“Trash and Overcrowding at the Top of the World”
A traffic jam on Mount Everest and a Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5726/1A
On May 29th, 1953, at 11:30 a.m., Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first men to stand on the summit of Mount Everest. Since then, over 4,000 people have flocked to the mountain, and hundreds more attempt the climb each season. Today, Everest is so overcrowded that it is filled with trash, sewage, and an ever-increasing amount of people. Partly, a reason for this increase in people are the “rich braggarts who pay to scale Mount Everest”, according to John Oliver. Is this true for the world of horology as well? These are climbers with very little experience who can pay their way to the top, often putting their lives and others in danger in the process.
This segment of climbers has been an issue for a while, with inexperienced climbers who have flocked to the summit in recent decades due to a poorly regulated tourism industry. This de-regulation allows for inexperienced climbers to attempt to reach the summit if they have sufficient funds to finance the trip.
Over 600 people attempt to summit Mount Everest during the few weeks of the year in which the conditions are just correct. For every new climber, there is at least one local worker who guides, cooks, and carries the equipment. The mountain has become so overcrowded that oftentimes climbers need to stand in line for hours to reach the top. When climbers finally do reach the summit, there is hardly enough room to stand because of overcrowding.
"Luxury is like dancing. If you get too close, you step on each other’s feet." – François-Henry Bennahmia, CEO of Audemars Piguet
Luxury defined by price and access / Credit: NNGROUP
No one knows how much waste is on the mountain, but it is an extremely large amount. The litter is spewed all over the mountains, all the way to the top, and camps are overflowing with human feces. All the waste is unfortunately wreaking havoc on the surrounding environment, and it is starting to create a serious health risk to everyone who shares Mount Everest’s watershed.
Some argue that local governments around Everest should have stricter rules about how many can attempt Mount Everest each year, but unfortunately, those governments depend on the income generated from this influx of climbers. These extra climbers also generate jobs and income for locals who provide accommodations or guided tours to these people.
Marvel x Audemars Piguet, the Black Panther Flying Tourbillon / Credit: If It's Hip It's Here
In particular, the Nepal side of the mountain has extremely lax standards; no limits on climbing permits issued per year, and all one needs to do is provide $11,000 and a doctor's note. Of the two thirds of people who traverse Everest from the Nepalese side, only 50% are properly qualified. So, why are the other half of climbers still allowed to climb? There are some enthusiasts who have been collectors for decades who aren’t able to get the timepieces that they desire due to long waits – artificial scarcity.
Whether you like it or not, this is part of human nature, summed up in this quote: “Once Everest was determined to be the highest summit on earth, it was only a matter of time before people decided that Everest needed to be climbed.” This is probably even more apparent in haute horology in the watch industry, as people will flock to the pinnacle of anything to experience that sense of exploration and achievement. But it does have trickle down effects and happen on smaller scales as well.
Should inexperienced consumers be able to fast track the iterative collecting process through spending copious amounts of money? Do they even understand what they are buying? In the world of mountaineering on Everest, unfortunately this does occasionally have lethal consequences. For years consumers have complained about the effects of artificial scarcity and inflated prices, including in the grey market. There are particular brands that are guilty of this, and it seems that it is only pushing consumers towards other brands that are more accessible.
This leaves us with a few questions: Is ‘paying to scale’ even bad for industry? How do we get rid of or mitigate the trash? Should the process be more regulated and controlled? How do we deal with overcrowding in the luxury watch market?
By: Eric Mulder