with a limited number of traditional ways to store wealth like real estate in the places to be .. now rich people are stuck buying a house for a million dollars in parts of the usa and other parts of the world.. that middles class and poor people would have paid 20,000 -30,000 for 30-40 years ago ..because people are trying to spend money to be around other rich people .. or try to look like they have made it
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      • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        First world spending.

        I guess that there is an attraction in doing something that only wealthy 'sportspeople" can do.

        It reminds me of wealthy people that will shoot a lion (or other magnificent animal). They are taking no risk, accomplishing nothing of value.....and when they tell the story, it will make the listeners gasp in amazement. Fake amazement, if the listener knows the real story.

        Or people who "Wrestle a bear"...a declawed tame fat old bear wearing a muzzle. Bragging rights for paying a fee.
        "Or people who "Wrestle a bear"...a declaude tame fat old bear wearing a muzzle"

        Sometimes they write themselves
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  • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
    Gotta hope them Everest people lay on a few drugged, toothless sharks to relieve the tedium.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kurt
    I literally live a few miles from Long's Peak. Every year 2-5 people die trying to climb it. Either they run into unexpected bad weather or they slip and fall ...although if it was Claude he was most likely pushed.

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  • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
    Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

    "Or people who "Wrestle a bear"...a declaude tame fat old bear wearing a muzzle"

    Sometimes they write themselves
    Just as long as you have Justin Bieber on standby there is no risk.

    Originally Posted by Princess Balestra View Post

    Gotta hope them Everest people lay on a few drugged, toothless sharks to relieve the tedium.
    True, Toothless Sharknado, is a must.

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  • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
    Read about these nutters today, they spend up to 100k to spent weeks in basecamps, and then climb the mountain with others.

    And stand in line with maybe 20 others also wanting to reach the summit, when weather conditions improve.

    As one sherper said, they are in bitterly cold, oxygen deprived conditions, waiting in line, or literally walking over other dead bodies and dying themselves before reaching the summit!

    So they have this on their bucket list, and wind up kicking it!

    Nuts!
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  • Profile picture of the author myob
    Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

    I always thought of climbing Mt Everest as a lonely trek...boy was I wrong. At $11,000 per permit, looks like a lot of people have money to spare.
    A helicopter is the way to go. Faster, safer, cheaper.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    I agree - i always thought the worst part of such a strenuous challenge is that right in the middle of it - when you realize it is unlikely to end well - there's no quick way to just give it up and go home.
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  • Profile picture of the author Faylor St Hilaire
    Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

    I always thought of climbing Mt Everest as a lonely trek...boy was I wrong. At $11,000 per permit, looks like a lot of people have money to spare.


    Why would anyone want to climb a mountain by standing in line behind hundreds of other people? Several deaths recently of those who could not get through the crowds to get back down to safety.



    Report of the mountain being littered with trash and of pre-placed oxygen containers stolen. I've never wanted to climb a mountain but if I did - it wouldn't be this one. Not at all the images I had in my mind.



    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48401491


    I guess it's a real money maker for Nepal, though.

    Firstly, I hate the cold. So I don't understand why someone would subject themselves to such torture.

    Second, I hate standing in long line. I don't know why someone would subject themselves to that either.

    Third, long line and the cold are a BIG no no for me. PERIOD!

    Stay cool and successful....
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  • Profile picture of the author DWolfe
    Saw today that now you can ski Mt Everest. Their is going to be a extra $199.00 for stoke holders. They are going to build a 6 seat gondola, up to Camp 4. Oxygen masks and more included. You can find more information on line by typing in Epic ski past to Mt Everest.. They have 4 packages available. Now how many more will end up dead there next ?
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