For Female Climbers, Dangers Go Beyond Avalanches and Storms

Women are increasingly reporting sexual harassment and abuse in the sport, including accusations against the renowned climber Nirmal Purja.

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A shadowy image of K2, taken from its base camp.

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Joe Stenson/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

By Anna Callaghan and Jenny Vrentas

Anna Callaghan and Jenny Vrentas report on issues in climbing and welcome tips at nytimes.com/tips.

May 31, 2024

In a memoir published in December, the professional mountaineer and former Miss Finland Lotta Hintsa briefly described an upsetting incident with a “very famous male climber” whom she didn’t name.

During a March 2023 business discussion in the man’s hotel suite in Kathmandu, Nepal, he “kissed Lotta completely without warning,” Ms. Hintsa and her co-author wrote in the Finnish-language book, “The Mountains of My Life 2.” “The situation was absurd, unreal and unpleasant.”

But in interviews with The New York Times, Ms. Hintsa said her experience was more disturbing than she had described in the book. And her story highlights a concern that women in the climbing world are starting to talk about more openly.

Ms. Hintsa said the man was Nirmal Purja, whose successful 2019 quest to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in record time was chronicled in a popular Netflix documentary. She said he led her to the bedroom, pulled off her shirt, trekking shorts and underwear and tried to remove her bra. She said she repeatedly told him no and offered excuses to get him to stop without agitating him. The episode ended with him masturbating next to her, she said.

“I just need to get out of this and pretend that it never happened,” Ms. Hintsa, 35, recalled thinking at the time.

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Lotta Hintsa stands before a wall of rock and ice, her gloved hands in the pockets of a light-blue puffer coat and a magenta hat on her head.

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Saara Mansikkamaki for The New York Times

Through his lawyer, Mr. Purja declined requests for an interview. The lawyer, Philip M. Kelly, said in a written statement that Mr. Purja “unequivocally denies the allegations of wrongdoing. These allegations are false and defamatory.”

As high-altitude mountaineering has gained popularity, women have become increasingly visible and formidable in a sport still largely dominated by men. Statistics from Mount Everest speak to the trend: Last year, 65 women reached the summit — about 10 percent of the climbers who summited — up from 45 in 2013 and just 10 in 2003, according to the Himalayan Database.

But in recent years, members of the broader climbing community have acknowledged that the sport comes with unseen risks, especially for women. More and more women in the sport, which includes everything from indoor rock climbing to ascending snowy peaks, are coming forward to talk about moments they’ve described as unsettling or worse.

In 2019, a group of professional female rock climbers started an Instagram account “about the ridiculous and inappropriate messages, photos, and solicitations we receive in our DMs,” one of the women said in a social media post. The account, whose creators said it was later shut down by Instagram, shared screenshots of harassing messages sent to women in the sport.

In February, a 39-year-old climber named Charles Barrett was convicted of three counts of sexual abuse for repeatedly assaulting a woman who was visiting Yosemite National Park for a weekend hiking trip in 2016. The U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California said in a statement that Mr. Barrett had “used his renown and physical presence as a rock climber to lure and intimidate victims who were part of the rock-climbing community.”

And in interviews with The Times, Ms. Hintsa and another woman, a former client of Mr. Purja’s high-altitude guiding company, described experiences in recent years in which he kissed them without consent, made aggressive advances or touched them sexually against their wishes. They said they felt powerless and wary of angering Mr. Purja.

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Rachel Bujalski for The New York Times

“I didn’t know what to do,” recalled Dr. April Leonardo, a family physician from Quincy, Calif. She said Mr. Purja repeatedly grabbed, kissed and propositioned her during an expedition to K2, the world’s second-tallest mountain. “I’m on this crazy climb. He’s my guide. I don’t want to do anything to put myself in jeopardy.”

The statement from Mr. Purja’s lawyer also unequivocally denied Dr. Leonardo’s allegations.

Soon after the encounters the women described having with Mr. Purja, they shared their stories with friends and relatives and sent them text messages about their experiences. The Times reviewed the text messages and confirmed the conversations with the other people.

The outdoor recreation world has started to address sexual abuse and harassment, though haltingly. In response to the #MeToo movement, members of the United States climbing community created an initiative in 2018 called #SafeOutside to study the scope of the problem in the sport. The organizers surveyed more than 5,000 climbers from over 60 countries and found that 47 percent of women and 16 percent of men said they had been subjected to unwanted sexual behavior while climbing. And a few months ago, The Mountaineers, an outdoor recreation group in the Pacific Northwest, created a sexual harassment and assault prevention advisory committee to address the risk among its 15,000 members.

But it’s nothing new for women to feel mistreated in the sport.

“It’s the most vulnerable position I can imagine being in,” said Alison Levine, the captain of the first American women’s Everest expedition in 2002, who said she experienced verbal abuse and threatening behavior from a guide during that trip. The climbers turned back short of the summit as weather conditions deteriorated.

Ms. Levine continued, “The thing that was most challenging, the scariest, and produced the most anxiety and fear on that mountain came from a human, not the environment.” She didn’t return to the big mountains for another five years, then went back to Everest in 2010 and reached the summit.

“There is so much inherent risk in the environment itself,” she said. “When you add in risk from interpersonal relationships, that makes it even more frightening.”

‘Where a “No” Means Nothing’

This month, hundreds of climbers scaled Everest and other Himalayan peaks. Above 8,000 meters (about 26,000 feet), they enter what is known as the Death Zone, where there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life for long and they expose themselves to hazards like frostbite, icefall, crevasses and high-altitude pulmonary or cerebral edema. Eighteen climbers died on Everest during the spring 2023 season, and this year five have died and three have been reported missing.

Clients pay tens of thousands of dollars to attempt these ascents — Everest expeditions start at around $40,000 and can cost six figures for a more luxurious experience — and entrust their guides with their lives.

Mr. Purja, 40, is one of mountaineering’s most recognizable and influential figures, with more than two million followers on Instagram. Known as Nims, he’s a naturalized citizen of Britain, where he lives with his wife and young daughter. But in his native Nepal he is revered as the kind of climbing superstar the country hasn’t seen since Tenzing Norgay completed the first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 alongside Sir Edmund Hillary.

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Nirmal Purja, shown from the chest up, speaking and gesturing with his hands in a dark puffer jacket and baseball cap.

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Aamir Qureshi/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Through his guiding company, Elite Exped, Mr. Purja has helped usher in a new era of commercial climbing on the world’s tallest peaks and has encouraged women on social media to take part.

He has guided high-profile female clients like Asma Al Thani, a member of the Qatari royal family, and the Russian model Victoria Bonya. “Thanks for inspiring me to push my limits. I’m grateful for everything you taught me,” a Swiss climber named Christine Vogondy posted on social media last fall, with a photo of her and Mr. Purja atop Gasherbrum I in Pakistan.

Ms. Hintsa, who became a professional climber in 2018, crossed paths with Mr. Purja at base camps in Nepal and Pakistan while on the climbing circuit. They corresponded intermittently about expeditions they were taking, and Mr. Purja invited her to guide for his company.

Mr. Purja was often flirtatious in those text messages and in exchanges with Dr. Leonardo, according to a review of the messages by The Times. The women sometimes bantered back, and Ms. Hintsa, a former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, once sent a photo of herself from the magazine. Often, though, the women changed the subject or didn’t respond.

Ms. Hintsa and Mr. Purja agreed to meet in Kathmandu in March 2023 to discuss working together on an expedition Ms. Hintsa was organizing. Mr. Purja suggested having coffee in his hotel suite to avoid the attention he would get in the lobby, Ms. Hintsa recalled.

Given the tenor of some of their earlier text messages, Ms. Hintsa said, she sought to draw clear boundaries. She said she texted Mr. Purja on WhatsApp that this was “not a booty call,” and that he replied agreeing that it was not. Ms. Hintsa no longer has this text exchange because Mr. Purja’s app was set to make messages in their chat disappear after seven days.

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An aerial view of Kathmandu, Nepal.

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Saumya Khandelwal for The New York Times

In Mr. Purja’s suite at the Marriott on March 30, Ms. Hintsa recalled, she was “frozen” and “confused” as he led her to the bed. She said she felt like she was having an out-of-body experience as he removed her clothes even as she continued to say no. She told him she had her period, she said, but he didn’t stop. At one point he touched her vagina, she said.

“I can’t get through to him. He’s in this extremely aroused state where a ‘No’ means nothing,” Ms. Hintsa recalled. She said she was afraid to agitate him because of his strength and the training he’d received in Britain’s military, including its special forces.

She said that Mr. Purja appeared to grow frustrated as she continued to refuse him and that he seemed to lose interest after she physically resisted his removing her bra. She described feeling relieved when he began to masturbate, hopeful that the episode would soon be over.

Mr. Purja then showered, she said, which gave her time to compose herself and get dressed. They left the room and he showed her the store he operates at the Marriott, then asked a driver to take her to her hotel, she said. Mr. Purja behaved as if nothing had happened, she said.

That day, Ms. Hintsa texted a friend describing her experience. The Times reviewed the message. Later, she recounted it in person to the friend, Heidi Paananen, who confirmed their conversation.

A driver for Mr. Purja, Krishna Bahadur Tamang, said in a written statement provided by Mr. Purja’s lawyer that he took Mr. Purja to the Marriott that morning. He said Mr. Purja returned to the car “within 20 minutes.” Ms. Hintsa recalled being at the hotel with Mr. Purja for close to an hour, and she provided time-stamped photos she took that day on her way to meet Mr. Purja and at his store. They corroborated her timeline.

Ms. Hintsa did not end up doing business with Mr. Purja’s company.

Widespread Problem, Little Action

Outdoor sports have unique risk factors for sexual harassment and misconduct, said Gina McClard, an Oregon lawyer specializing in gender-based violence prevention. In 2019, she co-founded a consultancy called Respect Outside that works with outdoor recreation groups such as mountaineering clubs and guide services on policies, procedures and trainings to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination.

These activities can entail weekslong expeditions to remote settings, where participants live and sleep in close quarters. The culture surrounding outdoor sports, which celebrates pushing boundaries and glorifies people who pull off rare feats, may also create situations where inappropriate behavior goes unchecked, she said.

“Much of the outdoor industry is still an ‘old boys’ network,” Ms. McClard said in an email. “If you do not conform to how things are done, you may find yourself marginalized and iced out of the club.”

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El Capitan, the granite monolith, in Yosemite National Park.

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Jim Wilson/The New York Times

Mr. Barrett, the climber who was convicted of sexual abuse this year, is set to be sentenced on Tuesday. He was prosecuted in part because of the 2018 #SafeOutside survey, according to court filings earlier reported by Outside Magazine. The woman he assaulted answered the survey saying she had been raped by a “well-known, professional California climber” on a trip to Yosemite. Another respondent said she had been sexually assaulted by the houseguest of a professional climber she was visiting. Survey organizers followed up with the women and connected them after they both identified Mr. Barrett as the person who had assaulted them. The Yosemite hiker reported Mr. Barrett to the authorities in 2020.

Mr. Barrett’s was a familiar name in California rock climbing. He wrote guidebooks on bouldering in popular areas like Mammoth and Bishop, and he ascended difficult routes with the famous American rock climber Alex Honnold. A 2016 profile in Climbing Magazine, later taken down from the website, described Mr. Barrett as “a master of the California climbing game.”

He was living and working in Yosemite at the time of the assault of the female hiker. Mr. Barrett “violently raped” her after inviting her into the woods to watch a meteor shower, prosecutors said, and also assaulted her during a hike and in the employee housing area. Three other women, including the other survey respondent, testified at his trial that he had sexually assaulted them. Those incidents happened outside federal jurisdiction, and state prosecutors did not bring charges.

