Pursued By A Passion

There is nothing about this climb (Mt. Baker in this case) that I don't take seriously. Still, I find phone conversations about it with my mom a bit amusing.

Mom: When is your climb?

Me: At the end of the month.

Mom: So you're still going...

Me: Is that a question or a statement?

Mom: I talked to your Uncle Scott and he wasn't sure.

Me: Mom I'm not going there to die. But if I do please leave me on the mountain because I'll be really pissed if you take me off.

Long silence...

Longer silence....

Me: Mom. I'm not going to die.

Me: (thinking) good god I've killed her...

Me: Mom? Mom. Ok I'll call you when I get back.

There is a problem on the word’s highest peak and the Nepalese government is keen to take action. Trash has been accumulating on the 29,035’ (8,850m) mountain since 1921 when a British expedition first scouted the north, or Tibetan, side for a route to the top.

 In the ninety-four years since, more than 4,000 climbers have completed over 7,000 trips to the roof of the world. Many are Sherpa with multiple ascents and the majority of ascents are on the south, or Nepalese, side.

 Ms. Elizabeth Hawley of Katmandu keeps a detailed account of these statistics in The Himalayan Database. What she doesn’t keep track of is the amount of trash piling up on the mountain.

 That dirty job is left to officials who are concerned about pollution and the spread of disease. A new regulation went into effect in 2014 requiring climbers on the south side to return to base camp hauling 18 pounds of trash or lose a $4,000 per team disposal deposit.

 The 500 or so climbers attempting an ascent this year, at an average cost upwards of $40,00, may follow in the footsteps of those who came before them, but they will leave a lot less behind.