Everest Beyond The Limit
Everest Beyond The Limit Series 1 Episode 1 Part 5
Dying for Everest
When double amputee Mark Inglis reached the summit of Mt. Everest in May 2006, he was feted by the press and public alike. But a few days later he was plunged into controversy when it was learned he and his team mates had passed an incapacitated climber, David Sharp, leaving him to a lonely death high in the Death Zone. In Dying for Everest we hear the stories and witness the strange effect Everest has on the rules of survival and finally, the end, we are able to judge for ourselves the morality of climbing in the Death Zone.
El Everest es la cumbre más alta del mundo, con 8.848 metros sobre el nivel del mar, localizado al noroeste de la frontera entre NEPAL y el Tíbet ocupado por CHINA. Para atacar la cima del Everest hay numerosas vías abiertas, las más comunes son la vía sur desde NEPAL, que es la más fácil, y la vía norte desde el Tíbet. Todas ellas tienen una cosa en común: a partir de los 8.000 metros hay que atravesar la llamada “zona muerta"
Los peligros del Everest: la zona muerta, mal de altura, congelación y grietas. Para evitarlos, los escaladores realizan períodos de aclimatación. Al mal de altura hay que sumar el clima extremo del Everest, que supone riesgo por congelación e hipotermia permanente. Por último, otro riesgo importante son las grietas ocultas por la nieve, que se forman al partirse los estratos de hielo en el suelo
La explotación turística del Everest
El desafío se ha convertido en un clásico entre empresarios y altos directivos con poder adquisitivo. Otro clásico, más orientado a escaladores profesionales, es intentar batir algún record sin sentido. Para acceder a la cumbre del Everest se parte desde el campamento base y se atraviesan varios campamentos de paso numerados de menor a mayor, según su cercanía a la cumbre. En qué condiciones se realiza la ascensión y establecimiento de estos campamentos es una cuestión de dinero, del viaje contratado o de los planteamientos que siga el equipo
El gobierno de NEPAL cobra 25.000 dólares US por cabeza por un permiso para realizar la subida y después cada escalador o equipo de escaladores se organizan como crean conveniente. En la cumbre del Everest no se pierde nadie. Por las rutas más comunes se accede a ella caminando por un risco en el que hay colocada una cuerda guía; y una de dos: o sigues la cuerda o te despeñas ladera abajo a un abismo del que sería prácticamente imposible salir. Técnicamente no tiene ninguna dificultad, aunque hay que escalar varias paredes pequeñas, una por la ruta sur y dos por la ruta norte, llamadas escalones.
Los helicópteros comunes no pueden ascender a tanta altitud. El único helicóptero que ha logrado llegar a la cumbre del Everest fue un Eurocopter AS350 preparado en el año 2005. Logró mantenerse estable unos minutos en la cima, pero no llegó a posarse del todo porque se hundiría en la nieve, y nunca apagó el motor. Desde un punto de vista económico, el precio del helicóptero en sí es tremendo. Mantener una base de helicópteros en el campo base sería igualmente poco realista.
Si un escalador no puede levantarse afectado por mal de altura, lo único que se puede hacer es darle una asistencia médica muy limitada, pero la única solución eficaz es descender. El tiempo que se puede permanecer en la zona muerta es limitado, así que si el afectado no logra levantarse, sus compañeros o rescatadores se verán obligados a abandonarlo. Si el riesgo que supone intentar mover a un enfermo en la zona muerta hace que sea una tarea inviable, mover un cadáver es algo que casi nadie se plantea. Cuando alguien fallece, su cuerpo queda en el mismo punto donde cayó; y cuando se enfría, se congela petrificándose.
Se calcula que atacando la cima del Everest han muerto más de 200 escaladores: 150 nunca se han encontrado y los accesos a la cima están plagados de cadáveres visibles –más de 40– que han quedado al aire en el punto exacto donde cayeron, por lo que los escaladores que suben van sorteando cuerpos que han empezado a bautizar con nombres porque los usan como puntos de referencia en su ascensión.
