EverestNews Inciting Controversy with Editorial and a Response by The Adventurist

I recently headed over to EverestNews to check out what was going on at their site.  Needless to say, I was quite surprised by a small editorial piece they are currently featuring titled Everest Rumors, Lies, and Ridiculous Stories.

This is based on a few reports that this editorial is claiming as false.  First off, it denies an increase in fees leveled by the Chinese Government this past season on Everest.  It then goes into detail about many sites broadcasting rumors and lies, specifically mentioning the possible closing of the North side of Everest by the Chinese for the forthcoming 2008 Olympics.

EverestNews goes on the record as saying Everest’s North side will be open to climbers in the coming 2008 season and the number of climbing permits given will not be limited in scope due to the 2008 Olympics.  They also go on record as saying that the rumors of China trying to negotiate the closure of Mt. Everest’s South side, via Nepal, is also completely false.

EverestNews Claims the Following Regarding Fees:

Stories that the fees in China were increased several times over were also spread, FALSE again. Why? Guides did raise fees which one would assume resulted in much higher profits… For most independents and operators the Chinese took a minor fee increase.. One must wonder what is the agenda here? To get traffic to web sites? To get published in rags? To help raise profits for some? What???

EverestNews is crediting CTMA and CMA as being two of the reliable sources that this information is coming from:

The CTMA and CMA appear to be getting pissed off by all these rumors, lies and ridiculous stories… Including false stories about climbers, who grow in number year by year… This will probably result in changes from the Chinese many of us might not like….

Last year’s “High-Altitude Free Tibet Protest on Mount Everest!” which was a “set up” where Americans went to China to get arrested and were successful is expected also to cause more tension for the Chinese and climbers which combined with these ridiculous stories will result in tougher standards on entering for 2008….

Now a Few Words From The Adventurist

First off, the CMA respectively refers to the Chinese Mountaineering Association and the CTMA refers to the China Tibet Mountaineering Association.  Now that we know that all of this information is respectively coming from China we may make a few comments.

EverestNews is based out of Granville, Ohio–The United States.  Why would such a site be bowing down to a communist regime in regards to it’s editorials? 

If you go back and read the article as it is printed on the site, you can plainly see that this little bit of marketing by the two forementioned climbing associations in China is nothing more than Chinese Propoganda.  Yes, they might be pissed off at the press, but you do have to remember that China is hosting the upcoming 2008 Olympics and with all of the recent bad publicity regarding China of late, it is no wonder that they would put out a piece questioning the recent rash of bad publicity.

Regarding the climbing fees–on more than one occassion this past year, climbers were told, once they got to China, that their fees would be anywhere from $1000-$3,000 more than what was quoted before they left for the climb.  This information is documented in the climber’s expedition blogs rather substantially.  This did not just happen to US climbers, but even some expeditions from the Philipines and so forth.  This is documented and this information that EverestNews has released bears no weight.  Tell us the sources and give us the figures–until the proof is out there on such matters, it will remain the same.  Too many climbers were claiming the same problem:  A rise in climbing fees after they arrived to get their liscence, which was unmerited beforehand.

As far as the Chinese trying to close the North or the South sides of Mt. Everest for next season.  This news, as I myself have also mentioned, has come not only from the United States press, but also the Press organizations from around the world, including Nepal.  It is known that the Nepali Government was approached with an offer to shut off the South side as well…even though, this offer by the Chinese could have fallen through in the last few days.

Next, we come to a couple of possible threats handed out by the CMA and the CTMA about possible changes taking place over the 2008 Everest season.  These changes are in reference to the “One World-Free Tibet Protest” that took place this year, as well as the Chinese becoming “pissed off” at the stories and rumors coming from Mt. Everest.  They claim this protest was a simple “set-up” to get the organization holding the protest arrested, and in a sense..free publicity.  That may very well be the case, but in another note, the “Free Tibet” campaign has been going on for well over 50 years now.  Each year new protests are enacted to bring the Chinese occupation of Tibet to the limelight.  It just so happens that this years protest took place while China was trying to do their initial Olympic Torch training run to the top of Mt. Everest.

What the CMA and the CTMA are essentially doing is giving themselves an excuse to deny liscences to climbers in the upcoming 2008 season.  They will base this denial on the rumors and lies of the foreign nations trying to take part in next years Everest season, as well as political turmoil of not knowing exactly what people are planning on doing.

