Another well balanced and frank feedback to my blog. My response …
Dear Eli,
Many thanks for your in depth and well constructed review of my blog post. I suspect that you haven’t quite read what I wrote in the tone that I wrote it. I do not feel slighted by The Climbing Sherpas – but I do feel saddened that a small minority have managed to hold the mountain, the government, the Westerners and, most importantly, their own kin to ransom.
I have no shame about my reporting of the situation and I have tried to be as objective as possible.
The climber / Sherpa relationship is not one of a parasitic nature but it is a symbiotic relationship. Without the Climbing Sherpas Westerners could still attempt to climb Everest … but it would be a different proposition. Without Westerners the Sherpas could still feed their families … but, again, it would be a different proposition.
Of the nearly 90,000 page views and the feedback that I have received yours, and one other, have been a bit dismissive of my take on the issue. I suspect that you are not a climber, haven’t met the Sherpas and don’t have an understanding of the situation other than what you have read elsewhere. Please, please always question the source of your information.
The next time you are embarking on a US$40,000 holiday but find that you are unable to fly because a few of the pilots have gone on strike and are threatening those who still want to work – please remember that you could always fly yourself. So, yes, we could climb Everest without the Sherpas and yes, you could fly yourself to your holiday. But we don’t choose to because we decide to employ people who are good at their respective jobs.
I’ve worked with the same team of Sherpas for over a decade and have built up a great rapport with them. They returned to Base Camp looking to climb the mountain again because that is what they are proud of doing – and of doing it well. Our team of Sherpas have over 60 Everest summits between them. A few of them have summited so many times that they don’t really need to come back and do it again because they could retire on their earnings. But they choose to come back because it is work that they are good at, and enjoy and it pays well. I, and my team, hold the Climbing Sherpas in the highest regard and view them with the utmost respect.
If you would care to expand on your take on things I would welcome a response but, as mentioned, please be sure to question the source of any information that you may decide to throw my way.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future, but I won’t be insulted if you choose not to.
Tim Mosedale
From: Eli Lesser-Goldsmith [mailto:xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.com]
Sent: 09 May 2014 03:58
To: climb@timmosedale.co.uk
Subject: Everest
Sent: 09 May 2014 03:58
To: climb@timmosedale.co.uk
Subject: Everest
Shame on you for your actions and your words:
If you feel so slighted by the sherpa’s, why not climb Everest without them?
Shame on you.
Eli
