Why Some Sherpas Say There Won’t Be Any Guides On Everest In 10 Years | Inside Everest

Everest climbing-guide services — often provided by people of the Sherpa ethnic group — can cost $10,000 per expedition. At this price, the guide takes responsibility for climbers' lives as well as their own. They lead mountaineers to the top of the world, carrying heavy loads and providing emergency services. This is one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet. Of the 332 people who died climbing Everest between 1921 and spring 2023, over a third were mountain guides.

WATCH MORE SO EXPENSIVE VIDEOS:
Real Egyptian Cotton Sheets Can Cost $900 But The Internet Is Filled With Fakes | Business Insider
10 African Businesses Making The World’s Most Expensive Products | So Expensive | Business Insider
It Takes A Team Of 70 To Make Hot Air Balloons Safe. Here Is Why They're So Expensive

00:00 - Intro
01:07 - Leaving Base Camp
03:47 - Refresher Training
06:08 - Rescue Missions
07:45 - Khumbu Icefall
09:38 - Agency Costs
09:58 - Climbing Guide Salaries
11:20 - Gear Costs
11:43 - Why People Become Guides
12:40 - Some Say It's Not Worth It
13:19 - Phurba's Prediction
13:36 - Future Of Tourism
15:13 - Future Of Guides
17:22 - Credits

------------------------------------------------------
#everest #climbing #businessinsider

Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more.

Why Some Sherpas Say There Won’t Be Any Guides On Everest In 10 Years | Inside Everest

[BusinessInsider]

We’re excited to bring you part one of our four-part series about Mount Everest! Leave a comment below: Where would you like to see Business Insider go next?

[TAZAR_II]

I went to a corporate event a while back and there was a motivational speaker who had 'climbed Everest'. While he spoke I realized that this was by far his only 'accomplishment', and in reality he had invested $60, 000 into an Everest climbing expedition to parley into a motivational speaking gig.  

He wasn't a climber with a story to tell, he just paid to go. We don't need more people climbing Everest for that.

[Vexaion]

6:18 the rescued hiker is from Malaysia and one of the most ungrateful person. He returned to his country and thanked his sponsor instead of the Sherpa(who had to convince his client to cancel their hike to save this hiker), He even went so far to block this Sherpa from his Instagram. Once news of this came to light, he turned from a national hero to an embarrassment for the nation.

[knightsljx]

6:08 What needs to be mentioned is that a rescue mission can be potentially career ending for the guide as well. I know a Sherpa who carried 2 injured climbers on his shoulders off a mountain (not Everest) and injured his own shoulders in the process. He could no longer be an expedition guide as his shoulders can no longer carry heavy loads. Not to mention the very real and high risk of death

[ykocho]

15k a climb? They should be getting 15k per CLIMBER.

[rd]

Is it me or does an increase of the climb fee to $15k doesn't sound like it is going to make a dent to solve the problems of overcrowding and paying the sherpas?

[juliajs]

I had a phase when I binge-watched mountaineering disaster videos and Everest videos, and I think this video is the first one to actually include the Sherpas that perished in the overall Everest death toll.

[jayvee]

I've been watching a lot of these videos lately, but this one made me cry. Without the Sherpas, it's nearly impossible to climb that mountain. That's why I was never amused and couldn't understand why countries celebrate the people who summits Everest.

The government SHOULD have a special holiday for these guides to celebrate them, SHOULD provide health benefits, SHOULD provide insurance and financial assistance for their families. They should price the permits at $50, 000 so they'll be able to provide these, at least, and to limit the number of hikers and trash on the mountain.

[kindred]

I'm sure the mountain will still be full if people paid $500, 000. Make them pay that much, and pay the sherpas $100k per climb. For the amount of risk they take and the effort and skill.

[pratikshrestha]

Thank you from Nepal for covering this. Our Sherpa people deserves better.

[Zethuzzz]

In my opinion Sherpas are the real unsung heroes and the only ones I really respect.

[stonew]

I trekked in Nepal back in 1990, but I chose to visit the Langtang Valley, which at the time was rarely visited by foreigners. Later while trekking north of Darjeeling, I would get a clear view of Everest off in the distance. For me, this was enough. It is important to acknowledge, that for the vast majority of climbers, reaching the summits is an exercise of the ego. They "bagged" another summit, something to brag about, and Everest is the biggest prize of all.

[shall]

Makes me think of that Sherpa Documentary on Netflix when some westerner asked of the Sherpas to the rich mountain guide business owner “who owns them?!” I couldn’t believe what I had heard to be honest.

[zapfanzapfan]

One of the better suggestions I have heard is that to climb Everest the climber first has to climb one of the other 7-8000 meter peaks in Nepal.

[molybdomancer]

There is a film about the year the Sherpas went on strike and one of the rich climbers actually asked if his expedition leader could find out who they “belonged to” to get them to stop the strike. So the rich climbers don’t see the Sherpas as people, more like the yaks which are also used to carry stuff up to base camp.

[VSBChannel-ForU]

Sherpas are real heros..They saved a lot of people meanwhile they lost their lives in the process guiding....I salute for their service

[AmberU]

I think the Sherpas are so amazing! Look how they honor the mountain and remember to respect mother nature.

[hckyroxs]

I remember a few years ago while working at a private school in the UK, we had a former pupil come and speak to the whole school on his experience of climbing Mount Everest. He failed the first time due to weather but was like "I had to go again, I felt compelled too!!" and talked about all the money he raised for it before the second time around. He also mentioned how he had a wife and kids and while yea, he might die in his attempt it was worth it. He made it on the second attempt but the whole "presentation" was just a weird self-gratification to brag at his old school, like show people he did something with his life.
I remember leaving the assembly and while people around me were like "wow, so inspiring!!" I just felt off about it all but didn't want to say anything. I get back to the Library where I worked and my boss, who I have so much respect for, was like "what a load of bullshit, just a selfish man chasing his own glory and risking his life when he has people that depend on him. That was the most pointless assembly ever."
I know this video was more from the sherpas pov but I think it's important to point out how selfish the climbers are. Like the sherpas do it out of necessity, ironically because they have a family that depends on them, whereas the climbers are risking their life for a bit of glory and potentially destroying dozens of lives in the meantime.

[batatasol]

Sherpas deserve a rate increase to $30, 000 and beyond, considering the dangers, risks, and labor involved. Western and European climbers often rely on them without proper compensation, exploiting their expertise for personal gain. It's time for significant action to be taken by the Mount Everest Sherpa community.

[shaiphyrnaidphanrang]

I was there to witness their hard work and dedication on my trip to the Base Camp back on 2019. I salute them all for their bravery and above all selfless attitude to make everything go
I Salute you