A mountain of an idea!!!

[madcat]

If you want to be close in to all the vegan stuff then I would suggest the Hawthorn or Belmont neighborhood. But come check it out first. A lot of times you can find great rentals on craigs list.

[michaelhobson]

If you want to be close in to all the vegan stuff then I would suggest the Hawthorn or Belmont neighborhood. But come check it out first. A lot of times you can find great rentals on craigs list.

 

A friend of Josie's just moved to Portland and found a great job on Craigs List.

[compassionategirl]

also, endurance athletes who are vegan (as mountaineering is almost entirely endurance - the sheer amount of calories you burn means you cant carry much weight) are plentiful. brendon brazier, fiona oakes (elite level marathon runner) and the guy who won that ultra marathon in cali, as well as many more.

 

...regarding the media spotlight and what not, it wasnt my intention to imply that you wish to seek fame, only that i think that such an exercise may be discounted by many as 'yet another stunt by those animal rights loonies to grab attention'.

 

also, regarding mountain climbing making the news, it is highly unlikely that it would be covered at all. the general media pandas only to corporate interests. Animal rights stories in a positive light dont get a mention. plus in high season there can be 40 or more people a day summiting Everest, so we would have to do something spectacular to make the news.

 

jonathan

 

Fair enough but I have only a few comments about the above quoted parts of your post.

yes, there are lots of vegan endurance athletes jonathan. But to be honest, I had never heard of Brednan Brazier until I became vegan. Ib have never heard the evening news cover Brendan brazier's physical feats. This is not to say that they havent been covered here in Toronto, but I quite regularly watch the news (although not really recently) and have never heard of the athletic achievements of VEGANS. yet, I have heard about "the first woman to climb Everest" or the latest group of local Canadians to climb Everest, for example. So I feel, based on my experiences, that we could go somewhere with "the first vegans to conquer Everest" exposure. And I think that if the First woman to conquer Everest or the latest Canadians to conquer Everest garners national news coverage here (as it does cuz I watched it myself), then I think we can garner coverage as "the first vegans to conquer Everest."

 

Perhaps I am naive, but I really dont think my idea can harm animals, only help them.

 

 

I think that "stunts" are more susceptible to criticism when they seek to shock, or inadvertently/unintionally offend, etc. etc.

This is simply a bunch of healthy strong vegans trying to show people that "you can quite literally climb mountains without hurting animals." I never planned on making this endeavour into an in your face, sensationalist, shock tactic Peta style 'stunt" - only an earnest and compassionate journey, one that I am hoping will win respect for veganism.

[willpeavy]

Yeah Craig's list is a good site, we already have a "housing wanted" ad up there. What job did your friend find Michael? The job search has been going pretty well for me so far. I already passed the qualifying exams for 3 different social services jobs with the state of OR

[willpeavy]

I think you have a good idea compassionategirl. Even if you don't get a lot of press coverage, people will always be able to respond to comments about veganism being unhealthy with, "Oh yeah, well a vegan climbed Mt Everest"

[Jay]

The people of Nepal are so poor and their government is so corrupt that they have started up a pretty serious communist guerilla movement which the Nepalese government is trying to destroy. 40,000 dollars would buy that government quite a few machine guns.

 

My father is Nepalese and he will not visit there now because things are so bad.

[compassionategirl]

I was going to say that just because the people of acountry are poor, that doesnt mean the government of that poor country is poor as well. Corrupt and certainly better off than the masses is what I figure most governments are, inlcuding Nepal's government.

 

So, like I said before, "damn government."

[chesty leroux]

chick you are crazy i read Into Thin Air, everest is a man eating monster....But Mt. Kilimanjaro in tanzania...i want to tackle that baby on a day trip.

 

okay so that means you are in if so long as the mountain isnt everest? seriously, ash, are you in?

 

I don't think I'm gonna be in any kind of financial situation or have time to train to mountain climb any time soon.

