Cleaning up Everest?

[badvoodoo]

Thoughts on this? Realism/legitimate need?

 

http://www.terradaily.com/2004/040607055745.nq7w2ii3.html

[Alpine_Tom]

There's a lot of junk up there. But there's a hundred times more crap (literally) on the trail in. The south col might be "the highest junkyard in the world" but no one sees it but a very few climbers who can afford the time and expense to get up there. Clean up the trail in. Or better yet, clear out of Tibet altogether.

[graupel]

Another issue is many of the "cleanup" expeditions, even if successful at removing stuff from up high, they often just bring it down and leave it in a rubbish pile near the base of the mountain. On the Nepal side several years ago there was a pretty large trash heap in Lobuche. Nobody seems to be willing to pay for the porters to actually haul it all the way out.

[Jedi]

You would think of all the wealthy people that go in to try Everest, one of them would donate enough money to have all the trash cleaned up.

Many humans believe "well since there is already trash laying around, my trash will not be noticeable".

But if the area has been cleaned up, maybe people would be a little more reluctant to be the 1st to start making a trash pile. Or maybe I am giving people to much credit for doing the logical and morally correct thing to do.

[Blakej]

This is why I have no desire even to aspire to an everest climb. I think I speak for a majority when I say that I want to feel secluded and independent when I climb a peak. Atleast for me? Sure theres nothing wrong with grabbing a guide for a especially difficult climb that you want, but most guide services also have a focus on low impact, no trace ethics. From what I understand everest is a trash heap. What respectable climber would dump his trash on such a beautiful mountain. I understand that its a great undertaking and sometimes you have to cut and run but to climb and dump on your way is just irresponsible.

[Dru]

everest cleanup trips are a scam designed to get sponsorship $$$ for the team making the "clean up ascent"

[tomtom]

Just removing the bodies would be quite a job.

[Dr_Crash]

People shouldn't be allowed to leave their trash on the mountain (any) unless it's a dedicate place where it will be picked up and moved to an appropriate place. Leave No Trace should apply everywhere. It would be nice if Everest climbers had to post a bond covering cleaning up, to be returned on proof that they came back with everything they hauled up. If not, the bond goes to cover cleanup, removal from site, and proper disposal.

 

drC

[Fromage]

Steve Goryl, the NOLS instructor with the most weeks of field time (400+?) was the expedition leader of an Everest clean up climb a few years ago. I talked to him about the experience and he said it was a pretty useful undertaking and they managed to haul off a few thousand pounds of trash. He told me that these days the Nepalese government is paying a cash refund for every empty oxygen tank that sherpas bring down.

 

Steve did his own bit of trash cleanup on his world record 2-week stay at the South Col, digging around in the snow to hunt down buried cans of food left by other expeditions. If that is not bad ass, I don't know what is.

[scott_harpell]

class act.

[Dru]

so Fromage, if he had found Irvine, would he have 'et him?