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Everest 2008 postponement

I have decided to postpone my expedition this year to Mount Everest following all the chaos that has ensued since the Chinese authorities decided to close the north side of the mountain to all but their own climbers. Lack of clarity from the Nepalese authorities notwithstanding (up until the last few days), to my mind it is not possible to consider an expedition to Everest which is subject to any restrictions.

Call me old-fashioned, but I would rather enjoy my climbing trips, rather than feel browbeaten and pressured by the confusion and uncertainty. Everest is a psychological mountain and the last any climber needs is to feel that the goalposts could be moved at any time. The pressure on the Nepalese authorities could increase as the weeks go by as the news from Tibet becomes potentially more inflammatory. Who knows what will happen once everyone is sitting at base camp?

Reading the dispatches from the various teams, I sense a freneticism which I think is worrying. I don't believe you can hurry Mount Everest. I've read about stockpiling equipment at Camp 2, and doing a series of quick carries to the south col after May 10th in time for a summit bid. As if it can all be so easily palmed off with a nifty logistical move. I don't have any unrealistic impressions about what it is really like to do a carry at extreme altitude in unpredictable weather; putting time restrictions in place is just not right. Rather just close the whole mountain and be done with it. I only hope that safety measures will not be put in jeopardy and that there are no accidents caused by hasty decisions.

I have asked myself why I would want to go and climb Everest with this great cloud hanging over the season? Thankfully there is no financial imperative to prevent me from postponing to next year, but more importantly my conscience comes before my desire to climb a mountain which will of course always be there.

I have decided to give my Sherpas alternative work this season on expeditions to other trekking peaks and I will go to Nepal and climb with them on some other mountains.I'll also go and visit all my charity projects in the solu Khumbu. I willl plan the 2009 expedition to Everest and who's to worry about a year?

Safety, conscience and why we climb. We need to make a stand for what we believe in.

Gavin Bate
April 4, 2008