Anyone There? Trekking by the Numbers, Remember the Fallen Climbers
Trekking by the numbers
The IMG dispatch has a nice picture of the tote board for
the number of trekkers in the Solo Khumbu region of Everest
since 1998. It ranges from a low of 13,786 in post 911
2002 to a high of 25,291 in 2000. This does not include
climbers which could add as much as 1000 more per year.
Remember the Fallen Climbers
Every
climber on the south side will pass a very sacred place.
It is a series of memorials to climbers who have died on
Everest. But it mostly for the fallen Sherpas. I hope you
will read in all the dispatches about the contribution
the Sherpas make to every climber on Everest, regardless
of whether they were hired by them or not. The Sherpas
are the unsung heroes year in, year out. The tireless carry
loads, fix ropes, pitch tents, carry oxygen bottles and
more. But it is also what is not seen that makes them so
special. Every year a few western climbers will have their
lives saved by the Sherpas - and not the ones on their
team. The Sherpas watch over all the climbers and are the
first to send the word of a climber in trouble. While it
is a serious mistake to believe you can assume a Sherpa
will bail you out if you are in serious trouble,
it is common for them to do just that. Sadly
it is also common for them never to get any recognition
and sometimes not even a thank-you.
The memorial below Lobuje is a stark reminder to the price they pay. A series of rock alters represent the fallen. It is a clear reminder of the dangers ahead. Fi Adler noted in her dispatch this week "... A couple of hours from our destination, we passed through a memorial spot with tombstones and manny stones to commemorate those climbers and sherpas that have died on Everest. A beautiful, peaceful place, but a very somber moment that was not lost on all, especially the climbers."
Well said Fi.
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