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Helicopters and Mount Everest

Wise_aWise_a Registered User regular
edited January 2007 in Social Entropy++
A couple of weeks ago I got hooked on that show on the Discovery Channel called "Everest: Beyond the Limit". If you haven't seen it, here's the link:

http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/everestbeyond/everestbeyond.html

Its seriously incredible how many ways you can die at that height. Lack of oxygen, altitude sickness, hypothermia, frostbite, etc. The most ridiculous part for me is that if you die while making a summit attempt, your body just stays where it lies. There is no way for anyone to get you down off the mountain. Apparently helicopters can't go that high, so its really one of the last places on earth where noone can help you. Its totally up to you if you live or die.
Double-amputee climber Mark Inglis revealed in an interview with the press on May 23, 2006, that his climbing party, and many others, had passed a distressed climber, David Sharp, on May 15, sheltering under a rock overhang 450 meters below the summit, without attempting a rescue. The revelation sparked wide debate on climbing ethics, especially as applied to Everest. The climbers who left him said that the rescue efforts would be useless and only cause more deaths because of how many people it would have taken to pull him off. Much of this controversy was captured by the Discovery Channel while filming the television program Everest: Beyond the Limit.

As this debate raged, on May 26, Australian climber Lincoln Hall was found alive, after being declared dead the day before. He was found by a party of four climbers (Dan Mazur, Andrew Brash, Myles Osborne and Jangbu Sherpa) who, giving up their own summit attempt, stayed with Hall and descended with him and a party of 11 Sherpas sent up to carry him down. Hall later fully recovered.

Its pretty awesome stuff. Anybody see this show? Anybody ever climb a mountain in real life? Is there any cool mountainous features near where you live that are good to hike?

Wise_a on
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Posts

  • SuperunknownSuperunknown Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Die.

    Oh crap we can't do that anymore, can we?

    Superunknown on
  • SilmarilSilmaril Mr Ha Ha Hapless. Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    A walked up an old volcano once.

    Silmaril on
    t9migZb.jpg
  • SlungsolowSlungsolow Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2007
    I have to climb lots of steps to get to my apartment.


    I pass two or three dead or dying cleaning ladies every day. Sometimes you gotta realize that it's either I get to the top, or they get to the bottom. Choices are tough.

    Slungsolow on
    fuck your forums, fuck your administrator and fuck dynagrip for getting away with the long troll.
  • SuperunknownSuperunknown Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    I once climbed Mount Druitt.

    I guess only people from Sydney will understand that.

    Superunknown on
  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    i've done a couple of fourteeners in colorado

    and i want to read into thin air pretty bad

    mrpaku on
  • Wise_aWise_a Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Wise_a on
  • potatoepotatoe Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    mrpaku wrote:
    i've done a couple of fourteeners in colorado
    o_O O_o o_O

    potatoe on
  • CalliusCallius Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    We don't have mountains around where I live.

    Callius on
    tonksigblack.png
  • SlungsolowSlungsolow Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2007
    Hugh Grant once went up a hill and came down a mountain.


    quite a touching movie if you ask me.

    Slungsolow on
    fuck your forums, fuck your administrator and fuck dynagrip for getting away with the long troll.
  • wombatwombat __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2007
    the gf and i got hooked on that show over winter break


    it is a very intense show

    wombat on
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  • sarukunsarukun RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Slungsolow wrote:
    Hugh Grant once went up a hill and came down a mountain.


    quite a touching movie if you ask me.

    It was a fantastic movie, and featured Colm Meany in a role I cannot recall.

    sarukun on
  • Wise_aWise_a Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    What I don't get is why helicopters can't fly at that altitude. I know it has something to do with the rotating blades as opposed to regular airplanes, which regularly fly at altitudes much higher than that.

    Wise_a on
  • CalliusCallius Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Wise_a wrote:
    What I don't get is why helicopters can't fly at that altitude. I know it has something to do with the rotating blades as opposed to regular airplanes, which regularly fly at altitudes much higher than that.

    The air isn't thick enough for the blades to provide lift.

    Callius on
    tonksigblack.png
  • Wise_aWise_a Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    There's not much bad-ass stuff like that left.

    Although they say that climbing this is even harder than everest:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2

    Wise_a on
  • DefenderDefender Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Callius wrote:
    Wise_a wrote:
    What I don't get is why helicopters can't fly at that altitude. I know it has something to do with the rotating blades as opposed to regular airplanes, which regularly fly at altitudes much higher than that.

    The air isn't thick enough for the blades to provide lift.

    Space hel-

    Oh wait that's only funny when Metalocalypse does it.

    Defender on
  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    potatoe wrote:
    mrpaku wrote:
    i've done a couple of fourteeners in colorado
    o_O O_o o_O

    he asked if anyone had climbed some mountains

    i went up a couple mountains

    i didn't say i did it fucking professionally

    mrpaku on
  • bongibongi regular
    edited January 2007
    it's because helicopters fly using magic and if they go too high they are out of range of the wizards

    next?

    bongi on
  • Wise_aWise_a Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Callius wrote:
    Wise_a wrote:
    What I don't get is why helicopters can't fly at that altitude. I know it has something to do with the rotating blades as opposed to regular airplanes, which regularly fly at altitudes much higher than that.

    The air isn't thick enough for the blades to provide lift.

    Thats what I thought. At the same time, wouldn't you think they would come up with some kind of system to actually get dead / dying people off the mountain?

    Right now, all they do is rely on sherpas.

    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0616_050616_nepalporter.html

    Wise_a on
  • AirAir Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    I once climbed Mount Druitt.

    I guess only people from Sydney will understand that.

    i used to live at mount colah

    and with the crap bus service man it was such a trek to get home from the train station

    bodies everywhere

    Air on
    darjeelingshortsig95.jpg
  • gruggrug Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    bongi is exactly science

    grug on
    HOOFBEATS

    ROBIN FALLS

    WHO KNEW
  • Wise_aWise_a Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Whats a fourteener?

    And yes, I'm aware that it sounds like a fourteen inch cock.

    Wise_a on
  • HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Defender wrote:
    Callius wrote:
    Wise_a wrote:
    What I don't get is why helicopters can't fly at that altitude. I know it has something to do with the rotating blades as opposed to regular airplanes, which regularly fly at altitudes much higher than that.

    The air isn't thick enough for the blades to provide lift.

    Space hel-

    Oh wait that's only funny when Metalocalypse does it.

    What if the helicopters were on a treadmill?

    Hunter on
  • AirAir Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Wise_a wrote:
    Callius wrote:
    Wise_a wrote:
    What I don't get is why helicopters can't fly at that altitude. I know it has something to do with the rotating blades as opposed to regular airplanes, which regularly fly at altitudes much higher than that.

    The air isn't thick enough for the blades to provide lift.

    Thats what I thought. At the same time, wouldn't you think they would come up with some kind of system to actually get dead / dying people off the mountain?

    Right now, all they do is rely on sherpas.

    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0616_050616_nepalporter.html

    what you mean like a system of pulleys or something

    a ski lift perhaps

    Air on
    darjeelingshortsig95.jpg
  • potatoepotatoe Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    mrpaku wrote:
    potatoe wrote:
    mrpaku wrote:
    i've done a couple of fourteeners in colorado
    o_O O_o o_O

    he asked if anyone had climbed some mountains

    i went up a couple mountains

    i didn't say i did it fucking professionally
    oh...
    i thought...
    ...doing...fourteeners...sex...


    nevermind

    potatoe on
  • SmokingGunSmokingGun Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    I've seen a picture of a mountain.

    Also, I'm pretty sure that few countries consider it a legal obligation to help someone out. You're doing something like that for the thrill of it - You fuck up don't expect other civillians to go out on a limb for you.

    It makes me think of those people who die from auto-erotic asphyxiation. You can't be overly surprised when one of them gets it wrong.

    SmokingGun on
  • OdenOden Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    if I die on a mountain I want a fat guy to use my corpse as a sled while he is powered up on apple cores and chinese newspapers

    Oden on
  • Wise_aWise_a Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Air wrote:
    Wise_a wrote:
    Callius wrote:
    Wise_a wrote:
    What I don't get is why helicopters can't fly at that altitude. I know it has something to do with the rotating blades as opposed to regular airplanes, which regularly fly at altitudes much higher than that.

    The air isn't thick enough for the blades to provide lift.

    Thats what I thought. At the same time, wouldn't you think they would come up with some kind of system to actually get dead / dying people off the mountain?

    Right now, all they do is rely on sherpas.

    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0616_050616_nepalporter.html

    what you mean like a system of pulleys or something

    a ski lift perhaps

    Yeah, basically. I mean it would certainly solve all the moral quandaries and stuff.

    Also, I always wondered why they didn't just pack a parachute in with their shit. If they got stuck, or they got into a last ditch situation, they could always just jump off one of the cliffs and put up your parachute.

    Wise_a on
  • zhen_roguezhen_rogue Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    I've climbed Long's Peak here in CO, a mountain near Furka Pass, Switzerland that I have no idea what the name of is, and the Liamuiga volcano on the island of St. Kitts.

    All are relatively weak scores in terms of climbing, but I count them as notable accomplishments. Because i'm a sissy.

    zhen_rogue on
  • gruggrug Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    SmokingGun wrote:
    I've seen a picture of a mountain.

    Also, I'm pretty sure that few countries consider it a legal obligation to help someone out. You're doing something like that for the thrill of it - You fuck up don't expect other civillians to go out on a limb for you.

    It makes me think of those people who die from auto-erotic asphyxiation. You can't be overly surprised when one of them gets it wrong.
    like steve irwin or u.s. soldiers

    grug on
    HOOFBEATS

    ROBIN FALLS

    WHO KNEW
  • J. GrantJ. Grant Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2007
    In my younger ages, when Cave Bears ruled the world, we used to climb San Gorgonio every summer.