While the supposed facts being represented on EverestNews merit no basis, it boggles my mind that an American Company such as EverestNews has seemingly given the Chinese Government an outlet for their remarks–given the Chinese’s past record.

Anyone remember Nangpa La?  Last year the Chinese military opened fire on a group of people trying to cross from Tibet to Nepal–essentially political refugees trying to leave a country they despised–some were shot in the open, in front of 60 or so climbers–including a nun who was mortally shot and killed.  After this incident, the Chinese Military seemingly invaded the ABC camp and essentially looked things over and waited.  They had captured some 30 odd children, women, and men, and taken them into custody as well.

Many people are scared of speaking out against the Chinese.  The guides could very easily lose their bid to attempt Everest and other peaks in the Chinese Himalayas if they don’t keep their mouths shut about such incidents when they do take place.  China has essentially used political power and intimidation factors to keep the “real” stories on Everest and other peaks silent.

Nangpa La was real.  Photos confirm the merciless killings.  Still climbers involved in the incident from around the world are reluctant to speak out against the Chinese.

In 2007 the Chinese Basecamp at Everest featured a security fence and armed guards.  N0 one was allowed around their encampment and secrecy was held as an asset.  At one point a couple of climbers got stranded high on Everest and the Chinese refused to take part in any kind of search and rescue efforts.  This should clue you in a bit on their priorities.  China is about China.  They protect through armed tactics and intimidation. 

So why would EverestNews take a stand and essentially side with them by posting this very Pro-China editorial?  The editorial even fails to mention who the writer was.  I feel the reason may be as simple as the 2008 Olympics.  They are positioning themselves to be “the source” of news and info coming out of China.  On the otherhand, by taking such matters and putting themselves in the public light with such a controversial move, I can not see how this will benefit them at all.  They may get the news coming from China, but at the same time they are alienating the climbers from around the world that understand the tactics China uses in an effort to “control”.

EverestNews makes the following question regarding the rumors, lies, and deceptions and the press that has put them out.

One must wonder what is the agenda here? To get traffic to web sites? To get published in rags? To help raise profits for some? What???

I am only speaking for myself at this time.  I have no advertisers.  I have no site sponsors.  Trying to draw traffic to a site such as this one has no meaning.  It does not benefit me in the slightest.  On the contrary, by putting up an editorial that questions the basis of information regarding Everest and other mountains–by saying they are lies, rumors, and so forth–we do need to question these intentions–EverestNews is essentially questioning the same people that they get all of their information from–The climbing expedition blogs.  They post no news that isn’t spoken first-hand from the Expeditions themselves on their own sites–and they do so 90% of the time word for word.  So who is to blame for the lies, rumors, and so forth?  Rather than calling out people that you yourselves rely on for information–perhaps you should look at yourselves.  This is a weak and futile attempt at bringing in viewers that already question your standards in the field.  China or no China, by printing the threats and “control” tactics, you are becoming nothing more than one of the many puppets you are trying to speak out against.  Just something to think about.

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

Over or Above? Bear Grylls, ExplorersWeb, and the dispute RESOLVED

ExplorersWeb is currently running an interesting article questioning British Adventurist Bear Grylls’ claims about his supposed flight over Mt. Everest.

If you are not familiar with this flight, here is a link to a couple of posts I made concerning this event during the 2007 Everest Season.

• Paragliding Everest:  Bear Grylls’ Latest Insanity
• Everest 2007 Update:  It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane….It’s  Bear Grylls at 30,000 Feet!!

ExplorersWeb is taking into question the same thing many of us have thought….Where’s the proof?  Here is their Article.

Supposedly Bear Grylls has stated the following to ExplorersWeb:

It is all captured on film!,” Bear Grylls stated over email as a reply to ExplorersWeb’s request for proof on his claimed para-motor flight over Everest. “Discovery & Channel four are releasing the 2 hours-long film documenting the whole adventure at the end of the year… We will see it all then so there is no doubt!”

Perhaps Bear Grylls does not understand what the word “OVER” means.  He is laying claims that he has flown his one-person, Ultra-light aircraft OVER the top of Mt. Everest….Yes, that was the original intention…but not the outcome.

