AIBU to be blown away by this? TW - Deaths on Everest.

[Chefpig]

I have read a news article about the person who died on Everest 30 years ago, known as Green Boots and wondered if his body would have been preserved by the snow and icy conditions up there. After some reading, I believe his body would not have decomposed and so his face will be the same, still in his late 40's. Forever young.

Are they particular about boot brands? Who knew.

The conclusion seems to be that he is Dorje Morup, but previously he was thought to have been Tswana Paljor. Both members of an Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition.

I remember when Alison Hargreaves's died on K2. And then her son, many years later.

The books The Death Zone and Into Thin Air are fascinating accounts of what motivates

I was wondering if it was "Into Thin Air" @KimWexlersPonyTail had read? I ended up deep in an Everest size rabbit hole after reading that book. Absolutely fascinating. Couldn't agree more with you re those climbing it. More golf indeed.

I shared a house with a cave diver when I was at Univeristy for a few months. He was a very calm civil engineer. He described shaking the hand of a corpse that was trapped forever underwater, apparently cave divers do that. I thought he may have been winding me up but another cave diver many years hence said it was a thing.

@NamelessNancy @Gengha yes think it was that book. I don't know why I read it as no interest in climbing but also got Everest obsessed, so much so that I wanted to climb it even though I can barely c,imbalance stairs! I agree, I have no time really for the climbing community.

Pressed send too soon, but was going to say those books gives great insights into motivation plus how rationale goes out the window sometimes and also those who simply shouldn't be up there but have paid to summit (one rich woman basically tethered to a sherpa and dragged up - although she later disputed this). Well worth a read.

K2 has a much higher fatality rate. It’s much more inaccessible, difficult, and dangerous than Everest. However, K2 at least really only attracts serious proper climbers because of those factors, as opposed for the Everest tourism twats

Perhaps one solution would be to require every climber to provide a financial deposit to cover their recovery should they perish. I think that'd make plenty of people rethink.

Yep that’s right, she was short roped ie dragged up. There’s a mindset with the twats that they’ve paid $100k for this so they’re sumittting irrespective of the advice from the guides. They see it just as something they’re entitled to because they’ve paid when the mountain of course doesn’t give a fuck.

The lack of oxygen and “summit fever” causes some very irrational decision making

It wouldn’t, it’s already very expensive and these people have more money than sense as it is.

Don’t be daft OP. Can’t believe you actually think that.

Mind you, anyone using the phrase “forever young” is probably 2 sandwiches short of a picnic.

Recovering them - or trying to - simply puts more people in danger. And there would be people desperate enough for the money to attempt it. Trying to cart a body off there would be even more hazardous than the 'normal' sherpa guide activities.

I feel if you die that high up, you stay there. No-one should be risking life and limb for a corpse.

While of course I don’t want anyone to die while climbing Everest I have seen documentaries and I all I took away from them is that it was the epitome of selfish and self centered behaviour.

Unbelievably selfish.

Many people don’t actually climb the mountain themselves - Sherpas play an enormous part, oxygen needed, huge amounts of rubbish left and the danger to everyone.

Utterly selfish and nothing to either to proud of or shout about.

@blackonbluesociopath maybe. A psychopath would have tripped him over at the top to get his boots!

Totally agree

There are guide ropes all the way up as well. Placed by Sherpa

This

Some places are just not viable to explore and travel to but humans are arrogant.

I know you meant it was their choice to be a mountain guide, but I'd like to point out that a Sherpa is an ethnic group, not a job title.

Cover their recovery by who?

Money doesnt stop it being dangerous for whoever is going to do the recovery. And people in poverty are going to be persuaded to do it arent they becasue they're desparate.

Its totally wrong.

Dont climb it. And if you do climb it and die you're going to stay there

I dont celebrate all these explorers. I dont see the point

Well Otzi the ice man survived pretty well for well over 2 millennia

Just Google "Otzi" - I would link, but TW for the Wiki article.

Yeah I guess most sex workers choose to do it because of the fun of it and not because they are desperate, have no choice and need money. We should totally support that too.

Your argument is ridiculous.

(this was in response if it was illegal to climb post)

One simple way to make sure only the very best climbers attempt to ascend - ban the use of supplementary oxygen. It will never happen because there's too much money at stake

He doesnt look that good though does he?

But no amount of money could compensate for the extreme danger a recovery party would be in.