Here's an interesting interview with Italian alpinist Hans Kammerlander, one of Reinhold Messner's climbing partners, in the on-line version of the German magazine Der Spegiel. Kammerlander's done a lot of climbing on the high mountains, including an eight-day alpine traverse with Messner between Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II which is considered one of the world's greatest mountaineering achievements. In this interview, Kammerlander dismisses Oh Eun-Sun's ascents of the fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, talks about today's pursuit of climbing records, and the growth of "summit tourism."
Photograph above: Oh Eun-Sun makes a prayer before climbing Annapurna. Photograph courtesy Black Yak.
Comments
Another Westerner dismissing the achievements of an Asian. Nothing new, unfortunately.
Jiang, I am afraid you are wrong. It has nothing to do with being Asian or Westerner (not sure what your definition of Westerner is though).
Guys like Hans Kammerlander climbed with Sherpas and Hunzas and consider them equal in the abilities and achievements. So, what is he saying has nothing do with ethnic origin. But your comment actually is.
He is warning against commercialization of the mountaneering i.e. mountain at any cost, which leads to overcrowding on the mountain and senceless deaths.
I’m afraid both Ms Oh and to some extent Ms Pasaban are responcible for, regardless of their ethnic origin.
Oh gave an interview today and has stated that Messner met her at the base camp after she descented from Annapurna. She reportedly described to Messner a spot at the top of Kanchenjunga in sufficient detail that Messner became convinced of Oh’s summit. What this comedian Hans doesn’t seem to realize is that when he belittles the effort of an alpinist, he’s denigrating the efforts of the whole group of alpinists, including himself. This comedian actually falted Oh for having used the assistance of sherpas on her climbs, as if he climbs without their assistance wearing just street clothes. As for Oh’s comment on his distractor Pa$aban, she stated: “I feel regret over her because she raised the suspicion, but I wouldn’t be what I am now if it were not for Pasaban and Austrian climber Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner.”
This kind of climbing has nothing to do with sport: it’s just commercial and political business. The lady had dropped herself from a helicopter at at least half of the 8000m tops. That’s totally ridiculous. That way you can bring a cripple to the top. Big achievement, BS!!