Bear Grylls’ attempt was a very public effort.  As being such, it is also widely known that Bear Grylls decided to not fly “Over” the top of Mt. Everest…but “OVER” the height of the World’s tallest peak. 

He backed out of his original intentions after getting woried about the Chinese authorities apprehending him upon landing in China–which you must do if you fly OVER Mt. Everest.

Many people, including the SummitClimb Expedition team who were present when this took place also lay claim that the flight never went over Everest.

People are asking for proof…and quite frankly there is nothing to prove other than a possible height record for an Ultra-Light aircraft.  Even this will never be verified though as there was no liscensing permitted for this feat…which is required before a new record can be established.  At the same time, Bear Grylls’ instrument panel froze up, leading to only speculation as far as the true height that he was flying.

To make matters worse, there is no visible proof of his height, other than a few photos which prove that he was only in the air–

Bear claims that Discovery Channel and the BBC are currently editing his footage for a special that will appear on TV later in the year…Don’t get me wrong, I think the special will be put out…but I think most of you will be dissappointed that he will not be going OVER Everest, as will be hyped, but rather over the Height of Mt. Everest–as claimed.

The word OVER is the key part in this argument at this point and Bear Grylls is playing it to the nine..

It is mentioned that Bear has hyped up other Adventures of his before in the ExplorersWeb article, so this new play on words should not come as a surprise.

Another thing of interest is why is ExplorersWeb trying so hard to discredit Bear Grylls, when all the facts to the story have been said not only by Bear Grylls, but also the media numerous times?

Here is an example.  This story is coming from The Telegraph in the UK:  Explorer Hits Heights With Himalaya Record

This story also features a video clip as well as photos of this expedition.  Bear Grylls also talks to The Telegraph about his attempt.  Take special notice in his description of not flying OVER Everest, but of being able to fly ABOVE the height of Everest and look over into Tibet.

This should very well end this argument.  Bear Grylls nor ExplorersWeb should be discredited for their information and reporting.  I think both are in the right.  I think the one item that will stand out though is each of their understandings of the word OVER..

It will be interesting how this plays out on Discovery and the BBC as they try to build this program.  Just keep in mind what I have said and don’t be to dissappointed in the outcome.

As far as I am concerned, there shouldn’t even be a discussion taking place over this if you truly read this story as it has come out in numerous other places…this issue is OVER.

$5000 Charge for Wilderness Rescue Ignites Debate–Again.

A Kansas man has been billed $5000 for a wilderness rescue after he injured his ankle while hiking along a steep hillside.

This debate has been raging for well over a year now–whether or not people in the wilderness, when accidents happen, should be liable to pay for their rescue.

Kansas is only one of a number of states who have been looking in to billing people that have come to need a rescue involving local authorities.  Colorado also has a similar law in place and one is also currently making the rounds in Utah.

The great Blog, Two-Heel Drive ran by Tom Mangan, tipped me off to the forementioned article featured in the June 18th issue of Rocky Mountain News discussing this incident, as well as the debate raging in Kansas.  You may read the whole article HERE.

As far as Colorado is concerned, there has recently been news that another individual will be billed $7500 for his subsequent rescue as well.

This is reigniting a big debate amongst outdoor enthusiasts.  Should they be charged or shouldn’t they?  I have already expressed my own opinion on this matter as it pertains to climbers needing rescued–(please see story posted HERE, for my opinion.)  How much is to much?

Alot of us go out and try to enjoy the peace and solitude of the outdoors for 1) it is great exercise, 2) it gets you away from the hustle and bustle of cities…and PEOPLE, and 3) It is alot cheaper to walk a trail then drive a car.

If all of us ran the risk of having to pay $7500 for rescue after a badly twisted ankle PLUS our own medical bills, would we still be outdoors?

Alot of the previous debate over this issue has occured mainly over climbers getting stranded high on mountains, as in the two incidents that have occured in the past year on Mt. Hood. More and more though, we as individuals are seeing this pop up for some things that seem–dare I say mundane?

I think the political motivation behind this issue has jumped from saving lives to making money, and in a sense, infringing upon our own freedoms to explore nature and the outdoors.

