Into Sin Air
Theft, drugs, prostitution and violence on Mount Everest.
Written by Filed under Sports
Decades ago only the bravest, most experienced mountaineers attempted to climb Mount Everest. But today virtually anyone can make a bid to scale the world’s highest mountain, provided he or she is in tip-top physical condition and has enough money to pay for a permit and high-priced guide. With satellite weather, GPS and high-tech equipment mitigating some of the danger and fixed ropes minimizing the technical challenges, the summit (elevation 29,035 feet) is now a realistic possibility even for a novice mountaineer.
This explains why scores of inexperienced climbers are flocking to Everest, all hoping to achieve their dream of standing on top of the world. While the savage, unpredictable weather and challenges of surviving above 8,000 meters (the “death zone”) are still the greatest obstacles to success, one must also be prepared to deal with the stress induced by one’s fellow climbers, some of who may demonstrate a “take no prisoners” approach toward reaching the summit. These self-centered individuals have been known to inject performance-enhancing drugs, sabotage or steal the life-sustaining equipment of fellow team members, and even sidestep dying comrades while making their way up or down the mountain.
In 2006 journalist Michael Kodas, an avid high-altitude climber, made his own bid to climb Everest while on assignment for the Hartford Courant. He was so troubled by the unsavory behavior exhibited on the mountain that he penned “High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed” (Hyperion), which exposes Everest as a place where theft, drugs, prostitution and violence are now commonplace. Failure recently spoke with Kodas about his experience (“I was lucky to escape with my life”), and why it’s vital that the public gain a better understanding about the peak locals call Chomolungma.
Why do so many people feel compelled to climb Mount Everest?
Around the world people see Everest as the ultimate measure of human accomplishment. Since we’ve decided to measure everything on the planet against Everest there’s a group of people that feel incomplete without having climbed it. Consequently the majority of the people that go there aren’t seasoned mountaineers. Many of them have no interest in climbing any mountain other than Everest.
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