Global Affairs: International (Nepal)
In response to an article “Nepalis call for Everest age limit after death of 85-year-old climber” by Michael Safi, of TheGuardian, Monday 8 May 2017
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/08/nepalis-call-for-everest-age-limit-after-death-of-85-year-old-climber#img-2
With the death of an 85-year-old man at Everest base camp this past weekend, Nepal’s biggest alpine association will re-awaken their advocating, and push the country’s government to implement an age limit on who can climb Mount Everest, which is the world’s tallest mountain. The man who died of a suspected heart attack, Min Bahadur Sherchan, was once the record holder for being the oldest man to reach the summit. He had been preparing to re-ascend to the 8,848-metre summit to reclaim his record, which was taken by a Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura, who was 80 at the time.
On Monday, while paying tribute to the ‘legendary’ mountaineer, Ang Ushering Sherpa, the president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association said. “It’s been a decade since we have been advocating for the age limit, 16 years to 76 years.”
The Nepal Mountaineering Association believes the restrictions will limit the number of deaths that occur surrounding Mount Everest.
“It has to come into effect as soon as possible to avoid disasters like the death of Min Bahadur Sherchan. We have been pushing for [it] and we will bring it to the government’s notice once again.” Says Sherpa.
The Nepal government said it was considering regulations, two years ago, including a ban on novice climbers and anyone over the age of 75. A ban on anyone under the age of 16 attempting to climb is already in place. (The Tibetan side is already restricted to those between 18-60).
The stricter regulations – which include requiring climbers to have ascended a peak at least 21,000ft high prior to their Everest attempt – have yet to be implemented and attracted widespread criticism, including from local communities who depend on revenue from overseas climbers.
Sherpa said some human rights groups and foreign embassies were sceptical whether earlier proposed restrictions, including on disabled climbers, would stem the death toll on the mountain.
The government says no permit restricting proposal has been brought forward to their head of tourism. But this year, Nepal has issued the highest number of permits to foreigners since the 1950’s, about 376 in all.
Warnings have come from veteran mountaineers, saying the peak will become overcrowded, and that the improvements in technology are attracting less experienced people, potentially compromising the safety of all climbers.
A British mountaineer, Tim Mosedale, complained via Facebook last month about a group of novice climbers, he found attempting to navigate the treacherous Khumbu Icefall without the proper gear like oxygen, and said one climber even applied their ice crampons to the wrong feet.
He stated that the climbers’ inexperience, and the lack of professionalism from their Sherpa guides was a “toxic mix”.
I think if the Tibetan side is already regulated, that it is not unreasonable for the Nepal Mountaineering Association to ask for restrictions also. This isn’t a walk in the park. It’s Mount Everest, and I agree that novice climbers should not be attempting to climb Everest before adequate experience is gained, for their safety and for all the other climbers’ safety as well. With Ueli Stick, a highly experienced Swiss climber, dying last week, at Mount Nuptse, in a fall, who is said to be “one of the finest alpinists of his, or any, generation”, imagine the pitfalls for novice climbers.
To read Ueli Stick’s obituary;
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/01/ueli-steck-obituary
