Sherpa Page #6

So, as I told you last night,

it's unlikely

that we would continue

and the sherpas

feel under too much threat.

They've already been told

if they go through icefall,

they'll break their legs.

So...

This is the word

that comes to them

that these other guys

up here will break their legs

if they go through the icefall.

Yes, they want to climb.

Out of respect,

they don't want to climb,

and out of fear,

they don't want to climb.

Not fear of the mountain.

Fear of the people.

So there you go, guys.

What can I say?

And I don't know what to do.

And phurba

doesn't know what to do.

And we're pissed off.

We're angry that these people

are ruining our business,

you know?

Their business. What can we do?

I don't know how

to apologize to you.

I... don't know how to do that.

Especially the people

that have come twice.

Okay.

So, now how to get out of here.

Essentially,

we were just given the news

that the sherpas' legs

would be broken

if they were to help us

get up this mountain.

How can you possibly argue

with that one?

Being held captive by

terrorists, is how I look at it.

I mean,

when people demand change

and threaten it by violence,

that's a terrorist, you know.

And we in the states,

we know what that is...

After 9/11.

We've got a group here

that's terrorizing base camp.

How do you anticipate that,

you know?

How do you...

How do you mentally

prepare yourself

to get up here

and then be turned away

because a group of terrorists

are demanding

that westerners leave base camp?

You know, it's... it's hard.

Do I have it in me

for a third time

to try to come back

and do Everest?

I've got to go talk

with my family, I think,

before I make

any final decisions.

But I certainly would like

to get to the top

of the highest mountain

in the world

and be able to provide

that legacy to my family

as something they...

Now you got me.

Man #34:
Oh, we'll be back.

We'll be back

hopefully next year.

One way or another,

I'll tack the top

of that mountain at some point,

so... just a slight setback.

I'm gonna feel better

when I go home knowing

that we didn't climb up

that mountain

after the big tragedy.

It's just better

to show my respect

for the sherpa community

by leaving.

Joshi:
I think the expedition

organizers...

They knew in their heart

what their sherpa wants,

but they couldn't tell

that clearly to their clients.

It's just the excuses

they are using

to throw the blame

on somebody else, yeah.

If this didn't change anything,

then nothing ever will.

Then Nepal will just be

like the wild, wild west

for the western operators

to do whatever they want.

This thing has happened,

which is a sad thing,

but hopefully, this will bring

something positive

into the mountain.

Brice:
It must have some effect

of the Everest industry...

The accident this year.

I think

this made me more determined

to try and change the rules

so we can continue with Everest

as usual but in a safer way.

I've been a mountain guide

all my life.

We have to deal with death

a lot, and then try and move on.

Hopefully, we will have a team

to go to climb mount Everest

again next year.

Douglas:
The game shifted.

It would be easy

in the chaos of this last week

to lose sight

of what has happened here.

The sherpas have effectively

canceled the season.

They had a choice,

and in the end,

they've chosen respect

for themselves and the mountain

ahead of money.

Canceling the season will be

a welcomed breathing space.

So maybe it will be calmer.

It will be nice for Everest

to be calm for a bit

rather than this

kind of madness.

My father said

that you don't conquer

these mountains, you know?

You just crawl up,

as a child crawling

to your mother's lap,

which is the same approach

i think people should take.

Then there'd be less accidents.

Norbu:
He was the first Asian

to become famous,

known around the world,

and he became a great metaphor

for young men

all alike to show that you can

make it on your own,

hard work is what it takes.

And so he became a real symbol

of hope

for millions around the world.

Douglas:
Tenzing gave the name

sherpa a currency.

Which will never be exhausted.

So it may only be now

that they're really beginning

to take advantage of it.

They've got control

of climbing the mountain,

and it's come

full circle in a way.

Jamling:

My father said he climbed.

So that we wouldn't have to.

He wanted to give us

the best education

so we could continue our lives

in some other careers

rather than climbing.

Because climbing was dangerous.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes