CALGARY- Driven by sheer determination, Shryia Shah-Klorfine, who had never climbed a mountain–let alone put on crampons–amazed everyone when she made it to the top of Mount Everest in 2012.
“I was actually quite elated when I heard she reached the summit,” said Shah’s husband, Bruce Klorfine.
But that elated feeling turned to shock, then grief.
As a result of altitude sickness and exhaustion, Shah died on her journey down from the summit.
Originally from Nepal, Shah hired a Nepalese outfitter to guide her to the summit while taking the famous South Col route.
Nepal has been criticized for turning the famous mountain into a tourism and money machine. Her husband said she should not have been allowed to go on the $70,000 trip, and that restrictions should be put in place so not just anyone is allowed to climb.
“Before issuing a climbing permit to someone like my wife, that you know there would be some kind of prerequisite required,” said Klorfine. “Be mentored and vetted by someone who can call the shots for you and determine your fitness, as opposed to what Shryia did–was left up to herself.”
Many have blamed Shah for being irresponsible, setting out late in the day and not turning around earlier. But others say it was her team who let her down.
“She was part of a team that was responsible for getting its climber to the summit and down…if not showing reserves,” said guide and climber Wally Berg.
Berg has climbed the South Col four times and has been a team leader on six occasions.
“Somebody calls us and says they want to climb Everest, we are like, ‘Well let’s get started, do you want to do a six-day course in the Canadian Rockies? Do you want to go to Kilimanjaro to see how you do at altitude?””
Last year, 16 Sherpas lost their lives in an avalanche on Khumbu Ice Falls, which is considered one of the most dangerous parts of the South Col route.
“People got cavalier and took things for granted, and they stood around breaking a basic mountain rule: standing around in a risky place in groups of more than one and not moving continuously,” said Berg.
Following the tragedy, the Nepalese government said the route would move to the middle of the ice fall where there is less slide risk. But it’s unclear if that will actually happen.
“People are going to go and we need to accept that, they are going to come back with a great adventure. It’s a dangerous place, statistically maybe not as dangerous as people think, but terrible things happen,” said Berg.
“Everest is a mountain that belongs to everybody.”
Klorfine still feels a huge emptiness in his heart reflecting on the loss of his beloved wife.
During this season, he will be thinking of the climbers heading out in pursuit of the same dream his wife once had, and he has some advice: “Tell your spouses you love them.”
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