Everest 2008: Updated Rules

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By: Kraig Becker
Updated:
1

MountEverest
Last week I posted about the rules of Everest for 2008 as reported by Everest News and with yesterday’s update from Peak Freaks we got a glimpse at some of those rules. Today Everest News has updated their initial post with more concrete information on the rules. They are as follows:

Summary:

1.) Real permits! [depends on how one defines the word “REAL”]

2.) Main disappointments are: No climbing above C2 until after Chinese are finished. [What if the Chinese finish late or don’t finish at all? Yikes!!!]

3.) Major restrictions on electronics, details to be better understood after the briefing scheduled for today. Anyone know how to use a ham radio? [You think we are joking!]

4.) Sounds like hand-held walkie talkies for use on the mountain will be allowed, but that is about it. [Hey you got a walkie tallkie!!! ]

5.) Pre-sat phone, Pre-internet era, for those without sat phone permits is possible….

I’m not sure what they are implying by the first rule for “Real Permits”, but the others are fairly self explanatory. Climbers can’t go above C2 until the Chinese have taken the Torch up. No sat-phone or Internet use on the mountain? That should make dispatches very difficult, at least until after May 10th.

Some of these are expected to be clarified further, but it sounds like there will be little or no communication from the mountain until summit bids can begin. No video cameras allowed is a bit of surprise, and I’m not sure why that would be either. I’m hoping we’ll hear something from Alan Arnette on these topics, but climbers will likely have to phrase their messages very carefully for the time being.

It’s hard to think that we may see a blackout of news from Everest until the 10th of May, but it just might happen. It seems there will be armed soldiers in Base Camp, C1 and C2 to make sure everyone adheres to the rules, and communications will also be monitored to make sure no one is using a sat phone without permission. I guess the craziness is going to continue.

Kraig Becker
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