I fail to understand the lure of Mt. Everest. I think that humans in ordinary life face enough challenges and to a certain extent, the driving ambition that takes people to dangerous places to conquer nature and possibly die seems in opposition to the security of love, family and friends - or, more simply put, happiness.
Yet what distresses me further is the blinding ambition to summit, to get to where few men (and women) have gone before at the expense of, not only house and home, love and security, but also another human life. What could be a greater blessing, a greater spiritual opportunity, than the opportunity to save, even attempt to save another human life?
In 1996, during an ill-fated attempt to summit Mt. Everest, Beck Weathers was left for dead. Jon Krakauer, who was on assignment for Outsider magazine, would write an account of the tragedy that ended with eight people dead, Into Thin Air. The 49-year-old Weathers lost part of his nose, one of his hands, the fingers on the other hand and his occupation. The Texan had practiced medicine. He was able to recover later, to do so again.
Weathers, whose radial kerotomy was negatively affected by the altitude and extreme cold, was told to wait for his guide Rob Hall to return as he descended from the summit. Weathers was effectively blind. Krakauer declined to help him to Camp Four. Another guide, Mike Groom, helped Weathers and a small group part way down until they got lost. A guide for another expedition, Anatoli Boukreev (who wrote a conflicting account called, The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest), found this small group, but left Weathers along with another climber, for dead. To his credit, Boukreev saved three lives on that trip.
Another climber, Stuart Hutchinson, also left both for dead. Yet Weathers later regained consciousness and after 14 hours in the snow, made his way back to Camp Four. He allowed a helicopter take a Taiwanese climber down the mountain first after both were brought down to Camp Two. His account of the tragedy is Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest.
In contrast, the British mountaineer David Sharp died this May. He was in a cave 300 meters below the summit and approximately 40 people passed him on the way to the summit, including New Zealander and double amputee Mark Inglis. Inglis' party did offer Sharp oxygen, but went on to the summit. Inglis has said Sharp was effectively dead.
The team of New Zealander Mark Inglis, the world's first double-amputee to reach the summit, stopped to give Sharp oxygen before continuing to the top.Continued on the next page Page 1 — Page 2
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - elsa
It seems to me that the chance to save a person's life is far greater privilege than the chance to reach the summit...any summit.
2 - Armchair Climbing Enthusiast
"Lucky for Hall, Mazur was willing to give up his dream in order to give Hall another chance at life."
Mazur was the
summitclimb.com expedition leader and had previously summited Everest.
The expedition that found Hall and stayed with him consisted of Mazur, Jangbu Sherpa, who'd been to the summit three times already, Englishman Miles Osborne and Canadian Andrew Brash.
So, you should really be crediting Osborne and Brash for giving up their summit dreams (for now) to try and save Hall.
Here's a transcript of a recent interview with Mazur about this:
3 - Purple Tigress
I read part of this previously when I was writing. Mazur says:
Yet it seems that Mazur took the lead in the decision as the expedition leader.
I also noticed that in general the sherpas do not seem to get enough credit.
4 - Armchair Climbing Enthusiast
Coming back down the ridge, to be honest feelings were of nothing but disapppointment at not making the summit; Everest is a peculiar mountain in that the summit is so highly prized and sought after, that nothing else seems important. This was made abundantly clear to us as two Italians walked by just as we found Lincoln. They increased their pace, moved on by, and said "No speak English." Although one of our compatriots at high camp had had an hour-long chat with them in English the day before.
The following day Lincoln had been brought back to ABC by a massive rescue effort involving several teams. We went over to visit this man of mystery we had found at 8600 metres, in his expedition's medical tent. We reintroduced ourselves and sat there talking about his family and wife. During the conversation, I could not help but wonder, "How in ANY way is a summit more important than saving a life?" And the answer is that it isn't. But in this skewed world up here, sometimes you can be fooled into thinking that it might be. But I know that trying to sleep at night knowing that I summitted Everest and left a guy to die isn't something I ever want to do. The summit's always there after all.
Myles Osborne
more at the link everestnews.com
5 - Purple Tigress
Perhaps it is also a question of choosing the right leaders and companions. I noticed on the above provided link that another member of the party had also saved a person a week earlier.
