The Himalayas hypnotise you. Chilled still morning air, echoing bells, lazy cows.
The impenetrable mountains step higher into the haze and out of sight.
Days away, you'll find Everest.
My guide through the Himachal Pradesh foothills and monastery treks had experience of paying hikers, having previously taken them to more remote peaks. His biggest challenge was determining who was fit enough to summit and telling those who would have to stay behind, an often violent confrontation. His job was more than getting them to the top - it was getting them down safely.
Late May is the small window to summit Everest. Today three people are dead and more missing. It's hard to believe, but a traffic jam of people were on the same quest to summit this week - too many. The last push to the top has a morning cut off time, but scores continued up long after that. The pressure on that slim opportunity allows no room for error. A late afternoon windstorm caught out many returning from the summit. Notwithstanding the lucrative income for the area, Everest cannot handle the demand and more people will die.
Don't leave the guides with having to deal with the dilemma of turning people back or pushing on against better advice.
Deon
Pic:Dainis matissons
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