Everest: Beyond the Limit

[marywebgirl]

It might just be me and Topher in here, but oh well.

I think it was particularly interesting to see the situation around the climber who died. I remember reading the articles about it and it sounded like assholes just passed by a dying man so they could summit and get bragging rights, but the show really demonstrated that nothing is that cut and dried up there. I know there's still debate about Russell and his team and whether any of them could have done more, but it seemed like a lot of factors contributed to Sharp's death, most of them being his decisions.

[kostgard]

I've been facinated my this show too. And it was interesting to see more about the Sharp situation. I agree - it certainly wasn't a clear-cut situation, and it seems the biggest error was Sharp's, who decided to climb without a guide or a sherpa, and was carry a lot less oxygen than most people carry when they summit.

And I think the sherpas are superhuman. I couldn't believe it when Phurba, the head sherpa for Russell's team, strapped the guy with no legs to his back when he couldn't make it any further, and just walked down the mountain like it was no big deal while everyone else was struggling to just walk at that altitude.

[topher]

In that scenario, Sharp has no one to blame but himself.

Also, I read that another climber, not shown, was left for dead but made it down the mountain.

[kostgard]

I read about him too - I think his name was Lincoln Hall.

The difference between him and Sharp was that eventually Hall was able to stand up and walk. Apparently that's the live or die factor when you're high up in the "death zone." If you can stand up and walk, then they can basically tie you to other people who can push/pull you along. If you can't stand up and walk (and apparently Sharp couldn't - Phurba spent half an hour trying to get him to stand up) then there isn't really much they can do for you.

It just creeps me out that there are dead bodies up there, just littering the path to the top. One of them - "green boots" - is even basically a landmark now.

[Britty]

I couldn't believe it when Phurba, the head sherpa for Russell's team, strapped the guy with no legs to his back when he couldn't make it any further, and just walked down the mountain like it was no big deal while everyone else was struggling to just walk at that altitude.

Phurba was amazing! I think Sharp took a stupid risk climbing on his own and paid the price for it. The others tried to help, but that high up there just isn't much they could do.

Tim was an asshole.

[BoroKat]

I have not seen this, but I have read "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer. To be frank, it is beyond me why people would risk their lives to climb Everest. Respect Mother Nature- there are some places on this earth that we just don't need to be.

[Neurochick]

Today there is a marathon of this show on Discovery, starting at 5pm.

I recorded it and watched, I too was really interested, having read "Into Thin Air" seven years ago. I too read about David Sharp's death and wondered how high he was when he fell. Apparently if you can get up under your own power, that is the difference between life and death on Everest. In 1996, Beck Weathers was also left for dead, but he got up and eventually made it back to camp, though he lost his hands and his nose, I believe, to frostbite.

Everest is commercialized, and that's not really good but sadly that is the way it is. There is something that I was wrestling with, that is I felt some of the clients really had no business on the mountain in the first place. Mark Ingles was great for getting up there with no legs, but I wonder if Russell wanted him on his expedition because of the publicity (last season a blind man summitted and there was much publicity then). When Russell said they knew there would be a problem getting Mark down, I just wondered about the wisdom of getting him up there. Also Tim and to a larger extent Gerard, who had just had surgery two weeks before. I just got the feeling that if a person had the money they could go and that's not always the best policy.

However, I was VERY impressed with the fireman, Brett, I admired his strength for turning back when he realized he could go no further, it takes a man to do something like that; I was also impressed with Max, who tried to help Sharp and was deeply affected by not being able to do anything.

[Brookie]

I'm watching the 5pm show. And I remember seeing an Everest show with Beck Weathers, noseless and fingerless from frostbite. It takes some kind of nut person to climb that mountain.

[Neurochick]

brookie said:

I'm watching the 5pm show. And I remember seeing an Everest show with Beck Weathers, noseless and fingerless from frostbite. It takes some kind of nut person to climb that mountain.

Just keep watching this one. I saw that Everest show as well. I don't think a person has to be nutty, it's a challenge. Hey, I want to go skydiving someday, I know the risks but it's because of the risks that I want to do it.

[BoroKat]

I think skydiving is much safer, Neuro, just look at the stats. I guess I just don't understand the thrill, and I feel sorry for these climbers' families. There are enough bad things that happen and we cannot control, why would you go out and risk your life for kicks?