Based on her work with groups throughout the outdoor industry, Ms. McClard said that company policies rarely extend beyond physical safety to include psychological or emotional safety of clients and employees. Most smaller outdoor companies don’t have in-house human resources departments, she said, and bigger players in the industry have not invested the time or money that she believes this issue requires.

“There’s no industrywide movement,” she said. “I feel like we are alone in what we’re doing on sexual harassment in the outdoor industry.”

Making Advances at 17,000 Feet

Dr. Leonardo, 41, the California physician, met Mr. Purja at a teahouse in Nepal in 2021 before she summited Mount Everest with a different company. She later learned that he was organizing a guided ascent of K2 the following summer. Drawn in part by the danger of the climb, she signed up, paying $55,000 for the two-month trip, which began in June 2022.

After arriving at K2 base camp, at about 17,000 feet, the team held a puja, a ceremony to pay respect to the mountain and ask for safe passage. She recalled that during the celebration afterward, she was looking for a trash bag and ran into Mr. Purja, who took her to a storage tent to get one. As she turned to leave, she said, Mr. Purja grabbed her arm, pulled her close and kissed her. She recalled Mr. Purja then saying, “I will have you.” Stunned and unsure of what to do, she said, she walked out.

“I just feel like I need to avoid him and keep anything from happening, but I’m afraid to do or say anything about it,” Dr. Leonardo recalled thinking. Another climber on the mountain at the time said Dr. Leonardo told him during her trip that she and Mr. Purja had had this interaction and that she did not want to be alone with him. The person asked not to be named for fear of professional or personal repercussions.

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An aerial view of K2 base camp, snow-covered and dotted with colorful tents.

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Sayed Fakhar Abbas/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

On another occasion, Dr. Leonardo said, Mr. Purja showed up uninvited at her tent. She was in her sleeping bag, wearing a shirt and underwear, she recalled, and he crouched next to her and said he wanted to check on her knee, which she had injured. Mr. Purja reached inside her sleeping bag, which made her feel panicked, she said, so she quickly pulled her leg out. He kissed her, she said, and grabbed her hand and placed it on his crotch, forcing her to feel his erect penis through his pants. She said she felt trapped in her sleeping bag, unable to leave because she wasn’t dressed.

According to Dr. Leonardo, Mr. Purja told her he wanted to have sex with her but had to wait until no one was around, and then left.

Another time, she said, Mr. Purja grabbed her arm while she was walking alone through camp and asked, “When can I mount you?” He suggested they go to her tent, she said, but she made excuses.

Dr. Leonardo sent her father, Leon Leonardo, a text during her trip saying that Mr. Purja kept trying to have sex with her. “Not ok,” she wrote in the message, which was reviewed by The Times.

Two employees of Elite Exped on Dr. Leonardo’s K2 expedition, Chandra Bahadur Tamang, the head chef, and Ramesh Gurung, a senior guide, said in statements provided by Mr. Purja’s lawyer that they provided security for the storage tent because it contained valuable items and that Mr. Purja never went inside it during the expedition. Dr. Leonardo said people were often around the tent but no one was there when she and Mr. Purja briefly went inside.

Another senior guide, Pasang Tendi Sherpa, said in a statement that Mr. Purja “was not in any private setting” with Dr. Leonardo during the trip. Pasang Tendi Sherpa’s statement did not explain how he knew that and he did not respond to interview requests. Mr. Gurung did not agree to an interview. The Times could not reach Chandra Bahadur Tamang.

For several months after the trip, Dr. Leonardo had cordial text exchanges with Mr. Purja, partly because she was waiting for reimbursement for some lost gear, she said. She didn’t see him again.

Warning Other Women

The women who spoke to The Times about Mr. Purja said that they didn’t know what recourse they had. Elite Exped is a small company run by Mr. Purja, and because the incidents happened outside their home countries, the women weren’t sure what to do. They did not alert law enforcement or other authorities.

Ms. Hintsa said she was telling her story in hopes of making the male-dominated sport of mountaineering safer for women. Only with time has she come to understand the effects of her experience.

“I hadn’t realized the scars that it had left,” she said. “It has made me realize that it’s not only the rock fall or the avalanches that are dangerous for a female climber.”

Mr. Purja’s star has continued to rise. As a face of high-altitude climbing, he has worked with major companies like Red Bull and Nike, which this past winter released a clothing collection inspired by Mr. Purja, called 8K Peaks, and featured him in a towering Manhattan billboard. In December he received an honorary doctorate from Loughborough University in England. Outdoor brands including Grivel, Osprey and Scarpa have worked with him on co-branded products.

Dr. Leonardo’s achievement of summiting K2, she said, was tainted by what she experienced. She hopes that sharing her account will help other women avoid a similar scenario.

“I can’t let it keep happening,” Dr. Leonardo said, adding: “I don’t want another woman to have to go through this.”

Johanna Lemola and Bhadra Sharma contributed reporting. Kitty Bennett contributed research.

Jenny Vrentas is a Times reporter covering money, power and influence in sports. More about Jenny Vrentas

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Tom commented May 31

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Tom

Syracuse, NYMay 31

I have been on numerous treks in the khumbu valley, Nepal, (near Everest), and on each trip female members of our group have received unwanted (and often aggressive) attention from members of the guide team. I have come to see this as a a pervasive problem in the Nepal trekking industry. Please be aware and careful, on on guard if you are considering a visit to this amazing part of the world. It is not just the climbing sector, it is the broader tourist and trekking sector as well.

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23 REPLIES

Speaking Truth commented May 31

Speaking Truth

Speaking Truth

HarlemMay 31

@Tom This is how it is. Whenever I travel the world, I constantly have to tolerate abuse and hatred of my sex by men. During my two week trip to India, my guide (female) and I had to recuse ourselves from the outside world at dusk, every single night. Hordes of men, grouped together in the hundreds, would stare at us by 5, and by 5.30pm, we found ourselves locked in the hotel, binge watching Gotham. I've experienced sex-based discrimination in Austria, Belgium, and other parts of Northern Europe. I've experienced sex-based hate in my own country and city. For women, male aggression is unfortunately the price we pay for being female. Of course, I and other women are told we need to 'use common sense,' and 'be careful,' when we experience male violence. It would be nice, if, at least once, men were told to deal with their hatred of women in a more positive way, to not externalize their hatred of women on women, and to get help for their issues. If so, the world just might be a better place. But I won't hold my breath.

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Jim commented May 31

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Jim

VirginiaMay 31

@Tom Thank you for the perspective on site! Honest question, are these unwanted advances looked on culturally at as a typical part of Nepalese society towards women in general, or is this particularly focused on foreign females?

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SB commented May 31

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SB

Portland, ORMay 31

@Tom It is a pervasive problem in Nepali society in general (or at least was some 20 years ago when I was growing up in Nepal). I still recall an incident at a fun house in an amusement park. I was about 12 years old girl and yet I was inappropriately touched by someone in the fun house. When I told my older cousins with me, I found out that this type of experience was nothing new. They all had been inappropriately touched, at the fun house, in the bus, etc.

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Lawyermom commented May 31

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Lawyermom

Washington DCMay 31

Patriarchal systems sometimes think that women who enter what have traditionally been men’s spaces are there to be with men. Given the expense of high mountain climbing, it’s unlikely that women can easily find a climbing buddy. Nonetheless, women and men who undertake these journeys must make it clear that they will not tolerate inappropriate behavior.

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15 REPLIES

B. Satva commented May 31

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B. Satva

NalandaMay 31

@Lawyermom I think I get your point, but it's important to be precise. "Patriarchal systems" don't think and don't have thoughts. Those are human actions, not I'm struck by how ethnocentric most of the reporting and comments are. If you've traveled and lived abroad in societies quite different than one's own, then you probably know that even the simplest of interactions are fraught with ambiguity because they are thoroughly cultural informed. How to eat a meal with another to standing in line is culturally distinct. The account reported here about Ms. Hintsa doesn't provide much context, but I can imagine that what preceded the part of the interaction described has some bearing on what happened. I don't know the norms in Nepal, but I can easily imagine that Himalayan norms around sex are quite different than those of the West. Purja may well have signaled many "warnings" of his intentions but failed to recognize Hinsta's (lack of) response that Hinsta didn't recognize. If I contravene the norms of a community that I travel to, that is on me. Regardless if I am ignorant of them, if I don't agree with them and even if they are illegal in my country. Expecting anything else is folly in my opinion. Expecting "Climbing" to police the community with a particular (read Western) set of principles seems ethnocentric to me. Traveling abroad can be dangerous for all kinds of reasons--don't be misled by social media portrayals.

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Christopher commented May 31

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Christopher

CaliforniaMay 31

@B. Satva I don't even know where to start with your assertions so I'll just make one quick point. Even if all of this is agreed (which it isn't), we need not allow a predator to operate a predatory business in "Western" jurisdictions.

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Sarah commented May 31

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Sarah

CanadaMay 31

Times Pick

@B. Satva so not wanting to be sexually assaulted is ethnocentric? To me it sounds like that’s what you’re saying. Sexual assault is a crime in Nepal. Nepalese men aren’t cave men who don’t know this. But every country, it seems, has predators. Nepal, like all countries with a functioning justice system, prosecutes and convicts men for sexual assault, although there l are challenges - just as in the west and everywhere else. These guides , these companies, all work with a lot of westerners in their profession. They have all kinds of reasons to learn norms of behaviour and communication with western women. If they don’t, other companies will spring up, and they will lose a lot of business. Should women be careful? Everyone should be careful. But yeah, as a woman, I don’t trust men. Like at all. Because a few are predators…and then there are so many who say things like “ The account reported here about Ms. Hintsa doesn't provide much context, but I can imagine that…” and then just completely make up stuff. And for the record I am an immigrant and know full well what it’s like to not understand basically anything about a place you’re in.

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Paul commented May 31

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Paul

BrooklynMay 31

Use common sense here. If in a county that protects women legally, sue. If not, don't go. I would give this advice to anybody of either sex. People have been given long prison terms for not knowing the law or in this and other cases, unjust laws. There are plenty of men in prison too who did not follow this advice.

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8 REPLIES

Coco commented May 31

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Coco

USAMay 31

@Paul "If not, don't go." So, women can't be mountaineers? That's what you're saying if you deny them the right to go to Nepal, Pakistan, China, etc.

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Earthbound commented May 31

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Earthbound

Solar SystemMay 31

@Paul If women should only go to countries where they are legally protected, they’ll be limited to Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and a few Latin American countries. If they should only go to countries where the laws are enforced, then they shouldn’t leave the home and hope they don’t live in an abusive relationship.

65 Recommend

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Christopher commented May 31

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Christopher

CaliforniaMay 31

@Paul Perhaps. The alleged offender is now a British national. Exposing this behavior is important.

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chris commented May 31

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chris

canadaMay 31

These accounts have the ring of truth as they say. right down to the little details that don't make the teller look so good, just honest .

74 Recommend

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4 REPLIES

narwhal commented May 31

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narwhal

MontrealMay 31

@chris Why wouldn't these reports be true? Why would you need to say this?

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DCC commented May 31

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DCC

NYCMay 31

@chris : Can you explain how the little details make the teller sound untrustworthy? The article had the opposite affect on me.

15 Recommend

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Coco commented May 31

C

Coco

USAMay 31

@chris Uh, where do you see the teller behaving badly in any of these accounts? Why on earth did this get 16 recommendations — did no one finish reading the first sentence?

