Climbing Mount Everest or K2

[Zerxes]

If you could afford it, would you go for it? I was just watching "Vertical Limit", and my wheels started turning, so I started looking on Yahoo for some prices to Nepal, to climb some of the peaks. There weren't any K2 prices(I read that that peak is actually a much more trecherous climb), but alot of Everest ones. $65K!! 20K non-refundable deposit! That doesn't even cover everything. I didn't get all that it does cover, but I saw that the airfare from the USA-Nepal was not included. This is the part I thought funny...they were refferencing what happens if someone needs rescuing when up on the peak right...so I guess after the vertical limit, there isn't enough air for a chopper to grab onto to achieve lift, so they basically have to slide your 1/2-dead ass back to that point, and then the chopper picks you up. Well guess what? THAT isn't included in the 65K either!! I mean, they charge you extra for not leaving your ass up there to popsicle-ize basically. "How sweet" I thought to myself. I wonder if they swipe your Visa before they decide to sledride your ass back down to safety.

So anyhow, I would definitely go for it if I had that kind of finnage to toss around on a life-risking endeavor. I mean that is something that actually leaves your mark on the world, at least from where I stand. If I were to accomplish that feat, no matter what else I would ever do, NOONE could take that away from me. I could die in a cardboard box, with a heroin needle sticking out of my arm, and I'd still have that. Know what I mean?

Well. What about y'all??

 

[Pink Space Biscuit]

I would love to go. Well after I learn to climb and survive in the freezing snow and all that small stuff.

Also, I wouldn't bring Bill Paxton with me.

 

[Citruscide]

I would love to go. Well after I learn to climb and survive in the freezing snow and all that small stuff.

Also, I wouldn't bring Bill Paxton with me.

Nope, he'll inject all the stuff that keeps your lungs from filling up with water into himself and put air into you to save more for him!

C-ditty

 

[Code]

Too cold for me.

If you want a charge, for much less money; free climb Devil's Tower.

Those fee's are for guides only, they do not include gear or cost of sherpa's. 90% of the gear brought to Everest or K2 either can't be brought back or is useless after used. The ropes you do bring are usually left behind as static guides. The empty O2 tanks are about the only re-usable item, and damn near everyone just tosses the bottles when empty.

 

[Testosterone boy]

You should read "Into Thin Air" by John Krakaer(sp). A bundle of mistakes and an incredible storm killed several climbers, a few of them were among the worlds best.

Everest doesn't require any real climbing skills. Endurance and proper clothing are the ticket. Guides are for people who don't "know the ropes" so to speak. It has been commercialized to the point where a guide may be necessary to navigate through all the red tape. The governments would prefer millionaires to hard core climbers in my opinion.

K2 is an entirely different beast. 1 death for every successful ascent and the people who try are of a different caliber than the Everest crew.

Free climbing takes the balls and the skills in some peoples books. Funny that most people have more respect for using ropes and stuff. Still....it is a very dangerous sport. I came one foot step from certain death on a shoulder of Mt. Evans. I got lucky though, Rocky mountain Rescue was camped several miles away so the blood loss was not fatal.

Climbers are real men and women in my book. They also die young quite often.

 

[prophet]

i'd rather sky dive

 

[Testosterone boy]

i'd rather sky dive

You could climb and then dive....all in one day.

 

[prophet]

You could climb and then dive....all in one day.

LOL...i don't think that would work...i might be able to hang glide back to the US from that altitude

 

[Rockafella Skank]

You should also read "Into Thin Air" by John Krakaer(sp). A bundle of mistakes and an incredible storm killed several climbers, a few of them were among the worlds best.

"Into Thin Air" is riveting. I couldn't put it down. Also read Anatoli Boukreev's "The Climb." He was with another guided group at the same time as Krakauer's group. He was quite critical of Krakauer's account and Krakauer himself, as Boukreev was instrumental in getting Krakauer's group down the mountain to base camp (Krakauer had strong criticisms of Boukreev in "ITA").

