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journey's end EVEREST WITHOUT THE EDGE TEXT: JONATHAN KAPLAN IN THE EYES OF WOULD-BE MT EVEREST SUMMITEERS, companies and charities pump fewer dollars to expeditions (the kind that fly a THE POST -9/11 ZEITGEIST AND THE ECONOMIC RECESSION company's or charity 's flag at the summit), there's a good chance fewer people ARE BUT SMALL DETERRENTS TO RISKING LIFE AND LIMB will attempt to reach Everest's summit this year. FOR A VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE WORLD. A small group of hardened and experienced mountaineers who put together and organize the commercial expeditions up Mt Everest-Eric Simonson ofInternational Mountain Guides, Craig Van Hoy of Ultimate Expeditions, Gordon Janow, Program Director Hit hardest by the recession, are the smaller trips to Nepal. LastJune, anarchy reigned in the kingdom after a shooting spree by a member of the royal family left nine in his family dead. Outfitters that don't guide climbs up Everest, but lead treks throughout the region, say they are not getting any phone or e- of Alpine Ascents International, and Russell Brice, expedition leader and owner mail traffic inquiring about or signing up for trips. "There seems to be a ten- of Himalayan Experience who has led 11 expeditions up Everest-all said they are having no problems attracting clients. "We have a full trip this year, though it didn't come together until quite late," Eric Simonson said. "I think a lot of peo- dency to pick destinations that are perceived as 'safe: such as South America, Alaska, and the Pacific region," says Wilderness Travel's Ray Rodney. Although we really will not know for sure until late March when ple just delayed their decision." Brice agreed. The person who wants to climb expeditions begin arriving in Nepal who will attempt to summit Mt Everest, Everest appears to be "recession proof." What may account for less traffic on the mountain is the death of sponsored expeditions. Conrad Anker, one of America's top mountaineers and who is now a product designer for The North Face, felt these types of trips have seen their last days due to the death of dot-coms and the recession. Anker added that the tougher economy has stopped businesses both from using repeated attempts to contact the Nepal Mountaineering Association, which issues the necessary and expensive permits to climb Mt Everest, went unan- swered. If this year proves to be a dud, all that could change in 2003, which is the 50th anniversary year of Sir Edmund Hillary's summit. "I see that being a real zoo," said Van Hoy. To guides like Simonson, fewer people at the circus of what is other- mountain climbing as a marketing tool to attract new and younger customers wise known as Everest Base Camp is not a bad thing. "So long as it relieves the and for promoting teamwork within a company. So as currently not-so-flush traffic jam on the mountain," he says, "I don't care what keeps people away." II

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