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Julie commented May 31

J

Julie

WashingtonMay 31

Times Pick

I’ve been trekking in Africa & Nepal but did more on the beaten path treks where it’s easier to be in a group. I was harassed in both places but by non-guides (driver, hostel owner). In my experience, in many non-western countries western women are viewed as playtime fun, loose, easy and fair game esp if you have red or blonde hair. Fortunately at the highest points on the mountains (19500’) I was with great local guides who didn’t try anything. If they had I would have been vulnerable and terrified. My strategy along the trail was sharing a room, very modest dress (cover chest, shoulders, knees), no make up, no flirting, no booze, always with a buddy. One woman I travelled with wore shorts everyday in Nepal and she was harassed constantly (in the 90s that was wildly provocative dress in the hills). In Africa I had to help a woman the day our trek ended as she was being groped and shoved into a cab while blackout drunk. Let me be clear, it’s not either woman’s fault!! Still in both cases they let their guard down and didn’t adhere to local norms. To keep yourself safe it’s better to go along with those normal While abroad (and in life when needed) I’ve found my “boring nun” strategies have helped me avoid unwanted attention. Sadly that’s not always enough. You may have to add “resting witch face’ and self defense experience. Even then you just hope and pray the men around you will behave.

719 Recommend

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23 REPLIES

Tamza commented May 31

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Tamza

NoCalMay 31

@Julie VERY WELL SAID. Adhere to the norms of where you are. Be vigilant. Dont become ‘too friendly’, dont ‘flirt’. Drugs of any kind, incl alcohol are bad news. AND if possible seek out tours with ‘same gender’ guides and tours. There is a saying: uncommitted males and females shouldn’t be alone together. Stay in groups.

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Traveler commented May 31

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Traveler

IthacaMay 31

@Julie A different setting, but I was harassed frequently on a professional trip to Egypt. I wore long loose pants, long sleeve shirt and head scarf all the time, no matter how hot. But every time I was momentarily separated from male companions at historic sites, I got followed and pestered by men. It is a cultural thing in some countries and doesn’t make a blind bit of good how cautious and modest you are sometimes.

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Kevin commented May 31

K

Kevin

SFMay 31

@Julie Thank you for your clarity. My daughter is interning in Asia and though we are well-traveled, we've had a few discussions. I recommended Gavin de Becker's (now old) book, The Gift of Fear. It opened my eyes to a paradox women face as they conduct their lives. Essentially, pursue your goals in any field but never lose the 360-degree awareness (and the intuitive/observational gift of fear) that you are perceived, in too many situations, as prey. Don't override that, blindly. I grew up where you didn't walk down a street without casing it first. Being prey happens to men, too, but in far smaller instances. I appreciate your experience and will send her your comment. Be well.

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Alessandra commented May 31

A

Alessandra

VirginiaMay 31

This climbing season has seen scandal after scandal involving Nirmal Purja. First it was that he violated helicopter regulations, then that he brought climbers up to Everest Camp 3 on a Lingtren permit, then he accused someone (unclear to me who) of cutting the ropes near the summit of Everest to prevent his team from summiting (which they did anyway). In each incident it's been unclear to me exactly what's true and what isn't, but the volume of scandals has painted a portrait of a man who is obsessed with his own status and convinced of his untouchability. For what it's worth, though, I've seen large amounts of pushback against his antics in the climbing world. I hope that Hintsa and Leonardo receive the support they deserve from the community.

551 Recommend

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4 REPLIES

Buckeye commented May 31

B

Buckeye

OhioMay 31

@Alessandra The best pushback should come from the Nepalese government-to deny him permits to climb and ban him from base camps. And enforce it.

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Dipesh commented May 31

D

Dipesh

NPMay 31

@Alessanda He Did violated the heli regulations.the pilot shobit gauchan is suspended when he took him to camp 2

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Alessandra commented May 31

A

Alessandra

VirginiaMay 31

@Dipesh Wow-- hadn't see that about the suspension. It's too bad the pilot has seen more punishment than Nims has. Thanks for the update.

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DonB commented May 31

D

DonB

RenoMay 31

Having been a climber back in the 60s/70s and still a lover and visitor, I was afraid this might happen with the expansion and devolution into so-called professional climbers. There is no place for money or ego in the mountains. Respect them and others or don’t go.

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2 REPLIES

Christopher commented May 31

C

Christopher

CaliforniaMay 31

@DonB Yeah, the climbers of the past had no ego, sure.

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Two Cents commented May 31

T

Two Cents

ORMay 31

@DonB THIS! "Respect them and others or don’t go."

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C commented May 31

C

C

Portland, ORMay 31

Worth pointing out that The Mountaineers cited here for creating a panel and advisory committee to address sexual harassment and assault only did so after a broad campaign by community members who have previously been assaulted on trips by their leaders in The Mountaineers community spoke up publicly. Kudos to the women for their bravery.

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Marcus commented May 31

M

Marcus

HeartlandMay 31

"only did so" - makes it seem that The Mountaineers was dodging the issue. That may not be true and may be a mischaracterization? Either way their committee was formed and is developing a plan to be responsive and proactive. (see website). First steps are always better than no steps. It is a difficult challenge to regulate interpersonal occurrences in a sport that has broad reach and no single organizing governing body and participants who may or may not be under any professional aegis.

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Mossy commented May 31

M

Mossy

Washington StateMay 31

@C As a former Mountaineer and climber I’m so glad this is being addressed. When I was just starting out many of the trip leaders exhibited troubling behavior and attention on young women. It was known among women in the Mountaineers which trip leaders to avoid, both in the Seattle and Tacoma branch. And this was thirty years ago!

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Thalia commented May 31

T

Thalia

Methow ValleyMay 31

@Marcus Dismissing crimes as "interpersonal occurrences" sure is a choice. If you ever have your identity stolen, or you are mugged, remember: that was an "interpersonal occurrence," so it'll be difficult to regulate.

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Jen commented May 31

J

Jen

Detroit, MIMay 31

It's unfortunate that *all* public spaces can be unsafe for women. I am grateful to all of the women who are courageously coming forward to call out these nonconsensual acts. Now is the time, enough.

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Liz commented May 31

L

Liz

SFMay 31

Such stories aren't new. Early female pioneers in mountaineering could have written some of the same accounts (and the same goes for women running rivers - see the story about sexual harassment in the Grand Canyon by male Park Service employees). It's important to bring more attention to these stories and for the perpetrators to be prosecuted, but I don't want anyone to think these are one-offs. The problems are pretty systemic and I believe guiding companies should be a big part of the response. They don't have to hire rapists - there are more talented high-altitude guides than ever before to choose from, including women.

279 Recommend

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Sandie commented May 31

Sandie

Sandie

FloridaMay 31

@Liz The only way to make this stop is to prosecute these predators

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Douglas commented May 31

D

Douglas

SE Asia/Pacific NWMay 31

@Liz Not new indeed! I'm a male pediatrician who spent 1977-78 on a yearlong medical school scholarship in SE Asia. At the end, I traveled with two American female colleagues for a month through Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. I was gobsmacked at how these friends were continually sexually harassed by men, even in my presence. Twice we were in remote areas very dependent upon the men who harassed my friends. These colleagues had spent a year in Malaysia and followed all of the cultural norms of modesty. It was as if any foreign woman was "fair game" for these sexually repressed men. The problem was far worse in Malaysia and Indonesia than Thailand, which made me conclude that influences of culture and religion worsened male misbehavior.

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Jane commented May 31

J

Jane

SFMay 31

Times Pick

I climbed Denali 30 years ago. Our guide hit on me and when I rejected him, he was cold and cruel the rest of the expedition. There wasn't much I could do given I needed him to keep me safe. Thank you for sharing your story, it's not surprising but very sad this is a more common occurrence than we were aware of.

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Ben Packard commented May 31

B

Ben Packard

SeattleMay 31

I am grateful to these courageous women for speaking out. Going public about these experiences is incredibly hard. These men have committed crimes. They must be held accountable. The climbing community has collective responsibility to ensure everyone is safe. Systems must be in place to ensure men are held accountable.

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Two Cents commented May 31

T

Two Cents

ORMay 31

After reading his book, I had much admiration for Nims' accomplishments. Now, being more inclined to take the women's accounts seriously, I wish I'd never heard of him.

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cdisf commented May 31

C

cdisf

SFMay 31

Thank you for this article that keeps in the public eye the risk that women face everyday in being in a space with a much stronger man without a feasible escape plan or way to protect themselves. When will men choose to understand that women are not “fair game” just because we are not in a group of people to protect us?

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DebL commented May 31

D

DebL

Carmel CAMay 31

So proud of these women for speaking out & for all the women of the #MeToo movement taking back their power & assuring that women following in their footsteps will, hopefully, never have to endure the abuse & treatment they did. As a much older woman now, I too endured similar abuses in my younger years, in both work & other situations. No one listened then, it was the way it was, we felt powerless. Grateful to have lived long enough to see this evolution taking place & most grateful that my daughters & granddaughters will live in a culture of more equitable expectations, that their voices will be heard & hopefully, listened to.

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1 REPLY

charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@DebL What evolution? These women aren't talking about ancient history. This is happening now, today, right this minute. Men feel no less entitled to harass and rape women than they ever have. There are people in these comments excusing and rationalizing the behavior. Claiming men have irresistible urges.

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Rae commented May 31

R

Rae

NJMay 31

I avoid having to interact with men I don’t know in settings where I am alone or isolated, away from other people that could help me, and that means I will not hike alone or even walk down a country road by myself. I was not always this way but life has changed in the last decade or so.

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DTDT commented May 31

D

DTDT

Madison CTMay 31

@Rae And that’s a sad commentary for women …

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CityTrucker commented May 31

CityTrucker

CityTrucker

San FranciscoMay 31

@Rae Very sorry, but not surprised.

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nobody commented May 31

N

nobody

EarthMay 31

@Rae Believe me, life has not changed in the last decade. If anything it has gotten a little better as far as harassment of women and that isn’t saying much since it was horrible in the past.

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Shabster commented May 31

S

Shabster

UKMay 31

The allegations about Nirms Purja are not new. Last year I read an article in a Swiss magazine questioning his credibility and there was lots of chatter on social media about how he hits up women in Instagram and Snapchat. Reading about these incidents, it feels like the rumours are true. I applaud the bravery of these women for coming forward. When someone is in a powerful position, one feels helpless.

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Myself commented May 31

M

Myself

WestMay 31

Let’s see if NP’s sponsors drop him after this or turn a blind eye to the abuse. That will be helpful in figuring out which products to buy.

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3 REPLIES

Emma Svensson commented May 31

E

Emma Svensson

StockholmMay 31

@Myself I wrote in the Grivel ambassador group for our 100+ ambassadors asking if we should have this guy on the team and shared the article. Almost not a word from anyone. So sad.

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Owen commented May 31

O

Owen

CaliforniaMay 31

@Myself ...agreed. I'm not in the outdoor industry, but I'm sure some folks reading this are. How about an organized campaign and/or boycotts of his equipment sponsors? The cycling world dealt with this recently--Colin Strickland was dropped immediately after it became known he bought the gun Kaitlin Armstrong used to kill Mo Wilson.

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Paul commented May 31

P

Paul

BrooklynMay 31

@Myself Nothing has been proven and you want to destroy this man's livelihood. Thats not fair.

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TheMadDragon commented May 31

T

TheMadDragon

AustraliaMay 31

Times Pick

I'm not all suprised by this, but deeply saddened and angered that we are continuously subjected to violations of our bodily autonomy when simply trying to exist in and enjoy the world as men do. I travelled South America and Europe alone when I was an 18 year old woman, and experienced plenty of this on hikes (and every other place). I was asked out during the journey and then kissed unwantedly at the celebratory dinner post-trek by my guide in Peru; creepily pursued by the man guiding me during a four day trek through the Rif Mountains in Morocco, which culminated in him asking me to marry him (luckily I had my brother with me for that trek); and cornered by the owner of a WWOOFing farm in rural Argentina in the tiny caravan I was sleeping in when I was the only volunteer there - not another soul around, just acres of silent land. I applaud these women for speaking out and hope desperately that the men in the outdoor community step up to support them. This has to change. We shouldn't have to risk trauma to enjoy the outdoors.

