Конец эпохи

Коллеги, поступила информация, что знаменитая ступень Хиллари, 13 метровый вертикальный склон, последнее испытание на пути к вершине Эвереста, была разрушена (возможно в результате землетрясения 2015 года). 21 мая 2017 года альпинист Тим Моздейл подтвердил, что ступени больше нет, а на его месте находится нагромождение камней.

Located at 8,790 metres, the Hillary Step is a steep and narrow section considered by climbers to be the last obstacle before the summit, which is at 8,848 metres.

Its destruction may make the ascent easier – as it will no longer involve a vertical rock climb – or more dangerous because there may be limited paths up the section, meaning climbers will have to wait for long periods in cold temperatures and at a high altitude while others attempt it.

“It’s easier going up the snow slope and indeed for inexperienced climbers and mountaineers there’s less ‘climbing’ to be done, making it much easier for them,” Mosedale told the website Planet Mountain.

“However, it’s going to form a bottleneck. The Hillary Step often formed a bottleneck but some years ago they fixed an up and a down rope. In the current state it would be difficult to safely negotiate down where the step used to be on account of the huge unstable rocks that are perched on the route.”