Everyone is talking about death high on Mount Everest

kerEveryone is talking about death high on Mount Everest. There are 100 things that can kill you climbing Everest and with the quality of climbers showing up these days. People are maybe more dangerous than the mountain. Follow us on Facebook.

Acclimatization and Training

If people are not taking personal responsibility, coming with the right experience then what are be going to see? Everyone climbing Mount Everest needs lots of previous altitude experience to understanding of how they personally adapt to the lack of oxygen.

Ideally everyone should have Alpine and fixed line mountaineering experience, be more self sufficient and have lots of previous altitude experience including 8,000m experience.  As the climate changes and as more people compromise of acclimatiztion people are going to keep dying on Mount Everest. Learn more about  Why are people dying on the mountain ?

Tourist on the Everest Trail.

Death High on Mount Everest

What is more shocking than people dying high on Mount Everest is the amount of people dying on the trail and trek to Everest base camp. This should definitely not be happening and people racing up the trail, spending less nights acclimatizing to the lack of oxygen is not acceptable.

The Everest Trek is Not for Tourist

From my 40+ journeys up and down the trail to Everest and standing on the summit, I would say 40% of people are coming in the wrong gear and without putting in the necessary physical conditioning needed to make this journey.

One of the biggest challenges over the last 10 years is too many tourists showing up in Lukla with no idea of the training needed to be safe and successful. The Everest trek is not for tourists, the trail requires a decent level of physical ability endurance and leg strength.

Body of trekker being carried to helicopter

Everyone is talking about death high on Mount Everest

Hans Sundstrom from Sweden describing what he witnessed of a death on the Everest trial at 4,920m/ 16,142 feet in Lobuche just a few weeks ago. ‘I was met with a very disturbing scene as I walked into the village of Lobuche where 6 or 7 Sherpas were carrying a lifeless person in a sleeping bag to the helicopter pad.

When we got into the teahouse the ambiance suggested that something bad had happened. There were initial comments made by various guests suggesting that someone had died.

It soon became apparent that it was a 67 year old Korean trekker who had died just minutes ago. The trekker had suffered from gradually increasing AMS symptoms all the way since Namche bazaar 3,440m and ignored his Nepalese guide’s advice to stop and descend.

Reaching Gorak Shep 5,180m and possibly EBC when symptoms became so strong he had agreed to descend. Stumbling into Lobuche where he collapsed in front of the tea house. The staff tried to administer both oxygen and dexamethazone all of which to no avail. He died right on the spot.

Acclimatization on the Everest trail.

Talking About Death High on Mount Everest

His fellow trekkers were still on the way down when this happened and we witnessed their reaction first hand as they were told that their friend hadn’t made it and just passed away despite their efforts to provide oxygen and Dexamethazone.
They were devastated when they were told this, and basically mentally collapsed not being able to grasp what had happened. They were also told that there were more people in their group still out on the trail,  not knowing what had happened.
Listen to the guides when they tell you to turn around, they know the risks, and what is takes to make it up and back down safely.
Trekking to Everest

Three Parties Suffered From This Incident

1).  The deceased himself, as no one heads for a trekking adventure with a view to not making it back home alive
2). His friends in the group. All were deeply affected and decided to abandon any further trek
3). The Nepalese Sherpa’s working for the trekking group. They too suffer from the impacts of such deaths
Hotel Namche

Follow the Guides Instructions

My view is that trekkers should and must listen to their guides be they foreign or local (Nepalese in this case) when going on altitude treks. Given that one cannot be sure how one reacts when having AMS symptoms its worthwhile to discuss how to deal with this within the group and with guides prior to setting off. Chances are someone suffering from AMS is unable to make rational decisions while it actually happens.
On our Everest Base Camp Treks we have three nights in Namche 3,440m/ 11,286 feet on the way up trail. We also check heart rates and oxygen saturation morning and night to continually evaluate our clients make sure they are safe and adapting naturally to the lack of oxygen.

Death on Mount Everest

Talking About Death High on Mount Everest

I had the benefit of having unrestricted time and did the stunning but more time consuming Jiri – Namche trek rather than flying into Lukla which both took me through a much less visited part of the EBC trail as well as provide excellent acclimatization.
Once we hit the main EBC trail with much larger volumes of trekkers it was apparent that many go to the Khumbu region with inadequate preparations and trekking gear/outfit. Trekking in denims and wearing sneakers is fine for a Sunday walk in the park but not conducive to a safe and enjoyable extended high altitude trek on uneven rocky paths.
We also met people without rain wear – wearing black garbage bags with openings cut out for arms!
Mountains are indifferent to how we approach them but I for one certainly think we should come prepared and both understand and respect that conditions can be perfect and easy only to change to become terrible and potentially dangerous in an instant. Having the right experience, preparation and gear may then save lives’. Hans Sundstrom.
Sleeping at Everest Base Camp

Stay Away from Local Companies on Mount Everest

There are a lot of local companies rushing people up the trail fast, clients are getting sick and have be be evacuated off the trail. Also clients are telling local guides how fast they want to walk and dictating the pace and how their trip should run. This has to stop.

Altitude sickness is real. Pacing each day of the 13/14 days trekking, along with additional nights (3 NIGHTS) is needed around Namche Bazaar (3,500m/ 11,500 feet) to give people the best chance to making it safely to Everest and more importantly being able to walk back down after having one of the best experiences of their life.

Altitude chart

Join the Experts

If you are considering the trek to Everest you need the best acclimatization schedule to give you the best chance at a safe and enjoyable experience. Get training, get prepared and respect this mountain environment.

Your achievement will be crowned by having successfully trekked up to Everest base camp and Kala Patthar but the achievement is in having a life changing journey. The Everest trek should be an experience that challenges you to be better take on bigger challenges in your life and grow from and develop from such an experience.

Not pushing low oxygen environments, cutting corners and days of acclimatization. Think of your safety and the safety of our staff and fellow trekkers when you sign up for a trek.

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