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Mapping rescue response times across the high Himalaya
Dr. Anjali Thapa · Head of Research
6 min read
New data reveals where help takes longest to arrive, and where a single radio relay could save hours.
How long does it take for help to reach an injured climber? Using three years of incident logs, our research team mapped response times across the high Himalaya.
What the map shows
In the busiest parts of the Khumbu, help often arrives within an hour. In the upper Makalu and Kanchenjunga regions it can take more than a day, mostly because there is no way to call for it.
“The single biggest delay is not distance. It is the time before anyone knows help is needed.”
We are now piloting solar-powered radio relays at three sites where the data suggests a single relay could cut response times by several hours.
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