Outdoors news and notes: Armless man to attempt Everest; climber dies on Denali
News and notes from the outdoors…
Armless man to attempt Everest climb
Put this on the list of yet another somewhat dubious attempt at a “first” on Mount Everest.
It appears there is a Nepali man, who is missing both arms, with a stated goal to climb Mount Everest.
You can read about it on this link: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2010/05/11/13903096.html
If you read the article, it mentions that the man has already ascended a high Himalayan peak. Still, I’m a little perplexed at this one. People have climbed the mountain without legs, but they also had prosthetic legs. But not arms? How would you self-arrest? How do you use your ascenders on the ropes? How to you manage to climb Everest’s technical pitches when you have no hands for the handholds? The answer must lie within the help he’d likely receive from guides. I admire the man’s courage, but I have to wonder if this is yet another ill-conceived attempt to enter the record books.
Denali's West Buttress (National Park Service photo)
Climber dies on Alaska’s Denali
It looks like there’s been a tragedy in Alaska involving a French mountaineer. A story about it can be found here: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2010/05/climber-falls-to-his-death-from-west-buttress-of-alaskas-mt-mckinley-.html
The accident occurred on Denali, North America’s highest peak.
My heart goes out to the man and his family. Let’s hope for no more tragedies on the peak.
Bob Doucette
Thank you for joining our conversation on Out There. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment