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Tag: Mountain Climbing

  • Mount Everest Shut Down After Avalanche Kills 16

    Mount Everest is one of the most dangerous locations on earth where many people die every year. Things came to a head earlier this month when a massive avalanche ripped through the Sherpas carrying supplies up the mountain leaving 16 people dead and three others wounded. In response, the infamous mountain has been shut down.

    After the shut down, sherpas began to demand better death and injury benefits from the government. Until those demands are met, most sherpas will not be leading tours or carrying supplies up the mountain. The strike has effectively canceled many planned climbs for the season. If the strike goes on for too long, it would have a negative effect on the climbing industry that puts millions into Nepal’s coffers.

    The Nepalese government won’t be the ones hardest hit by the shut down though. The sherpas themselves claim to be the ones hardest hit with many taking on the dangerous job to provide for their families. Many sherpas are the sole workers in their families and a canceled climbing season would drown many families in poverty.

    To make matters worse, sherpas are the only ones who can do the jobs they do. The Nepalese government relies on sherpas to lead climbers up the mountain who then pump money into the economy. The relationship was detailed in a video from a years back that shows how important sherpas are to those who want to conquer Mount Everest:

    Despite being so important to the country’s economy, the sherpas believe it isn’t doing enough for them. The AFP says that the country provides $10,000 in life insurance to sherpas as well as $3,000 in medical coverage. The sherpas say that this isn’t anywhere near enough as the $3,000 doesn’t even cover an airlift off the mountain in the event of injury. After the accident, the government offered the families of sherpas $400 to cover funeral expenses. The families rejected this offer and continue to lobby the government for more money.

    If you want to help the Sherpas out, climbers have set up a donation page for those wanting to send a little money their way. You can find it here. After losing a loved one, it would be even worse if the family lost everything else.

    Image via Thinkstock

  • Mount Everest: Climate Change Making It More Deadly?

    “In 1989 when I first climbed Everest there was a lot of snow and ice, but now most of it has just become bare rock.”

    Nepali climber Apa Sherpa had been quoted by Discovery News about his experiences with perhaps the most formidable mountain on Earth.

    It seems much has changed since Sherpa first tackled Mount Everest.

    “Climbing is becoming more difficult,” noted Sherpha. He said that a snowier mountain allows one to wear crampons, important traction-devices, more safely.

    “It’s very dangerous and very slippery to walk on bare rock with crampons.”

    The mountain’s increasingly bare rocks also raise the risk of climbers being struck and killed by falling rocks.

    One hundred years ago, no one would have ever expected a lack of snow to be an issue with Everest.

    Some fear that global warming is the leading factor in the loss of snow from the mountain tops.

    The lack of snow creates a host of problems that many experts fear may make the mountain even more unsafe for anyone trying to climb it.

    Not only that, but the warming temperatures could be blamed for dangerous avalanches similar to what recently killed over a dozen people.

    Researchers find that warmer weather can coincide with an increase in avalanches. If the snow on Everest is melting due to global warming, it could mean that the rising temperatures will make avalanches on the mountain more likely.

    It has already been determined that the glaciers surrounding Mount Everest have shrunk by an alarming 13 percent within the past 50 years.

    As scientists continue to monitor the changing situation with the famous mountain, persons desperate to put their name into the history books will continue to their attempts to reach Everest’s elusive summit.

    The threat of global warming means nothing to people who feel that possible death comes with the territory of trying to conquer Mount Everest.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Hiker Trapped On Mauna Loa Rescued

    It was like a nightmare scenario turned Hollywood movie, but it was all too real….and it happened to Alex Sverdlov.

    The 36-year-old Queens, NY was at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park this past week with the intent of trekking to the top of the Mauna Loa volcano. Sverdlov made the 18 mile trip up to the peak and reached the summit on Tuesday.

    And then everything went terribly wrong.

    During his descent, the New York native found himself blindsided by an unexpected snowstorm. Sverdlov found himself battered by freezing winds and blinding snow. To make matters worse, much of his gear had been left behind during his trip up the volcano.

    Sverdlov didn’t anticipate needing the heavier gear and thanks to the horrible, “white-out” conditions, he was unable locate his pack. He had no choice but to survive the frigid conditions overnight with scant supplies: The thin wet clothing he wore and a frozen water bottle. Sverdlov found the rest of his gear the next day, but the snow had made it impossible for him to get down. He would have to suffer through another night on Mauna Loa in freezing conditions.

    Luckily for Sverdlov, park rangers were aware of his hike.

    “What saved Alex is that he had a backcountry permit,” said park ranger John Broward. “We knew he was up there.”

    When he failed to come back down for his car, which was still sitting untouched on Wednesday, the park rangers had guessed that Sverdlov had been caught in the terrible storm.

    Sverdlov was rescued by helicopter on Thursday morning. He was reported to have said of his nerve-wracking experience that he’d, “done many crazy hikes, but this one pretty much tops the bill.”

    The ordeal hasn’t squashed his love of hiking and he immediately applied for another permit. However, Sverdlov insists that this time he will be sticking to the “sunny part of the park.”

    No one can fault him for that decision.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Ray Lewis to Climb Kilimanjaro For Charity

    Celebrities and athletes often hold events and donate their time for charity, but it’s not often that one will climb a mountain in the name of children.

    This week, Ray Lewis pledged to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for children in East Africa. More specifically, his “TackleKili” fund will raise money for clean water projects for children in Africa. As an incentive, Lewis will be giving away an autographed helmet to one random fan who donates or spreads the word about the fundraiser.

    The retired NFL linebacker and Super Bowl champion announced his intentions on Twitter and on his website, saying:

    In one month, I will climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money and awareness for clean water projects in East Africa. I am so FIRED UP for this adventure, but until then, I need your help to bring clean water wells to thousands of children and families. Show your support by following my TackleKili journey, spreading the word, and donating to TackleKili. Each action you complete below earns you more entries to win my autographed helmet! Thank you for your support and good luck!

    To earn entries into the contest, fans can follow the new “TackleKili” Twitter or LockerDome pages (2 entries), or spread the word about it over Twitter (5 entries). Those who donate at least $10 to the fund can get 52 entries into the contest.

  • Climber Kevin Jorgeson Talks @ Google

    Climber Kevin Jorgeson Talks @ Google

    Free climber Kevin Jorgeson recently participated in an @Google Talk, to discuss “The Fun Scale”.

    From the YouTube description:

    Kevin Jorgeson started climbing at age 12. He hasn’t stopped since. Kevin is known for high level boulder problems and free climbs across the world, from California to New Hampshire to South Africa.

    Jorgeson and his climbing partner Tommy Caldwell have been working for several seasons to free climb the Dawn Wall, the steepest, blankest part of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley.

    Other recent Google Talks include Adam Roberts, Nate Silver and Peter Gabriel.