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They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

nytimes.com

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Re: They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

#41

Post by normie3000 »

Havoc wrote: post #36
tonyhart7 wrote: post #15

"former special force", "flew to expert across Europe for testing and trial" Yeah this is not your average mountain climber group, "normal" people could not do this just by xenon gas alone

Yeah was about to say that must have been really good baseline fitness. I know people that made it to Kilimanjaro as pretty average middle class urbanites with no substantial climbing background, but that's probably at the edge of what's possible.

> I know people that made it to Kilimanjaro ... with no substantial climbing background

Kilimanjaro is an arduous hike. No technical knowledge or equipment is required. The main challenge on the mountain is altitude, which is countered by time spent acclimatising.

Re: They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

#42

Post by freetime2 »

Klaus_ wrote: post #19

Climbing Everest in just a few days with xenon gas does sound pretty wild. But it also makes me wonder if we’re turning what used to be a deeply human and challenging journey into just another experiment in efficiency. Not sure if that counts as progress. Curious how others see it.

> But it also makes me wonder if we’re turning what used to be a deeply human and challenging journey into just another experiment in efficiency.

I think that ship has sailed already. Now the focus should probably be on safety, economic benefit, and sustainability/minimizing environmental impact.

Re: They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

#43

Post by Etheryte »

Euphorbium wrote: post #20
Etheryte wrote: post #7

Important to note that they didn't use xenon for the climb, only for the prepwork, which makes this outcome all the more remarkable. Still, I would feel uneasy if this were to become a trend, as incorrectly administering xenon can lead to death, as seen on Hamilton's Pharmacopeia[0]. > In an interview, Mr. Carns said that his expedition had been in touch with the ministry, and clarified with the department that it ha…

The guys in the phrmacopeia were very obviously addicts.

That seems completely orthogonal to the point. Much like elsewhere in drug addiction, the deaths were due to the suppliers' negligence, not the fact that the deceased were addicts.

Re: They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

#44

Post by Lio »

jppittma wrote: post #28
meindnoch wrote: post #12

Xenon is used by athletes to increase their endogenous erythropoietin production. As it's a noble gas, it leaves no trace in their body, so post-hoc detection of this doping method is impossible. But as a recreational climber, why bother with xenon? Just inject EPO.

Why not both? Also detection?!? That’s crazy. Everybody should be doing this. The raison d’etre for these sorts of bans is their perceived negative health consequences. You almost certainly safer using whatever PED you can get your hands on if you’re trying to climb Everest.

> Why not both?

Because if you can inject EPO then you don't need xenon. With EPO you can generate as many red blood cells your body can handle.

Re: They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

#45

Post by mensetmanusman »

sschueller wrote: post #22
tonyhart7 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"just to climb a overcrowded rock and tick a checkbox on your pathetic life's" why the HATE so much lol

Because others are exploited and risk their lives to get these people up that peak. If it was only them going up on their own without expectations to be rescued if something goes wrong no one would have a problem with it.

[flagged]

Re: They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

#46

Post by quotemstr »

Amazing and hilarious.

Genuine technological innovation in adaptation to low oxygen. Nay-sayers say it does nothing. Guys climb Everest in a week using said innovation. You can't argue with results, so they switch to:

"Himal Gautam, the director of Nepal’s tourism department, which is responsible for regulating expeditions on the nation’s mountains, said in an interview that using the gas was “against climbing ethics,” and that it would hurt the country’s tourism industry and the Sherpas who help climbers by reducing their time on the mountain."

and

"From a medical point of view, off-label use without a scientific basis and with unknown health risks must be rejected"

So it simultaneously does nothing and is unethical, and it doesn't matter whether it works anyway, because even if it did, it'd be against made-up "medical" rules.

I've never seen a stronger case for telling very serious people to go fuck themselves.

Re: They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

#47

Post by lm28469 »

tonyhart7 wrote: post #16
lm28469 wrote: post #5

[flagged]

"just to climb a overcrowded rock and tick a checkbox on your pathetic life's" why the HATE so much lol

Because I find it genuinely pathetic. That's what I considered cool when I was 8 but then I grew up and realised my actions have consequences and that life isn't about literally consuming as many things and experiences as you can regardless of the externalities.

Re: They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

#48

Post by meindnoch »

_joel wrote: post #25
meindnoch wrote: post #12

Xenon is used by athletes to increase their endogenous erythropoietin production. As it's a noble gas, it leaves no trace in their body, so post-hoc detection of this doping method is impossible. But as a recreational climber, why bother with xenon? Just inject EPO.

Breathing in an inert gas is easier and much safer than injecting something into your body.

Casually breathing in an anaesthetic gas for prolonged periods is easier and much safer than injecting a widely used medicine? Are you out of your mind?

Re: They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

#49

Post by normie3000 »

yapyap wrote: post #34

What even is the point anymore of doing something like this if you cheat your whole way up. It’s like bragging about sailing around the world when in reality you did a cruise

A cruise around the world? What's the differentiator?

Re: They used Xenon to climb Everest in days – is it the future of mountaineering?

#50

Post by normie3000 »

Klaus_ wrote: post #19

Climbing Everest in just a few days with xenon gas does sound pretty wild. But it also makes me wonder if we’re turning what used to be a deeply human and challenging journey into just another experiment in efficiency. Not sure if that counts as progress. Curious how others see it.

> what used to be a deeply human and challenging journey into just another experiment in efficiency

Maybe it's always been an experiment in efficiency? Early Everest expeditions consisted of large support teams, setting records for sleeping at altitude, and inventing new breathing apparatus. Or maybe the challenge and the journey are over now?

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