Duxford Girl

Evidently, “because it’s there” just doesn’t cut it anymore. I suppose I’m a bit behind the curve on this one given the immense amount of literature on the subject of Everest, especially in the last 10 to 15 years, but I’d never really thought much about the famous peak before. While vacationing in Banff a couple of months ago I was reading the local paper and came across a book review for “High Crimes” by Michael Kodas. The review immediately interested me as I had no idea that there was so much drama and intrigue around the mountain. I knew that there was some vague controversy about whether it was Hillary or his Sherpa that had actually made it to the peak first but it would appear that several expeditions have much more complicated plot lines.

Because I’ve been ill of late, I’ve been doing a lot of reading so I ordered the above-mentioned book as well as a few others on the topic. So far, I can’t put them down. I had always thought of climbing as a rather solitary pursuit; something done with a few trusted friends but Everest is anything but solitary. Hundreds of people attempt the climb every year and that makes Everest big business.

It’s a dirty business too. Essentials like crampons and oxygen get stolen from various bases, teams fall out with each other in spectacular ways and people get left to die for any number of horrifying (although, sometimes necessary) reasons. Locals are poor and do whatever they can to make money. An expedition can cost tens of thousands of dollars. There are tour companies that specialize in the trek and one-on-one guides that can be hired to make the assent. Let the buyer beware though, there are people claiming to be guides that are neither experienced, qualified nor prepared.

Another misconception I’d had about Everest is that it was the kind of climb that only experienced climbers attempted. I’d envisioned it as the pinnacle of long and distinguished climbing career. Wrong again. Even the most inexperienced climbers make the attempt facing bankruptcy, injury and death. There is every kind of climber in between the two extremes, also.

Then there’s the stuff I’ve always known about. Things like the deadly weather, altitude sickness, hypoxia and the general madness of the goal. Plus, the physiological and mental challenges of heavy physical activity in thin air and the realities of what to eat and where to leave waste. A person can be sunburned and frostbitten at the same time on the same part of their body. Everything about the people who take on this challenge is appalling yet beautiful at the same time.

It’s all so fascinating that it’s keeping me up at night. Because Everest has a lot of recent history, there are numerous documentaries that I can sink my teeth into along with all the reading. So why do people climb Everest? Prestige, power, money, sponsorship and (I’d like to believe) that there are still a few people climbing it, just because it’s there.