Sad and Tragic

Last Saturday morning, while I was getting ready for my hike from EBC to Pumori base camp, Joe, Jenny and I were sitting in the dinning tent when Garrett's voice came on the radio reporting that a Sherpa from another team had taken a fall into a crevasse.

The incident shocked and saddened me such that I didn't feel comfortable publishing on this blog. Here is Outside Magazine's coverage: http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/mountaineering/everest-2012/Second-Death-on-Everest-Raises-Safety-Concerns.html

This happened above the Ice Fall before Camp I on a double ladder crevasse crossing that our climbing team had completed shortly before this awful, preventable accident.

It was sickening to listen to all radio traffic as various teams joined in a highly impressive professional effort to what quickly became a body recovery after Alpine Ascent's Sidar, Lapka Rita Sherpa, who had repelled into the hole, reported no signs of life.

Sunday morning as I departed base camp headed down, I watched the body recovery helicopter fly up above the Ice Fall and quickly back down. Sad and tragic.