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[The Mountain Zone]
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Accident Details Trickle In
Tuesday, September 9, 1997
(Everest North Face base camp, Tibet)
An interview with Craig Calonica about the death on Monday of the Korean climber:
The Mountain Zone:
We were sorry to hear the news of the Korean's tragic
death.
Have you learned any more details about the accident? Was the
team under some crunch to summit quickly for some reason — an expiring climbing
permit, lack of supplies?
Craig Calonica:
We don't know the Korean climber's name yet and he still
hasn't been
located. The Korean team had just arrived at advance base camp (ABC) the day before and it's hard to
believe anyone other than Superman would dare venture far from camp at
least until they had a couple days to acclimatize to the high altitude
of
ABC, which is at 21,500 feet (6,500 meters).
The Colombian team went up first yesterday. The group consisted of two
Colombians and three of their Sherpas. As far as I know the Korean was
alone as we have heard nothing about any other members being involved in
the slide. He was between ABC and CI [camp I] and was probably at around 22,000 feet
when the slide cut loose and took him away.
It is too bad, as this accident was totally unnecessary. First of all, it
had
been snowing for about the last five days and there was deep snow
deposited
on the face. No one should go even close to that face until three or four days
pass
so it can settle or it slides off — whichever comes first. It is no
secret
that this is a very dangerous section, especially in fresh snow
conditions
and history has proven it. This area has claimed many lives, mostly to
avalanches, and going in the area too soon as was the case here. The
Colombians were very lucky to get away with it this time and hopefully
they
and everyone else will realize why this happened and will be a bit more
patient in the future.
One thing is for certain, you will never see me or
my team close to that area until it has absolutely seen the proper
settling
time go by or it slides. Life is very short and we
are
very fragile and vulnerable to the conditions that exist here in the
Himalayas. You will never experience a more intimidating and life
threatening
situation in your whole life until you come here — it is no place to
practice haste.
MZ:
Do you think this will feed the general feeling in the climbing community
that the Koreans and other East Asian teams have been generally
over-aggressive while attempting Everest?
CC:
I have always been somewhat in awe by the attitude of the Asian teams
climbing in the Himalayas and on Big Walls. It almost always seems to me
that they accept the fact that they might or will die and therefore
climb,
sometimes... at least to me, anyway, in a reckless way, without the fear
you see in the most of us that makes us climb with caution, precision
and
observance — it's a required element to this level of climbing if you
want
to be around for awhile. It's not a type of fear that makes you paranoid,
it's a fear that makes you think clearly and do things right or else you
suffer consequences. You will not see me climbing at this level when
this
type of fear doesn't exist in me any longer, as it's then that the
accidents will start to occur and I don't do these things because of the
accidents and anyway accidents in the Himalayas will usually be your last
one.
I do feel a tremendous amount of sorrow for the Korean who has just
perished, for his teammates and his family. I hope all of you will say
a
prayer for him and for the rest of the bold warriors that go to the
mountains to live life to its fullest, as it is here you will live,
feel, and experience life in a more connected way than you will under almost
any other circumstance that exists on the planet. Beauty and peace
surrounds you here, and if your ever going to get close to the heavens, it
is here that you will feel its presence the most.
— Craig Calonica, Expedition Leader
The next update contains a sat-phone report made several hours later with more details
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