Velociworld

SIR EDMUND HILLARY

is back in Nepal for festivities marking the 50th anniversary of his climb, and he's none too impressed with the state of the climbing community:

Hillary was critical of Everest's current mountaineers Wednesday, complaining about legions of climbers partying at base camp before scrambling up the world's tallest mountain on fixed ropes and ladders.
There were about 1,000 people at base camp with "a booze place for drinks and all the other comforts," Hillary said at a news conference.
"Just sitting around in a big base camp, knocking back cans of beer, I don't particularly regard as mountaineering," he said.

Neither do I, but I do regard it as a hell of a place to party.

Posted by Kim Crawford at May 28, 2003 6:10 PM