Has anyone ever been so far as to climb this year? Everest 2015

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BaronVonVaderham: Jul 31, 2011; All hail the queen!

Bip Roberts posted:

Old but Mt. Washington talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-GXEABz8lQ

Mt. Washington is a bastard. I used to hike in the White Mountains every summer growing up, and I'm actually thinking of going back and doing a Presidential Traverse some time this summer (http://www.everytrail.com/guide/presidential-traverse/map). That mountain still scares the poo poo out of me.

Apparently someone in my family was involved with founding the Observatory up there, though, so that's kind of cool.

# ? Mar 4, 2015 11:19

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# ? May 15, 2024 19:26

elwood: Mar 28, 2001; by Smythe

peak debt posted:

I wonder how many people fall over from lack of acclimatization in a week of walking at 5000m.

Proper tours have various acclimatization days on their schedule.

# ? Mar 4, 2015 12:44

Dongsturm: Feb 17, 2012

Dely Apple posted:

I was watching Dark Side of Everest and this lady's story was in the middle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francys_Arsentiev

She just went up to be The First American Woman Who Climbed Without Supplemental Oxygen (tm) and the interview with her family is tier. Her son was 7 and he goes "Well it was my call that my mother went and died, she asked me, and I didn't want her to hate me forever for denying her dream." and he was SEVEN. What a thing to live with.

Earlier in the thing Buck goes "There's no accomplishment for climbing Everest if you aren't Tensing or Mallory." And he was right. But we wouldn't have this thread if people were sensible

Reading the wiki page, the husband and wife get separated, so the husband just walks back to camp without her? He then goes back to rescue her, and dies as well?

I don't think the kid regrets his choice as much as some people might think.

# ? Mar 4, 2015 16:43

Alan Smithee: Jan 4, 2005; A man becomes preeminent, he's expected to have enthusiasms.

Enthusiasms, enthusiasms...

BaronVonVaderham posted:

Mt. Washington is a bastard. I used to hike in the White Mountains every summer growing up, and I'm actually thinking of going back and doing a Presidential Traverse some time this summer (http://www.everytrail.com/guide/presidential-traverse/map). That mountain still scares the poo poo out of me.

Apparently someone in my family was involved with founding the Observatory up there, though, so that's kind of cool.

There's an observatory? What do they observe?

"It's really loving cold up here!"

# ? Mar 4, 2015 16:49

Madcosby: Mar 4, 2003; by FactsAreUseless

Rondette posted:

Talking about extreme survival stories, check out Douglas Mawson. He was part of an Australian team who went to map the South Pole, and probably suffered one of the most extreme stories of survival you will ever hear. I read his story in a book by Ranulph Fiennes which has several stories about adventures and acts of bravery that inspired Ranulph. I don't want to spoil it too much but let's just say Husky liver is Really, Really bad for you.

Here is the short Wikipedia article about it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lkS5psgo6Q

This video is a short talk by a chap called David Roberts who has written a book ( which I've just ordered ) about it. He also shows some images of the expedition as well as some pictures of the hazards of trying to work in the windiest place on Earth (constant 67mph windspeed!)

How he survived the ordeal he went through is nothing short of amazing.

Wow even the wiki link was an amazing telling.

How do climbers/hikers know if they're walking over a snow covered crevasse? Just hope it holds or is there a way to tell ?

# ? Mar 4, 2015 17:01

Dongsturm: Feb 17, 2012

Madcosby posted:

Wow even the wiki link was an amazing telling.

How do climbers/hikers know if they're walking over a snow covered crevasse? Just hope it holds or is there a way to tell ?

They don't know, that's why they keep falling in.

E:there are things they can do like stab the ground ahead with poles, but it doesn't always work and you can imagine that walking like that for days or weeks is frustrating.

Mainly they tie themselves together and hope they don't all get dragged in.

Dongsturm fucked around with this message at 17:27 on Mar 4, 2015

# ? Mar 4, 2015 17:03

Beardless: Aug 12, 2011; I am Centurion Titus Polonius. And the only trouble I've had is that nobody seem to realize that I'm their superior officer.

Alan Smithee posted:

There's an observatory? What do they observe?

"It's really loving cold up here!"

More like "It's really loving windy up here". For years, the Mount Washington Observatory held the world record for the highest recorded surface wind speed, 231 mph. It's still the highest in the Northern and Western hemispheres. Basically a whole bunch of weather systems kind of converge in that area.

