China vs. Mother Nature: The Quest for Artificial Weather

Who controls the weather?  This debate, in a round about way, has been taking place for centuries.  When the weather was unbearably dry, ancient Indian nations would come together and perform their “Indian Rain Dance” to try to persuade the Gods to open up the skies–

Step ahead a couple of centuries to the present.  A lengthy article in the Asian Times Online goes into detail about how China has been in the process of manufactoring weather since 1958.  No, this isn’t science fiction.

China has seemingly developed a way to not only make it rain when it wants to, but to also control such things as hail storms. If you are still questioning the validity of all of this, The Chinese Government has stated that their methods have already been used to control the weather for such international events as the 1993 East Asian Games and the 1999 Horti-Expo in Yunnan..and next up on the list?  The 2008 Olympic Games to be held in Beijing.

So How Does This All Work?

It would be alot easier to explain that China just hits a button, but actually it is a rather large scientific process.  To bring it down to scope, the basics of the process involves firing rounds of silver oxide ammunition into the clouds.  The weight of the silver oxide will cling to the water in the clouds and bring it back down to the ground.

This is a pretty interesting and scientifically proven method that just happened to be developed by the United States in the 1940’s and 50’s–but we lost interest in this on the belief that Mother Nature usually wins..

China has went on to take this research and expand significantly on what has been known about weather formation.  Each of the Chinese Provinces now has it’s own Artificial Weather Modification Base.  This is all controlled by the Chinese Government and they say when to enact the weather changing science.

The Artificial Weather Modification Department boasts over 32,000 chinese employees, as well as 7,100 anti-aircraft guns, 4,991 special rocket launchers and 30 specially equipped aircraft to help in this process.  This is a large expenditure, but the thoughts behind it’s development can not be taken lightly.  It was original enacted to help with the issue of drought that plagues a big size chunk of China.

There begs to be a couple of questions asked though…Silver-Oxide is a known polutant and poison in large quantities, how will this affect China in the future?  They do mention that the silver oxide they use is in such small quantities to not have an effect on the environment, yet what happens as it builds up over the years?

Another question?  If China can do this, why has this idea not been exported to the likes of Countries in Africa that could definately use this technology for both water and food, which they are currently suffering a major crisis with?

In a way though, this all seems pretty much amazing to me.  If the United States would seemingly begin to use this technology, perhaps we could gain control of the massive wildfire outbreaks in the West, or they could broadcast a report of Artificial Rain on the news and we would all be guaranteed of knowing just when to bring the ol’ umbrella…

What are your thoughts?

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The Adventurist: A Call to All Outdoor Writers and Photographers!

I have just put the finishing touches on a new “Submit & Contact” Page here at The Adventurist.  I am hoping that this new feature will be accepted and used by all of my great readers.

This page goes into detail about a few things I am looking for here at The Adventurist–and ways you might be able to get involved.

Do you love Adventure Writing or perhaps Great Outdoors Photography?–Help me share your incredible talents with a much bigger audience!

Head on Over to the “Submit & Contact” Page, found on a tab right up above this article, and Share your Adventures with the World!

Also, if you are looking to put me to work, there is info there as well….

Cheers-

J. Alan Hendricks, Editor

Mon@rch’s Nature Blog Now Featured on The Adventurist

Something has finally happened that I have been requesting for a long time..my good friend Tom has finally decided to put up an RSS feed to his outstanding site. 

Mon@rch’s Nature Blog has got to be the best personal Naturalist site that I have ran across.  His articles are personal.  His photos beautiful, and each and every time you stop by his site, you are guaranteed to learn something you didn’t know before.

Tom is a Naturalist at the Alleghany State Park in New York.  He is also a Biologist and Nature Photographer.  He is always in the field and always doing something to bring a better understanding of this natural world to our attention.  He spends countless hours leading birdwatches, discussing nature and his surroundings with adults as well as many schoolchildren throughout the year.  Tom can make the smallest wonder huge in our eyes, and as every good naturalist and nature wonderer knows, this is the key to understanding and building a  lifelong relationship in the outdoors.

