Come and climb Everest. No experience necessary....

Right now I'm busy reading "Into thin air", a fantastically written book about the Everest disaster that claimed 8 lives in one day. This book basically raises an issue with the whole idea of the commercialisation of Everest and how it puts lives at risk.

So anyway, for the past three or four years I have wanted to climb K2. Its he second largest mountain in the world and is nicknamed "The mountain of mountains". Its thought by many to be the most difficult climb any mountaineer can attempt and kills one person for every four who summit. Basically, its the ultimate challenge.

Now if you were to ask me why I wanted to climb K2 I would basically have to answer with "I don't know". Theres just something that attracts me too the mountains and I've always fantasised about getting to the top of them. Its in my blood. Its incredibly tough, majorly dangerous, very expensive, cold, exhausting and scary when you think about it but honestly that does not scare me one bit. I'm also not an adrenaline junkie as most of you might think. Theres just a need in my heart to do it.

So back to the topic. Some of you may have asked to yourselves "Why not Everest? Surely thats big tough enough for you.". Well, you see, the thing about Everest is.........well it is a dangerous place to be with HACE, HAPE, AMS and all these other illnesses that can attack you and the threat of the weather turning against you.....oh and the issue of getting stuck in the death zone. Well anyway Everest is overrated. The only reason its so famous is not because of the severity of the climbing, its simply because its the highest. Not don't get me wrong, I am in no way saying its an easy climb, far from it. Its just anyone who knows about mountaineering realises that K2 (The savage mountain) is the one to beat. Its just that little bit more extreme.

So back to my moan for today. Nowadays Everest is more like a theme park ride than an extreme climb. People are taken up there like they are on a museum tour. I've got no problem with the idea of being guided its the fact that alot of the people who ascend Everest nowadays have never climbed before! They see it as a challenge to themselves whereas people like myself believe in gaining the relevant experience first and then attempting and have a love for the sport. I heard Gordon "Fucking" Ramsey was training up to give it a go. I mean, since when has he been known for his climbing skills.

Well anyway, these total amateurs should leave the true climbing to the pros and purists. The people out there who have a true love for the sport. The people who have dreamt since being a little kid of climbing any of the eight-thousanders. The people who don't need to be shown how to use crampons for this first time on the Khumbu Icefalls!!! (Basically for those not in the know, thats just above Everest base camp)

It should be like a job interview. Experience should count for everything. Otherwise it becomes dangerous and people die. Its not exactly a safe place to be up there on top of the world so why they let these morons try and climb it is beyond me.