Kudos to you for not agreeing. After you declined, did you feel any resentment from the guide? Seems like if people agree to this scheme, the guide can get a new set of clients faster, and it saves the guide some energy. And it sounds like they may get a cut of the proceeds. So I'm wondering if they get sore at people when they decline the heli ride.Dan Wiedrich wrote: ↑Thu Apr 09, 2026 10:29 am The Everest article reminded a bit of what I had experienced last April (2024) when a buddy and I were being guided on Mera Peak. On our way down, at the Khare teahouse area (~16,000') our guide indicated that we could be helicoptered out. Khare has a helicopter landing pad. My buddy had travel insurance and I did not. But our guide indicated that if my buddy feigned an illness that the 3 of us could be choppered out to Lukla and his travel insurance would cover us. We declined his offer. We were both exhausted and hiking slowly but we wanted to hike back to Lukla under our own power. Also I thought his idea amounted to insurance fraud.
Mount Everest guides allegedly poisoned clients
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ekalina
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Re: Mount Everest guides allegedly poisoned clients
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nyker
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Re: Mount Everest guides allegedly poisoned clients
Yeah, sounds like there's some kickbacks involved...
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SkaredShtles
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Re: Mount Everest guides allegedly poisoned clients
His idea was most *assuredly* naked insurance fraud. No thought required, IMO.
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Dan Wiedrich
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Re: Mount Everest guides allegedly poisoned clients
I don't recall that our guide resented us for declining the helicopter option. Although, he did push the option a fair amount. On our way up, we spent a day acclimating at Khare. There were about 6-8 helicopters that landed and took off each day. I assumed this traffic was due to folks that had actual medical issues or they had planned to fly out. That said, at high altitude one's judgement can get a bit cloudy and I can see how some folks could be talked into flying out.