His RSS feed will now be featured on The Adventurist.  His information and understanding of the Outdoor world is just to good for me to keep to myself, and at the same time–I know his ultimate goal is to get more people out and about…and keep them wondering and asking the questions that only someone with his knowledge can answer..yet still amaze you in wonderment and keep you coming back.

Tom is a great guy.  He has probably been my longest running active reader here at the Adventurist, and I finally have an opportunity to add his site to the list of great sites that my RSS feeds now cover.  Please stop on over at his place and tell him I sent you–I guarantee you that you are in for a treat! 

As far as his RSS feed goes, you will be able to find it on the right hand side..third from the top from now on.  Now go check out his site!

The Adventurist: Double Exposure

It has been brought to my attention that this site, “The Adventurist”, is once again being mentioned in a couple of different places around the climbing community.

As always, it is a great honor to be recieving recognition for something that is so enjoyable to do–as well as to know that I do have so many dedicated readers of this site, that not only enjoy the articles, but that are also spreading the word about “The Adventurist”.

The first site, “The MountainWorld Blog“, has been talked about recently on here as well.  This blog is ran by Jake Norton, a two-time Everest Summiter as well as fulltime Mountain Guide, Speaker, and Professional Photographer.

Jake is also giving kudos and recognition to some more of my friends as well, including Alan Arnette, Kraig over at The Adventure Blog, and Everest News. 

Here are a couple of posts I have done about Jake and “The MountainWorld Blog“:

Responsibility and Death on Everest:  A Response Comes In…”

Everest Trash or Treasure:  Climbers Debris Tells of Historical Past

I also suggest checking out Jake’s Blog, not only the front page, but dig into those archives–there is plenty of great Everest stuff to be found, as well as issues delving in to day to day motivation.  A great site and one that I have barely began to break the surface of.

The second site mentioning “The Adventurist” this week was Kraig’s “The Adventure Blog“.  It is basically mentioning my coverage of the recent death of Dawa Sherpa on Everest, you may find this article here:

Everest Claims First Life of the Season

You may also read not only ‘The Adventurist” coverage of this tragic event, but also all of the previous 2007 Everest Coverage by clicking

The Complete Coverage!  Everest 2007! 

A couple of things Kraig’s blog has been covering recently is his magnificent trip and excursion up Mt. Kilimanjaro and The Top 10 Gear of the past 5 years from Gear Junkie.  Both pieces are great and well worth the read.

The third and final mention for today comes from 7Summits.  For those of you not familiar with the 7Summits website, here is a little bit of information.  The 7Summits website, as it would suggest, pertains to the highest peak on each of the seven continents.

Currently 7Summits has a team in place on this years Mount Everest Expedition being ran by Alex Abramov and they are also sending out daily reports via their site.

“The Adventurist” was recently mentioned in the 7Summits Forum.  This forum is a congregation of climbers from all over the world, speaking whatever is on their minds, but particularly pertaining to the seven summits.

This particular 7Summits forum thread is dedicated to Everest: Beyond the Limit, The Discovery Channel’s successful Reality Show taking place in Real-Time on Everest.  You may find the Story they are discussing here:

Unarmed on Everest 2007

Once again, I want to give a big THANK-YOU to all three of these sites and my dedicated readers for bringing me such recognition in public.  Each and every mention of this website on other places around the Web is truly an honor and I am very humbled.  Thank-you.

J. Alan Hendricks, Editor

Sir Edmund Hillary: Your Thoughts, Your Prayers

It is being widely reported today that Sir Edmund Hillary has been injured in a fall.  Sir Hillary was the first person, along with his climbing sherpa Tenzing Norgay, to summit Mt. Everest.  It has been noted that Hillary is not suffering “Life-Threatening” injuries and that his progress is going well.