Inglis seems quite sure of himself in his treatment of Sharp. That seems to be rationalization to me. I do not know if I would want to trust my life to such a person.
Mazur and his expedition sacrificed all the time and money they had spent in preparation for this expedition so that they could attempt to save someone. I guess that is the true test of a person's humanity--giving up something you want in order to help another person, even a stranger, even someone who might not live.
6 - Q Bit
The world is a better place for people like Mazur and his team members.
7 - joanne
This is truly the definition of blind ambition. I'd rather sleep soundly at night ...I'd like to believe there are more Mazurs in this world --you're just not going to find them on Mt. Everest.
8 - McIntyre
One note re your comment that Krakauer "Krakauer declined to help him [Weathers] to Camp Four" is incorrect.
Krakauer offered to take Weathers with him, but Rob Hall had instructed Weathers to stay where he was and wait for him to return.
As Krakauer pointed out in "Into Thin Air", all the clientes had drilled into them during the aclimitization process the understanding that they were to do what they were told with no exceptions. Hall reinforced this directive the day before the climb.
Unfortunately, the climb was a "Perfect Storm" kind of tragedy - all the accounts tend to agree with this. Pretty much every thing that could go wrong did go wrong. Perhaps Krakauer should have been more insistant with Weathers, but the simple fact is the clientes were following the instructions given to them by the experts.
9 - Cass
I think that it's not a matter of "summit at all costs." I think it becomes an "every man for himself" mentality.
10 - Armchair Climbing Enthusiast
More info continues to trickle out regarding Lincoln Hall.
According to Alex Abramov's official report, Lincoln Hall and three Sherpas reached the summit at 9.00 am.
(snip)
At 10:00 the descending Lincoln Hall reached a snow triangle, at 8800 meters. At this point, Sherpas transmitted, Lincoln started to move slowly, and lost his coordination. At 10:30 Lincoln lay down in the snow, and could not move independently any more.
(snip)
Sherpas tried to lower Lincoln Hall for 6 hours, but the climber was also left by the second step after reportedly showing no signs of life for several hours. The next morning, Lincoln was found by a team of climbers including Dan Mazur on summit push. They cared for him until expedition Sherpas reached them and brought Lincoln down.
11 - Purple Tigress
According to the article I read, Weathers' account of his exchange with Krakauer differs somewhat from Krakauer's account. He felt that Krakauer was reluctant to offer help and that he, himself, should have pushed more.
There are questions about Krakauer's account and that was the reason for the other book, "The Climb."
12 - Purple Tigress
I should add that I wonder what the sherpas think of all these people, leaving home and their families, paying enormous sums of money to climb Everest, dying, almost dying and leaving others to die just to be somewhere few people have gone before.
These are probably the more intriguing side of the Everest stories that we do not hear in the US.
13 - Armchair Climbing Enthusiast
re: Weathers and Krakauer in 1996, from what I've read their accounts don't differ by much. The expedition leader, Rob Hall, made Weathers promise to stay right where he was until Hall returned from the summit to escort him down, according to both. Krakauer came upon Weathers on his way back down from the summit and talked to him briefly, according to both. The subject of Krakauer assisting Weathers back to camp came up, according to both. According to Weathers, but not mentioned by Krakauer, Krakauer said (truthfully) "I'm not a guide". Weathers was blind from the altitude, and would have to be short-roped down to camp. Neither Krakauer or Weathers had a rope with them, so the point was pretty much moot anyway, and Krakauer headed back to camp while Weathers continued to wait for Hall to return.
Sorry, I don't have a link for this, it's paraphrased from memory from an interview with Weathers I read awhile ago.
14 - Purple Tigress
I've been searching for the link myself. However, Weathers wrote that he felt that Krakauer was reluctant and that he himself should have pushed (since he was blind).
This, of course, was his impression. Weathers had agreed to wait for Hall who did not come back.
As for having to be short-roped, Weathers ended up crawling on his own after staying out exposed.
Of course, all of this, what Weathers and Krakauer wrote, was with plenty of hindsight.
