May 1999

THIRD POLE EXPEDITION
April - June 1999

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Friday 7th May

Commercial imperialism on Everest ?

A few days ago, Hubert announced that he was going to let off steam about what the future of mountaineering on Everest. This is what he wrote to us:
" Everyone knows that it is traditional to share the work for attaching the ropes anchored at the most difficult spots or, as not everyone arrives at the same time on the mountain, to pay a solidarity fee for the work already done. Last year on this side of the mountain, everyone paid $50, which is a reasonable price and one accepted by everyone. The higher fee applied this year (200 US$) is apparently to make it possible to pay an additional amount to have the rubbish taken down from the mountain (which was in fact already included in the price paid to the Chinese government), to have news about the weather and to pay for the ropes and bonuses for the sherpas.
What's the real problem? The problem is that for some clients paying as much as $25,000 for the expedition, we have to fit out the mountain from top to bottom, even in the easiest areas.
But what does easy mean? Should we accept that people who don't even know how to put on a crampon should require ropes to be placed in spots that real mountaineers also use?
Why should we pay to have ropes placed at places where they are not really necessary? In the name of freedom? But what is the mountain anyway? Why not make a 'via ferrata' of Everest (after all, didn't the Chinese put in a metal ladder at the second step in 1975 so they could climb it?)? What can be done in the face of this possible imperialism-to-be ? Maybe the solution is for the 'real' climbers to stop coming here. Because a spirit of brotherhood should be in charge here and not a mercenary approach brought here by these people who are not mountain men and who think that they can buy anything with money".