Everest 2008: Trouble Brewing on Everest?

A couple of days ago The Adventurist, as well as a couple of other sites that follow the Mt. Everest expeditions every year, made posts concerning an attempt by the Chinese Expedition to put the Olympic torch on the summit of Mt. Everest. The news, as we reported, was that China had made a successful summit of Mt. Everest, but the famed Olympic torch, once on top of the world’s tallest peak, failed to stay lit.

China is now refuting this claim. China claims that the team was only setting ropes at a high altitude and that the summit was not reached.

Backlash

Along with China refuting reports of this summit attempt, they have also acknowledged their displeasure at a particular climber for posting these ‘false’ news reports that eventually made it into the public realm. The Expedition involved in these so-called ‘false’ statements is pretty well known, now that the news has been posted on their own site, as well as other sites following this year’s action on Everest.

China, as stated through EverestNews, is pondering taking action, not only on the climber involved, but perhaps on ALL climbers on Mt. Everest’s south side. These actions could include the ‘banning of climbers’ or ‘a few more days of waiting at base camp’ before climbers would be allowed up. It is also stated that climbers have already been previously warned about reporting on news related to Mt. Everest, where even the mention of ‘China’ or ‘Tibet’ can get an expedition banned. We have already seen this happen once with William Brant Holland.

Most of us who have been following this season’s climbing expeditions on Mt Everest know that Nepal, in agreement with China, has banned all climbers from going above Camp 2 until after May 10th. This is the key date that China has given the South Expeditions for their Olympic torch relay to be finished. Nepal has also agreed with China in banning all communications equipment, including computers, cell phones, satalite phones, video and photo cameras, until May 10th, as well. This makes information very difficult to come by.

Many expeditions are being forced to make small posts to their expedition site, only after Nepal’s liaison officers okay the communications to be passed along. In a sense, it is a dreaded form of censorship that continues to inhibit many expeditions from relaying news back to family, friends, and expedition companies. Some have elected to not make any posts at all until May 10th, others are somehow getting information out either through following the guidelines set forth on their climbing permits, or by other means.

The ‘Other’ Means

The permit that climbers and expedition leaders were forced to sign for Mt. Everest this season plainly states that these rules are in effect at base camp, and above, on Mt. Everest. Some teams have referenced going back to how things use to be–before communication and instant news became the norm through the internet. Previously, if climbers wanted to get information off the world’s highest mountain, they refuted to having someone trek to a nearby community in hopes of having a phone, or something even rarer in Nepal, a computer, to get information out.

Many teams have contemplated using this tactic this season to get around the provisions set forth by Nepal at Everest’s south base camp. Others have refrained for fear of being kicked out of base camp.

Peak Freaks

My previous post, in regards to the information that China had made a successful summit of Mt. Everest, then had problems with the torch, acknowledged that the information had come through the Peak Freaks expedition’s daily dispatches. I was brought to this information through the Everest is Ours blog, who touched on the information a bit further. Today, while trying to progress with this post, I have since learned that the Everest is Ours blog has closed. Unfortunately, all information contained on the blog has also vanished. Needless to say, the information that was highlighted on the blog still remains on the Peak Freaks site.

Furthermore, in my previous post I also stated the following:

“The reports on the Chinese Everest attempt is coming by way of Peak Freaks, who for some odd reason are on the South side of Everest–completely opposite the Chinese team on the north–but are getting more info out to the public than the reporters in Chinese base camp. Kudos for them, anyways, in giving us a glimpse of what is actually taking place.

Seems like China has now taken notice, as well, and now plans to possibly punish everyone for one teams reports. This seems a bit harsh, especially when you consider that all rules pertaining to the original permit that was signed, has been followed. These rules, even though it pertains to Nepal’s side of Mt. Everest, were wrote in conjunction with specifications that China had requested.

The Rules Were Followed?

Peak Freaks, in anticipation of the new rules set out before them, hatched a plan for communications and getting news out of Base Camp to the world.

From an April 12th post on their Expedition Dispatch:

“Scott prepared a green style dispatch today as a practice run should we loose our new world communications. I will transpose it tomorrow for everyone to read. I on the other hand have been practicing reading weather reports.”

This “green style dispatch’ references a bit of information found on Peak Freaks’ ‘Go Green Theme‘, where the team is trying to implement many environmentally safe means and methods throughout their expedition. Under the heading ‘Less is Better,’ you will find the following information:

“When we heard that the Chinese may not allow communications equipment into Everest Base Camp this year. Tim and I both thought, “that works”. Back to the way it used to be. About 15 years ago we brought a laptop to Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa who lives in the Everest region. At that time he was compiling sherpa summit history on Everest. All summit history was being compiled on western climbers. He did this because no one was keeping track of the Sherpas summit history. Lhakpa Sonam is deaf, he lost his hearing due to an illness when he was 14 years old. This piece of technology was the perfect gift for him. He spoke and wrote English well enough and was learning to type. In trade for us helping him he offered his assistance to keep Tim and I connected while he was guiding. Tim would hand write a note and send it down the trail with a porter to Lhakpa. Lhakpa would type it out and then walk his laptop down to the village square of Namche Bazaar where he could plug it in and email me the news to me. Lhakpa also quickly became the messenger for the Sherpa people who had family abroad.

