P.S. no offense to any mountain climbers around here...

 

I don't blame them, really.

Climbing the highest mountain in the world is a great feat of skill + endurance and I can relate to the dream of completing such challenge.

What is immoral is that the local government keeps emitting permits without factoring the safety of the climbers.

 

Are they all wearing Rolex explorer or Rolex Oyster Perpetual? Great marketing opportunity.

 

I just would not be that excited to "climb" on a waiting line like that.

 

T.b.h. I can't get my head around this in my eyes nonsense

Here in Scotland we have many challenging climbs although not quite in this league but you may often find you are the only pair on the climb, I know what I would prefer.

Spelling corrected

 

Darwin awards ... just sayin.

 

Not a climber but it reminds me that a good condition early 50s Smiths watch is on my grail list, if I could ever decide which version I really want--the A404 Smiths Deluxe or the JW Benson...

 

There was a good front page article about this on the NYT on Tuesday
Cheers

 

Forget that...I hate waiting in line!

 

Not to mention the people who needed rescue.
Aussie news has been running this story, adding in a story about an Aussie who needed rescue. The sherpa was interviewed, saying the guy had a chest infection, but insisted on making his attempt, against advice.

Idiocy & arrogance, IMO. People buy a ticket, & expect their summit trip.

 

Need a "speedpass like Disney Land"

 

Ben Nevis. Tallest mountain in Scotland. Peak is about 4!400 feet above sea level. Been there. Absolutely beautiful area in the Scottish Highlands. In the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, we have what we call (ahem) foothills. Not to belittle Ben Nevis.

Glencoe, in the Highlands of Scotland. Near Ben Nevis. One of my favourite shots.

 

I think the craziest thing about all this is that now the climb/clime (Alpha, you missed a great opportunity for a sweet pun) is no longer the real challenge in climbing Everest. The challenge is not dying because of too many climbers mucking things up.

 

A walking/hiking tour of the Scottish Highlands is on my bucket list!

I guess you know you are a true "mountain person" when even on vacation, you still can't get away from mountains. A few years ago my wife and I had the opportunity to add on some vacation to a professional trip to Buenos Aires. We asked all of our Argentinian friends for their advice and received diverse suggestions about where to visit. In the end we went to Patagonia.

 

We live in the age of 'look at me'. These people jostle and shove to get to the top so they can take a selfie to post online. When permits are ramped out by the corrupt government to make money, shoddy tour outfits pitch their services and work with guides to defraud insurance companies forced to evacuate climbers, and people have the dough to do this this is what you get. People who are not really fit often lie on the applications to secure their spot and cause trouble for other climbers. It's all out of control. Climbing Everest today is not like Hillary (not Her) and Norgay doing it on May 29, 1953 Over 4,800 have done it in the last 66 years with far superior equipment , people need to find a new challenge to spend their money on. Maybe kayaking to Antarctica.

 

It's not a challenge if it only takes money.

 

Well ... that is definitely not true of summiting Everest.

 

No, but I probably should have written more.
I think many people are thinking " If I can afford it, I can do it."
Or, "I paid all this money, I better go no matter what."

 

Climbed Ben Nevis, as a serving soldier in the British Army…in the same week, I canoed the literal width, of Scotland in three days

Looks like the queue, for a ‘Speedy Tuesday’ edition

 

I think one long line is enough for them...