Mt. Everest Theology

I have a confession to make. One that my wife isn't very happy about. No don't worry it's really nothing. You see I have this strange fascination with Mt. Everest, well really more with the people who chose to climb it. From the early attempts by Mallory and Irvine and the now famous line of "because it's there" (both of those men lost their lives attempting to reach the summit), to Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first to men to reach the summit, and live to tell about it, to the now nearly 2000 others who have tried.I have been reading a lot about the mountain lately, and find that there are many life lessons to learn from climbing, especially high altitude climbing.

But first here are a few facts about Mt. Everest. Mt. Everest or Sagarmathaas as it’s called in Nepal and Chomolungma it’s Tibetan name, is located on the Nepal/China border in the Himalayan Mountains. The Himalayans btw have 14 of the tallest mountains in the world. That’s the 14 tallest mountains in the world.Everest's Summit is 8848 meters above sea level (29.029 ft or 5 1/2 miles)First summit May 29, 1953 11:30 am Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.As of 2004: 2249 people have summited Everest. 190 have died. Most of their bodies remain on the mountain.Today it costs a little over $25,000 ($10,000 just to get the permit) per person to participate in an expedition. A climb to the top takes anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks, depending on weather and acclimation.


Base camp (Campamento Base) is located at 17,500 feet. This is where climbers begin their true trip up the mountain. This is also where support staff often remain to monitor the expeditions and provide medical assistance when necessary. Many organizations offer hiking trips which just go to base camp as the trip is not technically challenging (though you must be very fit).

From base camp, climbers typically train and acclimate (permitting the body to adjust to the decreased oxygen in the air) by traveling and bringing supplies back and forth through the often treacherous Khumbu Icefall. This training and recuperation continues throughout the climb, with the final summit push often being the only time to climbers do not go back and forth between camps to train, bring supplies, and recuperate for the next push.

A little side note. From Base Camp, you can almost see the entire route. So guides can actually watch climbers climb Mt. Everest. The only spot they loss sight is just before the Summit.

The Icefall is in constant motion. It contains enormous ice seracs, often larger than houses, which dangle precariously over the climbers heads, threatening to fall at any moment without warning, as the climbers cross endless crevasses and listen to continuous ice creaking below. This often acts as a testing ground to judge if less experienced climbers will be capable of continuing. The Icefall is located between 17,500 and 19,500 feet.

Camp I - 5900 metersAfter the Icefall, the climbers arrive at Camp I, which is located at 19,500 feet. Depending on the type of expedition, Camp I will either be stocked by the climbers as they ascend and descend the Icefall, or by Sherpas in advance.

The area between Camp I and Camp II is known as the Western Cwm. As the climbers reach Camp II at 21,000 feet, they may be temporarily out of sight of their support at Base camp. Nonetheless, modern communication devises permit the parties to stay in contact.

Camp II - 6500 meters
As the climbers leave Camp II, they travel towards the Lhotse face (Lhotse is a 27,920 foot mountain bordering Everest). The Lhotse face is a steep, shiny icy wall. Though not technically extremely difficult, one misstep or slip could mean a climber's life. Indeed, many climbers have lost their lives through such mishaps.

Camp III - 23,700 feet (7200 meters)
To reach Camp III, climbers must negotiate the Lhotse Face. Climbing a sheer wall of ice demands skill, strength and stamina. It is so steep and treacherous that many Sherpas move directly from Camp II to Camp IV on the South Col, refusing to stay on the Lhotse Face.

Camp IV - 26,300 feet (8000 meters)
As you’re leaving C4…it’s a little bit of a down slope, with the uphill side to the left. There are typically snow on the ledges to walk down on, interspersed with rock, along with some fixed rope. The problem with the rope is that the anchors are bad, and there’s not much holding the rope and a fall could be serious. Fortunately it’s not too steep, but there is a ton of exposure and people are usually tired when walking down from camp. The rock is a little down sloping to the right as well, and with crampons on, it can be bit tricky with any kind of wind. There’s a little short slope on reliable snow which leads to the top of the Geneva Spur, and the wind pressure gradient across the spur can increase there as you’re getting set up for the rappel. Wearing an oxygen mask here can create some footing issues during the rappel, because it’s impossible to see over the mask and down to the feet. For that reason, some people choose to leave Camp 4 without gas, as it’s easier to keep moving down the Spur when it’s important to see all the small rock steps and where the old feet are going. Navigating down through all of the spaghetti of fixed ropes is a bit of a challenge, especially with mush for brains at that point. One lands on some lower ledges which aren’t so steep, where fixed ropes through here are solid. At this point, it’s just a matter of staying upright, and usually, the wind has died significantly after dropping off the Spur. The route turns hard to the left onto the snowfield that leads to the top of the Yellow Bands.