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CA commented May 31

C

CA

NorCalMay 31

@TheMadDragon We should not. I’ve had many international experiences including years in Nepal and would never - in the US or anywhere - go to a man’s hotel suite and then enter the bedroom without thinking he may want sex. Regardless of what came from the man’s mouth. There is a point beyond which a reasonable person should be expected to protect themselves. It’s like our responsibility of not crossing the street in front of a truck.

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TheMadDragon commented May 31

T

TheMadDragon

AustraliaMay 31

@CA I'm a tad confused as to your point. Are you saying women should 'protect' themselves from harm by avoiding outdoor activities, like avoiding walking in front of a truck? Because if so, I roundly disagree.

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Ron commented May 31

R

Ron

ScottsdaleMay 31

Not surprised. Climbing Himalayan peaks is a dangerous and high risk sport. I think these organizations in Nepal have been taking advantage of it for quite a while financially , and now it seems far worse! I doubt that the law and order infrastructure in Nepal has the remotest ability to deal with this. There needs to be a strong pushback , sponsorship deals with these superstars need to stop and there needs to be a clear message that this lawless behavior has hard consequences.

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John commented May 31

J

John

Boulder, COMay 31

So much Machismo in the Ski Mountains here in the US as well. Just look at our own Ski Patrols and Mountain Operations. Its taken years to integrate women into this Boys Club.

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Eric Lamar commented May 31

Eric Lamar

Eric Lamar

WDCMay 31

Having climbed and trekked in Nepal four times, I am aware of the problem of sexual abuse in the country, often involving families. Males who have been raised in a culture where they are allowed to take what they want are unlikely to alter their habits to suit (or respect) visitors. Climbing at that level is very expensive and so it reminds me of upper class Brits of yore on exotic holiday being advanced upon by the sturdy yeomanry while in a strange place. Getting one's ticket punched with the K2 or Everest symbol is a role of the dice with many hazards, some not so apparent. The expectation that "me too" values will be found or respected above 14,000 feet may be asking a bit much. Eric Lamar

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DTDT commented May 31

D

DTDT

Madison CTMay 31

@Eric Lamar No it’s not. Period.

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Chris commented May 31

C

Chris

DCMay 31

@DTDT Actually it is beyond hopeless to expect these leopards to change their spots.

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Ranger commented May 31

R

Ranger

CaliforniaMay 31

This is a crazy story. Can't even climb in peace! It's a risky enough activity even without having one's guide force himself on you. Ladies, you have my utmost sympathy. My only suggestion - scream and tell the people in your immediate vicinity when something crosses the line so the guide is brought to task. And there is the ice axe or crampons as a line of defense if things get out of hand.

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AS commented May 31

AS

AS

Astoria, NYMay 31

@Ranger If the guide is still responsible for their safety, these women were right to wonder about the consequences of defending themselves "if things get out of hand."

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AKS commented May 31

A

AKS

displaced WesternerMay 31

“The thing that was most challenging, the scariest, and produced the most anxiety and fear on that mountain came from a human, not the environment.” This is why women chose the bear over the man.

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f commented May 31

F

f

flMay 31

More evidence that women are safer with a bear than a man unfortunately.

72 Recommend

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Emily commented May 31

E

Emily

ColoradoMay 31

@f and bears are cuter.

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Louis commented May 31

L

Louis

Bloomfield Ct.May 31

Mr. Punjabi declined requests for an interview. Mr. Punjabi "unequivocally denies the allegations of wrongdoing." These allegations are false and defamatory." This seems to be the standardized answers universally when men are accused of sexual inappropriate behavior. Loughborough University should rescind its honorary doctorate. Key word here is "honorary." In addition those corporations who sponsored this predatory human being should make a statement, otherwise they're acknowledging this behavior as acceptable.

62 Recommend

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1 REPLY

Susan commented May 31

S

Susan

United StatesMay 31

Funny how they always "deny the allegation of wrongdoing." Is this supposed to mean "It didn't happen"? Or rather, "Yes it did happen and what I did wasn't wrong but perfectly okay to do." I know where my vote is. We need male allies to call this out and keep reminding them this behavior is wrong. Because they clearly aren't listening to the rest of us.

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Siddhartha Vicious commented May 31

S

Siddhartha Vicious

New YorkMay 31

There's so much more to this story: not just the Nims piece, but the things that happen high on a mountain, where the guides and big outfitters hold sway and rocking the boat is very much discouraged. Vanessa O'Brien (a celebrated explorer who's completed the Explorers' Grand Slam - the Seven Summits plus both poles - and holds many records) writes in her book about harassment on her first Everest expedition, and her fear of bringing it up. I'm glad The Times is doing actual investigation on the Purja story, but please keep writing about climbing - the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly.

81 Recommend

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Monica commented May 31

M

Monica

St. LouisMay 31

Thanks to these courageous women.

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Kathy commented May 31

K

Kathy

SFMay 31

The patriarchy is a global problem that is contributing directly to climate change and the sixth mass extinction because girls and women are not allowed to control our bodies and lives. Men simply need to learn to behave.

51 Recommend

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Subjecttochange commented May 31

S

Subjecttochange

Los AngelesMay 31

Why on earth would anybody be surprised by this kind of behavior from the men who climb mountains and take enormous pride in their super masculinity for doing so? My experience has been mostly with rock, climbers, nonetheless, the overlap in their attitudes With mountaineers towards women is striking. I think many men regard women as intruders in what should be their own special masculine world. Until these attitudes change, women are going to continue to be at risk of unwanted sexual attention.

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Fenwickian commented May 31

F

Fenwickian

BostonMay 31

Women aren't safe anywhere, at anytime. This is a lesson we learn and carry with us every hour of every day. It puzzles me that men are mostly oblivious to this reality.

159 Recommend

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Rose Ann commented May 31

R

Rose Ann

ChicagoMay 31

@Fenwickian More than puzzles, it makes me very, very angry.

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Pauline commented June 2

P

Pauline

NYCJune 2

@Fenwickian ~ I learned at 5 y.o., from the infant school handyman, that men are scary and dangerous. Luckily, I asked my mother what was the meaning of what he said to me, and he was fired before it went any further. Men are dangerous for girls and women. To survive, like small animals in nature, we grow up learning various ways to keep our guard up. It is simply second nature. Like a hundred versions of looking both ways before you cross the street. Believe it.

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Marty commented June 2

M

Marty

Pacífic NorthwestJune 2

@Fenwickian It’s saddens me every time I am made aware that men I know well - friends, family, good men - are so indifferent to the obstacles that women face throughout our lives due to the bad men who live among us. Men who take their own relative freedom of movement entirely for granted remain oblivious to the fact that we women do not enjoy the same. And when we bring it up? They get angry. It seems acceptable for women to live with massive restrictions on our freedom of movement and association, yet taboo for us to say why.

8 Recommend

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CityTrucker commented May 31

CityTrucker

CityTrucker

San FranciscoMay 31

Some years ago, a close friend recounted having "the best sex of my life" with her local climbing guide in the Himalayas. Another person, who guides overnight white water raft trips, said that sex with clients was not unusual. All sports which confront and defeat the dangers of the natural world, create strong bonds and interdependence; they elicit powerful emotions and vulnerability. It's not at all surprising that sexual feelings are triggered and not at all surprising that some men do not limit their engagement to the times when that impulse is mutual.

8 Recommend

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3 REPLIES

Lissa commented May 31

L

Lissa

VirginiaMay 31

@CityTrucker My other thought is why is it 'not surprising that some men...' cannot control themselves? Shouldn't we all be surprised? Not surprised that they have feelings or impulses, but horrified-surprised that they choose not to control them? Additionally, adults are supposed to be self aware so they would avoid the very situations where they, apparently, cannot control their own behavior. This conversation is beyond ridiculous.

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Lissa commented May 31

L

Lissa

VirginiaMay 31

@CityTrucker A healthy dose of rationalization allows for all kinds of nefarious behavior.

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Humanbeing commented May 31

H

Humanbeing

USAMay 31

@CityTrucker Sexual assault is about power, not sexual enjoyment. It is great the people who want to pursue relationships with guides are able to do so. But those who have no interest in this must be protected from predator behavior. The ability to exercise Self- Agency should be the norm: that goes for women and me on as the article cites a statistic that greater than 10% of men reported harassment.

10 Recommend

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Katsdeelite commented May 31

K

Katsdeelite

TucsonMay 31

Thank you to the women brave enough to tell their stories. This should be no surprise to the average woman, where there are men, there will be harassment. These soul crushing scenarios will continue until men stand up for women and call out the entitled, sexually aggressive men in their midst.

61 Recommend

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Ursula commented May 31

U

Ursula

The GrottoMay 31

I'm hardly a climber or a mountaineer, but I am a single woman who lives in an absolutely gorgeous region of America and I'm terrified to even navigate our local greenways alone, let alone the multitude of hiking trails I could easily reach by foot. I have had too many men catcall me, expose their genitalia, follow me off the trails, and pester me for attention I have no desire to give them. It's truly unfortunate, but venturing out alone in the wilderness just isn't worth the risk, and I'd also be nervous with a female buddy around for company - as far I'm concerned, a male predator would just spot two women to assault, rather than one. And, frankly, I would have to know a man very, *very* well before I'd go out into the woods with him, too. Yeah, I WOULD rather run into a bear. Any day.

292 Recommend

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1 REPLY

C Crockett commented May 31

C

C Crockett

IllinoisMay 31

@Ursula This! Predation of women by men is pervasive everywhere all the time.

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Elizabeth Zach commented May 31

E

Elizabeth Zach

Cologne, GermanyMay 31

Toxic masculinity was a common feature within the Northern California hiking groups I belonged to a few years ago (exiting each, learning mountain orientation and beating my own path.) Worse, there were plenty of women who observed and ignored it, or else chalked it up to 'men will be men'.

44 Recommend

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1 REPLY

charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@Elizabeth Zach What did the men in the group do while the women were ignoring sexual harassment?

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Optimistic Pessimist commented May 31

O

Optimistic Pessimist

EarthMay 31

My 22YO son is an avid climber, along with his closest friends of both sexes. My son doesn’t hesitate to climb alone (don’t get me started) or to bivouac alone in Bishop in his car. The women would never do that. A cursory glance at naming conventions is telling. So many formations and routes have racist and/or sexist names, reflecting the white male domination of the sport for decades. It’s changing. Slowly. I believe the younger folks will change the culture. As they will the world.

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AP commented May 31

A

AP

Los AngelesMay 31

It's unbelievable - is there no where and no condition that women in which women don't have to deal with being sexually harassed ? It seems that some men just think they have rights to the whole earth, including women.

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2 REPLIES

M commented May 31

M

M

NY, NYMay 31

@AP But not just *because* they're men.

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charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@M They're predators and they're men. Generally speaking, women don't sexually harass and rape. What else would you attribute it to, if not their sex?

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jesse riley commented May 31

J

jesse riley

little rockMay 31

Money, sex, drugs...We've certainly succeeded in making the mountains as exploited & polluted as every other space.

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Roger commented May 31

R

Roger

Englewood Cliffs, NYMay 31

Let' not forget that in the US, women are protected by american men. American men over time learnt to respect women and usually put women on a pedestal. Most men in other countries around the world do not share that view and western women tend to think that men are the same in the US and abroad, which is not the case. We americans are very naive into thinking that the rest of the world think like us... We cannot change the world overnight, until then our women has to be extra careful navigating the world outside our borders.

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11 REPLIES

Lex commented May 31

L

Lex

Los AngelesMay 31

@Roger Um, the most egregious rapist of recent times (Harvey Weinstein) is absolutely American. Sorry, but American men don't get a pass on this.

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wobbly commented May 31

W

wobbly

Rochester, NYMay 31

@Roger You must have missed the part in the article about Charles Barrett. California is inside our borders.

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Lissa commented May 31

L

Lissa

VirginiaMay 31

@Roger American women are no safer within our borders. That's bananas that you think any man, anywhere in the world, should think that American men are the ones to emulate. No better. No worse. But the 'no better' is the worst.