# ? Mar 4, 2015 19:12

Levitate: Sep 30, 2005; randy newman voice

YOU'VE GOT A LAFRENI�RE IN ME

Beardless posted:

More like "It's really loving windy up here". For years, the Mount Washington Observatory held the world record for the highest recorded surface wind speed, 231 mph. It's still the highest in the Northern and Western hemispheres. Basically a whole bunch of weather systems kind of converge in that area.

Mt Adams but still close

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP4u6VyrgCk

Couple dudes blown off their feet

# ? Mar 5, 2015 01:18

roshy: Jul 19, 2006; :)

Speaking of crevasses, Douglas Mawson, and his Antarctic trip, I saw this anecdote on Futility Closet the other day.

quote:

In late 1908 Douglas Mawson, Alastair Mackay, and Edgeworth David left Ernest Shackleton�s party in hopes of discovering the location of the South Magnetic Pole. On Dec. 11, while Mackay left the camp to reconnoiter, David prepared to sketch the mountains and Mawson retired into the tent to work on his camera equipment:

"I was busy changing photographic plates in the only place where it could be done � inside the sleeping bag. � Soon after I had done up the bag, having got safely inside, I heard a voice from outside � a gentle voice � calling:
�Mawson, Mawson.�
�Hullo!� said I.
�Oh, you�re in the bag changing plates, are you?�
�Yes, Professor.�
There was a silence for some time. Then I heard the Professor calling in a louder tone:
�Mawson!�
I answered again. Well the Professor heard by the sound I was still in the bag, so he said:
�Oh, still changing plates, are you?�
�Yes.�
More silence for some time. After a minute, in a rather loud and anxious tone:
�Mawson!�
I thought there was something up, but could not tell what he was after. I was getting rather tired of it and called out:
�Hullo. What is it? What can I do?�
�Well, Mawson, I am in a rather dangerous position. I am really hanging on by my fingers to the edge of a crevasse, and I don�t think I can hold on much longer. I shall have to trouble you to come out and assist me.�
I came out rather quicker than I can say. There was the Professor, just his head showing and hanging on to the edge of a dangerous crevasse.

David later explained, �I had scarcely gone more than six yards from the tent, when the lid of a crevasse suddenly collapsed under me. I only saved myself from going right down by throwing my arms out and staying myself on the snow lid on either side.�

Mawson helped him out, and David began his sketching. The party reached the pole in January.

With that kind of polite deference, it's a wonder that anyone survived the trip.

# ? Mar 5, 2015 07:31

lilljonas: May 6, 2007; We got crabs? We got crabs!

roshy posted:

Speaking of crevasses, Douglas Mawson, and his Antarctic trip, I saw this anecdote on Futility Closet the other day.

With that kind of polite deference, it's a wonder that anyone survived the trip.

Stiff. loving. Upper. Lip.

I love it!

# ? Mar 5, 2015 08:41

ArmedZombie: Jun 6, 2004

roshy posted:

Speaking of crevasses, Douglas Mawson, and his Antarctic trip, I saw this anecdote on Futility Closet the other day.

With that kind of polite deference, it's a wonder that anyone survived the trip.

I want to climb a mountain with that guy.

# ? Mar 5, 2015 14:02

redreader: Nov 2, 2009; I am the coolest person ever with my pirate chalice. Seriously.; Dinosaur Gum

Definitely from the U.K!

# ? Mar 5, 2015 17:49

Broken Machine: Oct 22, 2010

If you liked Into Thin Air, you'd probably enjoy reading The Climb by Boukreev, the Russian. Krakauer implied some poo poo about Boukreev that made for a good narrative, but it wasn't at all deserved. If it weren't for Boukreev's efforts (while Krakauer was sleep in his tent), several more people would have died. It's much more a story about a mountaineer, rather than a story of a journalist who has also done some climbing.

# ? Mar 5, 2015 17:58

Adventure Pigeon: Nov 8, 2005; I am a master storyteller.

roshy posted:

Speaking of crevasses, Douglas Mawson, and his Antarctic trip, I saw this anecdote on Futility Closet the other day.

With that kind of polite deference, it's a wonder that anyone survived the trip.

This is quite possibly one of the most British things I have ever read.

# ? Mar 5, 2015 18:00

LongDarkNight: Oct 25, 2010; It's like watching the collapse of Western civilization in fast forward.; Oven Wrangler

Broken Machine posted:

If you liked Into Thin Air, you'd probably enjoy reading The Climb by Boukreev, the Russian. Krakauer implied some poo poo about Boukreev that made for a good narrative, but it wasn't at all deserved. If it weren't for Boukreev's efforts (while Krakauer was sleep in his tent), several more people would have died. It's much more a story about a mountaineer, rather than a story of a journalist who has also done some climbing.

