Everest Outfitter Peak Freaks Cancels 2015 Climb
Cites politics, dangerous conditions
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Canada-based Peak Freaks, a small Himalayan guiding company in operation since 1983, announced in an online post Tuesday that it is canceling its 2015 trip up Mount Everest. In addition to safety concerns, the company cited unpredictable changes in rules for mountaineering permits, changing weather patterns, and regional political instability as factors in the decision.
Like many Everest operators, Peak Freaks canceled its expedition last year due to safety concerns after 16 Nepalese porters were killed in an avalanche. In 2013, the company led a team of 14 climbers to the summit.
According to the statement, Peak Freaks will continue guiding on other Himalayan mountains, but without the “thorny politics, crumbling glaciers, and looming ice-falls” of the world’s highest.