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JETIII commented May 31

J

JETIII

PortlandMay 31

Not sure about the European scene, but my sense from research is that this has been a constant problem in North America since the end of WW2, maybe earlier but the more communal culture of climbing created different social and sexual dynamics.

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Cammy commented May 31

C

Cammy

CaliforniaMay 31

Getting harassed by male climbers…almost as annoying as their constant beta spraying. (For non-climbers: it’s when some tells you exactly how to climb a route without asking if you want that advise. Part of the fun of climbing is figuring out how to climb up the route. Beta spraying is unwanted, just like any form of harassment).

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Anner commented May 31

A

Anner

Hudson ValleyMay 31

Luckily hiking clubs, here in the US, are starting to have harassment policies. It won’t protect any of us on private hikes/expeditions, but it’s a start.

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Lady Liberty commented May 31

L

Lady Liberty

New YorkMay 31

Times Pick

I went trekking in Nepal back in the mid-1990s and was shocked to discover that many Nepali guides (all of whom were male) automatically assumed that female trekkers would be interested in having sex with them on the way up/down the trail. Sadly, some of the more naive young women got involved with these men, under the misapprehension that they were having a romance, when in reality the men were sexual predators, and in some cases hoping to marry an American or European and move to their country. Many Western male trekkers were also sexually harassing the women they encountered. This situation was so common that all of the women (of all ages) in my trekking group were harassed by numerous men during a single trip. The remoteness of these locations (e.g the area surrounding Everest Base Camp) made the situation incredibly dangerous, not to mention the fact that reporting sexual assault to the Nepali police would have been an extremely difficult experience.

565 Recommend

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7 REPLIES

boston doctor commented May 31

B

boston doctor

a logical worldMay 31

@Lady Liberty Terrible stuff but also a bit of hyperbole. Trekked and climbed 4 times in Nepal. Not one incident. It's not endemic as you suggest.

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Ellen commented May 31

E

Ellen

Formerly CambridgeMay 31

@boston doctor Based on your trip, you can make a judgment regarding whether the problem is endemic or not? And whether there was hyperbole on Lady Liberty's part? Perhaps you can explain a bit better the logical basis for your view. Otherwise, I'm sorry, but it sounds a lot like the usual dismissal of what so many women face in so many situations in so many places. Usually from men, but sometimes also from women.

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RCL commented May 31

R

RCL

ny, nyMay 31

@boston doctor I'm glad to hear you didn't experience it, but this doesn't make her information less accurate.

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Italian Special commented May 31

I

Italian Special

MAMay 31

This is the very same phenomena as the “As a woman, are you more afraid of bears or men in the backcountry?” thought experiment that shocked men. Women are far more afraid of encountering men than a bear while hiking alone. Bears don’t aren’t even on the same scale. Women live with a threat burden their whole lives that most men cannot viscerally grok.

122 Recommend

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4 REPLIES

Lilo commented May 31

L

Lilo

MichiganMay 31

@Italian Special Most homicide and assault victims are men, not women. So the idea that men can't understand fear or threats isn't accurate.

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M commented May 31

M

M

NY, NYMay 31

@Lilo But not just *because* they're men.

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Pauline commented May 31

P

Pauline

NYCMay 31

@Lilo ~ Not *quite* true. Those assault incidents in those stats do not include sexual assault.

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Balu commented May 31

B

Balu

Jackson, WYMay 31

Dear Jenny, Thank you for writing about harassment and sexism in climbing Mt Everest. As you know the problem isn’t new nor only at Mt Everest. What can we do to end this? It doesn’t matter that we wear modest clothes, no makeup, etc. We have to stop victim blaming. How can we educate these perpetrators or put them in jail before we spend $Ks climbing Everest? These perpetrators exist everywhere. Thank you, Balu Jensen, Wyoming

27 Recommend

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DotsHija commented May 31

D

DotsHija

Portland ORMay 31

The global brands that have deals with Purja need to drop him immediately. Thanks NYTimes for excellent reporting on this topic.

92 Recommend

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Paul commented May 31

P

Paul

BrooklynMay 31

@DotsHija Yes ! Drop him without proving anything against him ! Perfect.

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Survivor commented May 31

S

Survivor

At largeMay 31

@Paul That's right. Businesses are not courts. They don't have to hire spokespeople involved in scandals if they don't want to, and they don't need to seek proof that satisfies *you* before they do. It's capitalism.

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charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@Paul They can believe the women, who have nothing to gain by reporting harassment / rape, or they can believe the guy they're paying a lot of money to to represent their brand, who is probably a harasser / rapist. Women buy stuff, too. Brands should choose accordingly.

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Bob Trosper commented May 31

B

Bob Trosper

Ferndale CAMay 31

And yet people wonder why more and more women are done with men. I am disgusted by these guys and ALL the guys who behave this way. I haven’t always been an angel, but for heaven’s sake men, WAKE UP! You are not entitled! Get over it!

69 Recommend

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Teresa commented May 31

T

Teresa

BerlinMay 31

Is there an activity in the world we women can't pursue without getting hassled?

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Plant Lover commented May 31

P

Plant Lover

IowaMay 31

Why would anyone think climbers would be any different than others when it comes to sexual harassment and rape? Many women are harassed and assaulted no matter where they go.

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Elizabeth commented May 31

E

Elizabeth

IowaMay 31

A lot of people here seem to be blaming women for wearing the wrong clothes. When you're hiking, you wear hiking clothes.

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RLG commented May 31

R

RLG

NorwoodMay 31

My experience in Asia, chiefly India, is that many, not all, men, usually in the lower economic bracket succumb to the false paradigm that white women, or women from Europe or America, are “looking for it” and available. In Kathmandu, one evening, a group of young men crowded around my girlfriend and began to harass her sexually. Despite being outnumbered I successfully chased them off. In another incident, a male friend (ex-linebacker) and I were enjoying a swim in a small resort’s pool in India when a group of young men climbed in and began to fondle her. He took a swing at one and a melee ensued with my friend and I doing some damage before the left. We checked out soon after as they may have come back with weapons or reinforcements.

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In the woods commented May 31

I

In the woods

New YorkMay 31

“When you are a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.” Some commenters here say women should not travel into countries where their rights are not protected. What about the US?

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Griffy commented May 31

G

Griffy

Nanoose Bay, BCMay 31

Even on Everest, seems like the bear is still the better choice!

67 Recommend

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Chloe commented May 31

C

Chloe

TexasMay 31

I cannot imagine anything more frightening than being on a 8,000 meter peak with a man trying to rape me. Where are you supposed to go? Who can you call for help? I'm sure there are good men out there but with stories like these women should never trust any of them. It is just too dangerous. Second, any man asking you to go to a hotel room for any reason is a red flag. There are plenty of public rooms where people can meet in a hotel. I have told my daughters to never be alone with a man in a hotel room or an office. It's not safe. It is unfortunate that we still have to behave like this to protect ourselves in 2024

66 Recommend

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1 REPLY

WVW commented May 31

W

WVW

VAMay 31

@Chloe Wise advice for your daughters. But if more men with high public profiles were investigated following reports of unwanted sexual advances, let alone rape, fewer men would feel protected by their impressive credentials. Business is conducted in hotel suites without anyone crossing boundaries.

9 Recommend

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Chris commented May 31

C

Chris

Make America Sane AgainMay 31

What Nims accomplished was Superhuman and blew away all prior records. If these allegations are true it would appear his Superhuman status has him believing that women will fall over him and comply with his sexual advances.

11 Recommend

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1 REPLY

FeeltheBern commented May 31

F

FeeltheBern

NYCMay 31

@Chris actually, he isn’t even the record holder anymore…a woman is. So much for superhuman!

19 Recommend

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Holly commented May 31

H

Holly

NYMay 31

Is there any place, anywhere, where women can be free of harassment by men? What is the matter with these men? Why can’t men live and let live where women are concerned? Would one of the “good guys” kindly explain why this behavior by men towards women, everywhere, is so normalized by the majority of men? Why aren’t the “good guys” standing against this, openly?

168 Recommend

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K Yates commented May 31

K

K Yates

The Nation's File CabinetMay 31

How ridiculous that it's always on the woman to keep the situation under control: how she dresses, what she says, being paramount. How about the man's responsibility to treat women with human dignity? How about what he says, and what he does? This is a 50/50 situation, but to hear people talk, you'd think it's a woman's role to placate the person who has crossed the line.

116 Recommend

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2 REPLIES

Joan commented May 31

J

Joan

ILMay 31

@K Yates Yep. I'm shocked at the overwhelming agreement in these comments. Grateful to women for speaking up. That's how the perception "women need to dress and act like this if they don't want to be assaulted" will change to "perpetrators will be ousted by the community and prosecuted by the law."

34 Recommend

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Survivor commented May 31

S

Survivor

At largeMay 31

@K Yates Agreed, except that this is NOT "a 50/50" situation. When the perpetrator assaults the victim, it's 100% the perpetrator's fault. At no level is the victim at fault for being assaulted. 0%. Ever. Every person, man woman or child has the right to bodily autonomy and safety from others assaulting them. This is a basic human right.

42 Recommend

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123jojoba commented May 31

1

123jojoba

NJMay 31

Sadly, I am not surprised.

35 Recommend

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Rodins Muse commented May 31

R

Rodins Muse

ArlingtonMay 31

I am so glad that I managed to escape from any male predatory behavior in my many backcountry adventures. Including overseas, but not in Nepal. Just felt a need to comment that it’s not all men who behave inappropriately. I was always aware and sure to be cautious because I know what could happen. Some men need to understand that this is not normal or wanted behavior.

5 Recommend

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Mathilda commented May 31

M

Mathilda

New YorkMay 31

I went hiking with my shepherd (a breed known for being protective) last week. We were less than three miles from downtown and on a well-established trail. It started raining. I realized a man was following us. We cut onto a parallel trail and noped it out of there. I would have been truly frightened if I hadn't had my dog with me.

53 Recommend

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MC commented May 31

M

MC

RenoMay 31

I've been interested in Nepal trekking for some time. I'm dismayed to read that trekkers have had rat poison placed in food so that helicopter rescues are required as a way to bilk trekkers or insurancecompanies. I'm saddened that women who want to summit have felt that they had to submit to sexual demands or risk their safety. I'm now torn between my desire to see (not climb, just see) Everest and my stronger desire to stay alive.

20 Recommend

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Jim commented May 31

J

Jim

Bayonne, NJMay 31

I have been a hobbyist and climbed all over the US and Europe for about a decade. I think most of the younger generation of guides understand the power differential between themselves and their clients. I will say there has been a move to make climbing more inclusive, and really no tolerance for racism or misogyny. I think what needs to happen is that this issue should be apart of the guide accreditation. Ethical considerations always have been as they are tied to safety and care for the environment. Still, as a middle aged man I have run into my fair share of ego maniacs and people who climb because they can’t deal with regular society. This has been written about before and measures have been taken to screen people for mental illness. I’m glad the times reported on this issue as it will result in a shift in the climbing world I am sure. Most people who engage in the sport are conscientious and want to do the right thing. I think making climbing emotionally safe inclusive is really important as it brings people closer to nature and an appreciating for how delicate it is. Climbers take calculated risks and it is up to each individual how far they want to go in that regard. However, no individual should be subjected to a rogue guide and it is up to the company’s hiring and sponsoring them, the organizations accrediting the guides, and the permit system to regulate the safety mechanism. I would say that any company that doesn’t protect its clients should be penalized .

