Saturday, April 26, 2014

Sherpa Shut It Down

 Can you shut down a mountain?  Apparently you can.

On Friday, April 18, there was an avalanche on Everest's southern side that killed 16 Sherpas who were tethered to ropes, preparing the route for mountaineers who were preparing for this year's climb. Thirteen bodies were recovered, and three others were buried under the debris and may never be found.

The Real Deal


Make Your Own Mountain Everest

It  was the worst single day accident in the history of Everest.  It surpasses the tragedy of which Jake's project  is based.

Between 2000 to 2010 only six Sherpas died on the mountain. The number of fatalities has been increasing even before last week's tragedy, with seven Sherpas dying during climbs in 2012 and 2013. The recent increase in fatalities may be due to more people climbing the mountain thus need for more Sherpas.

The Sherpas have closed the 2014  climbing season. 

 Following a meeting between government officials, Sherpas, and tour operators at Everest base camp, Nepal's tourism ministry said expeditions should proceed.  The Sherpas disagree.  They have said will not guide anyone up the mountain this year.

 Forty teams were prepared to ascend Everest this year. As of  this past Thursday, 8 teams have already pulled out.  Most teams are in no mood to climb.  The number of people at the base camp has already fallen from about 600 to 100.

The ministry also announced this season's climbing permits, which cost between $25,000 and $150,000, will be valid for five years. 

What impact will this make on Everest?  Will it throw the movie into limbo and push the movie back even farther? Will they try to push through and find someone to guide them?  Will they risk cast and crew?   Will Jake make a movie about Everest without ever put his foot in Nepal?

8 comments:

Florida Tom said...

I am back and forth on whether HW is right or wrong. They sure are convinced they are right and afraid to take any chances.

It will take huge stars in their prime like a Cruise, Clooney or a Travolta to make a difference. In sports it will take a star player and Super Bowl Champion like Aaron Rodgers to make a difference.

Hope I live to see it. Have seen so many changes lately it would be awesome to see high profiled stars to come out.

Florida Tom said...

Oh my gosh this is interesting Clooney is engaged to a lawyer.

prairiegirl said...

I'll never understand the need to accomplish something so badly that you risk your life for it. Why did Evil Knievel have to keep jumping over vehicles just to prove that he could? You got me.

What puzzles me so much? Is why this studio keeps allowing or is it the studio itself that is releasing these pictures of showing the green screen, the fake snow, the huge industrial fan to make fake wind?

For me, it's like being told there's no more Santa Claus. Why are you doing that? Maybe wait to show all that after the movie has been out for a month or something. But to do it like they are before the movie is released, I am not getting at all.

It's like seeing the strings holding Peter Pan up in the air. Don't show me that. *shrugs*. Maybe some people can block that out; I think it would be in the back of my mind all the while.

prairiegirl said...

Oh my gosh this is interesting Clooney is engaged to a lawyer.

I never thought of it that way, Tom. You reckon there could be something behind the partnership which has to do with her profession?

destiny said...

I suspect Clooney was looking to completely change how he operates, including choosing someone who was not going to try to jump-start a career from the publicity of dating him. Makes the whole thing look more serious, and more people might say this is real with someone who is not in entertainment.

norwegian girl said...

i agree with desteny, i`ll bet he never get married, but he has to change a course. he will stay with her for a time, but never getting married. i also follow viggo mortensen. he lives in spain now. has a blog called "sobrevoelus". he writes to a friend in spansih, mostly football. his humour, he seems very depressed, and, nowdays reading something he says, make me want to jump out of the next window. yeah... and how i met yout mother ending... still working out how i feel.

prairiegirl said...

Hey NG, it's great to see you. I did not know Viggio lived in Spain. Is he not acting anymore? I wonder what happened?

What a rainy day. Here it comes again. We had a hail storm earlier today, came out of nowhere. That hail was the size of a large black olive, I've not seen hail that size before. It was nuts.

Special K said...

Hi NG! Great to see you.

I remember the chatter about Viggo and Orlando together during LOTRs and soon after that Orlando got married and had a baby and Viggo slipped away. But I have heard that Viggo has an interesting relationship with director David Cronenberg too.