Youngest Sherpa recognition

“I read that a 15 yo sherpa just successfully summitted Mt.Everest with his client. WOW!”

“After losing half of his fingers last year because he took off his glove to fix his boot. Now that's HARD CORE!”

“I though he was seventeen, must have heard wrong.”

“The youngest climber before was 17. That record was set in 1973.

Story Filed: Thursday, May 24, 2001 7:16 PM EDT

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- A 15-year-old Sherpa who lost five fingers to frostbite last year has become the youngest person to conquer Mount Everest -- one of more than 50 climbers to summit the world's highest peak this week, Nepalese officials said Thursday.”

“50 climbers summited Everest this week!!??

I thought it was a lil bit more difficult that that eh?”

“Ahhh, reminds me of the first time I climbed Everset. I was only 5 at the time and had just scaled K-2 the day before. Some tourist wanted me to guide then up for two dollars and a hockey stick. I agreed and hauled all of their gear to the top. Once I got up there I realized that I had left them behind, so I picked the gear back up and went down. By that time it was atarting to get dark, so I told them we would have to wait until morning. The next day we hiked and finally hit the second camp around sunset. I swear these guys hike so slow and they never stop bitching. The rest of the days went pretty much the same. As we decended from the summit a mighty blizzard blew up and trapped us. I had to set up our shelter. Now mind you I went lightweight so I didn't use gloves. That blizzard froze all my fingers off and forced me to set up the tent with my teeth. After ten days without the storm letting up I decided I was going to hike the fear down in the storm and come back for the tourist. So I set out with my pack on and reach base camp in a few hours. I then turn around and hed back up. Wouldn't you know it! By the time I get to the tent, the storm had ended. So I tore down the tent, again with my teeth, and packed it up. I then put the tourist on my shoulders because he was walking so slow and brought him into base camp. Ha;f way down I had to surrender my sweatshirt which was my only outer layer, to him because he was cold. Ahhh the memories. Maybe I'll return someday, if I can ever figure out how to set that blasted tent up again with my teeth. Ahhh”

“The day before he summitted, a 55 year-old man plummetted to his death.
I hear, and read, that it is not the most demanding technical climb, just highly dangerous.”

“LOL Mr.SherpaDeathmarch! How many teeth did ya lose from frostbite?”

“I read a little article in the papers that said two climbers died that day. 1 in 25 odds of dying? Historically, it's 1 in 6. I personally think that anyone who climbs that mountain at this point is an egotistical fool.”

“Ditto lurker.

You know, mountaineering - and in particular Everest mountaineering - pisses me off. I know, there are quite a lot of things us bp'ers have in common with mountaineering folks. We both use our feet to get around in mountainous terrain; therefore there's a huge gear overlap (three months ago I bought myself a goddamned Bibler tent! my wallet is still stinging. . .); and we often get clumped into the same category by the mainstream media. Indeed, many people do both, and I'm sure there are a few of those on this site.

But yet I find there is a large difference in underlying philosophy. My experience has been that mountaineers tend to believe heartily in the Abrahamic tennet that god gave man the world in order that he might name it, subdue it, and shepard it. (and of course, this is an exaggeration; but this exaggeration has been so ingrained into western culture that stating it this bluntly seems almost obscene) However, I will say this: 'amateur' mountaineers - the kind of people that pay $60,000 to get shleped up the side of Everest - tend to believe much more in those principles. The whole point of being out there for them is to get to the top of the damned world!

On the other hand, 'professionals' who guide these idiots so that they can pay for their own expeditions to K2 or patagonia or wherever have more of my respect. I can admire not only for their skills, but the true enjoyment and fulfillment they get out of the process. In that sense, they (the 'professionals') share more in common with Joe Blow hiker.”

“sorry bout the long post. Especially if it seemed a little self-righteous.”

“I think pisgah has mountain envy.”