j_b Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/story.jsp?story=431940 Heli-skiers accused of sacrilege for descending on Everest By Jan McGirk 09 August 2003 They call it the Holy Mountain: since the first Western expedition in the 1920s when seven Sherpas died in an avalanche, none has ventured on to Everest without a lengthy ritual. New prayer flags are always rigged and hoisted to flap blessings skyward. The traditional place names for Everest are so reverent, they are normally whispered: Chomolongma means Mother Goddess of the Universe' in Tibetan; Sagarmatha translates as Mighty Brow in the Sky in Nepalese. "It's a journey into the lap of God," says Norbu Tenzing, the son of Tensing Norgay, who shares fame with Sir Edmund Hillary as the first man to reach the summit. Craig Colonica, a Californian ski entrepreneur, says: "Yeah, it's awesome." He has just had approval to drop wealthy skiers and snowboarders on Everest's hallowed slopes from helicopters for the first time. Environmentalists and traditional mountaineers, many who thought the commercialisation of the highest point of the planet had reached its nadir, are aghast. But it is an enormous mountain and there still are big bucks to be made. Bookings are brisk for the inaugural Heli-Ski Everest trip this winter. When Hillary urged the Nepalese government to "stop issuing climbing licences and give the mountain a rest", he surely had something else in mind. The legendary mountaineer grumbled that today's climbers buy their way to the summit, with the typical all-in price tag now $65,000 per person. Few show much concern for the welfare of local people. For mountaineers, Everest stands for the ultimate challenge. "Everest is a symbol of spiritual inspiration, wedded to hardship, patience, experience and devotion," Jayendra Acharya, a cultural analyst in Kathmandu, says. But skiers and snowboarders who fly in for the ultimate ski-week, and are willing to pay about £700 a day for the privilege - not including the mini-bar - are in a different league. They do not mind a short cut or two. "There's not a lot of time for cultural stuff," Mr Calonica says. "When my clients are not skiing, they are more into relaxing. They are jet-lagged. It is pretty much a culture shock both ways. When the locals see us, they are blown away." These tourists are thrill-seekers, led by a coterie of extreme sports freaks based in Chamonix, France. "My guides put the extreme in extreme sports," says Mr Colonica, 50, a former competitive speed skier. "They are among the best alpinists. And the way they snowboard; if they fall, they are definitely dead." The controversy is similar to when purists condemn death- defying surfing show-offs for hitching a ride on a jet-ski to reach the enormous killer waves that are beyond normal paddling range. Only Everest's looming crests are rock, not water; there are frozen climbers' corpses still littering those slopes. Mr Calonica's Himalayan Heli Ski Guides, the first such company to be licensed by Nepal's tourism ministry, shrugs off the criticism from traditionalists who head for Everest because it "is there". He strives to be "really out there". His heli-service, which launched last season in Nepal's scenic Annapurna region, attracts like-minded skiers who tend to be short of time but long on experience. The promotional website assures customers that skiers can be guided slowly down the mountain's "cruiser runs" on broad skis. Clients are encouraged to call their routes of first descent with fanciful names which will be registered by the Nepal government. It is a tantalising offer for ego-trippers. Any new place names will be subject to government approval, to prevent offending local sensibilities. Mount Everest, renamed after the British surveyor whose triangulation system was used to measure the height of the 8,848m peak in 1841, is rarely called that by the locals. Iain Martin, an online ski writer, says: "The concept of fat, rich Westerners snowploughing their way down a piece of the Himalayas and having the gall to believe for a second that they can claim that land with their own name makes me sick." Mr Calonica says: "Oh, we got hundreds of new names already, some of them kinda silly. Stuff like Pipeline, or Buddah's Bowl. I named one long run Ellie's, for my little girl's fourth birthday. Most people are kind of embarrassed to name a run after themselves. They get together and vote on what to call a virgin run. It is an after-ski activity, and the name is like a souvenir for all time." As for novice skiers tackling something beyond their ability, Mr Calonica is more equivocal. "I can't really say no to someone, but we are getting strong skiers who can handle all conditions. It's got to be someone accomplished. I don't want some label-conscious guy who once zipped down a black diamond slope that was perfectly groomed and now considers himself an expert. He'll end up clawing the snow, falling sideways, upside down. "So far nobody has shown up who didn't belong. If a group had to wait for a beginner to catch up, they'd end up killing me. Or the beginner. There'd be a mutiny." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 Icky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodchester Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 But it doesn't say that they are going to actually ski everest. No chopper is going to get to the summit. In fact, none will get near the summit, maybe to the basecamp area or a little above. That means they have to ski in winter, which is actually the wet or monsoon season....which means few good flying days and lots of avalanches. Hmmm...crunch a few clients and see how long this lasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hakioawa Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 This has to be a joke right? 700 pounds a day? That's got to be dirt cheap. CMH is something like $1000 a day. Plus who can ski at 20,000' w/o a lot of acclimatization? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunglehead Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 At the current exchange rate, that's $1124.00 USD a day. But still, that seems pretty damn cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 What kind of a name is "Colonica" It sounds like a butt-rock band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluck Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 It sounds like a butt rock-band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 This sounds too "Californian" for me. Although it probably does add something to the economy for the Nepalese. Maybe they will add snowmobiling soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa_Eagle Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 or perhaps a trail park pass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 how are you supposed to jib when your legs are all rubbery from walking so much? choppers are the only way to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_b Posted August 13, 2003 Author Share Posted August 13, 2003 answers to a few of the questions that came up in the replies: Himalayan Heli Ski Guides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegetablebelay Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 Extremo should join up with those guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-rock Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 Craig COLONICa is ExtemoMtDude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 COLONICa = ExtremoMtnDook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegetablebelay Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 Oh. It's hard to see the resemblance with the coat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoboy Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 Maybe they can jib off some of those frozen corpses on the way down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 ExcretoMtnDude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunglehead Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 Egomaniacs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_a Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 "...first and only Heli Ski Company in the magical Kingdom..." ...magical kingdom? shouldn't that involve disney characters and a concrete mini-replica of the matterhorn? ...I hope the locals piss in the gas tank of his heli. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 pete_a said: "...first and only Heli Ski Company in the magical Kingdom..." ...magical kingdom? shouldn't that involve disney characters and a concrete mini-replica of the matterhorn? Don't give those Mickey Mouse motherfuckers any ideas ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunglehead Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 Dr_Flash_Amazing said: pete_a said: "...first and only Heli Ski Company in the magical Kingdom..." ...magical kingdom? shouldn't that involve disney characters and a concrete mini-replica of the matterhorn? Don't give those Mickey Mouse motherfuckers any ideas ... On a slightly unrelated note Walt Disney hired the former head of the Nazi rocket program to design the tomorrow land ride, or whatever it's called. But still, skiing down Everest, damn we just can't leave that mountain alone. Climbers have left so much shit on that peak it's disgusting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunglehead Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 Like this shizzy here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 bunglehead said: Like this shizzy here. And people bitch about bolts. That's a pretty despicable pile of alpineer leavings, fo' sho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 Dr_Flash_Amazing said: bunglehead said: Like this shizzy here. And people bitch about bolts. That's a pretty despicable pile of alpineer leavings, fo' sho. But, that's not at Everest. That's at the base of the Toof!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.