I am bursting with pride!!!

[AbbyMom]

His book sounds interesting! I will read that when it comes out. I already read the "Into Thin Air" mentioned in the article. It was a fascinating book.

It's hard to believe 600 people scaled Mt. Everest in one season. There must have been a crowd every day at the top.

Congratulations to Michael Kodas.

[cmayer31]

I'm excited to read his book as well! It must be a neat experiance to have a friend being published.

I'm very much against making Everest easier to access. Each year more and more inexperienced climbers are making an attempt at the summit. With the help of Sherpa’s, guides, and equipment many of these climbers are making it way too far up the mountain for their own good. The amount of gear that is dumped on the mountain each year is disgusting; pictures of the empty O2 tanks make parts of this majestic mountain look like a recycling yard.

The biggest issue though is weather. It's only a matter of time before another major tragedy strikes because climbers with little experience at altitude are going to get trapped in a very bad situation.

There’s a documentary by one of the big channels, Discovery?, where it shows the climbers worried about running out of 02 because they’re waiting in line to reach the summit and very, very few non Tibetans can stay at altitude for long without supplemental oxygen.

[moosmom]

AbbyMom,

I just started reading "Into Thin Air" and I can't put it down!

CMayer,

I watched the Discovery Channel's documentary on Everest. I was fascinated by it.

[cyber-sibes]

That sounds really interesting Donna, I'll watch for the book.

[wombat2u2004]

Hmmmmmm....that sounds like a must read. I hope we can get it here downunder.
I have always been fascinated with the stories I read of those climbs....truly amazing feats of endurance.
I agree with Cmayer tho about the rubbish, seems a few teams of dedicated climbers go there every now and again to clean up the rubbish, and find that job almost impossible because of the amount of discarded gear.
Congrats to your mate Michael, I'm sure you are very proud of him Donna.
Wom

[moosmom]

Hey Wom,

I'll be happy to send you one once it comes out. I told Michael I'd be second in line (behind his wife Carolyn, of course who also made the two trips with him) to purchase it and he promised me he'd autograph it for me.

The trash that's left behind on the mountain has recently become a hot commodity. Climbers will go up and retrieve empty oxygen bottles and all sorts of stuff then auction it off for profit. I somehow think it's tacky to profit on someone else's demise. But that's me.

I recently asked a man being intereviewed on a local cable show, who climbed Everest, how he felt when passing the bodies of climbers who didn't make it. He said at first he wanted to save them all, but realized it was unrealistic, as climbing to the top of the world is a life and death feat, and it's every person for themselves.