Live data from Hacker News

Mystery identity of 'Green Boots' climber is finally solved after DNA test

dailymail.com

31–40 of 114 posts

Re: Mystery identity of 'Green Boots' climber is finally solved after DNA test

#31
post #23

I can’t imagine having a hobby that involves passing by, and in some cases climbing over, the exposed remains of others who died doing that same activity.

A climber who was pivotally involved in the failed rescue efforts for the dead person in this article immediately left on a solo climb of a nearby mountain. He died just over a year later in another climbing incident.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Boukreev

Re: Mystery identity of 'Green Boots' climber is finally solved after DNA test

#32
post #23

I can’t imagine having a hobby that involves passing by, and in some cases climbing over, the exposed remains of others who died doing that same activity.

Yeah and also knowing if something happens your team will definitely leave you

The movie Touching the Void is highly recommended.

Re: Mystery identity of 'Green Boots' climber is finally solved after DNA test

#33
post #17

Greenboots has been laying there frozen in the snow since the 90s. It even became a landmark for other climbers. Im glad they managed to at least identify the poor soul. Who knows how much longer he’s going to rest there..

Is this an AI generated comment?

[deleted]

Re: Mystery identity of 'Green Boots' climber is finally solved after DNA test

#35
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah and also knowing if something happens your team will definitely leave you

The movie Touching the Void is highly recommended.

As for most book-based movies, the book is IMO better.

Re: Mystery identity of 'Green Boots' climber is finally solved after DNA test

#36
Serious question. When climbers are walking by bodies, do they check if they are still alive or need help? Is there nothing that could be done anyways? Face down means don’t bother checking?

Any human not moving in Rainbow Valley is presumed dead?

I imagine you’re trying to keep yourself alive and keep your eyes forward, and realize you can’t do anything to help them anyways.

Re: Mystery identity of 'Green Boots' climber is finally solved after DNA test

#37

Serious question. When climbers are walking by bodies, do they check if they are still alive or need help? Is there nothing that could be done anyways? Face down means don’t bother checking? Any human not moving in Rainbow Valley is presumed dead? I imagine you’re trying to keep yourself alive and keep your eyes forward, and realize you can’t do anything to help them anyways.

There was a case of a climber (David Sharp) that was having issues and found shelter in the vicinity of green boots, and the theory was that part of why he died is that the 40 climbers who passed by him without stopping just assumed he was green boots and didn't pay attention.

https://allthatsinteresting.com/david-sharp

It's why green boots was moved (and is no longer a landmark), and David Sharp was also moved.

Re: Mystery identity of 'Green Boots' climber is finally solved after DNA test

#38
post #26
post #23

I can’t imagine having a hobby that involves passing by, and in some cases climbing over, the exposed remains of others who died doing that same activity.

A good friend of mine is a professional alpinist who focuses only climbing eight-thousanders with no supplementary oxygen. Through him I’ve met others and learned about this whole community. A number of people are as weird and eccentric as us here in computer-nerd circles; one is tempted to armchair-diagnose some as autistic and climbing as their fixation, so something like Green Boots or the death of peers just won’…

Aren't there only a dozen or so mountains above 8000 m? Can you really do that without supplementary oxygen? Amazing.

Re: Mystery identity of 'Green Boots' climber is finally solved after DNA test

#39
post #23

I can’t imagine having a hobby that involves passing by, and in some cases climbing over, the exposed remains of others who died doing that same activity.

Is climbing over something that happens?

For passing by, that says some about the danger of the hobby and much more about the effort of getting the body back. There's lots of common activities where you might pass by a spot someone died while doing it. Notably, driving a car nearly guarantees it.

Re: Mystery identity of 'Green Boots' climber is finally solved after DNA test

#40
post #23

I can’t imagine having a hobby that involves passing by, and in some cases climbing over, the exposed remains of others who died doing that same activity.

The stepping over the dead bothers me little, frankly. As a mountaineer, it's hard to imagine a nicer end than dying at the top of a beautiful mountain. Beats the care home for sure.

What horrifies me is the idea of stepping past people who are alive and dying, because... Meh? Because I paid to go the top, not rescue stragglers? People often say they can barely walk forwards, never mind rescue someone, and it's true. But surely if you have any energy left in you, it should go to saving a life. And if it is so touch and go for you, then don't go.

Post reply on HN