El llamado “desastre de 1996″, se cobró 15 vidas en un solo día en el que 33 montañeros atacaban la cima por la ruta sur provocándose un atasco en la única pared que hay que escalar, el “Hillary Step”, un “overbooking” en pleno Everest. Para atacar la cima por la ruta sur se sale a medía noche del campamento 4 y se tardan entre 10 y 12 horas en ascender los 1.000 metros restantes, considerándose las dos de la tarde como límite de hora seguro para hacer cumbre. Si se llega más tarde, se corre el riesgo de perecer al frío de la noche o caer por la ladera al descender. La mayoría de los accidentes se producen en el descenso. El atasco en el escalón provocó retrasos irreparables. Se levantó una fuerte ventisca limitando la visibilidad, lo que impidió que muchos de los que descendían encontrasen el camino de regreso y murieran de frío. Los intentos de rescate solo lograron traer de vuelta a 4 personas
Cathy O’Dowd ya había tenido una experiencia similar. Cuando descendía de su primera cumbre, se encontró con Bruce Herrod, un escalador que, a pesar de tener fama de ser muy duro en las subidas, ascendía muy lentamente. Al hablar con él, el equipo de Cathy se dió cuenta de que no estaba bien y, además, era demasiado tarde para seguir subiendo, pero no lograron convencer a Herrod, afectado por la euforia que provoca la hipoxia, de que abortase su tentativa
… Herrod hizo cima pasadas las 5 de la tarde, se autorretrató en la cumbre y llamó por radio al campamento base donde todos los allí presentes, incluida su mujer, le instaron a bajar inmediatamente, conscientes de que ya era un cadáver. Dos horas después de tomada la foto desapareció. Posteriormente se recuperó la cámara y su mujer reveló la imagen que le costó la vida.
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EVEREST, beyond the limit
For the first season, a 17 member production crew followed 11 climbers, three guides, and a team of Sherpas up the mountain in April and May 2006. The first season's six-part series included double-amputee Mark Inglis' ascent and brief footage of British climber David Sharp, who died in the attempt. The series was shot using high altitude equipment and helmet mounted cameras worn by Sherpas.
In the second season, biker Tim Medvetz and Danish asthmatic Mogens Jensen returned to successfully summit despite Jensen's initial unwillingness to use oxygen and Medvetz's accidental fall and hand injury. Jensen nearly died on the descent when a piton attached to a rock pass came loose and he fell fifteen feet off the slope. Rod Baber ascended ahead of Medvetz with a cell phone battery taped to his chest, which upon summiting he used to make a mobile phone call to his family. Mountaineer David Tait attempted the first double-traverse of Everest, planning to ascend the north side, descend the south, and make the return trip. Tait reached the south side base but declined to complete his plan as he had lagged behind Phurba Tashi. He respectfully felt that Tashi would purposefully have to let him reach his objective first to secure the record. Fred Ziel completed his first summit of Everest from the north side (he had previously failed twice after climbing the south), while Katsusuke Yanagisawa—at age 71—became the oldest man to summit Everest as of 2007. Yanagi experienced intermittent throat pain but was otherwise completely healthy upon his return to base camp. The following day, Brice presented him with a gift before packing up camp.
The third season of Everest premiered on Discovery on December 27, 2009. The series followed Russel Brice's Himex team as they, this time, climbed the South face, which is well known for such obstacles as the Hillary step and the Khumbu icefall. David Tait also made a surprise return to the show to climb the Everest for a third time, this time without oxygen.
Following the last four episodes of the second season of Everest, the Discovery Channel aired an After the Climb segment similar to the Deadliest Catch series' After the Catch. Phil Keoghan hosted discussions on several subjects with the show's participants and several well-known climbers, including Peter Hillary. Common topics included meteorology, dangers such as frostbite and oxygen starvation, equipment (especially the use of oxygen), and the workings of Brice's business.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest:_Beyond_the_Limit
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Helicopter lands ON MOUNT EVEREST - Worlds First!! European Team!!
NEWS RELEASE Helicopter lands on the top of Mount Everest
On May 14th, 2005 at 7h08 (local time), a serial Ecureuil/AStar AS 350 B3 piloted by the EUROCOPTER X-test pilot Didier Delsalle, landed at 8,850 meters (29,035ft) on the top of the Mount Everest (Kingdom of Nepal).This tremendous achievement breaks the World Record for the highest altitude landing and take-off ever, which sets an ultimate milestone in the History of Aviation.After taking off from its base camp Lukla on May 14th, 2005 at 2,866 meters (9,403ft) Didier Delsalle onboard his Ecureuil AS350B3 reached the top of Mount Everest.
