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Climbing Everest Naked
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It sounds like something I'd be dumb enough to try; scale the top of Everest and strip naked at 29,000 feet to celebrate.
Damn it if someone has already beaten me to it.
Last year a Nepali climber did just that. While it sent some chuckles through the climbing community, others weren't so amused. Everest is, after all, the holiest mountain in the country and local Nepalese were shocked at the sacrilegious act which some have likened to stripping in church. The episode has caused such an uproar, in fact, that Ang Tshering, president of Nepal's Mountaineering Association, has argued for "strict regulations to discourage such attempts by climbers." I would assume that concern for one's own private parts in minus 10 degree temperatures would be discouragement itself, but apparently it isn't.
There is, however, a bit of irony here that has been nicely pointed out by Guardian Journalist Hank Wangford. It seems that naked mountain climbing may have originated many years ago on Everest itself (or at least very near it). The above photo is of legendary climber George Mallory crossing a stream in 1922 on his way to the holy mountain. Way to go George!
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)
robert Oct 16th 2007 11:53AM
Seems like some Chinese or Japanese climber stripped down and froze on the Chinese side a couple of years back. Some climbers who passed them reported seeing them on the way up.
Noitasatu Oct 16th 2007 11:57AM
Now that's what you call free ballin! Go for it...loll. This country hides behind closed doors unlike Europe. If you can make it to the top of that Moutain do as you please!
Karl Oct 16th 2007 12:02PM
Who give a sht what the guys does up there, its his life and if he want to moon, let him have at it what ever happens to him. People should be more conserned about other events in the world and consider this one nothing but a JOKE.
pete Oct 16th 2007 12:07PM
IF HE WERE ARRESTED, IM SURE THE CHARGES WOULD BE THROWN OUT OF COURT FOR LACK OF EVIDENCE!!
Blu Oct 16th 2007 12:08PM
If naked guy's friends had not relayed this information no one would be the wiser as nobody would believe such a wild tale and would relate it to a lack of oxygen. Creativity comes in all forms now doesn't it!
lildevil7420 Oct 16th 2007 12:21PM
He should just say the picture was for artistic purposes or poetry in motion and everyone will praise him for his work...The guy got naked its no big deal.
Tim Oct 16th 2007 12:45PM
Who really cares? Is your young daughter going to be there when it happens? Good grief! Take a break from worrying what someone is doing at 29,000 feet. I think it should be manditory if someone completes the climb. More power to them.
Nick Oct 16th 2007 12:52PM
The man who stripped at the top was NEPALESE! Not the man pictured in the photo. Now I know where rumors get started.
watrskier25 Oct 16th 2007 1:00PM
Climbing a mountain can be an emotional and sometimes a spiritual experience. When atop such a holy mountain, how could being in nature's most natural form be considered offensive? It is unfortunate that nudity is viewed as taboo and offensive. Being nude puts us in our most vulnerable state and therefore demands that we truly respect nature. It makes more sense to view modern expedition gear and synthetic clothing as offensive atop a holy mountain rather than nudity.
georgia Oct 16th 2007 1:13PM
yyyyyyeeeeehaaaaaaaa...yipppppiiiiiiiiiii....i like it.....
David Oct 16th 2007 1:16PM
Hey! He had the BALLS to do it!
Jehu Oct 16th 2007 1:24PM
What's next? A couple may climb it and photograph themselves having sex so they can boast of being the first to do that. This must not go unpunished or thing will continually degrade.
Shadow Oct 16th 2007 1:31PM
talk about Au Naturale!!!
bill Oct 16th 2007 1:42PM
I don't have an opinion either way as to weather the man was naked or not. but he did what he thought what he did was ok. i think way to much is being made of this I truly do. I am also sure he wasn't naked for a very long time. would I do it heck no. heck iwouldn't even have the guts to climb that mountain!! well I suppose he could have done much worse and gotten drunkup there and tried to make his way down the mountain lol but he made it safely up and down isn't that what the important thing is?? lots die doing what he did going up or down the mountain. so i say kodos to him.
E Oct 16th 2007 1:50PM
ha. right on man.
Mary Oct 16th 2007 2:11PM
Hey Tom, what do Americans have to do with this? George Mallory was an Englishman and the current "nude" climber was from Nepal. If you were trying to make a joke, bad joke! We Americans have enough to deal with without one of our own dissing us!
R Oct 16th 2007 2:17PM
I say that if you are man or woman enough to climb the mountain then you should be able to celebrate your feat in the manner you so want and deserve..long live the beauty of the mountain and long live the beauty of man kind.
NakedNick Oct 16th 2007 3:01PM
You have to feel sorry for Eleanor Peters. Of course she's ashamed of her body. She believes that her god told her that she should be ashamed to be naked.
She is also a racist and bigot. In one of her other posts, she stated, "Obama is a full blooded Muslim. YES, he did take his oath on the Koran. That is enough for me to run like hell to the polls and make sure this man is NOT our next president."
For the naked climber, I say, "Rock On". All bodies are beautiful. Adults should have the ability to celebrate their beautiful bodies they way they wish.
Alaskanaturist Oct 16th 2007 11:31PM
Just wanted to weigh in support of the nude climber.
And to those who are disgusted by his joyful act of celabrating his wonderful achievment any way he chooses, I say "Get a life!"
notsosane Oct 18th 2007 10:40PM
the nudity doesnt bother me, it just seems miraculous that he could have survived without any clothes on. like mo said, read Into Thin Air by John Krakauer, its a really excellent nonfiction book about everest, and it seemed like people had enough trouble surviving with several layers on, let alone nothing.