In the spring of 2013, Swiss climber Ueli Steck joined forces with Italian Simone Moro to climb Mount Everest and Lhotse without the aid of supplemental oxygen. Their plan was to traverse across the two peaks, which would be a significant feat in itself. However, their expedition took a turn for the worse when they found themselves in the middle of a heated confrontation with Sherpas who were fixing lines on the route.
The incident started when Steck and Moro were scrambling to pass a group of Sherpas who were fixing ropes on the Lhotse-Everest traverse. According to Steck, the Sherpas were not moving fast enough, and he felt they were hampering his progress. He decided to climb through their ropes, but the Sherpas took offense to this action and an altercation ensued.
Steck claims that the Sherpas threatened him and Moro with violence and intimidation. The situation escalated quickly and ended in the Sherpas attacking Steck and Moro with rocks. Steck was hit in the head with a stone, which left him with injuries that required hospitalization.
The incident caused an uproar in the climbing community and highlighted the tense relationship that exists between Sherpas and Western climbers on Mount Everest. Sherpas are an ethnic group who live in the Himalayas and are often employed as guides and porters by Western climbers who attempt to summit the world's tallest mountain.
Sherpas are an important part of the climbing industry on Everest, but they have also experienced exploitation and inequality. There have been incidents where Sherpas have been injured or killed while fixing ropes on the mountain, and they often receive less pay and recognition than their Western counterparts.
The confrontation with Steck and Moro was a manifestation of the tensions that have been building in the climbing community for years. Steck was a renowned climber who had made a name for himself in the mountaineering world, and his reputation was on the line with the incident.
The incident also highlighted the challenges that climbers face when attempting to traverse Everest, which is already a daunting challenge that requires physical and mental strength, as well as fortitude, to climb. The clash between Steck and the Sherpas was a reminder to climbers that the mountain is not only a test of physical endurance but also a challenge to navigate the cultural and political terrain of the Himalayas.
Despite the controversy, Steck continued his climb and eventually completed the traverse across Lhotse and Everest. He did so without the aid of supplemental oxygen or Sherpas, which made his achievement even more impressive.
The incident with Steck and Moro underscored the importance of acknowledging the contributions and struggles of the Sherpa community on Everest. It also highlighted the need for improved communication and cooperation between Western climbers and Sherpas.
The incident with Steck and Moro was a dark moment in the history of Everest, but it also served as a wake-up call to the climbing community. It forced climbers to confront the problems and tensions that exist on the mountain and spurred conversations about how to address these issues.
The climbing community has since taken steps to improve the working conditions and rights of Sherpas on Everest, but more work needs to be done. The incident with Steck and Moro was a stark reminder that the challenges of climbing Everest go beyond the physical act of climbing and require climbers to navigate the political and cultural terrain of the Himalayas.