A recent fight between Nepalese Sherpas and three European climbers on the slopes of Mt. Everest grabbed headlines, but it’s by no means an isolated incident, climbers familiar with the world’s tallest peak say.
Tensions often run high between climbers from around the world and Sherpas who work to help them ascend Everest.
“Sadly, there have been many fights up there,” says Alan Arnette, a blogger with experience on Everest. Even one of the Europeans involved in the fight, Simone Moro of Italy, acknowledges that he and his fellow climbers crossing a fixed rope “Were the final straw that broke … the Sherpas’ patience.”
The heart of the conflict could be a difference between Westerners who see climbing as an individual effort and Sherpas who see climbing as a collaboration. Or it could be frustration with greater traffic on Everest and less respect for Sherpas’ rights.
See the story at Discovery News.
