The MountainWorld™ Blog

An eloquent argument about the upcoming Olympics in Beijing

As nearly everyone who even occasionally watches the news, listens to the radio, or glances at a newspaper knows, there is quite a bit of controversy swirling around China's upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing. From protests in Tibet and along the long torch run to climber Brant Holland being kicked off of Everest last week by Nepalese authorities for carrying a "Free Tibet" banner up Everest.

Sadly, however, much of the mainstream news in the USA has failed to speak out strongly on the issue, preferring rather to dodge a tough issue and see what comes out of it all. I'm not advocating that China should be wholeheartedly condemned; China, amidst its stumbles and mistakes, does do a lot of things right, as schools, roads, electricity, and general development in the hinterlands of Tibet attest. However, as with any nation (and especially a big, complex, diverse one like China...or the USA), there are plenty of bad things happening in China, from the oppression of ethnic groups like the Tibetans and the Uighurs to burgeoning environmental issues that threaten catastrophe.

Just as these issues are brought out and addressed candidly and openly when present in the US and other nations, they should likewise be called out and addressed as they happen in China, for the strongest sign of patriotism is not slavish dedication to an ideal, but rather logical criticism directed toward positive change.

Unfortunately, though, China resists nearly all criticism from within and without, no matter how altruistic its framing, and much of the world press, perhaps fearful of the economic might that is modern China, follows suit.

So, to get to my point, it was with pleasure that I came across a wonderful article today in The Post Online from Cameroon. Written by journalist Sam Nuvala Fonkem, the article (China's Verbal Acrobatics On Sports And Politics) makes an eloquent argument against the policies of - and world acquiescence to - modern China.

I won't quote the whole article here, because you should read it yourself. But, I did want to pull a strong segment from the end:

China should do well to borrow a leaf from the African Union which, under the distinguished leadership of Alpha Konare, adapted the humanitarian philosophy of non-indifference, which goes far beyond the mercantile notion of non-interference.

Non-indifference signifies the primacy of humanity over mercantilist pursuits and upholds the truism that man lives by man; that you are your brother's keeper. Long live Ubuntu, the principle that good men shall not remain silent in the face of man's inhumanity to man.

Fonkem's writing reminds me of the thoughts of another great leader, thinker, and champion of human rights. He was someone we all know, and one who is revered as a person who did not shrink from controversy, who did the right thing - and advocated the right thing - simply because it was the right thing. The man? Martin Luther King, Jr. And his quote:

Cowardice asks the question - is it safe?

Expediency asks the question - is it politic?

Vanity asks the question - is it popular?

But conscience asks the question - is it right?

And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right.

- Jake Norton is an Everest climber, guide, photographer, writer, and motivational speaker from Colorado.

Fundraiser for Michael Reardon's familt

Last week I wrote about the sad passing of famed climber Michael Reardon. The Adventurist has written quite a bit about the life and times and tragic death of Michael, and many readers have submitted comments as well. Stop by to learn more about the man and his career.

Tomorrow night (Thursday, July 26th), a special fundraiser will be held at The Spot climbing gym in Boulder, Colorado, for Michael's family. If you are in the area, drop by and show your support.

Thanks to the Adventurist for making this known.

- Jake Norton is an Everest climber, guide, photographer, writer, and motivational speaker from Colorado.

In Memoriam: Michael Reardon

Tragic news hit the climbing community yesterday when reports trickled in that famed solo climber Michael Reardon had been killed. Famous for his at-times audacious free-solos of hard climbs around the world (free soloists climb without ropes or safety equipment of any sort, preferring the pure style of climbing free), Michael had a law degree from Pepperdine and a family: his wife, Marci, and daughter, Nikki.

As a free-soloist, logic would say that Michael would most likely be killed climbing. But, strangely, that was not the case. He had just down-climbed the Fogher Cliffs in Ireland and, while he was celebrating his climb, a rogue wave crashed over him, pulling him out to sea.

It was a nonsensical tragedy, the quintessential "wrong place at the wrong time". Michael could not have anticipated nor done anything to prevent it.

I am often asked why I climb when I know there are dangers involved, constant risk of death and injury.
My answer? Life is dangerous. Risk is inherent in all we do in life.

We can no more avoid risk - the threat of injury, of death, of tragedy - than we can stop the sun from rising or the tide from coming in and going out again.

Certainly, I could minimize risk in my life by living a sheltered one, stopping those activities like climbing that have increased risk. But, to do that would be to stunt my passions in life, to silence the wellspring of my inspiration.

Would that protect me from risk, from tragedy, from death? Absolutely not. I could easily be hit and killed on the highway tomorrow. I would die not from climbing, but from circumstance.

Michael, I think, knew this. Climbing was his passion. He lived it, he breathed it and lived a full life because of it.

The Adventurist posted a quote from Michael today taken from an interview in CrimperMag.com:

JM. To conclude, if the unthinkable ever happened, what would you most like to be remembered for? (This needn’t be climbing related - I personally believe that the reason I was put on this planet is for my son Sam).

MR. Don’t shed a tear, raise a pint and laugh because I’m living hard and loving harder than anyone has a right to. Besides, the devil won’t have me and we know the old man upstairs isn’t opening the gates so I’ll still be around and giggling right along with you until we meet again.

I think we all can learn lessons from Michael's untimely death:

Life is an adventure.

Embrace it.

Live it with passion, zest, and vigor.

If your passions involve risk, don't shun them. Minimize the risk, learn to deal with it, and keep on living every day as if it were your last.

And, remember the words of Helen Keller:

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.

My thoughts go out to Michael's family.

- Jake Norton is an Everest climber, guide, photographer, writer, and motivational speaker from Colorado.