15 - Armchair Climbing Enthusiast
Here's another interesting essay on the subject, just published today.
To Help or Not to Help, That is the Question by Gary Giss
The author is a doctoral student in health psychology and behavioral medicine, and an instructor of undergraduate psychology and sociology. He has climbed Cho Oyu (26,906 feet), reaching the summit on September 25, 2005, and is an avid mountaineering fan.
16 - Purple Tigress
I found the source of my information.
So the part about short-roping was correct, however, this is really a case of whom to believe.
17 - Purple Tigress
Thanks so much for referencing the essay.
I had thought about the Kitty Genovese case, but that could be because I am taking a psychology class and it does mention her. I think it doesn't only apply to situations of dire consequences.
I was at a party recently for my company. There was one woman who was trying to get food trays out of the boxes and on to the tables. Most people just ignored her although she was a fellow employee. I helped her after setting down my plate. No one else tried to help her. No one tried to help me. They just helped themselves to food and beer.
I don't think it is always a case of thinking to help others on a large scale. I think it begins when people fail to think to help others on a small scale.
I also think it is the dynamics of the group. Mazur was the kind of leader I would want to have and his fellow team members were also altruistic it seems since one had already sacrificed his chance to summit in order to help another.
18 - Armchair Climbing Enthusiast
Hall has 'amazing' memories of ordeal
Everest survivor Lincoln Hall has strong and amazing memories about his ordeal at the top of the world's highest mountain, a close friend says.
Mr Hall is in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, recovering from cerebral oedema and pulmonary oedema, and is also being treated for frost bite and a chest infection.
The climber was declared dead last Thursday after becoming disoriented from the effects of cerebral oedema on his way down from Everest's summit, but was found alive the next day.
His friend Simon Balderstone, who has travelled to Kathmandu with Mr Hall's wife Barbara Scanlan, said the 50-year-old climber had a remarkable tale to tell.
Asked if Mr Hall could remember much, he said: "Ooh, yeah, it's a pretty amazing story".
But the sale of it is still being negotiated, Mr Balderstone said.
more
A picture of Hall shortly after they found him, after they got his coat done up and put a hat and one glove on.
So Hall is already planning to write a book? That'll be interesting to read.
"So, there I was, rowing a boat in the middle of the ocean, and these orange balloon people showed up, and..."
I'll probably buy it anyway though :-)
19 - Armchair Climbing Enthusiast
LA Times
Good summary, imho. Couple of things, that I'm quoting here, that I hadn't seen yet.
(snips)
At one point, Inglis had a long fall and broke one of his prosthetic legs, which he repaired with duct tape.
Though details are unclear, Sharp had become separated from teammate Vitor Negrete of Brazil. Negrete, in a solo attempt, reached the summit three days after Sharp's death but became ill and was unable to make a descent. After being taken to one of the high camps by a sherpa, he also died.
{I saw some other news about Negrete having had one of his high camps looted, I'll see if I can find that link later - A C E}
Jan Arnold, widow of climber-guide Rob Hall, who was among nine mountaineers who perished in one day during a freak storm that swept through the Death Zone in 1996, told a New Zealand news program that it was wrong to point fingers.
"When you're up there and can barely breathe, you can't eat, you can barely drink " all you can really do is plod on upwards with this one thing in mind," said Arnold, who has climbed to Everest's summit. "What it would involve to launch a rescue would almost be beyond the brain capacity of a person at high altitude."
more
20 - david olson
when are you boys ever going to grow up and act like grown men. to try and make an excuse for leaving another man to die reminds me of my little boys...it isn't my fault...really!...honest dad!
21 - McIntyre
Some small points re Krakauer's and Weather's accounts (and thanks to the clarifications by P. Tigress and A.C. Enthusiast).
One thing interesting is Krakauer's account that Weathers elected to stay because he knew Groom had a rope. (Krakauer's mention of not having the rope in the interview quoted above seems to be referencing it after the fact - in his book he did not say he said this to Weathers, but instead Weathers made the observation.)
Also, Hutchinson, Tasky and Kashinsky (sp) had passed Weathers earlier, as well, and continued on without Weathers, as he elected to obey the directive from Hall to stay put.
