I thought that account put Steck et al in quite a bad light, and that the Sherpas angry response was entirely understandable.
If you trespassed on a UK building site, putting lives at risk and causing the men to lose half a days work, and then finished their job for them, I think you could expect to get beaten up if you walked into their pub later.
Couple of better informed links below, which seem to tell the story as follows:
The Sherpas were a team involved in Rope Fixing on Llotse. They had requested that climbers avoid all climbing in the area during the work period and several other groups of professional climbers had rearranged their acclimatisation sessions to avoid the area. Steck, Moro and Griffith ignored this, and soloed the face, though away from the rope fixing route. However when they reached the level of their tent they crossed the rope-work line. The Sherpas felt at risk having unsecured climbers around their workzone, so their team had to withdraw from their work and return to camp. In a rather misguided attempt to appease the Sherpas, Steck continued up the face fixing the Sherpas ropes for them.
Was out on the Migneint yesterday - fantastic views of all the higher summits - and amazed at how little snow is left anywhere compared to a few days ago. Patches only, even on Snowdon / Glyderau, and mainly N facing gullies/hollows. With hot sunshine again this morning I doubt there will be much left now. Very unlikely to find anywhere to use axe / crampons.
knowing when to 'bail out' is the problem here. i wonder what would have happened if they didnt have a mobile phone and then sat around waitng for MRT.
They DIDN'T call MRT, they were found by a passing walker who was properly equipped and realised the trouble they were in.
lets face it the path they were on could easily be descended if they got up it then if forced they could get down it. they just got the colliwobbles so phoned for help. no phone and i expect they'd be sat in the PYG that evening laughing at what happened.
To be fair, there are lots of paths in Snowdonia that are easier in ascent than descent, the zig-zags on the Pig track in icy conditions being an obvious one. The decision not to descend that way may have been the right one......a decision not to go up in the first place without being confident you can descend would have been a far better one.
As it was they changed plans, and tried to come down Llanberis path (which is itself a known blackspot in windy winter conditions because if you start sliding there's nothing to stop you as the slope just gets steeper and steeper) but got exhausted / hypothermic and couldn't continue.
That's true........and if all you have is a dirty handkerchief then use that to stop the bleeding...... but if you have a choice between stopping it with an out of date and possibly unsterile dressing and using (/buying for a couple of quid) a new sterile one why use the old one. For the sake of a few quid you might reduce your infection risks.
And Craig H - why do you think it acceptable to use out of date stuff that you wouldn't use on humans as 'pet first aid'?
Ron Rees Davies