Nepal headed for peace...

On Tuesday, the Nepalese government and the Maoist insurgency, led by Prachanda, came to a monumental meeting of the minds with the Maoists agreeing to lay down their arms in exchange for a legitimate position in the interim parliament. Read the Reuters story here. (In the photo on the left, a Maoist regional commander plays carrom with locals in the village of Hilsa in remote Humla of west Nepal. Read about my interactions with the Maoists on my Gurla Mandhata blog.)

This is great news for Nepal, which has been crippled by outright civil war for several years and a stubborn Maoist insurgency for the past sixteen. The conflict came to a head this past spring when the people led a revolt against King Gyanendra, who had seized absolute control of the tiny Himalayan country. Their protests - and the government's violent suppression - led to Gyanendra realizing he was up against a wall and had to begin talks in earnest with both his people and the Maoist leaders.

It is very encouraging to see Nepal move ahead and to have hope of peace returning to this region of the Himalaya. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for better times for all Nepalis.

Tibetan refugees shot on Nangpa La pass near Cho Oyu

We made a safe return from the IMG Gurla Mandhata 2006 Expedition after making what we believe is the first American ascent of this spectacular, 7728 meter/25,502 foot peak in remote Ngari Prefecture of west Tibet. If you did not have a chance to follow the action in real time on my blog, feel free to check it out now at http://mountainworld.typepad.com/gurla2006.

Sadly, there was a tragedy just the other day on Cho Oyu, the world's 6th highest peak, which I have been fortunate enough to climb. near 18,000 foot Advanced Basecamp on the peak lies a pass called the Nangpa La (la is Tibetan for pass). At 19,000 feet, it is one of the highest traditional trade routes in the world. Traditionally, Tibetan and Nepali traders used the pass to conduct their centuries-old trade of grains from Nepal for salt from Tibet. In recent years, the merchandise has changed to Chinese garments and electronics, while the mode of transport remains the same: yaks carry the good while people walk alongside over the glaciers and steep terrain.

According to reports, a group of 70 Tibetan refugees was attempting to cross the Nangpa La into Nepal on the morning of September 30 when suddenly shots rang out. Climbers at Cho Oyu Advanced Basecamp reported seeing several figures collapse into the snow...they did not get up. While reports are still sketchy at best - the climbers (the only eye witnesses) are understandably wary of reporting on the incident while still in Chinese territory - from the sounds of it 43 of the 70 Tibetans managed to escape the gunfire and make their way safely into Nepal. Of the remaining 27, reports say that several were killed in the shooting, including a Tibetan nun in her mid-twenties.

The shots were most likely fired by the People's Armed Police, a paramilitary wing of the People's Liberation Army formed in the early 1980's, according to the International Campaign for Tibet. In 2003, the Chinese government finished construction of a paved road to the new army base near Gyaplung, just 6 kilometers from the Nangpa La. The road and base were designed to stem the flow of refugees across the border.

Sadly, being shot is not the only danger refugees face on their journey across the Nangpa La. At 19,000 feet, refugees run the risk of storms, frostbite, hypothermia, and other cold and exposure related injuries. Many who do make it safely to Nepal are hospitalized or die from their injuries. Additionally, as Nepal has in recent year become dependent on China for aid and trade, the Nepali government and police are sending many refugees back to China.

But, this has not stopped the flow: On my two expeditions to Cho Oyu, in 1997 and 2000, I saw at least a dozen refugees attempting to make the journey. I remember one encounter vividly: two boys, in their mid-teens, came up from behind us as we made the journey to ABC. They were dressed in light jackets, cotton pants, and Chinese Army shoes, which are akin to camouflage Converse All-Stars. In near-perfect English, they politely said "excuse me" as they massed our group. I began talking to them, knowing they were not traders going to the Saturday market in Namche Bazaar. After some time, I got their story:

They were from a village outside of Lhasa, and, when young, were smuggled out of Tibet by their families and sent to school in Dharamsala, India, the site of the Dalai Lama's Tibetan Government in Exile. They had recently gotten word that one boy's mother was gravely ill; but, their repeated attempts to get Chinese entry visas were denied. Desperate, the boys together made the dangerous journey from India through Nepal, over the Nangpa La and up to the village near Lhasa. But, the month-plus journey was too slow: the one boy's mother had died before they arrived. They spent a week at home, mourning the loss, and then turned around to make their way back over the pass and back to school.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, and was torn up inside. All I wanted to do was to help them, to do what I could to make their journey a little better, a little safer. But, I was working, and my options were limited. So, I did all that I could: I gave the boys by extra gloves, a couple of pairs of warm socks, two hats, and an extra down jacket. I scraped together all the Nepali rupees I had - only about $20 worth - and gave that as well. We chatted for another hour or so, and then I turned left with my team to ABC, and the boys headed right, down a worn yak trail toward the Nangpa La. There were no shots fired that day, and the weather was good for several days thereafter...so I assume they made it safely over the pass, into Nepal, and back to school.

They were some of the lucky ones...

For more information and reports, please visit these sites:

http://mounteverest.net/news.php?news=15136
http://www.mounteverest.net/news.php?news=15149
http://www.savetibet.org/news/newsitem.php?id=1036
http://news.google.com/news?q=nangpa+la+refugees&hl=en&hs=hzw&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=X&oi=news&ct=title

Off to Nepal & Tibet!

Well, the time is finally here. I am out of the office today, and off to Nepal on Sunday morning.

Gurla Mandhata and an amazing expedition awaits!

Please remember to follow along on the Gurla Mandhata blog (http://mountainworld.typepad.com/gurla2006/) for news, updates, images, and more as we trek across Tibet, visit amazing sites, and climb the peak!

Signing off for now...