As required by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI - International Aeronautical Federation), the aircraft remained landed on ground more than 2 minutes on the top of the world before flying back to Lukla.This feat was renewed the day after.Stepping out of his helicopter, Didier Delsalle commented: "To reach this mythical summit definitively seemed to be a dream; despite the obvious difficulties of the target to be reached, the aircraft demonstrated its capability to cope with the situation . . ., sublimated by the magic of the place”.
Achieved with a serial helicopter, this absolute World Record once more contributes to underline the unique qualities of the Ecureuil/AStar AS350 B3 as a multipurpose, reliable, quick and comfortable helicopter which emerges as the most performing aircraft in the world in the most extreme conditions.During the trial period, Didier Delsalle and his Ecureuil/AStar AS350 B3 flew some rescue missions on behalf of the Nepalese authorities demonstrating the operational capabilities of the aircraft used to set the altitude landing and take-off World Record.
This feat has been achieved further to various flight tests begun one year ago with the Ecureuil/AStar AS350 B3, among which:
> Experimental flight up to 8,992 meters (29,500 ft) in April 2004 in Istres (France), > “Time to climb” records to the heights of 3,000, 6,000 and 9,000 meters performed on April 14th, 2005 in respectively 2 minutes 21 seconds, 5 minutes 6 seconds and 9 minutes 26 seconds. These records smash the previous ones held by an Ecureuil/AStar AS350 B1 with respectively 2 minutes 59 seconds, 6 minutes 55 seconds and 13 minutes 52 seconds, http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/News_Helicopter-Everest.htm .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Ever since Hillary and Norgay claimed first dibs to the summit of Everest in 1953, others have attempted their own "firsts" on the 29,035-foot (8,850-meter) peak (see "More Unusual Everest Firsts" below). But on May 14, 2005, test pilot Didier Delsalle, 48, of the French company Eurocopter made Everest and aviation history by landing his unmodified turbo engine AS350 B3 helicopter on the world's tallest mountaintop. His solo flight broke the unofficial record for highest helicopter landing, previously held by Nepalese Lt. Col. Madan Khatri Chhetri, who in 1996 rescued climbers Beck Weathers and Makulu Gau near Camp I at approximately 20,000 feet (6,096 meters). (The record for the highest helicopter flight is 40,820 feet (12,442 meters), set by Jean Boulet in 1972.) Although Nepalese authorities initially gave Delsalle clearance, they later rebuked him for flying without permission. Some climbers also expressed dismay that he topped out without the hard slog, but six-time summiter David Hahn said, "I look at it kind of selfishly. It improves the possibility of rescues in the future."
Was it hard to control the craft in the thin air and 75 mile (121 kilometer)an hour winds?
Very. But the landing itself was the hardest part. I didn't know if I was touching down on snow above rock or snow above nothing. If it was snow above nothing and the snow broke, it would have been difficult for me to increase the power and get away.
Were you nervous?
I had some sleepless nights thinking it through. During the approach, I was so focused I had tunnel vision. But I arrived very gently and asked the mountain to accept me. It was like making a new friend.
You actually made two landings. Once wasn't enough?
I did it twice to make sure it's repeatable. To qualify as a landing, you have to touch down for at least two minutes. The first day, I landed for three minutes and 50 seconds. On the second day I was there for four minutes.
Why are Nepalese authorities claiming that you and Eurocopter violated their air space?
There was a big misunderstanding. Nepal gave us a flight permit with no specific limitations. They even wrote "Wish you the best" on our permit. But when we came back, it was a totally different feeling. We really don't know why. It was very disappointing.
Maybe because you broke a Nepalese colonel's record?
Maybe.
Does this flight improve the prospects for future rescue operations?
The thought of rescuing climbers was one of the things that motivated me to do this project. But the forces I encountered were so powerful that to guarantee a safe flight you'd have to design a more powerful copter.
Still, you managed to mount a rescue while you were there.
Yes. I rescued two Japanese climbers at 16,000 feet (4,877 meters). It would have been impossible for the small Nepalese helicopters. But for me, it was no problem.
Any chance of a Café Everest on the summit someday?
Tourism is unthinkable. You'd need safety standards comparable to passenger flights on an airliner. Personally, I'd like to see the Tibet and Nepal governments make rules to ensure that tourist flights never happen.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0509/whats_new/helicopter_everest.html
http://www.eurocopter.com/site/en/ref/home.html
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