A few things stick out - one, hypoxia needs to be taken into account when we review the accounts of all involved. I don't think it is a case of determining whom to believe so much as making sense of the accounts from different POVs.
Also, the understanding by clientes that they were to do as they were told plays into this. Krakauer remarks earlier in the account how he and, I believe, Adams, seeing Andy Harris having difficulty below the summit, believed Harris when he said there was no oxygen in the tanks that were stored there. It was, I believe, Groom, who actually tested the cannisters and realized Harris had made a mistake.
Again, my point is not to suggest Krakauer was some sort of angel, or that he didn't make a number of mistakes that contributed to the confusion (obviously, the mistaking of Adams for Harris was a major blunder for which he has recieved a great deal of criticism, perhaps some of it valid) nor to defend his narrative, which on the whole remains a bang-up job of reporting, but only to underscore the point that he did not refuse to aid Weathers, as his critics would suggest, but by his own admission, he privately did not want to and was relieved to not have to when the decision was made to wait for Groom.
One last observation: Weathers tells us that he could tell by Krakauer's body language that the writer did not want to take him down. But Weathers was effectively blind, by his own admission. How could he have made such an observation of someone bundled in thick, heavy garments that effectively mask body language even to someone with good eyesite?
Again, this is not to discredit Weathers, but only to underscore that the accounts all need to be taken with a grain of salt
22 - Purple Tigress
I also recently read the account of the sherpa , Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa, who felt he was unjustly criticized in Krakauer's book and Krakauer's reply.
I have to cringe at the dialogue that Krakauer's letter uses for two reason. The difference in the language between Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa's letter and that as a bilingual person who has been interviewed in a foreign language and interviewed in a foreign language, I know that it is always questionable to interview anyone in a foreign language, particularly when it is readily apparent that person isn't fluent.
Lopsang felt:
As for blind and totally blind, being highly near-sighted and knowing people who are legally blind, I know doesn't mean you really can't see anything.Weathers made his way to the camp so he wasn't totally blind. He could see shapes and he was essentially correct.
This is a very Rashomon-like story and Lopsang and Boukreev can no longer contest this story. What remains is that some people were saved. Some people were left for dead who were not dead and were later saved. Someone made decisions about who was going to die. Not all of these decisions turned out to be correct.
Sure, the altitude would affect judgment, but I don't think that was the only problem.
23 - MCH
Tigress,
Are you a mountain climber?
24 - Armchair Climbing Enthusiast
Here's that link, re: Negrete's high camp being looted, which may well have contributed to his death on Everest. I don't know if this affected Sharp as well. Maybe we'll never know that.
Brazilian Vitor Negrete lost on Everest after a no O2 summit
(snip)
In addition, someone has emptied a cache left by the Brazilians in C2, containing gear and food.
Lucky enough, Vitor and the Sherpa climbing with him were helped out by other climbers, who let them a place in a tent and food enough for the night.
“All these events have affected me deeply " I even considered calling the attempt off,” said Vitor. “However, Ravi told me to reach the summit for him. Tomorrow I’ll go to C3. The plan is to reach the place by noon, rest for some hours and then set off for the summit by 9:00 pm. At C3 we have left another cache with food and gear " I hope we can find that one intact. Otherwise the summit bid will be seriously jeopardized.”
This was only the latest in a number of thefts reported by strong, independent climbers on the mountain. Only last week, Simone Moro reported having his cache stolen on Everest south side.
Last year, young Polish climber Marcin Miotk found several of his camps emptied in his lone climb of the mountain late in the season. Like the Brazilians, the unguided climber ascended without supplementary oxygen and his life was jeopardized by the thefts.
25 - Joey
I have read where 1 in 10 people who climb Everest, die there. Those are stiff odds.
Who was the young Swede who rode his bicycle to Everest, hauled his own gear up to base camp and summitted Everest sans oxygen, came off the mountain hopped on his bike and rode back to Sweden? Goran Kropp. His book Ultimate High is available at Amazon, read the comments there... it's a fasinating tale about a fasinating climber/adventurer.