The Himalaya by the Numbers: A Statistical Analysis - Himalayan ...

considerable effort through deep snow on the southeast ridge.
After May 5’s major successes from the expedition’s commanders’ point of view, the double
traverse of the mountain and the first live television pictures from the summit, the leadership
decided that the men poised for subsequent ascents should be instructed that the climb was
over. The leadership wanted to call a halt while the safety record was so good – no accidents,
no frostbite and no serious illness except for the fatal heart attack of a base-camp doctor
whose death was not related to the climb. But this decision was greeted with dismay by
Japanese climbers, who had paid to come on the expedition and were ambitious for their
own summit successes, and by Nepalese Sherpas keen to set more records for the number
of times they had been to the top of the world. The Japanese climbing leadership on the
spot managed to keep discipline amongst their compatriots, but six Nepalese on the south
side rebelled – it was their country after all – and made their own summit bid on May 10.
Two men succeeded; one of them was Sungdare Sherpa, who became the first person ever to
conquer Everest five times.
The summiters and their leaders were showered with congratulations, awards and victory
celebrations in Kathmandu, Peking and Tokyo. King Birendra of Nepal bestowed high
decorations on them, Chinese premier Li Peng and the acting prime minister of Japan,
Keizo Obuchi, received them at gala functions. Their success had been a great historic
mountaineering achievement, it was said, and a glorious contribution to international
friendship. “It is an historic feat and an example of human success in conquering nature,”
said Mr. Obuchi. A Nepalese government minister noted that “the feat coincidentally marks
the 35th anniversary of the first ascent of Sagarmatha. If in 1953 with the success of human
beings on Sagarmatha, mountaineering history was written, today the joint expedition has
added yet another chapter by achieving the unique feat of traversing the peak simultaneously
from the southern and northern sides. ... The success of this expedition is the tale of the
indomitable human spirit and the coordinated work of all the members from China, Japan
and Nepal.”
But was it really a magnificent accomplishment? Sir Edmund Hillary, the 1953 conqueror,
seems to dissent. While the expedition was getting underway in March, he expressed a
strong lack of enthusiasm for its goal: “A double traverse is not very impressive. ... I think
it’s a massive undertaking and I personally think a singularly unattractive one. You’ve got
hundreds of people milling around on the mountain, and it’s not all that big a deal climbing
the easiest two routes and descending the easiest routes already prepared. They’re spending
more money on the expedition than anyone has ever spent before. Maybe that’s the most
unusual aspect of it. ... ”
“Mountaineering traverses are certainly highly regarded only when a party climbs up one
route and descends a side of the mountain they don’t have a prepared route down. ... I
find it extremely difficult to get the least bit excited about this massive traverse, and I
think this would be the attitude of most climbers throughout the world. We all know the
Nepalese climbers can climb it, and all they have to do is trundle down the other side.
... I think mountaineering is at its best when the people involved have raised the money
themselves, planned it themselves, and climbed it themselves. I find the whole project
basically unattractive. I’m just glad we climbed Everest 35 years ago when we didn’t have
all this hullabaloo going on.”
80 Ascent Analysis