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The whole process of accomplishing success on mountain summit in sheer hard work and strong determination of Climbing Sherpa to flight against all odd elements above the snow line.
In the Himalayan Nepal there are plethora of snow capped mountains, some even more challenging than Mt. Everest, but the quest to summit Everest during the climbing season brings a pool of mountaineers, both professional and amateurs from across the globe. Except few Alpinist and famed mountaineer like Reinhold Messner, average summiteers have hired climbing Sherpa in their bet to the summit. Traditionally, Sherpas have stationed their support system in base camp, for which they are required to spend maximum time and energy in facilitating expedition. For high alititude climbing Sherpa, base camp (5309 m) has become their secondary home.
Climbing Sherpa’s role as a strong system begins right from the day one of group’s arrival in base camp. Sheraps make it a point to please their group by readying items (equipments, food accessories, and other essentials) that are required in high altitude camp much in advance. No Sherpa would like to step on mountain slopes without having paid respect or sought blessing from mountain goddess, Chomolongma by offering thick smoke of junipers and reverberating prayers facing Everest. The day two affairs gives a sense of belonging to the group because cuing across the case, creed and the country, everybody partake in the ritual, strictly in honor of mountain gods and goddesses. While for Sherpas it is necessary, for others, it is a rare moment to experience the host culture.
From the day third, climbing sherpas have to show their optimum physical ability in ferrying equipment to high altitude camp that includes right from aluminum ladder to paraffin stove. It begins before the dawn with 15 to 20 kg pack besides bottled oxygen for their personal use and by 6 am they would be able to reach camp 1. It is found that physically fit Sherpa make it to camp 2 on the same day. In the process of establishing higher altitude camps, Sherpa run more than 10 times to and from base camp and while they work, they have to keep in mind the time limits. Having established the camps, the next job a Sherpa would be given is to guide expedition members to summit depending their pace and health condition. For Sherpas who live on mountain for half of the year, climbing Everest is not a challenge, but source of livelihood. Similarly safety of clients is their priority and thus remains for from the rules of success and failure game. But this doesn’t imply misgiving in their attitude towards the group and its objective because very often Sherpa work hard to make climber’s dream realized on the summit in various ways. Great mountaineer Appa Sherpa said, “At times Sherpas have to literally pull them up or give support from below until the summit is reached.” What climbing Sherpa does on mountain ranges from ferrying equipments, cutting ice walls, fixing ropes, making routes with dexterity, pitching camps, bringing down the injured and sick for recuperation and mop up expedition gear after completion of expedition right from south Col. However, Sherpas do not take much time to bring supplies down to base camp. In less than twenty-four hours they descend to base camp fro camp II with double load because everybody desires to run home as quickly as possible. During climbing season in Nepal, success story is written and rewritten on Everest Summit, but lay man’s vision has not gone far from the pointed peak and spontaneous expression of greatness that the climbers holds for. Even though climbing is said to be a solitary sport depending upon the individual capability, the efforts of team member is tremendous. Team member or service providers like Sherpas are experienced mountain climbers who have gained mastery in climbing techniques without formal training. It is interesting to learn that they have acquired the technical terms in climbing at their own convenient way. For them ‘crampon’ is ‘kharampos’, ‘ice- axe’ is ‘i-sac’, but these very people lead the expedition team. It is said that one of the most formidable challenge expedition party have to overcome is to across Khumbu Ice Fall. Climbers have to battle against snow ridge, ice walls and blocks, crevasses and deep snow, snowstorm before reaching the ultimate camps. The Khumbu Ice-Fall is considered as “Iron-gate” to summit Everest. Climbers say that Khumbu Ice-Fall is steep with protruding cornices, nothing can help except using vertical ladder with perfection and care because deep and wide crevasses are found everywhere. There is one extra ordinary Sherpa named Gyalzen Sherpa of Pangbohce village, who makes icefall route of Mt. Everest an easy task. His mastery over this task has earned him the nickname of ICE FALL DOCTOR. Member of various expedition tem collectively uses aluminium ladder installed by Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) in Khumbu icefall. It remains under strict supervision of SPCC designate climber to deal with untoward situation. However the ladders, which bridge the gap between high altitude camps and base camp, are removed after stipulated time. It is entirely up to the expedition members to complete their task or abandon it without much success. It can be concluded that Climbing Sherpas who spend half of their life in providing high altitude service are all living heroes and mountain tigers. Their task of heroic deed and extra ordinary feats is unbelievable for a visitor.
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