[compassionategirl]

so much for my brilliant idea. It seems that this has alraedy been done.

 

http://www.veganviews.org.uk/vv76/vv76vegconq.html

[compassionategirl]

I think I would still like to take this on (if I could find funding for this endeavour like maybe get some ar groups to help finance this) IF I can find at least more one vegan to embark on this journey with.

 

I would hate to go up there surrounded by a munch of meat eating stranger trolls. How lonely I would feel.

[Tarz]

I like your idea Nat.

 

BUT - forgive me if I'm wrong as I may have missed an earlier comment in this thread - have you any experience in climbing? Even if you have, Everest is damned tough even for experienced climbers. It can be very, very dangerous too - we wouldn't want to lose you on the mountains Nat. Don't want to be morbid here, but that is a very real possibility...... The expense aspect has already been covered.

 

I think a more realistic 'challenge' would be one of these long walks/cycles/swims around a place. Easier to train for, less specialist training needed and probably less expensive too. Of course, these can of things take week or months though, so who could spare the time?? Does anything like that appeal to you Nat?

 

There are challenges in the UK like climbing five peaks ( mountains ) located very close together in a day. The mountains are obviously moderate, but it is still quite some achievement. Anything like that in Canada?

[compassionategirl]

Of course, these can of things take week or months though, so who could spare the time?? Does anything like that appeal to you Nat?

 

 

yes, if I could find a couple of more vegans to do it with, I am up for any challenge that will help animals, even Everest. Well, maybe I should play it safe and say "almost any challenge."

 

No, to date I have no climbing experience (other than climbing into my bath tub), but of course I would train long and hard for any everst type expedition, which wouldnt be for at least a year or two.

 

So, Tarz, are you in?

 

So far it may be just me you and Topher, and maybe Michael?

[Tarz]

Of course, these can of things take week or months though, so who could spare the time?? Does anything like that appeal to you Nat?

 

 

yes, if I could find a couple of more vegans to do it with, I am up for any challenge that will help animals, even Everest. Well, maybe I should play it safe and say "almost any challenge."

 

No, to date I have no climbing experience (other than climbing into my bath tub), but of course I would train long and hard for any everst type expedition, which wouldnt be for at least a year or two.

 

So, Tarz, are you in?

 

So far it may be just me you and Topher, and maybe Michael?

 

Sorry Nat - I have neither the time or the money at present to prepare myself for such a challenge/task. I'd end up falling off Everest - I am notoriously clumsy..... To be honest I have no desire to climb Everest either.

 

I dont doubt your commitment and resolve but do you really, really have the spare time and necessary finances to organise an event of this kind? I mean these things are major undertakings. I'm not a doubter and don't want to come across as negative, and I'm sure you can do this if anyone can, but to do something like this should not be undertaken lightly. Please consider and think through carefully.

 

I know you want to do this for the animals, but maybe lots of smaller things - i.e sponsored walks/cycles/runs/swims etc - would be just as, if not more productive in the long term? Plus, you could start doing these things sooner rather than later??

[compassionategirl]

I mean these things are major undertakings. I'm not a doubter and don't want to come across as negative, and I'm sure you can do this if anyone can, but to do something like this should not be undertaken lightly. Please consider and think through carefully.

 

I know you want to do this for the animals, but maybe lots of smaller things - i.e sponsored walks/cycles/runs/swims etc - would be just as, if not more productive in the long term? Plus, you could start doing these things sooner rather than later??

 

The voice of reason

 

Thanks for your concern for my well-being. Much moved by it.

[BordasOo]

I haven't seen such informative articles in a long time. Very few people on this forum write about climbing Everest. Everest, if I am not mistaken, is the largest mountain in the world, it is also called Jomolungma, but it is not such a popular name. To be honest, I have not yet been able to conquer Everest. But when I was trekking in Nepal, we had a trek to Everest. We didn't make it to the summit because it was quite dangerous that day. But even so, I loved the beautiful snowy view. The nature is amazing!