Everest +30

Hey Keith,

Wide travel, something not much enjoyed these days for intrinsic value, nonetheless leaves a marked change in the traveler.

I suppose you know that all of us made that trip with you, in some vicarious way.

But you know what? Isn't it the self-change that we are truly seeking when we do what we do? And isn't it the case that the direction and form of these changes is entirely unpredictable?

That's the fun of it, right?

I couldn't agree more with Mike Spencer. You DID IT !! You lived to show and tell the rest of us about it !!
And the memories will always stay with you !!!
I'm envious of the level of pride and satisfaction you have achieved !!

I'd like to echo Jeff and Mr Spencer. I can remember doing some mundane stuff at home and at work, whilst thinking of Mr Cowing and Parazynski's great adventure. We can ALL find adventure, if we go seek it -- for real.

Welcome back. I loved your coverage of the trip. I read every word.

I want to know one thing. Did you have a cot or at least a mattress at base camp? It looked to me like the ground was all rocks.

As much as I admire the courage of you and Scott, is the experience really worth the loss of life? How many Sherpas and climbers have died in avalanches, falls and from oxygen deprivation? From the space community, Karl Henize died and was buried there.

Editor's note: How many people die every year in auto accidents? Answer: vastly more than die while mountaineering. Is the risk of driving worth the cost?

There are also risks in space travel, but one can argue that space exploration involves opening new frontiers and gaining important knowledge.

Hundreds have climbed Everest now, so it is not a new frontier and the only benefit is gratification to the climbers. I am not against risk-taking, but the benefits versus the risks need to be analyzed in light of the known Everest death toll every climbing season.

PSIA? What's that in Newtons?

(ducks and runs)

Bob Shaw

So, it was asked, "...is the experience really worth the loss of life?" That question begs us to ask, "was it even worth it to leave the cave?"

Without risking something, there's not much to be gained.

Not to be contentious, but your editor's note regarding the risks of climbing Everest is not accurate.

There are an estimated 200 million drivers in the United States and there are about 42,000 fatalities per year. Thus there are 0.00021 fatalities per driver per year.

In contrast, this year on Everest there were at least one Sherpa and one climber killed. I do not have an exact number for the denominator (number of climbers and Sherpas and support staff), but I would guess it was no more than 1,000 at most. The lower limit of risk for this climbing season was therefore approximately 0.002. For non-Sherpa climbers, I suspect the risk is higher.

So the risk of dying on Everest is at least 10 times greater than driving.

While I admire explorers, Everest has been well-travelled (how much garbage is there?). Those who want to climb it should be aware of the risk and at least read Jon Krakauer's excellent book Into Thin Air.

I am happy that you, Scott, and your colleagues made it back safely.