143: Alan Arnette: Former Everest summiter talks about Coronavirus in Nepal and the challenges of climbing the mountain..

March 20, 2020

Alan Arnette

Alan Arnette has the vast knowledge and experience to aid mountain climbers to be at their very best as they reach towards finding their summit. But what separates Alan from many other climbers is that he knows what it is like to be pushing towards an expedition during a widespread public virus dilemma. He speaks to the growing concerns arising from the spread of the coronavirus labeled COVID-19. “It’s obviously a global tragedy, getting close to 100,000 cases and over 3000 people have lost their lives to this disease. So, it is certainly not something to ignore or to make light of. There was a similar experience back in 2002 with the SARS virus. It was a similar respiratory virus and it just so happened that I did go to Everest in 2002.”

On this episode of Finding Your Summit Podcast, we talk with Alan Arnette, Mountaineering Expert who has summited Mt. Everest upon his fourth expedition and has also climbed up to the top of K2. Alan returns to the show after having appeared on episode 115 and shares his experience of traveling to climb during the time of the SARS virus spreading. “That was my first time and it was smack dab in the middle of the SARS and I remember walking through the airports. I think I connected through Bangkok and having my temperature taken and an infrared scan of my face to see if I had a fever or not. I guess there is a precedent for this. That year nothing happened at base camp, which is certainly what we hope will happen this year.”

Listen to “Alan Arnette: Former Everest summiter talks about Coronavirus in Nepal and the challenges of climbing the mountain..” on Spreaker.

What You Will Learn:

What are Alan’s main concerns about Everest as it pertains to the coronavirus? “But the concern. Mark, that I think everybody should have that is going to Everest, and we will just stay focused on the very narrow area of Everest relative to this virus, is that you know, base camp on both sides is a very intimate environment. The camp itself, Garrett Madison runs an outstanding base camp. So, I have no doubt that things like hygiene and all of that will be doubled and tripled up in terms of washing hands and washing dishes and those types of things. But, all it takes is one person to get sick.”

Alan Arnette mentions how even the normal flu sickness has impacted mountaineering in the past. “It was three years ago that the common flu had an outbreak on the Nepal side and practically everybody at camp got that and it actually took out a number of climbers that year. So, this does happen, and it is an environment where disease is spread very, very quickly. So, if one person comes in that has it, you know, it can take out everybody at camp. But ‘taking out’ I mean in the season. Everybody would have to go home.” 

Mark Pattison and Alan Arnette talk about how many people live in a state of fear and that 350,000 to 400,000 die every year of the flu from influenza and fortunately we haven’t reached those types of numbers with the coronavirus. Alan talks about how this COVID-19 virus has still caused many mountain climbing expeditions to be canceled, leading to less people and traffic on the mountains. “I was forecasting this year that we were going to see over 1000 total summits. Last year we approached that. We were in the 970 range, on both sides, all routes, all people. This year, I think it is going to be half of what it was last year. I think we are looking at like 600. The number of permits I think are going to be on the Chinese side cut in half. I only think we are going to see about 50 members and then additional 50 support people. So, maybe a total of 100 on the Tibet side. On the Nepal side, instead of the normal 1000 that is at base camp I think this year we will probably see close to maybe 500 or 600, which translates into maybe 250, maybe 300 at the most that will summit, and that is compared to the over 600 that summited last year.”

Alan Arnette breaks down some of the changes that are taking place in the mountain climbing industry that could be attracting many inexperienced and unprepared climbers. “Now, you’ve got the sherpas, they are running Everest basically, and we’ve always been the guests in their country and now they are just taking over and running it. So, now it is that 80% of the clients are guided by these Nepali companies and they have cut out the middleman. They’ve cut out the western guides. So, as a result, they are competing primarily on price because their cost structure is so much lower. As a result, that is attracting a new class of clientele, people that don’t have the experience and they are going for ‘the t-shirt’ in many cases.”

What are some of the contributing factors to people taking the skill and endurance needed to summit Mt. Everest for granted? “There is an arrogance associated with it, because the press has for years, especially after Into Thin Air came out in the late ‘90s, just demonized the mountain. They think it is so easy to go up and down it. There is a McDonalds at the top. There is a Starbucks…and on, and on, and on, and so you read that anybody can summit Everest, and anybody can go. Typically, the line that I always read is, you pay your $65,000 and a sherpa hauls your a*s up to the top. It couldn’t be further from the truth, as evidenced by last year when 11 people lost their lives.”

Summit Coach

Alan Arnette talks about the importance of knowing why you want to climb Mt. Everest before you even attempt it, to keep you focused and give you the inspiration you may certainly need. “I had this consulting business called Summit Coach where I consult with people. I don’t sell any products. It is just information based on the experience on how to prepare and what to expect. And one of the first things I spend time with a new client on is, what is their motivation?”

Climbing Garret Madison

During this episode of Finding Your Summit Podcast, Alan Arnette also talks about Garrett Madison’s professionalism and what Mark Pattison can expect while working with him to climb Mt. Everest in light of the coronavirus. “What you can expect from Garrett is a world-class guy. Just a consummate gentleman. His attention to detail is outstanding.”

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