FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITION’S TRIPS DON’T RUN LIKE THE COMMONLY KNOWN 8000m TRIPS FOUND IN MOST OF THE HIMALAYA AND KARAKORAM. WHEREAS ELSEWHERE THE MAJORITY OF TRIPS ARE COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES WHERE A COMPANY OFFERS PLACES ON EXITING PERMITS THAT ARE MANAGED BY A TEAM THAT SETS UP THAT COMPANY’S CAMPS, LOGISTICS, SUPPLIES & STRATEGY THEN FITS THEIR CLIENTS INTO IT, OUR TRIPS ARE SIMPLY RUN AS INDEPENDANT TEAMS.
BECAUSE WE APPROACH THE MOUNTAIN AS A TEAM, NOT A BUSINESS, WE DON’T HAVE THE GUIDE-CLIENT STRUCTURE THAT A COMMERCIAL ASCENT USUALLY DOES. BECAUSE WE DON’T USE A STRATEGY OF SET CAMPS, BASE-TO-SUMMIT FIXED INFRASTRUCTURE, THE LOGISTICS OF FERRYING SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN, CONTINUAL RESUPPLY, AND ALL THE ROTATIONAL SCHEDULING THAT NEEDS TO GO WITH THAT, WE DON’T USE A STRUCTURE OF GUIDES AND PERSONAL ASSISTANTS EMPLOYED TO MANAGE A CLIMBER-CLIENTS PROGRESS.
IN OUR CASE WE LEAD TEAMS, NOT GUIDE TRIPS. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT OUR SMALL TEAMS FUNCTION AS A UNIT, RUNNING THE STRATEGY & WORKLOAD ITSELF, SIMPLY OVERSEEN BY A LEADER WHO OVERSEES THE WHOLE AND LIAISES IT TO THE SUPPORT CREW. THE LEADER DOESN’T NECESSARILY HAVE TO LEAD THE CLIMBING, BUT THEY ARE NAMED ON THE TRIP PERMITS AS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR NAVIGATING THE TEAMS GENERAL PROGRESS WHICH IS A PROCESS THAT BEGINS WEEKS BEFORE MOST OF THE TEAMS SETS FOOT IN THE COUNTRY AND GOES ON ABOUT A WEEK AFTER.
HAVING THIS LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE EACH MEMBER OF THE TEAM HAS THE INCENTIVE AND ROOM TO SPECIALIZE AND BE PART OF THE TEAMS PROGRESS FAR BEYOND WHAT THE GUIDE-CLIENT STRUCTURE ALLOWS. SIMILAR TO THE WAY EXPEDITIONS RAN IN THE CLASSIC ERA OF 8000m CLIMBING, OVERSEEING LEADERSHIP IS A WAY FOR CLIMBERS TO FORM A NATURAL ORDER ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITIES AND IS THE BEST WAY FOR DEVELOPING FUTURE TALENTS AND APPTITUDES.
AT IT’S DEEPER LEVEL TOO, GUIDING IS AN INDUSTRIAL POSITION WHEREAS LEADING IS A CHARACTER POSITION, AND THOUGH LEADERS WILL HAVE GUIDING QUALIFICATIONS IT DOESN’T NECESSARILY WORK THE OTHER WAY. EXPEDITION LEADING – OVERSEEING ACTUAL EXPEDITIONS TO LITTLE OR UNKNOWN TERRITORY – QUALIFIES ONLY THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF DOING IT, THERE IS NO NEAT SYSTEM LIKE THERE IS FOR GUIDING AND NO SET THEATRE FOR IT TO PLAY OUT.
FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS PRIDES ITSELF ON IT’S UNIQUE POSITION LEADING HIGH ALTITUDE TRIPS TO THE BARELY KNOWN 8000m LOCATIONS THE REST OF THE HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING INDUSTRY OVERLOOKS. OUR DECADES OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE, OUR EXPERTS IN THE FIELD AND OUR YEARS OF WORKING WITH THE AUTHORITIES GIVES US A TRUELY UNIQUE POSITION IN THE 8000m CLIMBING SCENE.
