| Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in the year 1953 | | | | he targets of without any oxygen because it shows |
| gave a ray of hope to thousands of other | | | | his capabilities and strength. Many people but not the |
| mountaineers who always dreamt of reaching the | | | | majority considers carrying bottled oxygen to be |
| summit of Mount Everest one day. They succeeded | | | | unethical. |
| climbing Mount Everest by conquering and | | | | Mountain climbing can be done keeping in mind two |
| overcoming all the obscurities and complexities that | | | | approaches, one is two give importance to the |
| arrived in their path. Their caches of supplement | | | | medical parameters and the second one is to give |
| oxygen proved to be of great help in their entire | | | | whole importance to the ethics. Medical parameters |
| route to the summit of Mount Everest. If they had | | | | that are necessary while climbing is to carry bottled |
| not been carrying those extra bottles of oxygen in | | | | oxygen but ethical approach is completely |
| their expedition, then maybe they could not have | | | | contradictory to the medical approach. Ethics in |
| reached the summit. After their success people | | | | mountain climbing states that it is not right to use |
| considered that carrying superfluous oxygen in such | | | | bottled oxygen while climbing high altitude mountains. |
| expeditions is mandatory for achieving success. | | | | The use of bottled oxygen has attracted many |
| But this mindset was challenged by two famous | | | | controversies over the years and still there is no final |
| mountaineers Peter Habeler and Reinhold Messner | | | | solution or statement heard from those who are in |
| who reached the same summit without having any | | | | power. On humanitarian grounds it is sensible to use it. |
| extra bottled oxygen. Their successful expedition to | | | | There is absolutely nothing more important than life. |
| Mount Everest in 1978 proved to be the toughest | | | | So why to put your life at stake? Even if you are |
| and the finest expedition to date. Ever since such | | | | extremely passionate about climbing mountains and |
| two expeditions succeeded, one with oxygen bottles | | | | reaching the summit of Mount Everest then you can |
| and one without any extra oxygen it triggered the | | | | only make that happen if you are alive. Risking your |
| controversy of whether it is necessary to climb any | | | | life and facing extreme conditions so high above the |
| high altitude mountain with the help from bottled | | | | sea level can prove disastrous. It is fine if we give |
| oxygen or not. | | | | importance to the ethics of the climbing world but it |
| The conditions that exist on the path towards the | | | | will not be fair to risk a life for reaching any summit |
| summit of Mount Everest are very hostile. Oxygen is | | | | when it can be achieved without any risk to life. |
| available in traces and this makes conditions | | | | Bottled oxygen may or may not be the right thing |
| extremely difficult for humans to survive. As the | | | | for mountaineers. But for life at such a high altitude, |
| height from the sea level increase the oxygen level | | | | bottled oxygen is perfect. |
| decreases rapidly. As a mountaineer reaches more | | | | The debate on whether to use it or not will probably |
| and more height it becomes very difficult for him or | | | | always be there. Different climbing societies have |
| her to breathe and chances on instant death rises | | | | different perspectives. Some find it sensible to use |
| enormously. Considering the facts that we have just | | | | bottled oxygen and the other finds it sensible but |
| mentioned it is essential that every mountaineer | | | | unethical. These two ends never seem to meet and |
| carries bottled oxygen on his expedition to just | | | | this difference in perspective and the definition of |
| heights. It is not only important for the success of | | | | 'Ethics' will never be perfectly defined. The most |
| the expedition but is also crucial for his or her life. It is | | | | convenient way at the moment is to let the |
| totally fair to support the use of bottled oxygen for | | | | mountaineers and their respective groups decide |
| climbing Mount Everest and other high mountains. No | | | | what is best for them. It should be left on them as |
| expedition should be given more importance than the | | | | to whether they want to use bottled oxygen for |
| life of the mountaineer. | | | | climbing or not. Both of them should respect the |
| There have been many cases in which people were | | | | decision taken by the individual and should not |
| on the verge of dying because they were trying to | | | | disrespect or discard the approach used for reaching |
| climb Mount Everest without taking aid from | | | | the summit. |
| supplementary oxygen. One person who never | | | | This is the most appropriate method that can be |
| supported its use to such excursions was George | | | | employed for giving some relief to this never ending |
| Leigh Mallory. A member of the British 1921, 1922 and | | | | argument. Such discussions where to parties have |
| 1924 Everest expeditions, he successfully reached | | | | equal votes and equal strengths must be either |
| many great heights without the use of bottled | | | | concluded or resolved like this. Reaching the summit |
| oxygen. George did change his mind on his second | | | | of Mount Everest is a very big achievement. |
| summit attempt during the 1924 expedition and used | | | | Reaching the summit should be given importance |
| bottled oxygen for the first time, believing in the end | | | | because that is not a task that anyone can |
| that it may help him reach the summit. All those who | | | | accomplish. Whether a person reached there with or |
| still are against the use of bottled oxygen believe | | | | without bottled oxygen are secondary considerations. |
| that a mountaineer should be able to reach the height | | | | |