Camp IV, which is at 26,300 on the Lhotse face, is typically the climbers' first overnight stay in the Death Zone. The Death Zone is above 26,000 feet. Though there is nothing magical about that altitude, it is at this altitude that most human bodies lose all ability to acclimate. Accordingly, the body slowly begins to deteriorate and die - thus, the name "Death Zone." The longer a climber stays at this altitude, the more likely illness (HACE - high altitude cerebral edema - or HAPE - high altitude pulmonary edema) or death will occur. Most climbers will use oxygen to climb and sleep at this altitude and above. Generally, Sherpas refuse to sleep on the Lhotse face and will travel to either Camp II or Camp IV.

Camp IV is located at 26,300 feet. This is the final major camp for the summit push. It is at this point that the climbers make their final preparations. It is also a haven for worn-out climbers on their exhausting descent from summit attempts (both successful and not). Sherpas or other climbers will often wait here with supplies and hot tea for returning climbers.

From Camp IV, climbers will push through the Balcony, at 27,500 feet, to the Hillary Step at 28,800 feet. The Hillary Step, an over 70 foot rock step, is named after Sir. Edmond Hillary, who in 1953, along with Tenzing Norgay, became the first people to summit Everest. The Hillary Step, which is climbed with fixed ropes, often becomes a bottleneck as only one climber can climb at a time. Though the Hillary Step would not be difficult at sea level for experienced climbers, at Everest's altitude, it is considered the most technically challenging aspect of the climb.

Summit - 29,028 feet (8848 meters)
http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen2/full22.html

Once the climbers ascend the Hillary Step, they slowly and laboriously proceed to the summit at 29,028 feet. The summit sits at the top of the world. Though not the closest place to the sun due to the earth's curve, it is the highest peak on earth. Due to the decreased air pressure, the summit contains less than one third the oxygen as at sea level. If dropped off on the summit directly from sea level (impossible in reality), a person would die within minutes. Typically, climbers achieving the great summit will take pictures, gain their composure, briefly enjoy the view, then return to Camp IV as quickly as possible. The risk of staying at the summit and the exhaustion from achieving the summit is too great to permit climbers to fully enjoy the great accomplishment at that moment.
The return trip can be even more dangerous than the climb to the summit. Tired climbers are more likely to make mistakes, both in judgment and in actual physical steps. The climb down is no safer then up, plus time and weather are often against you.

In climbing Mt. Everest one can draw many similarities to real life.

Set a goal and work towards it. It will not happen overnight. It is a good idea to have smaller goals along the way to check your progress, and it is often necessary to climb back down the mountain to recoup, get supplies and rest. Getting to our goals is often not a one way trip.

You are not alone. We will find that we are usually not the only ones on this path. Others can help us by showing us the way, leading us, encouraging us or just walking the paths with us. We will meet others who have already attained the goals we seek and can offer valuable insight into the climb.

Sometimes you get passed. Sometimes others may pass us on their way to a goal and that’s ok. You have to go at your own pace. Too fast and you’ll tire out, too slow and you may stop all together.

You are either moving up or down. To stop is death. Climbers, especially in the “death zone” don’t really stop. They may take a short break to check O2, eat a snack and drink some water, but really stopping is asking for trouble. If you can’t make it up, the best thing to do is start back down. The same is true for working towards a goal. You need to be either moving toward your goal or recouping and “getting supplies”. If you come to a total stop, nothing is happening. You will never achieve your goal and you won’t learn the skills or get the supplies you need to get going again. It is a dangerous time also because sometimes stopping feels good. You think your resting, but actually you are dying.