19 Recommend

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1 REPLY

charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@Jim "really no tolerance for racism or misogyny" (except for sexual harassment and rape detailed in this very article) "it will result in a shift in the climbing world I am sure" (unlike any of the many articles written about sexual harassment and rape in virtually every Earthly setting. Yup, this one will be the one.) This is the kind of gaslighting women live with. In addition to men's violence, we're regularly treated to men's denial that it has or will occur, and/or adamant Pollyannaism that it will end immediately, now that everybody knows. Please stop. Listen. Believe. Be "that guy" who doesn't laugh at sexist jokes, and calls men out when they take their predatory behavior too far. Tell on them. Report rapists. Stop a rape you can see is probably to happen. Don't be passive about your rapey friends because you don't think they'd ever go that far. All women have to deal with sexual harassment and men who rape. Shouldn't men have to do at least as much?

4 Recommend

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Lissa commented May 31

L

Lissa

VirginiaMay 31

Super. I'll pass this article along to my 24 year old marine biologist daughter who is also a climber. Right after I pass along the most recent article about men who harass woman biologists in the field and in the labs, by their PhD mentors. Of course those will have to wait until she has a chance to read the article about the harassment at the National Realtors Association. But her older sister did just send the WaPo article about female congressional pages who are quitting because they're harassed. Ah, the summer reading list! Personally, I've enjoyed reading Nick Kristoff's op-ed about women turning away from men. Young women, especially, are deciding that men need to take these issues into their own hands because these men give all men a bad rap. So, rather than whining because the women are moving on, 'good men' need to step up. My husband, their father, is on it. Quietly. He doesn't make a sound. Those men will never hear him coming.

88 Recommend

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mvp commented May 31

M

mvp

Los Angeles, CAMay 31

Well this happens at all altitudes. It happens everywhere. I have heard young women say they don't feel safe going anyplace by themselves, not even the grocery store and this in a rural area. The behavior of men is so threatening to them and they have no idea how to deal with it or how to mitigate. When I was their age I was traveling all over the world by myself and understood threat and risk. I respected the culture I was in. I think today many women might not have the skill set to deal with the blatant aggression. It says a lot about our civilization today and how we assess and navigate risk. We maybe don't like to have those conversations. I read a survey that was taken a couple of years ago that asked men what they feared most about women- the overwhelming response was that they will laugh at me. Women asked the same question overwhelmingly replied- that he will kill me. I live in a place where there are lots of hiking trails. I would not today venture out on those trails alone not even with dogs. It's not the bears or mountain lions that concern me. I know quite a few women who have armed themselves and have concealed weapon permits. It's very sad that we are still battling misogyny but it's everywhere and it seems getting worse and it's not just men. We need to call it when we see it and stand up to this toxic culture around the world and yes here in America.

19 Recommend

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1 REPLY

charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@mvp "I think today many women might not have the skill set to deal with the blatant aggression." "I would not today venture out on those trails alone not even with dogs." You started out victim blaming based on age (i.e., women younger than you) and ended up deciding "it's not just men" that are the problem. I'm not sure you have a grip on the real problem. Men are harassing and assaulting women virtually every place a woman might find herself. That is the fault of men. Not young women, not any women. Men. Is it that hard to name a legit target for your angst here?

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paul commented May 31

P

paul

CAMay 31

Many are outraged about the harassment women face in a rural area in Nepal. It makes me wonder If they haven’t ever traveled in poor foreign countries outside of major cities. Both men and women face risks when traveling among people who do not share their cultural standards. To give you an example, not so long ago a large number of climbers were murdered at the base of Nanga Parbat, a famous mountain in Pakistan. The only way to deal with these problems is to be extremely careful, including seeking information in advance of any visit to a place where dangers may be present. Hopefully a careful selection of a guide will help a great deal. In the long run it may be possible to improve the situation in the rural areas of Nepal but that would require political and economic efforts to change a foreign country. Those who respond by saying that this advice is sexist should keep in mind that it is a form of white supremacy to assume that people in another culture should live by our standards.

3 Recommend

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2 REPLIES

Rowena commented May 31

R

Rowena

New YorkMay 31

@paul You are wrong. Basic human rights, such as freedom from assault, are not a form of white supremacy. You are condoning gross human rights abuses by using the excuse that "it's their culture". Basic human rights don't vary by country and culture.

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Crabapple58 commented June 2

C

Crabapple58

CTJune 2

@Rowena Many cultures still do not confer basic human rights on women. Women are considered ‘property’ to be sold into child marriage, mutilated without choice, considered vessels for creating progeny. This exists in many countries.

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ZDI commented May 31

Z

ZDI

Denver, ColoradoMay 31

If anyone would like to read more about the Charles Barrett case, Outside Magazine did a fantastic job chronicling how he got away with abuse for so long. https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/climber-charles-barrett-assault-trial/

31 Recommend

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Jay commented May 31

J

Jay

EarthMay 31

Why is it ALWAYS: Well men just can’t control themselves. Women should not dress that way. Boys will be boys. Women are just asking for it. If you get in trouble, it’s your fault, little lady. You should have known better than to go there. And on it goes…..

49 Recommend

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Sameer commented May 31

S

Sameer

San JoseMay 31

What a shame! Netflix should do the right thing and take down the documentary. Why promote a sexual predator and abuser as a hero? Also, unless Nike and Red Bull make amends and cut their relationship with Mr. Purja, no one in my family is buying Nike or drinking Red Bull EVER AGAIN! Consume with a conscience!

34 Recommend

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Sharon commented May 31

S

Sharon

New YorkMay 31

These men are disgusting and pathetic. I love mountaineering, and take courses and classes whenever I can. I'm older with grey hair and thank goodness men now leave me alone. Hope that continues. Thank you to these women for speaking out.

29 Recommend

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JD commented May 31

J

JD

New EnglandMay 31

Pressure campaign needed to get RedBull, Nike, Osprey and Scarpa to drop "Nims" as a spokesperson. Osprey?!! That company touts their women's hiking gear. Shame on Osprey - get rid of him now!

37 Recommend

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In deed commented May 31

I

In deed

Lower 48May 31

Three stories that should be told. In maybe fifteen paragraphs. But that isn’t good agitprop for the vanguard of the revolution. More more more and then some.

2 Recommend

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1 REPLY

charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@In deed I'm not sure I understand but it seems like you're saying that too much attention has been paid to these women's stories of sexual assault, and also that recounting sexual harassment / assault is nothing more than "agitprop" (lies developed for the purposing us ginning up activism). Especially if the story is longer than 15 paragraphs. More instructions, women: If you do tell a journo what happened, ensure their editor keeps it short. Even if it's combined with two other women's stories. They're all the same, no need to go over the details on and on. Don't go to hotel rooms for meetings. Don't date guides. Don't walk to your car alone. Don't wear that to the bar. Were you alone? Well, then. . . .

4 Recommend

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No name commented May 31

No name

No name

earthMay 31

male violence follows women everywhere and is almost impossible to escape.

39 Recommend

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Jay Miller commented May 31

J

Jay Miller

Denver, COMay 31

These are highly believable accounts, bolstered by diligent NYT reporting. I would love to hear a followup with statements from Red Bull, Nike, Grivel, Osprey and Scarpa.

53 Recommend

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Keef ex Cucamonga commented May 31

K

Keef ex Cucamonga

PNWMay 31

Purja was a mercenary and member of the British equivalent of the US Navy Seals before he became a mountaineer. Tells you everything you need to know about the guy.

11 Recommend

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Lisa commented May 31

L

Lisa

JonesMay 31

First off, Nepal is cozing up to Pakistan after having a long history of friendship with India. It is political & their affirmation for Purja means nothing. He should be arrested and tried for assault.

8 Recommend

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Dear Prudence, commented May 31

Dear Prudence,

Dear Prudence,

ChicagoMay 31

A TikTok (Viral) asked: Would you rather be stuck alone in the forest with a bear or a man? Women answered (overwhelming)… The. Bear. “Our mothers never felt a need to warn us about bears,” one woman commented on the video. “A bear might actually stop if I play dead, a man will take it as an open invitation,” wrote another. “If I got attacked by an animal, people would believe me and nobody would ask what I had on” quipped another. And consider this astounding statistic: According to data from the Pentagon, one in four women in the military will be sexually assaulted by a man within her ranks. “A woman in the military is more likely to be raped by a fellow service member than to be killed by enemy fire.” Whether it’s in the woods, a woman’s own military barracks’s/home, or the highest mountain top in the world? Are there ANY truly safe places for women? How will anything change for women, until men insist, that all men behave like human beings? Not Apex Predators? Because while the TikTok Video, is antidotal, not scientific… Statistics across the board, regarding violence against women, is not. Shouldn’t men be ashamed that? Shouldn’t MEN want that to change? How can it change for women, until MEN insist that all MEN behave like human beings? And when will MEN insist that women are afforded their full measure of bodily autonomy and human dignity?

82 Recommend

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3 REPLIES

Rolfe commented May 31

R

Rolfe

Kennebunkport MeMay 31

@Dear Prudence, Most men (definitely including this one) abhor sexual assault. Please stop implying otherwise. Moreover men are also sexually assaulted, a few by women. I’m bewildered why all men are blamed for the sins of some.

9 Recommend

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Pauline commented June 2

P

Pauline

NYCJune 2

@Rolfe ~ "Men are also sexually assaulted, a few by women." That evens the score by ... "a few"? A "few" is loosely related to a number ... three. It is commonly known and verified that most assaults on males are ... by males.

18 Recommend

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charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@Rolfe It's a numbers thing. If sexual harassment or rape by men happens in virtually every setting a woman finds herself in, she begins to believe men are rapists. We all learned to fear snakes after being bitten. Wasps after being stung. It's how human brains work -- we create categories. Especially around danger. You just couldn't help minimizing the problem by mentioning that men are also sexually assaulted, sometimes by women. As if that's germane, or equivalent, or undermines what the women have reported here. Men do this every time rape comes up. Read these comments, you'll see explanations ("They're Nepalese, they don't know any better;" "Some women date guides;" "Why would anyone agree to meet in a hotel room?" and etcetera) and lots of instructions for women to follow to make it less likely they'll be raped. This is how women know that no, most men do not abhor rape. Their reaction to hearing about it isn't rage or righteousness; they become defensive. They make excuses for the rapist they don't know, right in the faces of the women telling them what happened. I've never seen a written warning in an article or comment that men shouldn't go to women's hotel rooms for meetings. Have you? The numbers just aren't there to persuade us that men are victims, too, and that most men aren't predatory in "the right circumstances."

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Mixed Family commented May 31

M

Mixed Family

NYMay 31

People. Never meet another person in their hotel suite. There is no valid excuse for that ever to be a meeting location. Assume the dude is a creep, most are. Decent dudes aren't looking to meet in a hotel suite. Separately, Everest has become pointless, dangerous, and not that much of an achievement. If you might die because so many other people are stuck in line on the same summit, it isn't a singular achievement.

21 Recommend

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David commented May 31

D

David

LAMay 31

"These allegations are false and defamatory" So I assume Purja will be suing these women? If not, why not?

17 Recommend

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Y commented May 31

Y

Y

ColoradoMay 31

Misogyny exists at every level of climbing. From the climbing gyms to clothing, jargon, boulder/route names, campfire conversations between pro and amateur climbers, and the studios that produce the films. It’s absolutely everywhere. You don’t have to be an insider to see it, but if you are one it’s impossible not to see it. That doesn’t erase the importance or the beauty of the sport. Instead it should highlight how remarkable the women who choose to participate in it are.

18 Recommend

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Mike S. commented May 31

M

Mike S.

Eugene, ORMay 31

clothing collection with Nike, featured on a Manhattan billboard, honorary doctorate, multiple company endorsements.... power, influence, and money. but the guy is a sexual predator. Climbers have enough unpreventable stuff to worry about. I shudder to think what goes on at base camps that we never hear about. I question that the main climbing community can or will adequately police itself. I do hope there will be women's only climbing groups, and the women themselves will end up effectively dealing with the problem, hopefully with the help of a few decent men. It will, however, be a very dangerous, literally and figuratively an uphill battle, in both Nepal and Pakistan, for these countries, and many parts of the world, are full of men who demand women cover themselves, throw acid or kill those who don't, automatically downgrade testimony given by a woman, and won't take no for an answer. It is actually far worse than what happens here, although there are many who are working on having us join this repulsive group.

