Mid-May, Nepalese Sherpas rescued a climber in distress from the “death zone” on Mount Everest. Gelje Sherpa was guiding a client when he spotted the frozen climber and persuaded his client to abort his trip in order to rescue the stricken man.
Over a period of six hours, Gelje, 30, hauled the climber about 1,900 feet down from the Balcony area to the South Col, where another guide, [Ngima Tashi] Sherpa, joined the rescue.
Gelje and [Ngima Tashi] wrapped the climber in a sleeping mat and took turns dragging him in the snow or carrying him on their backs, Gelje said. […]
Temperatures in the “death zone” – located about 8,000 meters, or 26,000 feet, above sea level, can dip past negative 30 degrees Celsius – or 86 degrees Fahrenheit. [Ed: Incorrect. -30°C is -22°F. Lethally cold nevertheless.]
Department of Tourism official Bigyan Koirala described the high-altitude rescue to Reuters as “a very rare operation”.
“It is almost impossible to rescue climbers at that altitude,” Koirala said.
ABC News
“Saving one life is more important than praying at the monastery,” said Gelje, a devout Buddhist.
CNN
CNN also reports that the numbers of Sherpas going into guiding are declining.
Sherpas, an ethnic group living in the Everest region, have always been the backbone of mountain expeditions. They fix ropes, ladders, carry loads and also cook, making anything between $2,500 and $16,500 or more, depending on experience, during a single expedition. […]
“The new generation of Sherpas is not taking to climbing. They want to go abroad in search of a better career,” he said. “In 10-15 years there will be fewer sherpas to guide climbers. Their number is already low now.”
Many renowned Sherpa guides have left Nepal in search of better opportunities in the West […]
Mountain climbing and trekking attract thousands of foreigners to Nepal every year, contributing more than four per cent to the $40 billion economy. The country earned $5.8 million in permit fees – $5 million from Mount Everest alone – during this year’s March-May climbing season. […]
“The government does little for the welfare of the Sherpas,” Kami Rita said, urging authorities to launch welfare schemes like a provident fund, retirement benefit and education facilities for their children.
Expeditions hiring Sherpas must take out life insurance for them, but the pay out is just 1.5 million Nepali rupees (about $11,300). Three Sherpas died last month crossing the treacherous Khumbu Icefall on Everest.
CNN
Watch Gelje and Ngima Tashi here (1 min).
Discuss it on The BFD.
