Corpses on Mount Everest?

[The Good]

I've heard that the path on the way up to the summit of Mount Everest (Nepal and Tibet/People's Republic of China), the world's highest mountain, has many dead bodies lying about. Even the Wikipedia article states, "It is not uncommon that corpses are visible from the standard climbing routes." I know this is a morbid topic, but are there actually photos of the bodies on Mount Everest? I can assume that there have to be some pictures in existence, but I'm not sure how many there are. For most climbers, is this sort of thing a big psychological issue, or do they tend to ignore the fact they are walking right past what had been living, breathing humans? Also, are there any known plans for the burial of some of these bodies? I don't think I've heard of any attempts myself, but it's probably just too difficult most of the time, and that's an understandable reason.

I highly doubt it, but does anyone from Total War Center claim to have climbed Mount Everest before, or is planning a climb?

[Captain Jin]

I don't if you'd call a lot of people on Everest 'climbers'. There are so many corpses because it's become a tourist attraction for the wealthy. I remember reading articles back when I used to climb about how ridiculous it was getting. Inexperienced climbers hardly capable of summiting Mt. Whitney much less Everest.

I don't know of any pictures of them, and I don't think there are plans to bury them because I'd imagine the ones that are visible are in places that are very difficult to get to to extract them. If you fall somewhere it could get pretty hard to get down to you.

[C-Rob]

I'd love to be lying dead just feet from the summit(after I had reached it). That'd be a sweet place to die, or maybe just an ash pot if I dont' get to die up there.

[boofhead]

Mount Everest is both the highest mountain and the highest graveyard in the world. As of 2002, 175 climbers had died on the mountain, and the vast majority of these bodies were left behind. There are reported to be at least 41 bodies on the north side of Everest.

Some people simply run out of gas on the trail and freeze to death in place. Others are consumed by avalanches. And, as veteran mountaineer David Breashears points out, removing dead bodies from this elevation is an enormous task.

Breashears describes how it took a team of 12 people eight hours to move the body of one dead Taiwanese man down a portion of the mountain. The high altitude, low oxygen, fierce winds, and intense cold make the trip extremely challenging even for an unencumbered person, so few climbers attempt to take the bodies of the deceased back with them.

Some bodies are lost forever on Everest. During the tragic May 1996 expeditions when eight people died in a freak storm near the summit, two of the bodies were never found.

To further complicate matters, the local Sherpas, the people most adept at climbing the mountain and transporting gear up and back, are wary of dead bodies and don't like to go near them.

So getting the dead down is dangerous enough that the climbers getting the body may end up dead themselves.

They also found the body of Mallory up there a few years back, very well preserved considering he perished in 1924. I've seen video footage of his corpse. I'm sure you'd be able to find it on youtube or somewhere else. There is a debate as to whether he was actually the first to reach the peak, and not Hillary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mallory

[The Good]

For the record, a member of Total War Center (of whose name I will keep anonymous) showed me some photos of four deceased Everest climbers. Of those four, however, I was only able to identify one as George Mallory's (who died in 1924).

I'm not sure if posting the pictures, even with spoiler tags, is within the Terms of Serves/ToS (site rules), but if you're curious, I could private message you those pictures.

[Edratman]

I'm throwing in an additional confirmation of the number of people climbing Mt. Everest.

In the past year or so, there was fairly wide spread media coverage about some woefully under equipped chap who was making his descent from the summit, fatigued or whatever, and crawled into a snow cave adjacent to the path. The story went on to say that 40+ people passed the unfortunate during the 2 or so hours it took him to die. Some offered succor, but most just trudged on past. The article went on to say that this was the proper decision because the resources required to save the fellow were far in excess of what a climber would have had and would have ultimately killed both victim and good samaritan.

My point isn't about the lack of rescue, it is about the fact that 40+ passed him in 2 hours. 40 people, on Mt. Everest!!

Shortly after reading this story, I decided to count the number of people who either drove or walked past my house while I mowed the lawn. To set the scene, I live in a fair sized suburban development with a park across the street. In the 75 minutes or so it took me to mow my lawn, 4 people passed by.

Hardly a valid statistical study, but it really sets the perspective on how many people are on Mt Everest.

