Two American women and two Sherpa guides perished while racing for a record. The tragedy illuminates how the recent rush to climb the world’s highest peaks is driving climbers onto dangerous mountains like never before.

There definitely is an aspect of "oh thank god we've found a woman to blame" for this story but it is very well written. If you thought people climbing everest for the 'gram was cringe wait until you hear about the newest phenomenon, people climbing mountains with a 25% death rate for the 'gram.

Of course, we also have:

Neither Gutu nor Rzucidlo were sponsored athletes; both privately funded their climbs, which likely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in total. (Their families declined to elaborate on those funding sources.)

and

Lama was already on Cho Oyu with another client, and the amount requested by Seven Summits to send their star Sherpa at the last minute was significant. According to Dawa Yangzum, Rzucidlo slept on the decision before agreeing the following morning, October 3. She paid the company a $30,000 deposit, and Lama arrived in Tingri that evening.

Two rich people pissing on each other's leg.

    • hypercracker [he/him]
      ·
      29 days ago

      summit fever at the expense of peoples' lives has always been a thing, but I guess it's just a lot more blatant now