Everest

vriesmays

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Any type of mountaineering can be dangerous, there was even a man killed off Carauntoohill last week.

Who told him to climb.

Wanderer78

vriesmays wrote:

Who told him to climb.

The voices in his head

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

kunst nugget wrote: »

I guess I'd rather be around for my kids growing up and not leave my wife a widow than being killed trying to tick something off a bucket list but that's just me being a lazy, boring bastard. Life less ordinary me hole...

I’m terminally ill and all I want to do is be with my loved ones. Happy to be a boring bitch. I have taken some lovely holidays but pretty much risk-free ones. Like, I went to Iceland but there was no riding a snowmobile around on a glacier for me. If I fell off, I’d be seriously injured due to my crappy, crappy cancer-ridden bones.

The only regret I have is not taking that trip to NYC in 2012. I received a small inheritance and toyed with using a small amount of it to finally see New York and decided against it. I could probably save to go now but NYC is a place you need a lot of energy to visit and I hate doing things by halves. It would just be a box-ticking exercise if I went now. I see people in my situation working their way through bucket lists and fair play to them but, god, it looks exhausting. My approach is that I say yes to things more now. A bucket list would stress me out but if someone asks me to try something new, I’ll give it serious consideration moreso than before my diagnosis.

If I were to write my bucket list now, it would be something like:

- finish watching the Godfather trilogy
- give the Sopranos another watch
- read as much as possible
- watch as many classic films as possible
- eat all the fewds your appetite allows
- spend as much time as possible talking shíte with husband
- MOAR relaxing sun holidays and weekends away in Ireland
- do as little housework as can possibly get away with (I’ll be fúcked if I spend any portion of my last six months cleaning tile grout)
- jump off a boat into the sea again like I did in Portugal now that I know it’s actually not scary
- maybe zipline (that’s as daredevil as I get)

Fr_Dougal

Not good news:

The search for a missing Irish climber on Mount Everest is now a recovery operation, according to the trekking company which organised the trip.

The GPS worn by Mr Lawless was found almost 500 metres from where he fell, however experts say it is possible that the device became detached from Mr Lawless.

RasTa

You don't go missing in Everest during a descent unless you're dead sadly. Not many survive a night alone in the death zone even if you can be seen.

wrestlemaniac

He made it to base camp 4 on descent, as he went ahead of the group with a sherpa (who I believe is also missing) as was suffering from altitude sickness.

As was posted above it's a recovery mission now, but forecasts are that it could be up to four days before anything happens due to inclement weather

prunudo

enricoh wrote: »

Some people want a life less ordinary.
There was a scuba diver killed last week off donegal n a paragliding fella in wicklow too.
Do we ban them too.
Northwest 200 road racing on this weekend up the north, everyone involved knows the risks n plough on.
Should we ban everything with risk involved n just go play golf or bingo instead!
Rip to the guy.

Unfortunately some people get it and the ones that don't, will never understand. Reading through this thread makes me angry, not angry for the deceased but for the people who think they can judge him in death for his decisions. Of course I'm sad for his family but I'm sure they know the type of personality he was and thats why they loved him.
If somebody wants to climb a steep mountain, dive a sunken wreck, float through the air from a canvass canopy, race a motorbike at speed on closed roads, row solo across an ocean more power to them. And certainly don't let anyone tell you not to push the boundaries because it doesn't suit their perceived view of how we should live our lives.

kowloon

beauf wrote: »

Walking looks like a bad idea

I've always felt that way.

The Rape of Lucretia

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

I think they have a point. They could raise money for charity by doing something considerably less dangerous.

'Doing' stuff for charity makes no sense anyway. Want to collect money for a good cause ? Then collect it. Dont spend more money then doing something like climbing Everest - look at the money he was spending on himself rather than contributing it to the good cause.

The Rape of Lucretia

mike_ie wrote: »

The best description I got of Everest was about two weeks ago, when I was speaking to a past summiter from Canada. "If you're interested in climbing 8000+ metre mountains, Everest is a great place to start."

Everest isn't a technically difficult mountain, which ironically, makes it more dangerous in many ways. The normal filters that apply to serious climbs (the ability to climb technically) aren't there.

Suggesting it isnt even a climb, and just reckless hill walking.

Tokyo

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Suggesting it isnt even a climb, and just reckless hill walking.

That's an extremely oversimplified summation of what I actually said.

Supcycle

Terrible too lose someone so ambitious

mikhail

jvan wrote: »

Unfortunately some people get it and the ones that don't, will never understand. Reading through this thread makes me angry, not angry for the deceased but for the people who think they can judge him in death for his decisions. Of course I'm sad for his family but I'm sure they know the type of personality he was and thats why they loved him.
If somebody wants to climb a steep mountain, dive a sunken wreck, float through the air from a canvass canopy, race a motorbike at speed on closed roads, row solo across an ocean more power to them. And certainly don't let anyone tell you not to push the boundaries because it doesn't suit their perceived view of how we should live our lives.

Yeah, damn all those people thinking of the poor orphans. They're obviously evil people.

Rologyro

jvan wrote: »

Unfortunately some people get it and the ones that don't, will never understand. Reading through this thread makes me angry, not angry for the deceased but for the people who think they can judge him in death for his decisions. Of course I'm sad for his family but I'm sure they know the type of personality he was and thats why they loved him.
If somebody wants to climb a steep mountain, dive a sunken wreck, float through the air from a canvass canopy, race a motorbike at speed on closed roads, row solo across an ocean more power to them. And certainly don't let anyone tell you not to push the boundaries because it doesn't suit their perceived view of how we should live our lives.

Climb a steep mountain... have your newborn hold your finger.

Dive a sunken wreck... comfort your toddler when he gets scared.

Race a motorbike at speed on closed roads... provide for your family’s future.

Row solo across an ocean... give your children the opportunity to know you.

bucketybuck

jvan wrote: »

Of course I'm sad for his family but I'm sure they know the type of personality he was and thats why they loved him.

Yes, I'm sure the 4 year old girl has a deep appreciation of his personality alright, and will fully understand why her daddy won't be at her next birthday party.

Spleerbun

The posts about a "recovery mission" surprise me, given what I've been told about Everest. I was led to believe that once you go past a certain height, if you fall or get into difficulty it's nigh on impossible that anyone could save you or recover your body as that would very likely put them in serious danger themselves. Maybe he wasn't that high?

The stories I heard went as far as to say that there have been bodies frozen way up top for years, and are even used as markers on the route! A sort of "we make for the frozen guy in the green jacket before nightfall and rest there" job. Could be urban legends I suppose!

wrestlemaniac

Spleerbun wrote: »

The posts about a "recovery mission" surprise me, given what I've been told about Everest. I was led to believe that once you go past a certain height, if you fall or get into difficulty it's nigh on impossible that anyone could save you or recover your body as that would very likely put them in serious danger themselves. Maybe he wasn't that high?

The stories I heard went as far as to say that there have been bodies frozen way up top for years, and are even used as markers on the route! A sort of "we make for the frozen guy in the green jacket before nightfall and rest there" job. Could be urban legends I suppose!

Not urban legends at all, just Google 'green boots'

The Rape of Lucretia

Spleerbun wrote: »

The stories I heard went as far as to say that there have been bodies frozen way up top for years, and are even used as markers on the route! A sort of "we make for the frozen guy in the green jacket before nightfall and rest there" job. Could be urban legends I suppose!

Thats "Greenboots", a body that is passed on a busy route.

prunudo

bucketybuck wrote: »

Yes, I'm sure the 4 year old girl has a deep appreciation of his personality alright, and will fully understand why her daddy won't be at her next birthday party.

Why don't you quote my post in full to give it context. As I said some people will understand the risks people take, others won't. People should mind their own business before passing judgement on how someone else chooses to live their life.
But to answer your point, maybe in time his daughter will grow up knowing that her father was strong, adventurous and not afraid to conquer fears. They certainly aren't bad traits to have and to know were possessed by one of your parents.

eviltwin

Spleerbun wrote: »

The posts about a "recovery mission" surprise me, given what I've been told about Everest. I was led to believe that once you go past a certain height, if you fall or get into difficulty it's nigh on impossible that anyone could save you or recover your body as that would very likely put them in serious danger themselves. Maybe he wasn't that high?

The stories I heard went as far as to say that there have been bodies frozen way up top for years, and are even used as markers on the route! A sort of "we make for the frozen guy in the green jacket before nightfall and rest there" job. Could be urban legends I suppose!

Believe it or not there's at least 200 bodies on Everest.

jeremyj1968

suicide_circus wrote: »

sorry now, you dont need to climb Everest to raise money for charity. thats something you want to do for your own edification.

You have to laugh at RTE though. They gave out yards when those young single lads diving off Salthill peer during the bad weather. But a man with a young family, who risks his life to climb Everest, who dies in the pursuit of an ego boost, well he's a hero of course.

I think the sooner that RTE apply their same standard to Trinity professor's taking reckless, selfish actions, the sooner we stop seeing lay people needlessly losing their lives on Everest and leaving their children without a father.