Hillary is 87 years old and has recently taken up walking with a cane.  It is also being reported that Sir Edmund Hillary has been suffering from High Altitude Sickness for a number of years now.

In due respect for what Sir Edmund Hillary has come to mean and represent in the climbing community, I thought that it would be a good time for all of my loyal readers here at The Adventurist to wish Sir Edmund Hillary the best.  Today we keep you in all of our thoughts and prayers! 

You, the reader, may post your thoughts, prayers, and good wishes upon Sir Edmund Hillary here, as we all come together to wish him a fast recovery

The Complete Coverage! Everest 2007!

The Complete Coverage!  Everest 2007!  Click here!

As many of you might know, a couple of months back I mentioned that I would be setting up a Page on The Adventurist for the Everest 2007 Climbing season.

This page will be similar to the page covering the Mt. Hood Tragedy I covered in 2006 offering up all the links and stories as we publish them in one easily located space.

What this does is it allows all of my loyal readers an easier way to follow along with the Everest 2007 season as it happens, as well as lets you keep track of what HAS happened up to the latest story.  At the top of this site, you will now see a headline that reads “The Complete Coverage!  Everest 2007!  Click Here!”, by clicking this, you will now have access to every story concerning the 2007 Everest Climbing season.

I hope you enjoy this convenient way of staying on track with the happenings on Everest this season.  It is really shaping up to be a great season with many stories breaking daily.  You will now find them all here!

North Side Base Camp: The Great Chinese Takeover?

ExplorersWeb is reporting that the Chinese have single-handedly taken over the North Side Everest Basecamp.  The Chinese are preparing for what looks like a “Top Secret” assault on Everest in preparing for the torch ceremony for the 2008 Olympic Games.

The Chinese have been hard at work to figure out a way to get the Olympic Torch to the top of Everest enroute to the Chinese Olympics scheduled next year.  They have even went so far as to develope a specially designed torch that will block out the wind and elements, in hopes of keeping the flame alive during the ascent and return from Everest’s Summit.

With the size and sheer magnitude of the Chinese climbing team at North Side Everest basecamp, it has all but forced everyone out of the general area.  Most other expeditions making an attempt on the North Side are being forced to reevaluate where their “new” camp will be placed, with a likely spot about 3 km away.

Alex Abramov’s 7Summits Expedition decided to check in at the Chinese camp on the North side today with all of the excitement running around.  Abramov exclaimed that the “Olympic Flag of Beijing 2008 flutters in the centre.”

It will be interesting to see how this latest controversy takes shape as more and more people are heading to what they think is basecamp, only to discover that there is no room.  There will definately have to be some readjustments as far as camp goes and where the other expeditions will be placing themselves for their attempts on Everest in the coming months.

Everest Medical Clinic Open for Business

The Mt. Everest Medical Clinic is a non-profit clinic maintained and ran by a revolving chorus of nurses and doctors who have waited upwards of three years to get stationed at one of the world’s most desolate places–Mt. Everest.  Everest Basecamp to be exact.

When tragedy strikes on Everest, these are the people behind the scenes taking care of the wounded–the struggle from day one with the likes of HACE–or High altitude sickness that numerous climbers and trekkers undoubtedly encounter each and every year as they make their journey to and up Mt. Everest.

This year’s crew has just arrived at basecamp, coming from news reports on their website. bascampmd.com.

They say the weather is beautiful and that they are looking forward to a full moon tonight if they can stay awake.  They talk about how the effects of the high altitude are making it a struggle to do even simple things in basecamp at this time–as their bodies are trying to adjust to the new altitude.  All will be good in a few days though.

Upon their trek in to Basecamp they were left with a reminder of the type of place they were at.  Off to the side of the road was a dead yak..a mere victim to the elements, but behind the carcass lay the remains of a deadly helicopter accident that took place in 2003.

Beauty and Death.  Highs and Lows.  Excitement and Sickness.  The everyday life of being a medical technician at the world’s highest clinic.

