In the wake of the Everest icefall avalanche tragedy, another controversy is brewing on Everest. One climber at Everest Basecamp sent us the inside track on power struggles, bans on climbing and even threats of violence towards Sherpas.

At first, all the news from Everest was of the terrible icefall accident which killed 13 Sherpas. Then, it was of the break from climbing, as a four-day no-climbing window was agreed out of respect. But, as this four-day break extended to seven days whilst 13 demands were put to the Nepali government, the news leaking out of Basecamp on to blogs became more confusing.

Was the icefall still dangerous? Is the season formally cancelled? Who was making the decisions at Basecamp and in Kathmandu? Then, four days ago, whilst some of the larger expeditions were debating whether to continue or not, we heard the following:

“There’s a lot of anger and tension among the Sherpa teams, especially the younger ones from Maoist areas. They are all out there protesting that the entire season be cancelled. They may well get their way.”

Yet the reports in the mainstream press were still concentrating on the dangers of the icefall, reporting that teams were turning back due to the high risk. So what’s really happening on Everest? Today, just as a high-level delegation led by the Honorable Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bhim Prasad Acharya headed Basecamp, we spoke to one climber attempting Everest this year.

He’d sent us his uncensored personal view of the situation – and it makes very interesting reading:

What's the current feeling in Everest Basecamp?

“It’s currently a place of great frustration, shock and disbelief at the events unfolding in the last few days. But what’s been reported in the media so far doesn’t give the whole picture.

Controversy, rumour, misinformation and wild judgement abound – again. The dust has barely settled from 2013 (when the high-altitude Westerner/Sherpa fallout above camp 2 made headlines), but this time is the whole future of Everest expeditions in Nepal in doubt?

We feel that the rollercoaster of events during the last few days has now turned every paying client in Basecamp into a pawn in a rapidly-deteriorating political fight between Sherpas and the Nepali Government. The perceived amount of money the government receives in peak fees, versus the amount of money the Sherpas receive, is a key point. The wider economic benefits of expeditions and trekkers visiting the Khumbu region seem to be lost in translation.

Several key Sherpas and their political supporters (apparently linked to the Maoist movement) are the ringleaders, drumming up support from other expedition Sherpas through fiery Basecamp speeches and more sinister methods.

Their tactics include genuine physical threats to Sherpas and their families in the Khumbu if any climbing occurs on the mountain. It’s support the political campaign or else. This is a power grab catalysed by the icefall accident.

Western expedition leaders are being assured that any fallout is between the Sherpas and the government, rather than the Sherpas and the Western expeditions, and that it’s just unlucky that the Western expeditions are stuck in the middle, in limbo.

The press has widely reported the 13 demands of the Sherpa leaders, put to the Government after the terrible icefall accident. On the surface, these demands are to improve the Sherpa working standards and to gain more rights from the government. But, make no mistake, underlying these demands is the power struggle. 

All Western leaders naturally support improvement in working standards and rights for Sherpas, however the nature in which the movement is being orchestrated is of great concern to many.

As I write this, a huge group of Sherpas, Nepalis, Westerners and Nepali politicians are stood near the icefall. Speeches echo through Basecamp and the word is that the government has agreed to all 13 of the Sherpa demands.

But what does this mean?  Will the threats against Sherpas and their families be withdrawn? Will the climbing season resume? What of next year’s season?

This year there were around 300 non-Nepali climbers attempting to climb Everest from the South side. The climbers are split between Western-led expeditions and Sherpa-led expeditions, and the range of experience of the climbers in terms of mountaineering background varies greatly. Some would be wholly dependent on the services of Sherpas on the mountain; others not.

Nonetheless, all climbers in Basecamp are dependent on both the Icefall Doctors – who maintain a route through the icefall to camp 1 – and the Sherpas who fix the ropes above camp 2.

For years, a friendly balance has been maintained between Sherpas and Westerners and no one in Baseamp would credibly argue that either can currently operate without the other. Despite what may be reported in the press, climbing Sherpas are fiercely proud of their role on Everest.

They are highly skilled and want to be part of the annual Everest climbing season. Their remuneration is substantially higher than the average wage in Nepal and therefore many accept the risks involved with their work.

Things in Basecamp have changed very significantly since the icefall accident. The immediate reaction from all expeditions was to stop everything and provide support to all involved.

An informal four day no-climbing window was agreed - extended to seven days as the 13 demands were put to the Government. Many Sherpas left Basecamp to visit their family in the Khumbu. Within four to five days a large number returned, many keen to continue the season. Then the threats began to surface.

Unfortunately, Basecamp finds itself now in a standoff. With the Sherpas of all expeditions under threat, no team is willing to venture into the icefall and put their Sherpas at risk.

Many teams are leaving, some citing danger in the icefall as the main reason. For teams that lost Sherpa members in the accident this is completely understandable. However, many leaders agree that the icefall is in fact in better than average condition this year; the serac danger has always been there.

Despite the terrible accident, the icefall danger now seems that it could be a convenient excuse to leave given the current political trouble. That may seem an extreme statement, but it was justified by a visit from the Icefall Doctors earlier today.

They apologised to our expedition leader for the current situation, directly citing intimidation as the primary reason for not being able to return to work and maintain the route to camp 1 through the icefall.

But with individual climbers paying up to $85,000 to climb Everest on the Nepal side, how likely is it that new people will be queuing up next season, ready to risk these huge sums of money in an unstable situation?

My guess is that the North side is going to get a whole lot busier, which will sadly impact on a large number of hard-working Nepali Sherpas and the wider Khumbu economy."

What does the future now hold for this season and beyond? 

One thing's for sure: we haven't heard the last of it. And with our man in Kathmandu, Ed Douglas, now at Everest Basecamp, so we're hoping to publish his expert view of the situation very soon.

Update

24/04 Nepali Ministry issue a press release 

After the visit to Basecamp by Bhim Prasad Acharya, Honorable Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Ministry released a statement. The key points include:

"The minister had urged to continue the expedition activities to all team leaders and members and requested to all concerned agencies to fix ladder and rope...  the ministry strongly request to all the expedition team to continue the expedition because they have made all the required arrangement for completion of their expedition.”

25/04 Alan Arnette reports that most teams are leaving.

The season seems to be closed from the south side. 

Read more about the 2014 season

Intimidation, lies and deceit on Everest  - an opinion by expedition organiser Tim Mosedale

Donate to the families of the Sherpas who died in the Icefall

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