Hello everyone,
At 9 a.m. this morning our expedition leader brought our attempt to summit Mt Everest this year to an end. Despite being packed with climbers and guides you could have heard a pin drop as the announcement was made.
You will recall that in my blog yesterday I urged you not to believe everything that you read in the newspapers related to this situation. It is widely reported that the mountain has been closed by the government. That is absolutely not true. It is also widely reported that there is a schism between the Sherpas in general and western climbers. Likewise that is not true. I also understand that some papers are reporting Sherpas on strike in memory of their colleagues who fell a week ago. Again: not true.
The fact of the matter is that a few militant Sherpas have taken advantage of the dreadful avalanche accident last week to press a claim for a better deal from their government in relation to how the enormous revenue from climbing permits is used, and have intimidated others into supporting their cause. A climbing permit costs every climber US$10,000.
I understand this claim was first pressed with the government last weekend and again at a special Puja early this week. At the same time, as a mark of respect, everyone at base camp agreed a 4-day period of mourning for the avalanche dead during which there would be no movement on the mountain. This ended COB Monday after which teams were to continue to climb or prepare according to their own schedules. However when by then no progress had been made by the militants threats were made to the wider Sherpa community that they would be harmed if they resumed movement on the mountain. As these threats were deemed credible all teams agreed to keep off the mountain, especially in light of the trauma already being felt by the Sherpas.
When there was still no progress by the militants the threats were extended to westerners too. This escalation brought a considerable concession from the Nepalese government in that the responsible minister from the Nepalese government and other senior officials flew into base camp yesterday morning for a meeting with militant leaders. I was present and can tell you it was a bear pit. The officials, the Ministerlooking frail and using oxygen due to the height, sat on 4 chairs in the middle of a crowd of approaching 200 people. Following an introduction from a senior member of the Nepalese Mountaineering Association, and speeches from government ministers, often interrupted by hecklers, the ministers were addressed, some might say harangued, by one of the militant leaders. Using intimidating gestures and with every point being cheered wildly by rabble-rousers in the crowd this address lasted a considerable time. At one point loud calls of 'Stone him! Stone him! were heard from the crowd directed at the Minister. At the end of the event, which resulted in the government agreeing to the demands but being unable to formally sign it off due the need to put it to parliament, as the Minister and his team made their way to a helicopter they were jostled and someone tried to snatch the oxygen tube from the Minister's nose.
Various western expeditions had been becoming increasingly concerned for the safety of their Sherpas in light of increasing hostility, and latterly for that of their clients. Some decided to pull out early, not always citing the real reason for doing so, while other called off late.
The real situation is a little more complex than portrayed above due to claims that Maoists were involved, trying to gain control of the significant Everest-related income to this region of the Khumbu. There is also a petition signed by 300 Sherpas that purports to say that the icefall is unsafe to climb, but given the intimidation already described that paper can hardly be considered valid.
The joint armed police and military presence that we were told during our pre-expedition briefing would be in base camp never materialised, and perhaps in light of the avalanche the initial militant posturing was tolerated rather than being promptly squashed.
However, whatever the rights and wrongs, the could-have's or should have's, we have pulled out to maintain the safety of our Sherpas and their families in light of several several fights and scuffles, and a credible threat of escalating violence.
We leave with huge sympathy for the families of those that lost their lives last week and admiration for those whose rapid coordination of the rescue undoubtedly saved further loss.
It goes without saying that the entire team are devastated at not even getting one foot on the ice and the need to leave before even getting started. Our excellent Sherpas who would have been happy to proceed will now return home without the summit bonuses that they were expecting.
We feel that we have been robbed of our opportunity, for most of us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to realise our dream, and are at a loss to understand who has gained.
Whoever you are I hope you are pleased with your week's work.