Sherpa Guides on Everest: Expedition Groups Cancel Climbs, Sherpas Walk Out After Government Fails To Meet Avalanche Relief Demands
Sherpa guides walked out of Mount Everest's base camp Wednesday after the government did not meet their demands following the mountain's deadliest disaster on Friday.
Some Everest expedition companies announced that they are canceling the rest of this season's climbs, the Associated Press reports.
Ed Marzec, an American climber from San Diego, said he saw many Sherpas leaving the base camp and others packing up tents. Some loaded their equipment into a helicopter that was at the camp.
"There are a lot of Sherpas leaving this morning, and in the next two days there will be a huge number that will follow," said Marzec, 67, by phone from the base camp.
He said he has also decided to abandon his climb.
Everest guide Tusli Gurung said that half of the Sherpas have already left.
The walkout of the sherpas will further disrupt a climbing season that has been marred by Friday's deadly avalanche. Sherpas were taking gear between camps when a big block of ice tore loose, which triggered an avalanche. Thirteen bodies were recovered from the avalanche, and three Sherpas that are still missing are presumed dead.
"It is just impossible for many of us to continue climbing while there are three of our friends buried in the snow," said Dorje Sherpa, an experienced Everest guide who hails from the Himalayas.
"I can't imagine stepping over them," he said of the three Sherpa guides who are still missing.
Seattle-based Alpine Ascents International and New Zealand-based Adventure Consultants are both canceling their climbing expeditions.
However, Marzec said some smaller companies are still planning to go ahead with expeditions.
The deadly avalanche was triggered when a piece of glacier broke away along a section of the mountain that is composed of constantly shifting ice and crevasses known as the Khumbu Icefall, a perilous area of overhanging ice that has ice blocks as large as 10-story buildings.
Special Sherpas known as Icefall Doctors put ropes through what they believe are the safest paths and use aluminum ladders to bridge the crevasses. But the Khumbu shifts so much that the Icefall Doctors have to go out every morning to repair the sections that broke overnight and change the climbing route, which is what they were doing Friday when the avalanche occurred.
Nepal's government agreed to some of the Sherpas' demands on Tuesday, such as setting up a relief fund for Sherpas who were injured or killed in the accidents. However, the offered funding falls short of what the Sherpas are demanding.
After the disaster, the government said it would pay the families of the fallen Sherpas 40,000 rupees, which translates to $415.
The Sherpas are arguing that the families deserve much more, including more insurance money and financial aid for the victims' families. They are also demanding new regulations to ensure climber's rights.
The government changed their offer Tuesday to include a relief fund to help Sherpas who have been injured in mountain accidents, families of victims and those who have to be rescued during mountaineering accidents.
The government said it would appropriate five percent of the earnings from Everest climbing fees for the fund, which is well below the 30 percent that Sherpas are demanding.
Nepal earns $3.5 million annually in revenue from Everest expeditions.
The insurance payout will also be doubled to $15,620, which is also short of the Sherpas' demand of $20,800.
The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association said they will try to negotiate with the Sherpas and the government because a total boycott of the season could permanently damage Nepal's mountaineering.