Nobody stays on top for long. This may be one of the hardest lessons for us to learn. We work hard to attain a goal, but really you can only enjoy it for a brief time. The average stay at the top of the world is less than ½ hour. We can not dwell in the moment of achieving our goals either. Or some one else arrives and needs the space.

Going down is worse than climbing up. You’re tired, aching, and cold. Nothing would be better than just sitting down and taking a nap. That’s not an option. After we achieve a goal, we are tired and worn out, especially if we had to push hard at the end. So now what? Now it’s over, sort of, and you have to start a new plan.

Don’t let achieving your goal get someone else killed. Every year people die attempting to reach the Summit of Mt. Everest. Some of these deaths are unavoidable, this is an extremely harsh environment and one false step, and you plummet down the face or into an ice crevas. However, many of the deaths on Everest are caused because others don’t stop to help. Offering assistance can be dangerous to climbers. If the injured or tired climber is suffering from delusions they can put the healthy climbers at risk. Stopping any time on Everest, especially in the high altitudes of the Dead Zone, brings risk to all climbers. However, rescue is not impossible for climbers, and with trained Sherpas and healthy climbers willing to sacrifice the summit, no one should be left to die alone on the mountain.

This past year, two stories of death and survival came to us from the Mountain. The First story is about David Sharpe, an experiences climber from Britain. David summated Everest on May 10 and on his way down experienced some difficulty with his O2. He stopped for some rest. 40 – 42 other climbers passed David, a few walked right by, others stopped and offered some assistance and at least one group radioed to camp informing them of David’s condition and seeking advise. They were told to leave him. Was it possible to save David Sharpe’s life? Was he too far gone by the time climbers reached him? These questions really don’t have answers.
Several days after the news of David Sharpe’s death, another climber Lincoln Hall, was left on the descent by his Sherpas. On his descent Lincoln began o suffer from delusions and was unable to continue. His two sherpa guides stayed by his side until on was partially blind (a common symptom of asphyxia). The guides left Lincoln Hall, unconscious and unresponsive. Lincoln’s family was contacted that he had died on the mountain.

The next morning, 4 climbers can across Lincoln sitting up and talking. His first words were, “I guess you’re pretty surprised to see me.” And they were. Lincoln had some how survived over night with no food, water or O2. For some reason he had unzipped his down coat taken off his gloves hat and face mask and was perched about 2 feet from a 4000 ft drop off. The 4 climbers had to make a choice. Leave him to reach the summit, or stay and try and save him. They all stayed. Lincoln Hall’s rescue was not easy, Sherpas came up from Camp IV and basically dragged him down the mountain. Amazingly after a few hours at Camp IV Lincoln was able to stand on his own, and finished his descent under his own power.

Lincoln Hall is alive today because 4 climbers valued his life greater then the summit. Even though he was left for dead, they saw he was still alive and chose to risk a rescue then keep on walking.

To me this is the absolute most valuable lesson there is, mostly because I feel that we do this all the time. In our own selfish ambition to reach our goal, we pass by a lot of hurting dying people. We don’t bother to stop and help them because we’re on a mission, and they are not part of the plan. Besides, stopping can be dangerous. What if the summit isn’t the goal? What if people are our goal! This one truth can force us to reevaluate our entire goal structure.

I often think of Jesus’ ministry. Sure he had a plan. I know God knew what He was doing. Yet Jesus always seemed to find time to stop and be with people. He let them distract His life. He allowed them to interrupt the plan. I think this is for several reasons. 1) As a human Jesus saw first hand the hurting people had, and because of His very nature (loving, caring) had to stop and help them. 2) It was an example for us. Jesus was showing us how to treat others. 3) People where His plan! Jesus came to save the world, to heal the sick and free the captives. People are why Jesus came to Earth. His death and resurrection is the ultimate sign of His love. But before that He loved people. He spent time with people; he let people be his focus, even when the disciples thought he should be doing more important things. In our short lives here on earth, let us learn form the climbers of Everest and more importantly from Jesus, It is important to have a goals, they are what drive us, they also what move us to encounter people, and people should always be our focus.

Check out these websites for more info on Mt. Everest, David Sharpe and Lincoln Hall

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/

dateline video – almost dead

http://www.everestnews.com/Default.htm<