Guy Cotter

So they're just trying to push that to motivate people to do 7,000 metre peaks in their own country before going to Everest.

That's not really going to fly.

Now, a very, very experienced high altitude mountaineer can come along and go to one of these cheap operators, get the minimum package, but because they know what they're doing, they can still be safe and successful on the mountain.

Now, that same package would not be appropriate for somebody who's not a strong climber with a big resume behind them.

They go on to that same expedition and they die or they get severe frostbite and they lose all their hands and fingers and all the rest of it and feet.

We've also wanted to see some sort of rescue service.

The problem is, and this has always been the issue in Nepal, is nobody's been able to trust that the government will come up with anything that's appropriate and not exposed to corruption.

What is working well is what is being run by people

the expedition operators themselves, but there are still big gaps.

So at the top end, you've got some good responsible operators.

At the bottom end, you've still got the same issue.

And the irony is that they're the ones who get the least qualified clients because they're charging the least.

And so people go internet shopping online.

For an Everest expedition, it would be like going internet shopping for your heart transplant and going, right, well, I'm going to get the cheapest one.

You get what you pay for and the problem is you don't really realize what you're paying for until things start going wrong.

And when you find that the operator that you're with is not actually got any of the oxygen because, well, they...

didn't charge you enough money for it, then, you know, it's a little too late.

You know, obviously the tragedy of what occurred, you know, doesn't just go away and, you know, certainly miss the friends that we lost at that time.

But what did happen in the aftermath is that the industry grew up to a degree.

When Rob Hall and Doug Hanson were caught up high on the mountain and Andy Harris was missing, there were other operators, friends, climbers, other mountaineers on the mountain who came to help, kind of dropped everything to come and offer support.