Sherpas to clean up Everest 'death zone'
Source: Agencies |
April 20, 2010, Tuesday
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A TEAM of 20 Sherpa mountaineers plans to remove bodies of climbers who died in Mount Everest's "death zone," a treacherous stretch that has claimed some 300 lives since 1953, the team leader said yesterday.
It also aims to remove tons of garbage left behind on the slopes under a Nepalese government program to clean up the popular tourist destination.
The 20 Sherpas plan to begin the expedition on May 1 and set up camp at the South Col, 8,000 meters above sea level, team leader Namgyal said. Just above the South Col is the "death zone," known as the toughest stretch for climbers because of low oxygen levels and rough terrain.
The team said it plans to remove at least five bodies from a narrow trail between there and the summit, but has not identified them. In the past bodies have generally been removed only from lower elevations because dangerous conditions have made removing bodies from the "death zone" nearly impossible.
The team also plans to remove some 3,000 kilograms of garbage.
"We will carry empty sacks and fill them with empty oxygen bottles, food wrappings, old tents and ropes from the area," Namgyal said.
Items discarded on the mountain were a major environmental problem until the Nepalese government imposed strict rules about 15 years ago requiring visitors to return with all their gear or risk losing a deposit.
It also aims to remove tons of garbage left behind on the slopes under a Nepalese government program to clean up the popular tourist destination.
The 20 Sherpas plan to begin the expedition on May 1 and set up camp at the South Col, 8,000 meters above sea level, team leader Namgyal said. Just above the South Col is the "death zone," known as the toughest stretch for climbers because of low oxygen levels and rough terrain.
The team said it plans to remove at least five bodies from a narrow trail between there and the summit, but has not identified them. In the past bodies have generally been removed only from lower elevations because dangerous conditions have made removing bodies from the "death zone" nearly impossible.
The team also plans to remove some 3,000 kilograms of garbage.
"We will carry empty sacks and fill them with empty oxygen bottles, food wrappings, old tents and ropes from the area," Namgyal said.
Items discarded on the mountain were a major environmental problem until the Nepalese government imposed strict rules about 15 years ago requiring visitors to return with all their gear or risk losing a deposit.
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