“I was supposed to be laying out the ropes that will be used by expeditions including the Chinese one, but have not been given a permit,” WHAT RUSSELL BRICE!?!….

Rumors have been flying about Russell Brice over the last couple of weeks. Russell has not spoken out at all in regards to the situation in Tibet–his own expeditions–or even the rumor that he may be helping the chinese with their olympic torch run up the north.

I have been contacting people in regards to this mess with many of them putting it off as senseless rumors and allegations-with the latest coming a couple of days ago through David Tait who was planing on joining the Himex team this season on the North, but has since canceled to join a South Side expedition.

It is known that Russell Brice’s Sherpas generally set the ropes leading to the summit of Mt. Everest on the North. His team has been doing this for years. The recent unrest in Tibet, along with China not allowing any expeditions to take place on the North, had many wondering what Russell Brice would be doing in April.

Coming from an article just released at Breitbart.com, it seems that Brice was expecting to help the Chinese by laying rope as he has done in years past: Brice, as quoted by Breitbart:

“I was supposed to be laying out the ropes that will be used by expeditions including the Chinese one, but have not been given a permit”

It looks like Russell Brice answered all of our questions for us. He had planned on helping the Chinese, but they refused to give him a permit. This will open up many questions…

Just the other day, while I was talking to David Tait, I happened to ask him about Russell.

Russ is definitely NOT helping the Chinese and has suffered as much
as everyone else because of this ludicrous torch event.

Im joining Kari Kobler but probably treking to BC with Russ- just to prove
He’s not in Tibet etc.

But…If Russell had been granted a permit…

I wasn’t to far off base by following the rumors deeper. It seems like Russell had every intention of helping out the Chinese–if they would allow him to. Now he is left going to basecamp to refute these ridiculous claims–that were somewhat true. Perhaps he should be a politician.

The article goes on to mention that Russell Brice has contacted the Himex team and told them that there would be no expedition this year–which we actually found out a couple of days ago.

From the same Breitbart article:

Brice said he had been unable to guarantee to clients that they would be allowed in when the trek to Basecamp on the Tibetan side of the mountain is due to start early next month.

“It’s very difficult to find out what’s going on, to find out what is true and what is a rumour,” he said.

“We can’t blame the China Tibet Mountaineering Association because there are factors involved that are way beyond their control,” he added.

Brice also said his company was also supposed to be fixing kilometres (miles) of ropes on the mountain this season for several other expeditions, including the Chinese Olympic torch climb.

Whose side is he on?

Many climbers have grown frustrated over China’s refusal to allow expeditions from the Tibetan side this season. Many have gone on record siding with the Tibetan people–that China should not be there, even going so far as saying that their climb on the south will be dedicated to the people of Tibet.

Through recent protests and unrest this season around Tibet, China’s big problem of human rights has been brought to the forefront. Many countries and Olympic Teams are threatening a Boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics because of this exact issue.

Russell Brice is not new to controversy.

After the shootings at Nangpa La a couple years back, Russell helped out the Chinese National Army, not the Tibetan Nuns they had gunned down while trying to escape a country that they had no recognition in.

In 2005, many people blamed Mr. Brice’s team for not helping out a struggling David Sharp, after a team led by Brice discovered him motionless in the deathzone. It was publicly stated that perhaps 40 people had walked by Mr. Sharp, not one stopping to help. They did however manage to capture David’s last words on videotape–just a couple of hours before he died on Mt. Everest.

He was in a very poor condition, near death. And it was like, what do we do? That’s, he had no oxygen, he had no proper gloves, things like that. On that morning over 40 people went past this young Briton. I was one of the first, radioed, and Russ (Ed note: Himex expedition leader) said, look mate, you can’t do anything. You know, he’s been there X number of hours, been there without oxygen, you know, he’s effectively dead.” Mark Ingliss

A few hours later, he was.

Two Sides to Every Story

Russell Brice is quite possibly the biggest name on Mt. Everest, year after year. He has successfully summited the mountain twice and now runs expeditions and logistics for many teams. He has been the man behind Everest: Beyond the Limit, without him the show could have never happened.

He has his devoted believers. He has his critics as well. The believers are the one’s who trust Russell to get them to the top of the world’s highest peak. The non-believers feel that ethics come first.

Russell does lead climbers to the top. He has led hundreds of them to their successful perch atop Mt. Everest– one has to be a bit concerned though when the ethics of whether or not to save someone comes into play One also has to question a man who would be willing to help out a nation known to be committing atrocities against mankind.

Russell Brice’s views concerning China seems to be quite different than many of the climbers that were expecting to go up the North Side this season. Many of them are frustrated. They have spent their money..done the training..sent in equipment…and then were refused a permit from China.

Perhaps it all has to do with Money

Russell Brice knows that if China refuses to let him take expeditions up Mt. Everest, he will lose a big chunk of change. Perhaps Russell’s intentions to lay rope for the Chinese has nothing to do with politics, but for the well-being of his own company-Himalayan Expeditions, and it’s financial well being. Help the hand that feeds you, no matter how crooked that hand might be.

Sources: Breitbart.com, The Times Online, ExplorersWeb, The Adventurist