    When I visited CA last October, the snow cap was gone.

    GOD DAMN YOU GLOBAL WARMING!

    J. Grant on
  • Wise_aWise_a Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    zhen_rogue wrote:
    I've climbed Long's Peak here in CO, a mountain near Furka Pass, Switzerland that I have no idea what the name of is, and the Liamuiga volcano on the island of St. Kitts.

    All are relatively weak scores in terms of climbing, but I count them as notable accomplishments. Because i'm a sissy.

    Did you feel any effects from the altitude?

    Wise_a on
  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Wise_a wrote:
    Whats a fourteener?

    And yes, I'm aware that it sounds like a fourteen inch cock.

    mountain that exceeds fourteen thousand feet, there's a bunch of them in the rockies

    it's not particularly difficult, but the air can get thin and if you're not used to the altitude it sucks

    mrpaku on
  • SmokingGunSmokingGun Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    grug wrote:
    SmokingGun wrote:
    I've seen a picture of a mountain.

    Also, I'm pretty sure that few countries consider it a legal obligation to help someone out. You're doing something like that for the thrill of it - You fuck up don't expect other civillians to go out on a limb for you.

    It makes me think of those people who die from auto-erotic asphyxiation. You can't be overly surprised when one of them gets it wrong.
    like steve irwin or u.s. soldiers

    Pretty much. Note I said "surprised" not "sympathetic". That is another matter entirely.

    SmokingGun on
  • bongibongi regular
    edited January 2007
    i've never even seen a real mountain, let alone touched one or licked it or whatever it is you climbing types do

    bongi on
  • SlungsolowSlungsolow Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2007
    sarukun wrote:
    Slungsolow wrote:
    Hugh Grant once went up a hill and came down a mountain.


    quite a touching movie if you ask me.

    It was a fantastic movie, and featured Colm Meany in a role I cannot recall.

    I always assume his characters are either bartenders or engineers or a combination of the two (drunk engineer, really smart bartender)

    Slungsolow on
    fuck your forums, fuck your administrator and fuck dynagrip for getting away with the long troll.
  • zhen_roguezhen_rogue Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Wise_a wrote:
    zhen_rogue wrote:
    I've climbed Long's Peak here in CO, a mountain near Furka Pass, Switzerland that I have no idea what the name of is, and the Liamuiga volcano on the island of St. Kitts.

    All are relatively weak scores in terms of climbing, but I count them as notable accomplishments. Because i'm a sissy.

    Did you feel any effects from the altitude?

    Actually, I felt them the most in St. Kitts - as it's nearer the equator.
    The air was very very heavy, wet, moist, hot - breathing was very difficult.

    I didn't feel any altitude issues at Long's or in Switzerland though.

    zhen_rogue on
  • AirAir Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Wise_a wrote:
    Air wrote:
    Wise_a wrote:
    Callius wrote:
    Wise_a wrote:
    What I don't get is why helicopters can't fly at that altitude. I know it has something to do with the rotating blades as opposed to regular airplanes, which regularly fly at altitudes much higher than that.

    The air isn't thick enough for the blades to provide lift.

    Thats what I thought. At the same time, wouldn't you think they would come up with some kind of system to actually get dead / dying people off the mountain?

    Right now, all they do is rely on sherpas.

    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0616_050616_nepalporter.html

    what you mean like a system of pulleys or something

    a ski lift perhaps

    Yeah, basically. I mean it would certainly solve all the moral quandaries and stuff.

    Also, I always wondered why they didn't just pack a parachute in with their shit. If they got stuck, or they got into a last ditch situation, they could always just jump off one of the cliffs and put up your parachute.

    well it would probably add a lot of weight and require a higher cliff than they are likely to encounter regularly

    and i think theres probably more steep hills that actual cliffs

    Air on
    darjeelingshortsig95.jpg
  • ZoolanderZoolander Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    dammit, i want to watch discovery hd, but i have no time

    Zoolander on
  • sarukunsarukun RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    edited January 2007
    Slungsolow wrote:
    sarukun wrote:
    Slungsolow wrote:
    Hugh Grant once went up a hill and came down a mountain.


    quite a touching movie if you ask me.

    It was a fantastic movie, and featured Colm Meany in a role I cannot recall.

    I always assume his characters are either bartenders or engineers or a combination of the two (drunk engineer, really smart bartender)

    Or dudes with cars that have a liscence plate that says "azz kikr".

    sarukun on
  • Wise_aWise_a Registered User regular
    edited January 2007
    SmokingGun wrote:
    I've seen a picture of a mountain.

    Also, I'm pretty sure that few countries consider it a legal obligation to help someone out. You're doing something like that for the thrill of it - You fuck up don't expect other civillians to go out on a limb for you.

    It makes me think of those people who die from auto-erotic asphyxiation. You can't be overly surprised when one of them gets it wrong.


    They have bodies that you literally have to step over up there because its not practical to even move them out of the way.

    I'd say its pretty much every man for himself once you reach the "death zone"

    Wise_a on
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