As I reported earlier today, an ugly alteration last Friday between professional climbers Simone Moro, try Ueli Steck, and EpicTV photographer Jon Griffins with the Sherpas on the Lhotse face and at Camp 2 was brought to a somewhat peaceful conclusion.
A negotiator was brought into Everest Base Camp and the following agreement was signed by all parties.
The text reads as follows:
Today, on 2070 Bhaishak 16 (April 29, 2013) at Everest base camp at SPCC office, with the presence of the Chief of Nepal Army team leader, Major Sunilsingh Rathor and the following attended personnels agreed to do the following decisions regarding the arguments between the two groups on April 27 while fixing ropes between camp 2 & camp 3.
1. On April 27 2013, above Everest Base Camp, at Camp 2 and Camp 3 an agreement arose between foreign climbers and Nepali climbers and the situation was discussed today at this meeting. Both parties have realized their errors and apologized to each other in front of those present. Furthermore, both parties agreed to help each other in the future to make successful each others goals. It has also been decided that this issue will not be raised again.
2. All those present agreed and committed that such activities must never be repeated by anyone in mountaineering and in the tourism sector. If any party is dissatisfied with the actions of another party, they commit not to go into conflict or use violence against the other party. Instead they commit to report the actions to the government representatives or releventent government recognized association present at the base camps, to come to an amicable solution between the parties.
Hopefully everyone can get back to climbing and put this behind them.
It remains unclear if the Moro party will abandoned their climb. Personally I hope they stay, put up a new route and resume mountaineering as they are some of the climbers out there.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
29 thoughts on “Everest 2013: Everest Armistice”
I want to thank everyone for your thoughts on this difficult event. I cover Everest each season, when I am not climbing, to promote the awareness and research on behalf of Alzheimer’s Disease. Alpine mountaineering is my passion and I do not condone any form of disrespect or violence for any reason, anywhere. Please use this dedicated page for discussion on this topic on the Simone More/Sherpa Conflict.
Thank you for your thoughtful observations .I look forward to your daily updates.
Seeing all these comments and agreement, I still havent understood what went wrong. There are a lot of possibilities. We should understand it better, to learn lessons. I think commercialization is affecting Sherpas too. The mountain sacred, that is true, but money is good. Westerners and tourism bring in money. Which one can you forgo? Why was the camp that crowded? Do you really need 30 people to fix ropes? Were these 3 people not using the service of Sherpas? Did they really dislodge ice, unintentionally? Well, noone can give a clear record of what has happened. I dont like mountaineering to be magazine news item but they’ll jump on it.
Fantastic news Alan!! Thank you for your impartial, balanced and incisive reporting. Hopefully this is now behind us and the climbers can get on with the business of climbing and achieving their dreams and more importantly return safely. Likewise lets hope there are no more Sherpa deaths or injuries. Hopefully everyone can learn from this.
I expect the media will go on about it, more than is necessary. Climbers, Sherpas or otherwise face difficulties at these sort of heights and I think being so high, can also make one do and say things one would not do at ground level. The mountain can be scary enough without any dramas like this. Alan, thank for your valued report.
Blimey, that collection of autographs would probably go for a few quid on ebay.
I hope the N02 Limits expedition can continue, I was excited to see what they would do.
Sorry but although I have enormous respect for the Sherpa people and recognise that without them it would be all but impossible for most to climb the mountain this does not excuse what happened.If the allegations are correct and without the intervention of others the sherpas could have killed them how can it be right just to say sorry and let it go.
Most importantly I see this outcome does little to ensure it will not happen again.Convenient for the current climbing season and comercial opperators to brush it under the carpet though.
The whole situation is so sad – for sherpas, climbers and mere interested blog readers like myself.
….an “agreement” arose between foreign climbers and Nepali climbers…
that’s funnny! the thought that fifty people wrote and signed a paper because an agreement arose…
I am sorry to contradict you and feel free to delete this comment Alan, but I think the Moro and Steck were well within their rights to want to continue climbing and their actions didn’t seriously put anyone at danger. The sherpas, on the other hand, would have probably killed them if others hadn’t intervened. Your view that “they own the mountain” is just western romanticism. They don’t own it any more than I own mount rainier. It is an economic transaction between two people and there is nothing sacred about it.
That’s your point of view, but on Chomolungma you would be among people who believe the opposite. I believe in evolution, but I probably wouldn’t get very far explaining my views at an evangelical church service in the Deep South. 😉
There are two sides to every dispute, and Alan has done a great job piecing together the Sherpa perspective that is missing from most news reports.
You’re right, Mark. There are different views. And it helps to be reminded of that.
But there is one Chomolungma, it should be a church big enough for all kind of believers.
Thanks Shanda and Bill. Just trying to do my best for the sport I love while staying real.
Alan, you are the best source of information. Read your blog daily. Others pale in comparison. Almost like you are sitting in base camp. Too connected and love it.
Not on NPR but I was on the BBC World today
I am glad that they all came to an agreement ! Now they can go back doing what they are there for! To Summit Everest !
These people might be exceptional mountaineers but they are also ridiculous and childish beyond basic common sense. Don’t remember reading anything as comical as this whole story.
Alan you did a wonderful job interpreting the text ! Thank you ! 🙂
Might be over on the mountain, but the US press is just getting started on it: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/nepal-mount-everest-fight/index.html?hpt=hp_c2#cnn-disqus-area
-g
US press… pffff
… and thank God there is no oil on Everest!
The agreement has no standing in law, therefore is not legal and binding to either parties….though of course in the best interests of all concerned, neither is it binding for future expeditions stating only “All those present agreed and committed that such activities must never be repeated by anyone in mountaineering and in the tourism sector”. Future expeditions, with different Sherpas, and different western climbers, are therefore immune from this agreement, though again, the principle itself is to be applauded.
can I that peace agreement?
They lost touch with Chomalongma…………….
Wait, hold that thought. Maybe I have a new opportunity in mountain negotiations. No, just wrong.
According to Moro’s latest post they have abandonded their climb, though Moro has decided to stay and fly choppers in case needed. Steck and Griffith are on their way home…..unbelievable. Makes you wonder about the future of Everest expeditions….!
Glad to hear an agreement was reached. Seems the common goal is the love of climbing. Climb on folks 🙂
Wow! Sad a treaty had to be drafted.
..what is this world coming to…war on a mountain……..sad.
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