Eco-Climbing to Restore Mount Everest

Ever Since George Mallory answered the question ‘why did he want to climb Mount Everest?’ with the now famous phrase “Because it’s there,” we have been enamored with the tallest peak. With over three thousand assents to the top of the mountain, by over two thousand individuals the mountain has become something of an ecological waste zone.

"I'm not climbing for my record. I climbed this time to help," said Apa Sherpa, 48, the world-renowned Sherpa who was part of an expedition aiming to draw attention to the issue of global warming and to promote sustainable climbing practices. "We were trying to clean up because we have only one Everest," he told AFP.

The expedition members, who have just returned to Katmandu, made a point of bringing down their own waste -- excrement and all -- since nothing biodegrades in the icy climes of the 8,848-metre (29,028-feet) peak.

"I didn't know about ecology and global warming," said Apa, adding he now wants to educate people living in the mountains and other remote areas of Nepal about its effects. In his 18 summits of Mt. Everest, Apa is regarded as the most expert high-altitude climber in the world.

"I understand now about global warming. This is dangerous so we have to tell the people about it."

Apa said he has seen first-hand the dangers that can be wrought by fragile, melting ice. Two decades ago, fields in his village of Thame at the foot of the Himalayas were flooded when the icy barriers of a glacial lake broke. That seems to be happening more often, he said. "This summer another lake broke and washed away all the bridges to Everest," he said.

In addition, climbers have been reporting the steady break-up of the Khumbu icefall, a treacherous maze of cliffs and crevasses that guard the southern approach to the peak.

Guides like Apa have also done a great deal to protect the mountain from its ever increasing stream of visitors, initiating regular climbs since 1992 to clean up Everest -- a peak they revere and pray to before climbing. "People who come from all over the world to climb Everest must concentrate on cleaning up Everest," said the climber

There are between 500 and 700 high-altitude climbing sherpas -- a term that refers to an ethnic group but now is used for all those who assist Himalayan expeditions. Apa is a member of a select tribe of "Super Sherpas" -- especially skilled mountaineers who are in high demand and who have helped to bring respect to a people once regarded largely as porters by the colonial British.

The first to win recognition for the sherpas as being among the world's best climbers was Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, who conquered Everest with New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary in 1953.

But last year, when Apa topped the mountain for a seventeenth time, he did it with an all-Sherpa group to make a documentary to raise money for schools in Nepal.

Posted by Casey Kazan.

 

Source links:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080601/wl_sthasia_afp/nepaleverestmountaineeringrecordenvironment
http://www.france24.com/en/20080601-super-sherpa-climbs-clean-everest

Comments

[Extinction]

Isn't it quite illuminating how The Daily Galaxy can report on EVERY eco-disaster both real and imagined without question and with the included censorship yet even after NASA's own watchdog group finds misrepresentations of Global Warming not a single peep from any of the contributors here.

Uh, Rebecca?????

We now have absolute proof of this agenda and I will not be returning.

[Mitch not Bitch]

Amen Brotha!

This site has potential but has gone very far off track with it advocacy of alarmist eco-extremism. No mention of the 31,000 scientists, incuding 9000 Phd's that have signed a petition stating man-made global warming is a hoax.

Some balance is all that is needed here but instead we get endless repitition of how evil men are destroying the World.

This site is just another of many activist websites that preach the religion of Global Warming.

BTW I've been censored without any cause other than disagreement. Typical left-wing facists.

The only difference between these eco-socialists and Nazi's is that instead of Jack-Boots the perps will be wearing a smiley face, as they steal your rights, liberty and freedom.

[bodog]

Wow! Sounds like a couple of folks got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Whats the matter goober, can't sell that gas guzzlin' SUV?