To Hell and Back: Life and Death on Mt. Everest

Recently, I have been carrying on a conversation with my good friend Mr. Alan Arnette on some very key issues that are drawing media attention as well as criticism.

Before I start the conversation on this post, I would like to acknowledge Mr. Arnette’s background.  He has been on Everest 3 different times–he has faced life and death during his years of climbing not only on Everest, but also on the likes of Cho Oyu and other 8,000 er’s.  He is a very respected member in the climbing community and continues to run his own site dedicated to Mt. Everest and climbing in general.

I personally hold him in high-esteem, not only as an authority figure in the climbing world, but also as a friend.  It is with great pleasure that I will now attempt to piece together this very informative–sometimes controversial–but highly enlightening conversation that Alan has given me permission to publish.  I will publish this conversation as it built with emails between the both of us.  This began on March 11–with my first email: Alan’s comments will be in blue.

“Hey Alan,

Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your interview with TA Loeffler…hearing what it is like from a first time climber getting ready to take the adventure of a life is always interesting…I personally liked the part where she said she feared the Khumbu Icefall. Sounds like that is most people’s biggest obstacle.

Congrats on the Interview, and Thanks for bringing it to us!”

Thanks Jason (J),

Tomorrow’s interview is with Paul Adler. Yes the Icefall is the most deadly part of the south route in modern times. As you may recall, last year 3 Sherpas died when a serac fell and in 2005 climber Mike O’Brien died in the ‘Fall. I had communicated with him prior to his climb so it hit me hard. He was climbing with his brother…

But this is what Everest is all about: hopes, fears, death, life and living.

,

Very nicely put.  Yes, I do remember the Sherpas tragic fall.  I have also seen some amazing photos of the icefall.  I know you have been there…How scared were you?  Personally, I like to think I could do it, but get me standing there on some of those ice ledges…and well..the story might change.You know, you mentioned taking Mike O’brien’s death hard…I guess since I am sort of in the same line as yourself, that is my biggest fear as well.  Someone I have talked to and personally gotten to know dying on Everest..If you have spent any time over on my site, The Mt. Hood tragedy I covered last year really hit me hard as well–I was talking to the family and friends of the three lost climbers daily–it actually hit me so hard that I quit writing for over a month…I soon came to the realization that what I was doing for these families and friends of the climbers, by giving them an outlet, was far more important than my own personal feelings.  I am still not over it…but Alan, what we are doing is right.  If we didn’t chronicle what was taking place in our time as people have done before us, these people would be dying without ever having their stories told.

I am actually glad you mentioned that to me.  That shows me that I am not alone as far as my inner feelings go about these things.  You try to stay neutral, but when you do this day in and day out, you are bound to get wrapped up from time to time.

I am only praying that this year’s Everest experience will be better than last years…or at least safer.  I hate to say it though–it is getting more and more crowded–people are risking more and more.  The place is not a joke, yet it seems that many take it as such.  I am afraid people will die–

But on a good note, there are some great climbs taking place this year, and I am getting more excited by the day–I just hope they all come prepared for hell, but don’t ever witness some of the tragedy that has taken place the last 10 years.

Hey, one last question….how were you prepared mentally for your Everest Experience?  You knew everything that came before you, so how did you put that out of your mind–or at least in the back, to concentrate on your climb?

Yes, following climbers or knowing them and losing them is hard and is life. I buried one of my teammates on Cho Oyu in 1998. It was a moment of disbelief that it could happen. But, we went on to go for the summit the next day. Callous? Selfish? I do not pretend to make a judgment but only to state that he was there to climb as were we. Death is part of climbing big Hills - full stop. As I have written before, if you are afraid of dying, you are already dead.

As for the icefall, it is not a conscious fear you experience - kind of like driving on a crowded highway. You know someone may swerve into you at any moment but you steer straight and steady in the belief that it will not happen to you. There are many seracs standing 10 stories high all around. You know that some may fall at any time but you cannot let that thought occupy your mind or you would never go on. It is all a matter of ??? when they fall and who is around. If you let fear grip you, you will not climb higher.