Perhaps a few people have taken advantage of the system.  Perhaps a few have ended up where they never should have been in the first place without the experience or guidance they needed to be there.  Is this a reason to Pigeonhole a whole section of the American population? Instead of going out to “Get Away From It All”, that “All” is slowly trying to step in and even take away the essence of being out there.

Read more

The Road to Everest–Literally!

Mt. Everest is set to be getting a new road.  The road, scheduled to begin construction on Monday, is being put in to place by the Chinese in an effort to help with their 2008 plans of summiting Mt. Everest with the famed Olympic Torch. 

This year has already seen the Chinese make a successful practice run of the torch to the summit.

The new road in will allow for a speedier trek to Basecamp for the Chinese as well as many other Expeditions that use this same path to Mt. Everest annually.  The Chinese are predicting a big outpouring of spectators for this event and are trying to rush along the process to ensure it’s success before next years Olympic Games.

The new road, which will run from Tangri County of Xigaze Prefecture at the base of Mt. Everest to Mt. Everest Basecamp–some 108 km, will be placed directly on top of a rough path used by Expedition Companies and climbers to reach Everest Basecamp.  The new road project is expected to take 4 months to build and will come in at a rough cost of $19.7 million.

The new road building project is set to kick off Monday with groundbreaking at Everest Basecamp, some 5, 200 meters above sea level.

The Road will be built complete with blacktop and metal guardrails and should allow much easier access to a place that usually took three days or more to get to, in the past.

Earlier this year rumors started circulating that the Chinese plan to shut down the North Side of Everest next year to Expeditions hoping to try for a summit next spring.  At this time no further word has been given about this situation.

Of interest though would be the expected crowds that this new road might let in to one of the most dangerous mountains in the world.  In 2007, well over 500 people made a successful summit, while 5 died in the process.  It is hard to imagine possibly more crowds in the basecamp area as alot of teams were concerned about them this season…

Also, Tibet, who has been fighting for this territory that China also claims ownership to since the 1950’s, has been highly outspoken in their dissapproval of anything in their country being tied to the Chinese Olympics.  Tibet has been voicing their opinions in highly public protests–one of which led to 5 people being arrested on Mt. Everest this season, against China.

With all of this building up to the 2008 Olympics and the 2008 Everest climbing season in the spring, it will be very interesting to see how this plays out, and if, indeed, the Chinese can pull this off successfully without an International Incident, as Tibet will once again become a huge focus in International circles.

The ChinaView was the source for part of this information after following a link from The Drudge Report.

Everest 2007 Update: Two High Altitude Rescues, More Summits, and a Possible Weather Change?

Over the past day, two amazing rescues have occured at high-altitude, one each on the North and the South.  One rescue is cause for concern though, as we will see:

Female Nepali Climber Abandoned at 27,500 Feet

An Unknown female climber with the Democratic Nepal Everest Expedition was seemingly left for dead by her own team near the Balcony at 27,500 feet on Everest’s South Side yesterday.  At this time, this is all that is known of the actual incident other than details from the IMG Expedition Team who went up to try to make a high-altitude rescue.

Dave Hahn–who incidentally has some of the most famous High-Altitude rescues ever to his credit–went back up with both Mike and Casey from the Coleman Everest 2007 Expedition on an attempt to save this female climber.  Here are the details coming from the IMG Expedition website:

Dave, Mike N., Mike H., and Casey have descended to Camp 2. On the way they helped a climber from another team, who had been abandoned at the Balcony (27,500′,) and who was in very bad shape. They managed to get her to Camp 3, where she was turned over to climbers from the Everest Expreme (medical research) team. We are proud of these guys for doing a great job on the way up, and the way down!! We’ll keep you posted!

This comes on the heels of a tragedy that occured last season when a similar incident occured with climber David Sharp…the difference this year?  People went back up to help and the climber was saved.  The David Sharp incident last season brought International attention to climber ethics and how these rescues were handled on Mt. Everest.  Over the past few weeks, we have all witnessed some great high altitude rescues taking place…and all I can attribute that to is the memory of David Sharp…

While I am talking about IMG, today they are reporting that their final team has successfully made the summit today and will shortly be heading back to basecamp. This is great news that has seen well over 33 IMG team members make the summit this year.  Congratulations!

