Idiots climing Everest.

[Gorgon]

What on earth posesses people to climb Everest , the mountanside and the dead zone, the last stretch before the summit, are littered with over 200 dead, some clearly visible to the climbing paths. You stand a good chance of losing at least a couple of toes, worse case your feet. There have been many reports of people leaving other climbers to their deaths so they could reach the summit.

 

There a queues of people all cluttering around the dead zone creating traffic jams, and there is no guarantee that you can get off before frosbite sets in.

 

Buy a ****ing porshe instead morons.

[Gfted1]

Eh, its the "call of the wild" so to speak. Conquering natures biggest and baddest has always driven man and while there is a much higher probability of death climbing Everest, is it really that much different from skydiving, cave diving, racing Formula cars, etc...?

[Gorgon]

I much prefer getting pancaked or carwrecked to clambering down for the night with water in my lungs surrounded by 200 icicled mid life crisis'

[metadigital]

The real shame is that the rich people spend $60k to helicopter into base camp with a team of Sherpas waiting to help them climb the last bit of the mountain with their tons of gear.

[Gorth]

The real shame is that the rich people spend $60k to helicopter into base camp with a team of Sherpas waiting to help them climb the last bit of the mountain with their tons of gear.

It's called "evolution"...

[metadigital]

Well I hope they all get the bends or altitude sickness or similar.

[Hurlshort]

The real shame is that the rich people spend $60k to helicopter into base camp with a team of Sherpas waiting to help them climb the last bit of the mountain with their tons of gear.

 

Yeah, that doesn't really work. Base camp is still a long way from the summit. You have to train and be in decent shape to summit any of the 8kers in the Himalayas. I've read a couple books on the subject, "Into Thin Air" and "No Shortcuts to the Top" are pretty much the best on the subject. Everest is actually not the hardest of the 8kers, it's just the tallest. But it's all about the weather up there, difficulty doesn't mean anything when a storm blows through.

 

Sherpas are genetically different than the average joe. Their blood needs less oxygen. I just think that's awesome.

 

As to what drives people to summit mountains, I don't think there is a good answer to that. It's like a spiritual calling. Personally, anytime I see something really tall, I want to find a way to climb it. It's just a compulsion. It usually feels great when I make it. I've been looking at climbing Mount Shasta, but I can't convince anyone to go with me.

[Guard Dog]

Eh, its the "call of the wild" so to speak. Conquering natures biggest and baddest has always driven man and while there is a much higher probability of death climbing Everest, is it really that much different from skydiving, cave diving, racing Formula cars, etc...?

Actually it's probably safer than cave diving since you cannot even get to base camp without SOME ability as a climber. A lot of idiots die in caves who did not have the the knowledge of more importantly the equipment to go in. The difference is, in cave diving there is nothing to keep them out. My ex-brother-in-law is a rescue diver for the Lake County Sheriffs Dept in north FL. It was his job to go find the bodies of the aforementioned idiots.

[Aram]

I once climbed a really tall tree.

[Walsingham]

I was once pushed out of a really tall tree.

[Gfted1]

Eh, its the "call of the wild" so to speak. Conquering natures biggest and baddest has always driven man and while there is a much higher probability of death climbing Everest, is it really that much different from skydiving, cave diving, racing Formula cars, etc...?

Actually it's probably safer than cave diving since you cannot even get to base camp without SOME ability as a climber. A lot of idiots die in caves who did not have the the knowledge of more importantly the equipment to go in. The difference is, in cave diving there is nothing to keep them out. My ex-brother-in-law is a rescue diver for the Lake County Sheriffs Dept in north FL. It was his job to go find the bodies of the aforementioned idiots.

 

 

Just the idea of cave diving gives me the willies. I recently watched a Discovery channel thing on cave diving, and to me, its unbelievably scary looking. Total darkness, only a thin string showing the way back and the inability for people to tell "which way is up" in that environment. *shudder*

 

I was once pushed out of a really tall tree.

 

It was Aram!

[LadyCrimson]

I once ran face first into a really tall tree.

 

But in terms of the question ... one can try and rationalize reasons, but there really aren't any rational explanations for why people like risks (of any kind, short or long term).

I tend to agree that it's not that much different than wanting to race cars and jump off cliffs or parachute etc. The risks are different, but the urge is the same. What kind of risks one prefers is individualistic. Me, if forced to choose, I'd rather climb a mountain and freeze than do anything where I might drown, say.

[Walsingham]

I could quote Kipling on the need for risk takers, but frankly it's all down to monoamine oxidase. Low levels are associated with risk taking behaviour.

[Arkan]

Because...IT IS THERE!

[metadigital]

I could quote Kipling on the need for risk takers, but frankly it's all down to monoamine oxidase. Low levels are associated with risk taking behaviour.

Rousseau made that point, too.

[Aram]

I was once pushed out of a really tall tree.

 

I wondered who that guy was...

 

Sorry, I just had to be the first to the summit. My oxygen was getting pretty low too.

[Azure79]

I don't feel compelled to climb mountains. However, if there is a big craggy rock I almost always compulsively crawl my way up.

 

As for the people who tackle Everest, I have no idea why they do it, but there must be some kind of allure for them to risk their lives.

[metadigital]

Rockclimbing is fun for all the family. Also builds up your forearms and gives you muscular fingers.