A far more serious Everest controversy occurred in 2014 when the Nepalese government offered meagre compensation to families personally affected by a lethal ice avalanche that took 16 lives.
A far more serious Everest controversy occurred in 2014 when the Nepalese government offered meagre compensation to families personally affected by a lethal ice avalanche that took 16 lives. In response to the tragedy, Sherpa climbing guides walked out on the job. And while some still wanted to climb, it was felt to be too controversial to make anymore summit attempts that year. The incident shone a spotlight on the work of Sherpas, who are often put in risky situations for substandard pay due to the demands of Western climbers.