Italian Climber Found Near Death at High Camp

An Italian Climber on North Everest was found today near the Camp at 8300 Meters.  Marco, as he has simply been known thus far, was found unconscience and had apparently spent close to 48 hours lying in the snow before he was discovered by members of Alex Abramov’s 7Summits Expedition.  Here is what 7Summits reported: Read more

Everest 2007: Inside Himex Basecamp, From The Outside

Nick Heil, a journalist for Outside magazine, has recently joined up with Russell Brice and his Himex team at Everest Basecamp and will be chronicling the Himex Everest Expedition this season for Outside magazine.  All of this is taking place in the Outside Blog.

Some quick observations about Nick Heil’s Blog about this Expedition.

First, is the shear size of Russell Brice’s Expedition this season.  Here are a few details:

1. The Himex team’s camp consists of 87 tents.
2. Of those 87–67 are two-person dome tents provided by Mountain Experience.
3. The rest are divided among “specialty” tents.  One each for the following:  Communications, Medical, Russell Brice’s Personal Bedroom, One kitchen for climbers, as well as one for the Discovery Channel Film Team, A Food storage tent, 3 mess tents, 2 client bathroom tents, 3 client storage tents, One Sherpa Kitchen, One Sherpa Dining Tent and 4 Sherpa Dorm Tents, and 2 Sherpa Bathroom tents.   They also have a make-shift film studio made of plywood, as well as “The Tiger Room”, which has been getting publicity for it’s geodesic shape, as well as it’s size..24 by 24 by 24 ft. high.

At this point I would like to mention that a lot of people, including myself, have been speculating about the big size of the chinese expedition team.  At this time, in comparison, the chinese team consists of 90 people, of which ten will be making a summit bid.

If the Himex team has less people–why so much room, and why has this not been mentioned in the press until now?

Also interesting to note, I recently had the chance to discuss the Chinese team with David Tait, a member of this season’s Himex team.  David told me that the Chinese really had no real “prescence” at Basecamp that was noticable.  Maybe this is because Brice’s Himex team is so large itself…

As far as why there is such a big layout of the Himex team, Nick Heil goes on to add:

“While this may seem excessive for a mountaineering expedition, it serves a functional and necessary purpose too. In the calculus of high-altitude climbing, discomfort and even boredom can feed stress and anxiety, and that costs energy. And in this game, the more reserves of energy you can take up high, the better your chances of success—and safety. Ultimately, it doesn’t make the climbing any easier, but it can make it more feasible. When you consider that climbing Everest necessarily entails putting your life on the line, why not do everything possible to stack the deck in your favor?”

The Outside Blog has been updated four times since it began on May 1st.  Other notable mentions on this blog include the recent summit and struggled descent of Maxut and Vissily just a few days ago–which to make a small matter clear–Alex Abramov , from 7Summits went to Russell Brice’s Himex tent to ask for help in getting Maxut and Vissily back down safely–as well as a good post on a meeting Nick Heil conducted with a good friend of The Adventurist, David Tait.

The Outside Blog becomes the fourth Blog to be covering this Himex Expedition.  It is definately getting some wide coverage, especially through the Discovery Channel Site, where they are keeping a blog as well.  It is nice to see yet another perspective that, to this point, doesn’t seem to be biased in the least.  This willd efinately be a nice addition as the Himex team starts to prepare for it’s summit bids in the coming days.

ExplorersWeb Taking a Stand…The Adventurist: A Call for Change

ExplorersWeb has published a very strong editorial today about people dying on Everest…Here is a question they pose:

“The questions is though, how many times will we have to witness a Kazakh, a Pole, a Spaniard or any other of the world’s foremost climbers rescue people in the death zone while we keep hearing amateur climbers (preferably Anglo-Saxon) and Everest business folks repeating into Discovery’s cameras that it’s impossible? “

This question of Ethics from such a highly public site as ExplorersWeb will definately be reverberated throughout the climbing community in the days ahead.

This Editorial comes on the heels of one I put up yesterday examining the same issue, yet in a slightly different way.

“David Sharp HAD to Die” goes in to detail about how the death of David Sharp is currently influencing the thoughts and a slight change of attitude that I think is taking place, regarding these high-altitude rescues and leaving people to die.

It is a controversial issue, I agree.

