The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest

Title: The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest

Author: Anatoli Boikreev & G. Weston DeWalt

Summary: In May of 1996, three expedition groups set out to summit Mt. Everest. They all chose the same day for the final summit. The last person to summit left the top of Everest at 4:00 p.m., two hours later than recommended. Complications on the descent included running out of oxygen and altitude sickness, which prevented some people from descending and slowed many others' descent. Then a blizzard hit the mountain about 6 p.m., before most people had made it back to camp. By the next day, 6 people had died, 2 required helicopter evacuation and the rest were exhausted. Anatoli, the co-author, was one hired to guide people up and then rescue in case of emergency on the descent. He includes his reasoning behind the decisions he made and actions he took, which saved the lives of four hikers.

Recommendation: Yes, it's a good summer read. Thinking about that much snow and sub-zero temperatures will make the summer heat seem nice. I liked that this version of the tragedy wasn't out to blame anyone; it didn't seem as biased as other accounts. Boukreev kept the focus on his interactions and experiences. I liked that he included his expedition the following year; it completed the story and ended the book on a happier note.

Hearts: 3