As for preparing mentally, I used a lot of visualaton. I saw myself in the Icefall, on the Lhotse face and more. I carefully thought about my steps on the ladders, clipping into the fixed ropes. I thought about melting snow, cooking breakfast, breathing oxygen - all the details it takes to do something major.

But in the end you take each day, each step one by one. You focus on each detail as a small part of the big picture. By breaking it down into bite size steps, it is manageable - kind of like a life goal. If you look at the big picture it can be overwhelming. So by taking it step by step it is understandable and manageable.

Jason, I had read your coverage of the Hood accident. Yes it was tragic but it is also common. Climbers climb, climbers die. That is what they/we do. No one wants to die while climbing but it happens. Those left behind suffer the most. They ask all the questions no one can answer. But those closest to the climbers know that accidents happen and, sadly, it can be the fault of the climbers or it just happens. If you read about the spouses of Jean Pierre Lafelle, Scott Fischer or Rob Hall or any of the other “famous” climbers they all have a common theme. Not the cliché of “they died doing what they loved” even though that may have been true. But rather, they knew the risks - we knew the risks - and it happened. No self pity. It just happened.

Alpine mountaineering is a game of roulette. Beck Wethers once said about climbing Everest “put a bullet in the chamber, put it to your head and pull the trigger- that is climbing Everest” I am not sure it is that random but there is some truth to it. Personally I have turned back from more mountains than I have summitted. Why? Fear, Fatigue, Common sense? Don’t know but I do know that I am here today with my family and enjoying my previous climbs and looking forward to the next.

The summit is not the goal for me. It is the experience. That said, not reaching my goal always leaves me wanting, leaves me empty. Perhaps that is why I always return to my mountains.

People everywhere–that aren’t involved with the “climbing community” question why..Why would you risk your life…why would you do something so crazy….how can you put something before yourself and your families…..Is it personal selfishness?

With the Mt. Hood tragedy I had the chance to talk with quite a few people involved-from the Sheriff ahead of the rescue efforts, to the Search and Rescue teams and to the family and friends of the three lost climber’s–everyone was making a pre-assessed judgement–that basically these guys were nuts..

The media brought up the “selfish” issue–they brought up that the climbers should pay for their rescue–yet if you talk to anyone involved, it was a totally different story.  Sheriff Joe Wampler stated they were all “just doing their jobs”  the family stated what you said about the risk involved–and well the SAR team has a great article in National Geographic: Adventure making it very clear that they were not forced to take on this mission, but were all volunteers.  Yet, these arguments in the press still linger…

I do believe what you said and it goes along with a saying of my own–if you aren’t living every day like it is your last, you are already dead. 

To many times people rush to judgement without knowing anything what-so-ever about the people they are talking about.  That was the whole basis behind The Adventurist when I started it…yeah, I heard these really great stories of risking life and death–but through the media, they were only names on a page.  I wanted to know more about the people involved–and it looks like a lot of others want to know the same.

I found your last email very interesting.  For one you are a climber that HAS been there..You have lost friends and associates on the mountains–yet, you understand that this is all a part of what you do.  You have given me a greater insight into the climbers mindset than I think anyone else could have done-

I also feel like this needs to be more understood in the public…

Alan, would you mind if I put up a post on this conversation?  I think it is important that people understand the basis of “how” and “why” coming from a climbers viewpoint-

The Beck Weathers quote was great, I haven’t heard that one before, but it does ring very true.  In today’s world of media hype and publicity stunts surrounding Everest, I hate to say it, but I think tragedy will be striking on shear ignorance of what Everest is.  You put up a recent post about Everest being a “joke” in the climbing community–and I CANNOT believe people are thinking it is a cakewalk, but they do–it is sad, and tragedy will continue to happen, probably even more so, as more and more people strive to be great at a place they know nothing about.