ExplorersWeb has called out a couple of people and expedition companies for the way that they handle their “business”, not only on Everest, but in the climbing community in general–when it comes to someone in trouble on the mountain.

I feel like change is starting to take place in the way people are now seeing these incidents–for years people have been told that in the Death Zone, that there is no chance for rescue…

Let me say that they may be right…but, how do you know that a life can not be saved unless you actually stop and give an effort?

Forty People walked by David Sharp.  Forty.  All on their personal mission to the summit.

I like to think that perhaps my editorial influenced ExplorersWeb to also express themselves publicly on this issue, but perhaps it isn’t an “influence”.  Perhaps there are more of us out there that are tired of seeing these people die needlessly–than was previously thought. 

IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE

In 2007, you can not tell me that we can not develope a system to get these people off of Everest or any other mountain where someone has been injured.

The technology is out there if people are willing to put it together in order to save a life.  The way rescues are carried out today is almost the exact same as it was twenty years ago.

A lot of people are influenced by what they hear–when they hear someone can’t be brought down from the Death Zone–they take that as fact, without questioning it, or for that matter, without trying.

The summit is the most important thing to those that are trying their luck at Everest.  Some that have been there say it isn’t, some that fail say it isn’t, but you would not spend that kind of cash to not have a shot at the summit–plain and simple.

Everest brings immediate fame and noteriety to those that succeed.  Everest is still portrayed as inaccessable, yet well over 200 people made it to the top last year alone.

If those 200 people had made a sacrifice of something that will still be there tomorrow–Everest’s Summit–then perhaps they could have saved even one life from perishing.

What is more important, The summit or a life?

Right now there are at least 4 different people having a lot of issues on Everest, according to their daily reports.  Some of them are so sick that they can do nothing but throw up, yet the summit lingers in their minds.  The summit. 

I can’t put all of the blame on the the one’s not in trouble.  The one’s in trouble sometimes put themselves in the position that they eventually find themselves in.

If you are unhealthy.  If your sickness has lasted longer than 2 days…then get off the mountian.  Your body obviously is already at the breaking point.  Suck it up and make a decision, get down to a lower level, and live to climb another day.

Everest eats people.  If you aren’t prepared in every way possible, you stand a good chance of dying come summit day.

Everyone needs to come together on this issue and take a stand.  People have died needlessly–people have been left behind.  Without making a second guess about these situations, people will continue to die needlessly.

David Sharp HAD to Die on Everest

People die on Mt. Everest.  That is a fact.  In fact until the last few years the statistic was that for every four people to make the summit, one would die.  In recent times (the 2007 Everest climbing season involves close to 1,000 individuals) that number has grown to one in twenty.

Last season brought the tragic death of David Sharp and the controversy of climbers not helping a fellow climber in need to the forefront of media institutions around the world.  Perhaps this is because people never  really knew what went on at 28,000 ft. or they never really thought about it until the media picked up the story.

I am not going to go in to detail on what happened to David Sharp.  By now the world over knows this story and  a year later it still lingers in the minds and bemoans an outpouring of controversy.  Everyone has an opinion.  I will leave it at that.

What I would like to mention is that David Sharp has not been the only climber to be left behind.  It has happened before and more than likely it will happen again.  Read more

“One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008″

The above slogan landed 5 Americans in some deep trouble today on Mt. Everest’s North Basecamp as Chinese authorities detained them for protesting the Chinese Olympic Torch run up Mt. Everest for the 2008 Olympics.

It is pretty wide spread news that China is currently holding a “practice run” of the torch ceremony this season on Everest.

The activists, all members of “Students for a Free Tibet”, were staging a protest involving banners that proclaim ” One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008″.

The Chinese Olympic slogan for 2008:  “One World, One Dream.”

Many people have began to raise an issue with China over their use of Tibet as a site for part of their Olympic Torch run.  The activists claim that China’s use of Mt. Everest is being done to undermine the real issue of the people of Tibet, and that is their freedom and their country back.

For more on this, I will send you over to the Associated Press’ great story found HERE.

At this time, it is not currently known what will happen to these american activists.  It has been noted though that their passports have been taken away and they are still being held.

An ongoing battle has been raging since 1951 when China first came to occupy Tibet. 

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