[Copperknickers II]

For the record, a member of Total War Center (of whose name I will keep anonymous) showed me some photos of four deceased Everest climbers. Of those four, however, I was only able to identify one as George Mallory's (who died in 1924).

I'm not sure if posting the pictures, even with spoiler tags, is within the Terms of Serves/ToS (site rules), but if you're curious, I could private message you those pictures.

PM me them. It would be very interesting to see how the ice has preserved them.

[Ramashan]

Everest has become a major tourist attraction for those adventurous and wealthy enough to afford. And those who can't always go to the base camp, where from what I understand it has a party type atmosphere with all types present.

One of the reasons for so many people passing at one time is that there is a window both during the day and during the year when you can summit and that's when everyone goes. I remember the 94' disaster where all those people got caught in the storm and about a dozen died i think. Many were experienced climbers and it all came down to summit fever. Many groups were close to the summit but there was a bottleneck of climbers which kept people on the mountain when they should have descended to their lower camps.

Experience guides were killed taking tourists to the summit because they felt they had an obligation to their customers, so to speak.

There is a huge ethics issue on leaving people to die on the mountain. But it is your choice to climb. You must take responsibilities for your actions and experience. And if you are hurt you are now a risk to any others who will attempt to save you. Remember, at the altitude they're talking about you can only take one step at a time with a rest in between and you're already wearing several pounds of gear. I think the only ones who would be capable of performing a rescue would be sherpas. Who actually are the first ones to the summit every season laying out the safety lines.

Mountain climbing is dangerous. Even on mountains like Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower US 48, which I had someone describe as 'A wheel chair ramp', kills people every year. And I think that's what is happening on Everest. Its become so common for people to climb that many fail to appreciate its difficulty and danger.

[EireEmerald]

wtf

[The Good]

wtf

Meaning? Could you explain what you mean please?

[Saturn]

I find this fascinating...

[The Good]

I find this fascinating...

Well, if you do, would you be interested in some pictures? I'll warn you, you will not enjoy seeing them. I know I do not enjoy seeing any corpse of a dead person, but if you are curious like me, then maybe you would want to check the photos out.

I'll private message you the pictures if you want. Just let me know.

[Saturn]

I already found 3 pictures by myself, but I wasn't really shocked. I've seen far worse. The Mallory one was the least shocking of the 3.

[Gerald The Herald]

Me too; I'd love to have a look. It seems so exhiliratingly morbid, yet I'm ever-drawn to the prospect of seeing an actual preserved corpse. Curiosity, I suppose.

[The Good]

OK, I sent you two the pictures... check your private messages.

[Copperknickers II]

I posted some pics of dead people in another thread in a spoiler and noone has removed then yet, though i probably should have checked first.

[Erwin Rommel]

Somehow I find it funny, if I ever reached the summit and already somebody is occupying it.

[dogukan]

Can I have the pics too?

[mrmouth]

Just search dead bodies on Everest.

I climbed McKinley (Denali) in May 2000, didn't summit though, not even close. It was a climb organized by the Royal Marines and the USMC.

McKinley sits directly on a convergence zone, so weather pops up literally out of nowhere, which makes it arguably more dangerous than Everest. And that's what happened when we were at the 14,000 ft camp. Storm lasted for days, and a few guys started getting sick, so we went back down to 11,000, but tge storm showed no signs of weakening. So we packed it in.

While K2 is considered the most difficult climb because of the technical know how needed, McKinley's weather makes it just as dangerous if not more so.

McKinley is actually a larger mountain than Everest. Everest sits on a plateau which adds about 17,000 ft. So its vertical rise is only around 12,000 ft. While McKinley's is 18,000 ft. It only sits on a 2,000 ft plateau.

Its a beautiful range too. You drive in on a road, and it just appears out of nowhere. Nothing like the mountains in the lower 48 or Europe. Real big.

Here are some good photos to show what I mean. It just kind shows up out of nothing.
http://burson.org/Alaska/Alaska%2005...20DSCF0004.htm

Much more beautiful than Everest.

[IndianPrince]

That indeed is quite brilliant. Magnificient !!! + rep

Prince