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# Face of the Day
- URL: https://goodoil.news/face-of-the-day-751/
- Published: 2023-06-03T18:30:00.000Z
- Updated: 2023-06-03T18:24:45.000Z
- Author: Good Oil Staff
- Tags: NZ Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2024-07-16 22:22

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](https://abcnews.go.com/International/sherpa-carries-struggling-climber-thousands-feet-mount-everest/story?id=99758258&ref=goodoil.news)

> “Saving one life is more important than praying at the monastery,” said Gelje, a devout Buddhist.  
>  
> [CNN](https://edition.cnn.com/travel/sherpas-pass-up-everest-summit-in-order-to-rescue-missing-climber/index.html?ref=goodoil.news)

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](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/30/sport/mount-everest-record-breaker-mountain-climber-spt-intl/index.html?ref=goodoil.news)

Watch Gelje and Ngima Tashi here (1 min).

Discuss it on *The BFD.*

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