Clean Mountain Cans on Everest
December 2007A climbing ranger demonstrates the use of Clean Mountain Cans on Denali. NPS Photo.
When Dawa Steven Sherpa leads the 2008 Everest Eco-Expedition, he’ll be carrying several Clean Mountain Cans to test the possibilities for removing human waste from the upper mountain.
Prototype Clean Mountain Cans were introduced in Denali National Park in 2001, with funding from the AAC. Today, all climbers are required to carry down their waste from Denali’s high camp, using Clean Mountain Cans. The cans, built by Geo Toilet Systems in Wichita, hold nearly two gallons of human waste. Paul Becker of Geo Toilet Systems will donate three cans to the Everest Eco-Expedition, and the U.S. National Park Service will donate 30 biodegradable bag liners.
The Everest Eco-Expedition will be organized by Asian Trekking, which is run by Ang Tshering Sherpa, Dawa Steven Sherpa’s father and president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association. The expedition aims to raise awareness of deteriorating mountain environments, especially the effects of global warming on glacial melting and the formation of glacial lakes. The expedition hopes to use Mt. Everest as a platform to spread this message.
Dawa Steven Sherpa will be speaking at the Climbatology presentation in Golden, Colorado, on February 22, 2008. Sponsored by the AAC and Patagonia, Climbatology will unveil photographs of the Mt. Everest region taken more than 50 years ago paired with new photos taken this fall by Alton Byers, director of the Alpine Conservation Partnership. Patagonia climbing ambassador Kitty Calhoun also will speak about classic alpine routes that may never be repeated because of the effects of climate change.