Spleerbun

Greenboots, jesus that's a strange old read. Pics and all, so mad.

eviltwin wrote: »

Believe it or not there's at least 200 bodies on Everest.

I thought there were a load of them yeah. Which leads me back to my initial wondering, why would they be trying to recover this Irish guy given this is so common? He must not be as high I guess

suicide_circus

suicide_circus wrote: »

sorry now, you dont need to climb Everest to raise money for charity. thats something you want to do for your own edification.

its like these people who cycle from Tibet to Peru for charity. trip of a ****ing lifetime more like.

Charity hikes, cycles etc tend to be big business. Take the Everest trip. Think of the employment one group brings.

Kilimanjaro trips were at one time touted to transition year students in Clonmel. The idea was that each student raised x amount that not only covered their trip but included a donation to the charity it was aimed at. I kid you not! Thankfully most students that did the climb had families to finance their jaunt with any money raised going to the charity.

beauf

Spleerbun wrote: »

...I thought there were a load of them yeah. Which leads me back to my initial wondering, why would they be trying to recover this Irish guy given this is so common? He must not be as high I guess

Simply because wind and snow and storms make it harder to find someone the longer you wait.

Sounds like he was still pretty high on the decent when he fell.

Budawanny

Spleerbun wrote: »

Greenboots, jesus that's a strange old read. Pics and all, so mad.




I thought there were a load of them yeah. Which leads me back to my initial wondering, why would they be trying to recover this Irish guy given this is so common? He must not be as high I guess

The statement means there is no hope of finding him alive , and If he is found a recovery attempt is all that can be hoped for. It does not mean an active recovery attempt is underway or will be underway

beauf

jeremyj1968 wrote: »

You have to laugh at RTE though. They gave out yards when those young single lads diving off Salthill peer during the bad weather. But a man with a young family, who risks his life to climb Everest, who dies in the pursuit of an ego boost, well he's a hero of course.

I think the sooner that RTE apply their same standard to Trinity professor's taking reckless, selfish actions, the sooner we stop seeing lay people needlessly losing their lives on Everest and leaving their children without a father.

...Because jumping off a pier is exactly the same thing as climbing the world highest mountain...

Budawanny

Spleerbun wrote: »

Greenboots, jesus that's a strange old read. Pics and all, so mad.




I thought there were a load of them yeah. Which leads me back to my initial wondering, why would they be trying to recover this Irish guy given this is so common? He must not be as high I guess

The statement means there is no hope of finding him alive , and If he is found a recovery attempt is all that can be hoped for. It does not mean an active recovery attempt is underway

Muahahaha

Spleerbun wrote: »

The posts about a "recovery mission" surprise me, given what I've been told about Everest. I was led to believe that once you go past a certain height, if you fall or get into difficulty it's nigh on impossible that anyone could save you or recover your body as that would very likely put them in serious danger themselves. Maybe he wasn't that high?

The stories I heard went as far as to say that there have been bodies frozen way up top for years, and are even used as markers on the route! A sort of "we make for the frozen guy in the green jacket before nightfall and rest there" job. Could be urban legends I suppose!

Bodies on Everest isnt an urban legend but using them as markers is. Its just that the body would be buried in a snow drift and then it wouldnt appear until the following climbing season when the snow melts. From there Sherpas would get the body down for repatriation to their family.

As far as rescues go if Sherpas can see the body and get to it then they will recover it. Generally they will, Sherpas have mountaineering ability far above all of their customers paying to get to the top of Everest. I met Kami Rita Sherpa a few years back at Everest Base Camp,he holds the world record for summits of Everest and is currently on 23 with a whole load of other Sherpas not far behind him on the late teens. You dont go up and down Everest 23 times without accident unless you are a world class mountaineer. He definitely is as are all the climbing Sherpas operating on it.

Not only are these lads summiting Everest they are also setting up all the ropes and guiding people to the top and rescuing wherever necessary. They exert huge amounts of energy at high altitudes so all the customer has to do is put their gear on and put one foot in front of the other. While summiting Everest is an impressive feat unless you are a world class mountaineer none of it would be possible without the Sherpa support structure that is in place.

Fr_Dougal

Interesting documentary about the Sherpas and how the climbs are for them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6pLnf40OM0

Spleerbun

Muahahaha wrote: »

Bodies on Everest isnt an urban legend but using them as markers is. Its just that the body would be buried in a snow drift and then it wouldnt appear until the following climbing season when the snow melts. From there Sherpas would get the body down for repatriation to their family.
.

Not disputing anything you say, but just curious then why they never brought this greenboots chap down (among others I would imagine)?
He's clearly not buried all the time if people are taking pictures of him and know exactly where he is