Oh joy, the other sign of a new climbing season.

# ? Mar 5, 2015 18:10

elwood: Mar 28, 2001; by Smythe

blah, blah ghost writer, blah, blah response in newer versions of into thin air, ghost writer was a hack etc

# ? Mar 5, 2015 19:58

Pivotal Lever: Sep 9, 2003

Broken Machine posted:

If you liked Into Thin Air, you'd probably enjoy reading The Climb by Boukreev, the Russian. Krakauer implied some poo poo about Boukreev that made for a good narrative, but it wasn't at all deserved. If it weren't for Boukreev's efforts (while Krakauer was sleep in his tent), several more people would have died. It's much more a story about a mountaineer, rather than a story of a journalist who has also done some climbing.

krakauer was right when he said it was stupid for boukreev to guide without supplementary oxygen, but he was harsher on him than he should've been, yeah

the doctor dude that refused to die is cool as poo poo though

# ? Mar 5, 2015 21:19

The Light Eternal: Jun 12, 2006; A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.

Pivotal Lever posted:

the doctor dude that refused to die is cool as poo poo though

Beck Weathers also wrote a book and it's pretty terrible.

# ? Mar 5, 2015 21:56

Cliff Racer: Mar 24, 2007; by Lowtax

I hiked up Mount Washington when I was a kid! It was super tough but I am really glad to have done it. Thinking of going back to the White Mountains this summer actually, would love to do it again or go for some other peak.

# ? Mar 5, 2015 23:33

BaronVonVaderham: Jul 31, 2011; All hail the queen!

Cliff Racer posted:

I hiked up Mount Washington when I was a kid! It was super tough but I am really glad to have done it. Thinking of going back to the White Mountains this summer actually, would love to do it again or go for some other peak.

Me too! I'm thinking of doing this in July or August: http://www.everytrail.com/guide/presidential-traverse/map

# ? Mar 5, 2015 23:47

Cliff Racer: Mar 24, 2007; by Lowtax

BaronVonVaderham posted:

Me too! I'm thinking of doing this in July or August: http://www.everytrail.com/guide/presidential-traverse/map

Yeah, your original post was what compelled me to chime in. I probably wouldn't be up for that though, I haven't hiked in ages and would only be up for day-tripping.

# ? Mar 6, 2015 00:08

Bobby Digital: Sep 4, 2009

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/first-ultra-hd-video-of-mount-everest-and-the-himalayas-1689756851

# ? Mar 6, 2015 05:24

ArmedZombie: Jun 6, 2004

this thread makes me think of the weirdest things that I haven't thought about in years

chopping the compress route:
http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web12w/newswire-kruk-kennedy-statement

The Aid Climbing Rant: http://youtu.be/boQHYBhlOcs

# ? Mar 7, 2015 03:16

Meatwave: Feb 21, 2014; Truest Detective - Work Crew Division.

Bobby Digital posted:

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/first-ultra-hd-video-of-mount-everest-and-the-himalayas-1689756851

Holy gently caress that's a beautiful video. It needs to be watched full-screen.

Direct link.

# ? Mar 8, 2015 00:10

elwood: Mar 28, 2001; by Smythe

google street view, everest edition

http://www.google.com/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/treks/khumbu/#map

# ? Mar 12, 2015 09:53

Josef K. Sourdust: Jul 16, 2014; "To be quite frank, Platinum sucks at making games. Vanquish was terrible and Metal Gear Rising: Revengance was so boring it put me to sleep."

Rondette posted:

Here is the short Wikipedia article about it
How he survived the ordeal he went through is nothing short of amazing.

Time to bump the arctic/antarctic polar exploration book thread:
http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3655083

Rondette, still waiting for you to start that climbing book thread.

Josef K. Sourdust posted:

Sweepstakes on the number of dead this season? Any number between 0 and 100 (incl. climbers and sherpas, both Tibetan and Nepalese sides)? My pick 41 total.

Anyone care to join before the body count begins in earnest? (I think 41 is probably too high but... :ohdear:

)

# ? Mar 12, 2015 20:59

dirtycajun: Aug 27, 2004; SUCKING DICKS AND SQUEEZING TITTIES

I feel a light year on deaths: 16.

# ? Mar 12, 2015 21:01

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

I'm in for 26.

e. assuming "died on everest" includes at base camp and anywhere above, but not general deaths getting to/from base camp, or elsewhere in the himalaya.

# ? Mar 12, 2015 21:03