Sure you can go ahead and reprint our conversation. Another essay I wrote may be of interest - http://www.alanarnette.com/stories/whyiclimb.htm

To clarify my “Joke” posting. Yes, there are many in the climbing community that see Everest as a “non-worthy” goal primarily due to the over-commercialization. I would bet however that 99.9% of those who say that have never been to Everest or to an 8000m mountain. Without being too preachy, the big Hills are in a league of their own. As you say, they are not “cake walks”. My point about the Dutch climber in shorts was not so much that he shouldn’t climb, it was that his style is irreverent to the mountain. You see, I believe  and a lot of others do as well - that mountains are a special part of the planet. Yes, I know they are geological uplifts from eons ago but for me they represent another level of our life and existence on the earth. They provide an opportunity to test, learn and live. The same could be said about deserts, oceans and downtown London or New York - each is valid for the person doing the exploring.

What I find interesting is when the critics call for “stopping dangerous activities” or demanding compensation for S&R or putting climbers or explorers down. And, as you say, without first hand knowledge. If their criticism is valid for climbers then it must follow that it is valid for window cleaners, traffic cops, road construction crews and anyone else who does a “dangerous” job. The argument could be that those people do not have a choice and that climbers put them selves in dangerous situations. Nonsense. Everyone has choices. The outcome is dependent on preparation, judgment and luck.

Sorry to go on, I don’t think you were asking for more but this subject is close to me.

Alan

No apology is needed.  If anything, more needs to be said by some of the climbers that have been there!

Inside, people know Everest isn’t a joke–but recently, right after I read your post, I found an interesting one where a 17 year old had been training for marathon running–he said it wasn’t a big enough challenge and with his conditioning..and a mention of Ueli’s attempt–he said he was going to make a run at Everest next year, because it seemed easy…That is my case.  I wrote an editorial about this issue myself.

What some of these guys are doing to draw publicity to their climbs, is in turn, influencing the ones to follow.  It will be these kids who have no prior experience who see this–that I am scared for.  Albeit, everyone has a reason and something that has set off their own personal challenge with Everest–but, the next generation need to know the facts.  People die, it isn’t a game.

You know, I have been doing this for only 5 or 6 months now..as far as following what is taking place day to day.  In a way, what has amazed me is the openess that everyone has accepted myself into this world of Everest and mountain climbing in general.  I have met and talked with so many people that I never even dreamed about making contact with when I first started doing this.  You and I, as well as a couple of others that I am aware of–can sit here and talk about these issues, and in all honesty, become friends–when in the real world, we should be competitors–That is what I find so interesting in the climbing world.  Everyone is out to help each other. 

The Mountains draw you in–the stories, they bring you home.  There will never be enough time to cover every facet–every journey–that these lives are taking–but through us, maybe some of these stories can be told that otherwise wouldn’t be.  It has been a pleasure for me to get to know yourself.

Everest alone could probably warrant it’s own monthly publication–but you add in everything else taking place–and it could definately take a lifetime to just prick the surface. 

After you told me about your incident taking place on Cho Oyu, I went to EverestNews.com–curious, of course–and read the dispatches of this climb.  Now I know a little bit more about what you were talking about.

I am sorry for your loss on that climb–but also glad you made it safe to do it all over again in so many other places.  So where is your next journey going to take you?  You have got to have something burning in your head…haha.

Talk to you later Alan.

As you can tell, this was a very enlightening conversation with someone who has been there.  Some of these points hold very true in today’s world of climbing and I thank Alan for acknowledging some of these great issues with his personal insight.

Got an Adventure to Tell? Tell Your Story Here!

Once in awhile I like to open up a post to let you, my readers, have a voice….I want to know YOUR Personal Adventure Story.  This is your chance to let the world know how cool you are and at the same time, maybe it will influence others to go out there and live that Adventure they have been dreaming about!

You may post ANY adventure, not just climbing…I am looking for hiking, kayaking, extreme sports, hunting, fishing,…anything outdoors that you had a great time doing and discovering… Read more

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