UKH

Very sad news. Her husband also had AMS but survived.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-36413124

In reply to Gone for good:

It's undeniably tragic but maybe they proved their point? People live and die on Everest, some summit some don't, some survive summitting, some don't.

In reply to aln:

I'm not sure it was a point that needed proving; it is a shame that the nature of Everest publicity these days often means a particular angle for the press, rather than just going out and enjoying the challenge. Presumably we, the public, have ended up collectively 'buying in' to this attitude whilst we, as climbers, recognise it as potentially hazardous. Projecting your personal achievements or desires onto a cause alters the nature of the relationship IMO.

That's not to say I wouldn't like the axis of global food consumption to move away from poor quality cheap meat for many reasons, just that I'm not sure that an individual's achievements on Everest is a very effective way of going about it.

If people are wondering if vegans can be fit there are plenty of vegans with considerable power and endurance out there... e.g. Ifor and Alun Powell managed ok - didn't they win the Elite class in the LAMM a few years running, outside of their mountaineering adventures?

b

In reply to Gone for good:

Probably had to stop and tell everyone on the ascent that she was vegan too.

In reply to Bimble:

I can't decide what's worse, your post or that people liked it.

In reply to Gone for good: I read the article earlier, and didn't pick up on the vegan angle. I did pick up on the fact that the wife was in difficulty at over 8,000m and her husband left her in order to go bag the summit. We've had numerous threads in the past about the callous attitude that Everest seems to engender in some people eg the David Sharp episode. I understand that in this case the wife told the husband to go ahead, but I do feel that there seem to be undercurrents of the same thing in this case.

That said, it is tragic for the woman to have lost her life, and one cannot but feel deep sympathy for husband.

In reply to Gone for good:

More information here, might put some balance to it

http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2016/05/22/everestlhotse-2016arnold-coster-...

In reply to Martin W:

I heard Alan Hinkes being on the radio saying that he should have turned back with her.

In reply to Bimble:


While putting it this way may be a bit in poor taste, it does seem that promoting the vegan thing was kind of the idea.

In reply to Robert Durran:
She could have turned back on her own really. Normally everyone has a "personal sherpa" to to navigate and help clients. So her "I will wait for you" is same as "I want to rest".

In reply to Gone for good:

I can't believe she didn't just turn around and start climbing down, to wait for someone at such altitude when she already had signs of trouble is just nuts. As for the husband leaving her to summit, I have to wonder if the whole thing of proving that vegans can do everything was too much pressure and he was too stubborn to admit defeat in what is ultimately a stupid challenge (plenty of meat eaters have died on Everest). Whatever the reasons he's going to be tearing himself appart inside.

In reply to Bimble:

Why is it ok to take the piss out of this dead climber when we're normally so deferential about accident reports?

Woman?
Vegan?
Foreign?
Paying client?

Nope, I'm still not seeing why this particular death is funny.
jk

In reply to Gone for good:

There's nothing funny about it, I doubt the husband will be able to live with himself for leaving her & summiting.

Its well known that for those struggling in the death zone the safest thing to do is descend (not sit and wait for someone).

Even if she said to go on, that won't alleviate any guilt he feels. The only way for that would have been to immediately descend with her - it may not have saved her but it would have saved his conscience.

In reply to balmybaldwin:


I agree. It may not have saved her but summit fever makes people do things they wouldn't normally consider acceptable behaviour. He now has to live with the consequences of his decision to press on.

In reply to jkarran:








I don't see anyone treating this as 'funny'. You got examples of that?

BUT: husband and wife team. Wife goes down with AMS. Husband leaves her and continues to summit. After summiting he collects wife from her high point. Wife dies on descent.

As I read it an upsetting and troubling scenario. Not 'funny'.

In reply to Andy Say:


'Bimbles' original post, whom jkarran was replying to.

In reply to Robert Durran:
Let;s add to the flippant humour bit...

So, in her case, being vegan didn't help her climb Everest at all. Sad and tragic and all that but if she was pushing the veganism can get me up Everest idea, and it didn't, then vegans could learn from that. Perhaps a Big Mac could help you get up the big hill.....

In reply to Mike Stretford:


I didn't read his post as an attempt at being "funny" and I agree with Andy, I haven't read any posts treating this tragedy as "funny".

In reply to Chris_Mellor:

She died of altitude sickness you idiot.

In reply to James B:


To be fair, going vegan raises the risk of iron deficiencies and I imaging a low haemoglobin level increases susceptibility to altitude sickness.

On the other hand I'd expect someone organised and driven enough to go up Everest is capable of managing their diet sufficiently well to avoid this...

In reply to Trangia:


How did you read it?

In reply to Chris_Mellor:


Far more meat eaters have died attempting Everest than vegans. Perhaps there's a lesson there too - everyone should give up?


edit: and no I'm not vegan

In reply to wintertree:

According to the wik (or rather to its sources), apparently there's not any greater incidence of iron deficiency from a vegan diet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarian_nutrition#Iron

There is another area though, which is that she (if she was vegan, and not just a dietary vegan) would not have allowed herself any down clothing or sleeping equipment. She may thus have been more susceptible to the cold, or not slept as well.
I remember reading about another vegan summit attempt last year (thwarted only because of the avalanches) - where he had some issues around the clothing. I heard he managed it this year a few weeks ago but couldn't find any info with a quick search.

In reply to balmybaldwin:


Give up climbing Everest that is.

In reply to Gone for good:


That and impaired cognitive function due to low blood oxygen.

Desperately sad case. I doubt anyone will be more critical of him than he is of himself.