Mount Everest guides allegedly poisoned clients

[John619]

https://nypost.com/2026/04/01/world-new ... ce=twitter

[John619]

April's fools????

[ekalina]

This has been going on for quite some time, and it's not restricted to Everest summit attempts either.



Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

[nyker]

That's terrible. Really unbelievable.

[desertdog]

Not sure about the poisoning thing, but the insurance rescue scam has been going on for a while in Nepal. It has driven up the cost of insurance for everyone. Glad they might be doing something about it.

The mountains and people of Nepal are incredible. Great culture. Always worth a visit, at least once. The last time I went (for Ama Dablam) in 2024 it was way over crowded. You could barely walk on the main trails because of all the people. Services were super expensive. Much more than when I went in 2019. Illnesses in the teahouses were off the hook. Everyone was sick. I think they have reached the over tourism point. Glad I've gone there, but I think I will not return.

[cottonmountaineering]

Not sure about the poisoning thing, but the insurance rescue scam has been going on for a while in Nepal. It has driven up the cost of insurance for everyone. Glad they might be doing something about it.

The mountains and people of Nepal are incredible. Great culture. Always worth a visit, at least once. The last time I went (for Ama Dablam) in 2024 it was way over crowded. You could barely walk on the main trails because of all the people. Services were super expensive. Much more than when I went in 2019. Illnesses in the teahouses were off the hook. Everyone was sick. I think they have reached the over tourism point. Glad I've gone there, but I think I will not return.

i also think the poisoning thing is not quite accurate but the helicopter evac scam is. its very easy to get a stomach bug there especially at gorakshep where they dump all the human waste from everest, helicopters are running multiple times daily up and down the valley so its very easy to send a trekker back to kathmandu. most other valleys there arent helicopters running for this sort of thing so trekkers are going down on donkeys if they give up/get sick. it is also making rescue insurance super expensive, global rescue was ~$300 for an 8000m peak 10 years ago now its ~$1000.

pakistan has the opposite problem, even people that are seriously injured are often sent down on donkeys because the choppers arent running

[Wentzl]

[DArcyS]

I receive a daily email digest, "The Mind Bender," from a former Denver radio personality, Dom Testa. He had this little quip to add to this story:

"Asked why they stole the money from climbers and insurance companies, one guide said, 'Because it's there.'"

[seano]

This has been going on for quite some time, and it's not restricted to Everest summit attempts either.



Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

"Let's pause for a word from the herbal potion hucksters who pay me." Somehow this clown has managed to create negative brand value for both himself and the company paying him.

[ekalina]

"Let's pause for a word from the herbal potion hucksters who pay me." Somehow this clown has managed to create negative brand value for both himself and the company paying him.

Yeah, the grift is never ending. Sorry about that. I was trying to find some other sources talking about this story prior to April Fool's day to assess whether it was true, but didn't like that either.

[Bale]

As far as I can tell, the airlift grift has been known for nearly a decade, but the poisoning of clients is pure clickbait. There may have been ONE case of a trekker, (not Everest climber), being “poisoned” with baking soda to make them feel unwell. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
Also: New York Post, really?!

[Dan Wiedrich]

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.