Incidentally, Boukreev died in an avalanche while summiting Annapurna. He was best known for his extraordinary ability to climb without supplemental oxygen and was fond of setting speed ascent records. He was one of a few to summit Everest from two faces (Nepal and Tibet) and K2, and he summited four 8,000+ meter peaks in 80 days during 1997.

 

[Zerxes]

You should read "Into Thin Air" by John Krakaer(sp). A bundle of mistakes and an incredible storm killed several climbers, a few of them were among the worlds best.

Everest doesn't require any real climbing skills. Endurance and proper clothing are the ticket. Guides are for people who don't "know the ropes" so to speak. It has been commercialized to the point where a guide may be necessary to navigate through all the red tape. The governments would prefer millionaires to hard core climbers in my opinion.

K2 is an entirely different beast. 1 death for every successful ascent and the people who try are of a different caliber than the Everest crew.

Free climbing takes the balls and the skills in some peoples books. Funny that most people have more respect for using ropes and stuff. Still....it is a very dangerous sport. I came one foot step from certain death on a shoulder of Mt. Evans. I got lucky though, Rocky mountain Rescue was camped several miles away so the blood loss was not fatal.

Climbers are real men and women in my book. They also die young quite often.

Thanks for the 411 on the book brother! I've been looking for a good read. So you're saying that climbing Everest is just a matter of simply being able to stay on your feet, and put one foot in front of the other basically, yes? Whereas K2 might require actual vertical climbing precision skills? That's the impression I got anyhow. Again, thanks for the info. I'm going to Barnes & Noble later.

 

[Zerxes]

LOL...i don't think that would work...i might be able to hang glide back to the US from that altitude

Not to speak for him or anything, but I think he was referring to rock climbing, then diving. Similar to the rocks in the opening sequences of "Vertical Limit". Those you could climb, then base jump from, as they are vertical. But you're right...you aint gonna base jump from Everest.

 

[SofaGeorge]

"Into Thin Air" is riveting. I couldn't put it down. Also read Anatoli Boukreev's "The Climb." He was with another guided group at the same time as Krakauer's group. He was quite critical of Krakauer's account and Krakauer himself, as Boukreev was instrumental in getting Krakauer's group down the mountain to base camp (Krakauer had strong criticisms of Boukreev in "ITA").

Incidentally, Boukreev died in an avalanche while summiting Annapurna. He was best known for his extraordinary ability to climb without supplemental oxygen and was fond of setting speed ascent records. He was one of a few to summit Everest from two faces (Nepal and Tibet) and K2, and he summited four 8,000+ meter peaks in 80 days during 1997.

I couldn't read "Into Thin Air" without wondering, "Why the hell is this guy writing a book?" All he did was stay in his tent and mope like a whiner while Boukreev and others were pulling themselves to their feet and saving lives. I haven't read it yet, but I've heard Beck weathers has also writtine his account. Much of the action is also covered from a distance in the EVEREST documentary.

 

[Testosterone boy]

I couldn't read "Into Thin Air" without wondering, "Why the hell is this guy writing a book?" All he did was stay in his tent and mope like a whiner while Boukreev and others were pulling themselves to their feet and saving lives. I haven't read it yet, but I've heard Beck weathers has also writtine his account. Much of the action is also covered from a distance in the EVEREST documentary.

Interesting critique from a guy who admits that he never read the book.

The Everest crew climbed a different face of the mountain.

 

[SofaGeorge]

Interesting critique from a guy who admits that he never read the book.

The Everest crew climbed a different face of the mountain.

I didn't say I didn't read it. I said I couldn't read it without wondering... That means I read it and "wondered" while I was reading it.

I've read all of Krakauer's books. They all suck.

 

[sigweed]

You should read "Into Thin Air" by John Krakaer(sp). A bundle of mistakes and an incredible storm killed several climbers, a few of them were among the worlds best.

that was an awesome book
definitly read it