15 Recommend

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brownie commented May 31

B

brownie

EarthMay 31

Two thoughts: 1) This is why women would rather encounter a bear than a man in the woods. 2) NYT Opinion Columnist Nicholas Kristof should have to read this story after writing the tone deaf piece The Case For Saying 'I Do'. I would love to hear how happy Nirmal Purja's wife is in her marriage.

26 Recommend

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RCS commented May 31

R

RCS

Princeton JunctionMay 31

Have visited Nepal’s Capital Kathmandu a few times. Nepal is very famous for the “Sherpa” (Guide for mountaineering) community. Late Tenzing Norgay was a legendary Sherpa who guided Sir Edmund Hillary to climb Mount Everest for the first time in 1953. It’s so disappointing and infuriating to read about the alleged sexual harassments committed by Nirmal Purja - he should immediately be subjected to Nepalese Law and Order authorities There is no excuse for perpetuating sexual harassments - Shameful!

12 Recommend

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Dina commented May 31

D

Dina

massachusettsMay 31

It's truly shocking when one discovers that some fellow (male) travelers assume that you will have sex with them. Even more absurd is how shocked they are when you say no!

17 Recommend

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Donna P. commented May 31

D

Donna P.

MarylandMay 31

Is it any wonder women choose the bear?

18 Recommend

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john commented May 31

J

john

BrooklynMay 31

Will the New York Times write an article on the dangers that men face and getting their careers and livelihoods ruined by full accusations?

7 Recommend

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1 REPLY

charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@john I think we should wait until there's at least an even number of each kind of wrongdoing. One rape = "one life and career ruined by [false] allegations." Unless you think the latter is way more important and newsworthy. A low estimate is 500,000 rapes in the US annually. How many cases of false allegations do you know about so far in 2024? Lives and careers ruined? Can you name 3?

26 Recommend

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Natalie commented May 31

N

Natalie

Central IllinoisMay 31

Nirmal Purja is a predator. I hope he is brought to justice. But he’s obviously not the only man behaving badly. Why is sex confused with domination for men like him? It’s an illness.

27 Recommend

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Greg Simpson commented May 31

G

Greg Simpson

Denver, COMay 31

Shameful behavior. Clean up your act boys. In a sport that celebrates courage anyone guilty of these acts are cheap cowards.

14 Recommend

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Sandy commented May 31

S

Sandy

over thereMay 31

Something felt off when I listened to him interviewed by Joe Rogan.

8 Recommend

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André commented May 31

A

André

Quebec CityMay 31

Sad reality Harassement prevail across all Spectrums of society

5 Recommend

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Voxhumana commented May 31

Voxhumana

Voxhumana

21234May 31

Women have to start taking justice into their own hands. In their own time. In the place of their choosing. Make this abuse stop.

7 Recommend

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WonderMonger commented May 31

W

WonderMonger

CaliforniaMay 31

I follow news in Nepali media and the NYT report on Nirmal Purja is just the tip of the iceberg. He was involved in an affair with a Nepalese actress whose boyfriend committed suicide. Purja gets away with sexual assaults because he can buy the Nepalese courts.

19 Recommend

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Jake Roberts commented May 31

J

Jake Roberts

New York, NYMay 31

I imagine this may be worse in mountaineering, especially elite mountaineering, than in rock climbing, but it's a huge issue in rock climbing, too. In addition to advocacy by women to address the issue, there is one other force pushing things in the right direction (I hope). At almost any climbing gym or local crag, and in competitions, you see so many highly talented and inspiring girls and women these days. I've got to guess that generations of guys coming up in the sport will have a better mindset.

5 Recommend

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1 REPLY

charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@Jake Roberts Do men feel any responsibility for checking the behavior of their predator buddies? Or is it all just, "gosh, I hope that magically gets better!"

8 Recommend

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AdogaTwn commented May 31

A

AdogaTwn

Taipei, TaiwanMay 31

The first women's expedition to Mt. Everest was in the late 1970s. Their t-shirts said it all, "Women on Top."

8 Recommend

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Chris commented May 31

C

Chris

Make America Sane AgainMay 31

Nims is Superhuman to have summited all 14 in that timeframe. Blew all previous records out of the water!! They should be studying his physiology to find a clue. A combination of physiology and his time spent with an elite unit of the British Army, The Gurkhas may offer an answer. Sadly if these allegations are true then that Superhuman nature has gone to his head and taken on a dark, negative twist of unwanted sexual advances. Thinking that he is Superhuman and above the law. That he can have his way with Women and no one can touch him. Very troubling if these allegations are true.

7 Recommend

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2 REPLIES

Sally Jandrall commented May 31

S

Sally Jandrall

ColoradoMay 31

@Chris I believe his record has recently been broken …. By a woman.

42 Recommend

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charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@Chris Exhibit D, Rape Culture "If these allegations are true," twice. Synonyms for rape: "unwanted sexual advances"

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Caroline commented May 31

C

Caroline

PdxMay 31

Where does this start? Stupid derogatory jokes and stories about women where everyone laughs uncomfortably is common around the world. Othering women is one way to justify sexual violence. I listened to a guide in Iceland recount a misogynistic myth that he thought was funny. About a third of the group let out a weak laugh, the old man next to me let out a hearty chuckle. I just walked away.

41 Recommend

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Charles E Flynn commented May 31

C

Charles E Flynn

Rhode IslandMay 31

Readers may be less familiar with Mr. Purja’s name than his famous photograph from May 2019 of the "conga line" near the summit of Everest.

4 Recommend

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gahgahgah commented May 31

G

gahgahgah

OrygunMay 31

Why can't men behave themselves?

34 Recommend

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SMB commented May 31

S

SMB

CanadaMay 31

And some men still don’t understand why so many women say they would choose the bear….

32 Recommend

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Shiloh 2022 commented May 31

S

Shiloh 2022

New York NYMay 31

#Metoo, mountain edition To all men: women will let you know loud and clear when we want to have sex with you. Until then, we are *not interested*. At all. Ever. Never. Ever. Please leave us alone. We are not interested. Ever. You can't change our minds. Please stop. We don't want to have sex with you. We are not interested. Stop harassing us. We don't want to have sex with you. No sex. Not. Is that clear enough?

118 Recommend

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U.N. Owen commented May 31

U

U.N. Owen

NYCMay 31

Men are a scourge to women anywhere in the world. It's impossible to exist as a woman without constantly being aware of the potential, and in some circumstances likely, threat.

47 Recommend

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Ahna commented May 31

A

Ahna

DenverMay 31

And segments of society were surprised “she chose the bear” in the woods?

23 Recommend

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poster commented May 31

P

poster

universeMay 31

Men, realize your freedoms. And do everything you can to help create change. (Unless you are a predator, in which case go get help).

15 Recommend

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T commented May 31

T

T

OCMay 31

Places like Everest draw the most narcissistic and egocentric people who step on the dead and dying to achieve their “life goals”. Certainly these women do not deserve to be assaulted, but the whole lot of them seem to be demonstrating the worst elements of human behavior.

20 Recommend

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zarathustra commented May 31

Z

zarathustra

VAMay 31

The problem is that some Western women seek out and enjoy relationships with locals which they are perfectly free to do. Local men, seeing this, then believe that other women are also interested. I bet you that Mr. Pruja has had as many Western women say yes as those that say no. Power is an aphrodisiac, isn't it? For him it's a perk of his profession which he will continue to pursue as long as it doesn't hurt his business, which apparently is the line that he has now crossed. I'm sorry for the women involved but unless Mr. Pruja has actually raped someone the climbing 'business' will turn a blind eye.

9 Recommend

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2 REPLIES

Humanbeing commented May 31

H

Humanbeing

USAMay 31

@zarathustra It is fine that some women willingly (key concept here)say yes to relationships with men in the trekking community. But that is no excuse for the men to use that as an excuse for preying on women without their consent. I hope that by your citing such observations you are not consciously blaming the victims. But unconsciously, perhaps, behind what you say is a strong whiff of assigning such blame..

29 Recommend

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Survivor commented May 31

S

Survivor

At largeMay 31

@zarathustra "actually raped"? Is the story by Hintja not disgusting enough to you, to qualify as "actually raped"? You also say "The problem is that some Western women seek out and enjoy relationships with locals which they are perfectly free to do. Local men, seeing this, then believe that other women are also interested." You say this as if it is a fact. It is not. You are projecting this as if you have proven this is the case. It's speculation and rationalization based on nothing but your imagination. Zero evidence. Just another attempt to explain away criminal behavior by bad men, and somehow blame the victims for it.

50 Recommend

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Bowers commented May 31

B

Bowers

IndianapolisMay 31

Seems like Mr.Purja knows he’s in a position of power, jobs at stake, even life at stake, if these women don’t submit to his assaults. The climbing community should shun him.

49 Recommend

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Mountain Walker commented May 31

M

Mountain Walker

East End Of The Milky WayMay 31

Something interesting I noticed related to this topic- During my regular solo day hikes pretty deep in a trail free canyon in a quiet national forest, on the rare occasion I meet another solo hiker, that person is most often a young woman. That is so cool, and I hope it continues, despite the savages who walk among us.

22 Recommend

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Gigi commented May 31

G

Gigi

vt.May 31

When traveling through Europe in the 80, I was harassed by the driver of a buss taking us from one county to another. This man was middle aged and overweight, pink in the face and over the hill, what gets me is he wanted me so I must want him. Men are truly amazing at convincing themselves of anything.

59 Recommend

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Chris commented May 31

C

Chris

CaliforniaMay 31

Women must hold strong boundaries and be crystal clear about them from the very beginning. If the guide doesn't like it, make different plans. Secondly, all women know it's never wise to go to a man's hotel room for a "meeting." It sends a message that you're either totally naive or you're interested in what happens in a man's hotel room. It's just the way it is! Meet in a place where there are others around. Don't go on treks without a safe male with you, or, have the ability to give the guy a black eye without hesitation. The latter would help put a stop to these guys getting away with this harrassment.

14 Recommend

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1 REPLY

charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@Chris Exhibit B, Rape Culture: Blaming the Victim I think what you meant to say was, "Men need to stop raping and sexually harassing women." Period.

24 Recommend

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harrym commented May 31

H

harrym

baltimore, mdMay 31

I'll add this to the list of crimes of which I'm guilty by virtue of being the same gender as the criminal. I wonder ... if a bear steals a pick-a-nick basket, is that individual bear guilty, or are all bears guilty?

5 Recommend

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TheraP commented May 31

TheraP

TheraP

MidwestMay 31

This is so disturbing. Obviously men in so many professions take advantage of their position and assault one woman after the next. It’s seems to happen in every sport, in the film industry, business, politics… etc. It’s not just “Me too!”now - it’s also “in this too!” So thanks to the Times for this reporting. As discouraging as it is to read.

23 Recommend

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Bruce commented May 31

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Bruce

IowaMay 31

Any man who harasses a woman should be prosecuted. What is wrong with these guys?

18 Recommend

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1 REPLY

Lilo commented May 31

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Lilo

MichiganMay 31

@Bruce Nepal is not the USA or Great Britain or Finland. Different country. Different laws and customs.

4 Recommend

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A Doctor commented May 31

A

A Doctor

USAMay 31

My young attractive daughter never allows unfamiliar men to buy her drinks at a bar, because doing so creates the uncomfortable sense that they are then owed something in return. In addition to the other measures that women cite here to keep them safe, I would add this example. Don't curry favor by using your femininity or attractiveness. It sounds like the women who sleep with guides may be doing just that, and they do a disservice to all women. Many will see this advice as sexist, or blaming the victim, but it's a fact that many women recognize and follow.

