Another Climbing Death in Nepal
News has just come through that an Australian woman climber has died while climbing in Nepal.
An Australian climber has died during an expedition in Nepal.
The Department of Foreign Affairs says it is aware of reports of a death of a 43-year-old Australian woman on Nepal’s Mt Manaslu.
The woman, from New South Wales, is understood to have died after falling into a crevasse after descending from the summit.
To read the news item on ABCNews Online click here.
More Deaths on Everest
In the news today is the story of two more deaths on Mt Everest. This time it was experienced Australian climber Lincoln Hall who died while descending from the summit of Mount Everest. Fellow climber Thomas Weber also died after turning back from an attempt to reach the summit.
This comes only a few days after the controversial death of a British climber, left to die by other climbers who allegedly made no rescue attempt. This group of climbers included double amputee, New Zealander Mark Inglis. Mark has received sharp criticism from Sir Edmund Hillary, the first to successfully climb to the top of the world.
To read the story on ABCNews Online click here.
Postscript: CORRECTION
Good news: more recent updates from Everest have announced that Lincoln Hall has, in fact, survived and is receiving medical attention.
To read about my trekking adventures in the Everest region last January, go to the Archives section on the right and scroll down to the January posts.
Tragedy on Mt Everest
Last week the world was admiring the feats of Mark Inglis of New Zealand, the first double amputee to reach the summit of Mt Everest in Nepal. It has now transpired that Mark was not quite the hero everyone thought he was. Sure, he is still the first double amputee to reach the top of the world. That in itself was a truly remarkable and gutsy effort, and I still admire him for his courage and determination.
Where were the True Heroes?
On his way to the summit Mark passed English climber David Sharp some 300 metres below the top. David was in serious trouble, ill-prepared, poorly equipped and sheltering under a rock with no oxygen and almost dead. Mark – along with some 40 other climbers that day – ignored the plight of the dying climber. Sure – they were all courageous, gutsy and had achieved a remarkable feat in reaching the top of Everest. My gripe is this – did they ALL lack basic human compassion for the dying man. No-one, it seems, made any effort to rescue the dying climber.
Demanding Terrain
What all climbers and trekkers in the Himalayas quickly realise is that this is some of the most demanding terrain in the world. Add the extreme altitude and you have a potentially lethal cocktail. Any weaknesses, or lack of application or preparation are quickly revealed – often with swift and deadly consequences. When I was trekking in this region in January (see the Archives section of this blog) our trekking group saw the body of a Sherpa being carried down past our lodge. Even the locals are not immune to the problems of high altitude.
To read more about this tragic event read the article on ABC News Online by clicking here.
Double amputee conquers Everest
New Zealand climber Mark Inglis has successfully become the first double amputee to reach the summit of Mt Everest in Nepal. Mark had both legs amputated below the knee in 1982. This was the result of frostbite while climbing Mt Cook in NZ. Mark used specially adapted carbon fibre legs in his climbing attempt. It was 53 years ago this month that his famous compatriot Sir Edmund Hillary was first successful in climbing Everest.
Mark’s efforts far out strip my own “attempt” on Everest back in January of this year. I joined a trekking group that walked from Lukla to Tengboche, barely half way to the summit. Read my blog of this trek by going to the Archives section on the right.
Ceasefire in Nepal
The newly convened government in Nepal has declared a ceasefire in the deadlock with the Maoists which has caused almost constant conflict in the beautiful Himalayan nation. Over the last decade this conflict has seen about 13,000 deaths.
I hope that this is a lasting ceasefire and that the government is able to get on with restoring peace and democracy in this troubled nation.
Go to the Archives section of this blog to read about my adventures in Nepal in January of this year.
To read the full story go to ABC News Online by clicking here.