There was a time when Himalayan alpinism meant:
uncertainty,
judgment,
self-reliance,
and commitment.

Now the world’s highest mountains increasingly resemble managed high-altitude infrastructure:
fixed lines,
oxygen systems,
weather-window traffic,
commercial logistics,
and human bottlenecks above 8,000 meters.

This is not a moral attack on Sherpas, guides, or the people trying to reach these summits.
Entire regional economies now depend on this system.

But we should at least be honest about what we are looking at.

A queue on the Hillary Step is not traditional alpinism.

Meanwhile, in much of the Andes, the climber still carries the burden of decision:
route finding,
weather interpretation,
movement,
retreat,
pace,
risk,
and consequence.

The system does not decide for you.

You do. Kordillera #Cordillera #Alpinism #Everest #Himalayas #Andes #Mountaineering #TraditionalAlpinism #ExpeditionClimbing #HighAltitude #Everest2026 #Andes2026 #SelfReliance #MountainCulture #KnowTheMountains #ClimbSmart #HillaryStep #Manaslu #AndeanMountaineering