6 Recommend

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Marcy commented May 31

M

Marcy

DMVMay 31

I hope Netflix pulls the 14 peaks, or at least adds detail on Purja’s creepiness for context. Purja deserves business and legal problems, not hagiography.

90 Recommend

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h commented May 31

H

h

new englandMay 31

How is this a surprise to anyone? Speaking as someone who worked as a backpacking guide in the US in the past two years, sexual harassment and gender discrimination remains rampant within these communities. It’s wildly pervasive. And the American men who claim to be feminists don’t care at all when they’re benefitting from better positions, etc. even when you tell them about serious misconduct on the part of their peers and friends. It’s this way in every male dominated field in the US. I spent my time as a female undergraduate in a male dominated STEM field dodging the men who acted inappropriately with me and didn’t listen when I turned down their advances as well as the men my female friends warned me had assaulted other women. This is everywhere. It hasn’t disappeared just because MeToo happened. It’s infuriating. And I’ve done the things other women have commented on this post- dress conservatively, refuse to engage when people flirt with me, avoid these men, etc. but misconduct (from harassment to assault (attempted or otherwise) and continuous objectification) occurs no matter what. There are plenty of men who don’t listen when we say no.

81 Recommend

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2 REPLIES

RWJ commented May 31

R

RWJ

MassachusettsMay 31

@h as a 76 year old healthcare doc licensed 49 years and elite athlete and lifetime exercise buff, I can attest to the sexual predation that infects so many men like a disease. I have been groped by men and some female patients who were quickly read the riot act and have been told to never come near me again. I am very strong, agile and a trained olympic wrestler and still get hit on maybe due to my friendly and kind nature. As a scientist I can only guess the sexual urge is more than some can control. I can say there are some men like me who has never groped anyone, been to a men's lounge or a prostitute. It infuriates me to hear this and wonder where the other men were when these famous men misbehaved. I would have reacted instantly and told them to cease and desist or suffer real physical consequences.

9 Recommend

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WVW commented May 31

W

WVW

VAMay 31

@h Good point - decent men understand "no" whereas the criminal types aren't looking for cooperation from the victim.

10 Recommend

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Concerned feminist commented May 31

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Concerned feminist

AtlantaMay 31

I made the decision to include being sexually harassed by locals in my recent memoir, Tap Dancing on Everest, while on an Everest expedition in Tibet in 1988 -the only woman on the team, serving as the doctor - as part of showing the extra challenges women face. It's important to share our experiences to raise awareness. I was careful to include incidents of harassment in the US too so it isn't just about the foreign man/woman situation of cultural misunderstandings. It's something I think most women experience at some point, but I'd hoped the situation is improving after #metoo. We have a long way to go.

75 Recommend

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WVW commented May 31

W

WVW

VAMay 31

Evidently a world-wide problem that has nothing to do with what a female wears or does. A sense of entitlement must start when these men were young boys. Some go on to have high profile reputations or are just garden variety local sexual predators. How frightening, whether in isolated outdoor environments or doctor's office or sport's training room. The high profile men are too valuable to the company profit or school's prestige.

25 Recommend

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MC commented May 31

M

MC

RenoMay 31

I've done solo backpacking. The only things that I worried about were fire, mountain lions, and creepy men.

50 Recommend

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Lex commented May 31

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Lex

Los AngelesMay 31

We need more *female* mountaineering guides. Let's all give 100% to supporting women in this industry.

57 Recommend

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Gigi commented May 31

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Gigi

vt.May 31

Men have no self control. Where are all the descent men when women are being harassed?

39 Recommend

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2 REPLIES

WVW commented June 2

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WVW

VAJune 2

@Gigi The sexual aggression, harassment, assault rarely happens with witnesses. Most men are decent.

2 Recommend

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charlotte commented June 2

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charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@Gigi Busy worrying about the predator's reputation and his future, after being "falsely" accused. Erry time. This attitude is prevalent among law enforcement, of course, but not only there. The same man who will insist on walking you to your car because "it's not safe" will mumble and avoid eye contact when you tell him you were sexually assaulted. He will ask a lot of questions. He will exude doubt. When you say he doesn't seem to believe you, he'll deny it. He'll bring up the Duke basketball team. I'm not sure what the indecent men do!

8 Recommend

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Platos Owl commented May 31

P

Platos Owl

Los AngelesMay 31

And this is why women will choose the bear, ANY DAY, over a man, if they have a choice between being stuck in the woods with one of them. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about, there has been a recent poll on social media that has gone viral (rightly so), where women are asked who they would choose to be alone in the woods with, a man or a bear. All women, and one dad of a daughter, said bear. And of course, many men in the comments of those videos ranted and declared how "that doesn't make sense" when it clearly does. So, yeah, bear, bear, bear, anyday.

92 Recommend

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JB commented May 31

J

JB

Bariloche, ArgentinaMay 31

Cultural attitudes have a lot to do with the sexual harassment and abuse mentioned in most of the comments, but this article does well to show that it can also happen in places such as the Yosemite climbing community, a progressive enclave in a progressive state. It just reinforces me to encourage my daughter to be cautious, practice self defense and carry pepper spray, wherever she goes. Sad but true.

16 Recommend

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RCL commented May 31

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RCL

ny, nyMay 31

Must have been terrifying...your guide, while you're climbing K2?! It's scary any situation, especially with a power imbalance, but this takes the cake.

43 Recommend

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Maeve commented May 31

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Maeve

OhioMay 31

I was accosted by a guide in one of the European caves with prehistoric paintings. Just as soon as we were out of sight of the other visitors he was all over me. I was pretty young but was able to escape him. It was terrifying. Since that time my radar is up at all the times when I might be alone with a man, stranger or not. I find the whole situation very sad.

64 Recommend

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Tracey commented May 31

T

Tracey

Redmond waMay 31

Women need to demand guiding companies to explain, in writing, the companies interlorance of serial harrassment, recourse for clients experiencing unwanted behavior on trips, and practices to keep clients safe. This should be standard language for backcountry trips. Start asking now, repeatedly. The industry will listen when women are more vocal about their safety before laying out money.

34 Recommend

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Sol Castro commented May 31

S

Sol Castro

MéxicoMay 31

I was a fan of Mr. Purja until I saw him in 2022 at the base camp of the K2, his behavior was of low moral quality; Mr. Purja did not help a man who needed urgent medical attention, and he took the sick person down from the helicopter so that the princess of Doha, an Arab emirate, could get on. The princess and Mr. Purja were talking calmly while the patient was on the ground with bottled oxygen. The scene was very sad and disappointing.

100 Recommend

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FosterMom commented May 31

F

FosterMom

Marquette, MichiganMay 31

It will likely be no surprise that this problem exists in the mushing world of dog sleds. Blair Braverman wrote "Welcome to Godddamn Ice Cute-Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North". Ms. Braverman describes much the same experiences of sexual harassment and assault in her book. Ms. Braverman is a brilliant author and passionate about her dogs and mushing. In this respect she is similar to the women climbers described in this article. I'm glad that these predatory men in the climbing world are being exposed.

25 Recommend

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Vera commented May 31

Vera

Vera

PNWMay 31

I'm not surprised at all, but why were the women keeping it secret? Secrets allows bad behavior to perpetuate. Have we not learned anything about protecting women from predators?

3 Recommend

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3 REPLIES

WVW commented May 31

W

WVW

VAMay 31

@Vera Why keep it secret? Trauma and male dominated law enforcement, whether local, state, or national level, that still value men more than women. When the US gymnasts went to the FBI about Dr. Larry Nassar, the FBI did nothing. The agency just settled for $138.7million. Nassare is behind bars for the rest of his ife.

76 Recommend

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Vera commented May 31

Vera

Vera

PNWMay 31

@WVW I'm not sure what your point is. Your comment makes my point--keeping abuse secret empowers the abuser which is why these examples you mention keep happening into the 21st century. MeToo made a huge impact in the Hollywood industry because women exposed abusers.

3 Recommend

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charlotte commented June 2

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charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@Vera Many in Hollywood report there were immediate surface changes but nothing lasting or more serious. Sexism there is said to be as bad as ever.

3 Recommend

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Life Is Complicated commented May 31

L

Life Is Complicated

Everywhere, NowhereMay 31

I do not condone sexual assault and violence. However, there’s also a bigger context that I it would have been helpful to include here. There are different cultures and values around the world. In some places, dating is a completely unknown thing. After watching Hollywood films and/or shows such as Sex in the city, people in many countries around the world assume that US citizens/westerners have sex freely and liberally. It is also the case — as Lady Liberty already indicated here — that some western women engage in holiday romance overseas. (It used to be the case that many young Brits traveled to places like Ibiza specifically to have lots of adventures. Which made it extremely difficult for anyone in that demographic who traveled to the same places exclusively for experiences not sexual). As a woman who has traveled alone a lot, I have frequently encountered foreign men who assumed I was there for the sex/that I would be willing no ready to have sex at the drop of a hat. I too lived through some terrifying experiences. I was a victim of rape overseas. I know and empathize with these women. So I am not providing context as a way to minimize the horrors,they describe or the need for change.

23 Recommend

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1 REPLY

charlotte commented June 2

C

charlotte

SoCalJune 2

@Life Is Complicated The same people who watch Sex and the City watch Law and Order: SVU. There's just no excuse, anywhere in the world, for sexually harassing or assaulting women. I'm so sorry that happened to you.

4 Recommend

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Mellow Bunny commented May 31

M

Mellow Bunny

SeattleMay 31

It’s a very sad thing, but it’s a fact that Western women are all too often viewed as sexually available in (some) developing countries. Western social and cultural norms of dress and behavior which are perfectly appropriate in the West are unfortunately misinterpreted in these countries. This is NOT THE FAULT of the women climbers (no woman is at fault for being assaulted) but it’s something to be aware of. I always dress like a local in my home country (shorts are worn only to the gym, and tank tops never), and it helps me get by with no attention from men. I offer this only as cultural context. It in no way excuses the men, whether in Nepal or in Yosemite.

19 Recommend

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Linda commented May 31

L

Linda

New JerseyMay 31

More of the same. When a male coworker found out that I don't take elevators when there is just a man in the car, he asked why. I just looked long and hard at him. He eventually got it. Men behaving badly...they're everywhere. Speak up ladies whenever and wherever it is safe to do so.

93 Recommend

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Mm commented June 2

M

Mm

BostonJune 2

Really... Yet another location where men are harassing/preying on women. And men are foolish enough or self absorbed enough to wonder why more and more women want nothing to do with them... Wow....

25 Recommend

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Mary Ann commented June 2

M

Mary Ann

SeattleJune 2

I blame in part the global reach of the internet and all kinds of porn available to anyone in any country, as long as they have internet access. No wonder men in these patriarchal, culturally strict developing countries get the wrong idea about western women. Hopefully word will get out about predator guides like Purja. Don't wait for the Nepali gov't to lend any support in this. As for western men's behavior on expeditions and climbs, they have no excuse.

6 Recommend

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Kristine commented June 2

K

Kristine

IllinoisJune 2

Reminds me of the online poll: Would you rather be trapped in the woods with a man or a bear? Most women said bear.

24 Recommend

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Notsolongago commented June 2

N

Notsolongago

Miami, FLJune 2

Same old same old. Men will continue to do this until they face consequences serious enough to make them stop. If they think they can get away with it they will continue and if they think they might get killed, they'll stop. Women and girls have an absolute inviolable right to protect and defend their bodily autonomy. We have the right of self defense and the right to not get raped.

22 Recommend

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Tim commented June 2

T

Tim

Upstate New YorkJune 2

Why don't the women climbers insist on a buddy system with their guide. Better yet, why don't the trekker companies highlight that they provide pairing and segregated sleeping quarters for women. Or maybe Dr. Leonard will create such a company for other women trekkers.

5 Recommend