On April 15th, the team states that Plan B is in effect. Plan B, for those that follow the link, takes you to the information mentioned above. On April 20th, a reference is made that some Plan B communications are ‘in progress’ and will be posted when received. On April 25th, it is mentioned that Plan B has worked out and is followed by a report of what has been going on. On April 29th, Peak Freaks, suggests that the Olympic Torch is at Everest Base Camp, even though, they also state that this is purely a rumor as no information is coming from the Northern Chinese Expedition. On April 30th comes the report that has upset China:

“there was a plane doing circuits around Everest passing from the north side to the south side dipping down to film the north face of Everest. Word from official Nepalese sources “in the know” in BC said the Chinese were filming. They also said the Chinese had summited but apparently they couldn’t keep the torch lit so they are going to try again. This is why the closure is still in affect and security is being beefed up.

Those ‘in the know’ could only be the Nepalese liaison officers currently in base camp. They are the only ones who have had even a slight contact with the other side of Everest. What we can suspect as the cause of the concern is that news from China was released without going through specific channels—and China was mentioned.

The news of a possible Chinese Summit push for the torch is plainly referenced on another site. EverestNews stated on April 30th that the Chinese had left the Chinese base camp with the Olympic Torch..they also state “The Show is On”. This comes with a breaking news headline. Also on April 30th, EverestNews reports high winds. This is following reports that climbers had set ropes up to 8,300 meters, the normal spot for Camp one and less than 550 meters from the summit of Mt. Everest. All of this information, as well, has not come through journalists who are based at the Chinese base camp. They, as usual, refrain from naming sources. Likewise though, they do not mention anything of a successful summit. On May 1st, it is noted that climbers with the Olympic Torch are heading back up.

Going by both Reuters and BBC journalists stationed in the Chinese base camp, no mention of a summit attempt or push is noted over the course of the past couple of days. They have actually stated that they are being kept in a blanket of secrecy and do not currently know where the torch is on Everest. They also suggest that they may not know anything until China definately reaches the summit with the torch. Then again, China is also controlling the information that these journalists can release.

Control of Information

It is no secret that Chinese media and news is controlled by the government. During recent riots in Tibet, Chinese stations were forced to ‘black out’ any reports suggesting unrest. Yahoo, one of the world’s top search engines, has agreed to censor it’s own search engines in China in accordance with the Chinese government to filter out information that it pertains as harmful to the masses. This harmful information includes specific words that will leave you with an error message or filtered information, and even a possible warning that the term you searched is illegal in China. China’s web access relies on just three specific servers, each embedded with strict filtration, weeding out anything deemed harmful. Some of the words deemed harmful center on sex, but others include information to specific rights and groups that are pro-democracy, or clans that China has suggested could be terrorists. Tibetans, Pr-Tibet, Free Tibet–all of these terms are illegal. A Tibetan Flag or a photo of the Dalai Lama could land you in a prison with no chance for trial. Recently, 30 Tibetan protesters were arrested and sentenced from 3 years in prison, to life sentences. For China’s idea of prison, look no further than a recent article on ExplorersWeb.

Over the course of this Everest season, journalists, climbers, and expedition leaders have continually been harassed about the release of information. This began with the tibetan riots in both Tibet and Nepal and have continued to the signing of the climbing permits for Everest. China is trying to control both sides of Everest and the information that is being released. China’s rules, which Nepal has followed, has continually been a question of authorative power and ethics. Many of the climbers on Mt. Everest come from parts of the world that have freedom of press, and freedom of speech–both things China looks down upon.

These climbers are not protesting. Peak Freaks mentions that a lot of the information they have given in regards to Everest, is purely rumor. At the same time, many climbers also feel it is their responsibility to try to report the truth that is taking place because China just won’t. They refuse to give any information in regards to current events taking place on Mt. Everest even to the journalists that they have invited there. The Olympic Torch is a flame to the world. China is seemingly burying that flame and not letting anyone know what is going on.

We, outside of this region, see this as an injustice. The climbers, who are banking on China getting the torch to the top of the world, just want to climb. They are reporting and staying informed however, and by whatever means they can, in hopes that they can begin their own expeditions. Once again, by China threatening teams, expeditions, and climbers to possibly ban them or not allow them to go higher than Camp 2 until AFTER May 10th–they are showing the complete disrespect and the lengths that they are willing to go through to strong-arm everyone into believing that what they are doing is the right way to do it.

Should Peak Freaks be Penalized?

I have to say a resounding HELL NO! They followed the rules set out in their permits. If China or Nepal punishes these climbers for what has been posted on their Canadian website through ingenious research and experience, then it goes to show that China can not be trusted (as well as Nepal) for anything they have set forth to do, not only on Mt. Everest, but the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as well. They wrote up the agreement in accordance with both governments. Nepal’s Ministry of Tourism okayed this agreement for all expeditions on the south of Mt. Everest.

Failure to comply with the laws and regulations set forth, by either Nepal or China, could in effect, send millions of dollars away from the region in future years. Take notice. Mt. Everest is one mountain out of thousands. Am sure we can all find somewhere else to direct our attention. When Everest becomes less of a focal point, I am sure no one will care if the Olympic Torch ever made it up.