The Nepalese government is sending a team of 20 Sherpas to Everest’s “death zone” to clean up the dead bodies of those who never made it back from their expeditions. 300 people have died there since 1953; there is also a lot of garbage from spent oxygen tanks and other crap that people couldn’t or didn’t want to take down with them because of the extra weight. The plan is to leave on May 1st, set up camp at 26,240 feet, and climb up to the most dangerous crux of the ascent.
While I’m fascinated by Everest expeditions and have a lot of respect for the work of the Sherpas as guides and saviors in the region, I am not sure I understand why it’s worth risking the lives of more people just to salvage the bodies of those who are deceased.
Sherpa team plans to clean up Everest’s death zone [Oakland Tribune]
Image via Steven Hicks’ Flickr