Published in 2007, Dead Lucky: Life After Death on Mount Everest, is Lincoln Hall’s account of the 2006 Mount Everest season in which 11 climbers died and having been left for dead himself, managed to survive a night a 28,200 feet only to be found alive the following morning. With the help of 4 Sherpas, he survives an arduous descent to Base Camp.
Unlike most of the recent Mount Everest books that chronicle expeditions on the more popular South Face of Everest, Hall’s expedition takes place on the less well-known North Face on the Tibetan side of the mountain. Those readers who are familiar with the key features of the South Face (Khumbu Icefield, Lhotse Face, Hillary Step, etc), will be pleased to learn that there’s another whole side to Mount Everest–providing it’s own unique challenges.
Having been turned back just shy of the summit in 1984, Hall begins by describing the events which presented the opportunity for another chance at the world’s highest peak. Recruited as a high-altitude cameraman to document the climb of Christopher Harris, the teenager attempting to summit the 7 highest peaks on each continent, Hall began training in preparation for an expedition that would begin only 9 weeks later. Although Christopher Harris and his father, Richard, would abort their summit attempts, Hall was feeling strong and at midnight on May 25th left High Camp at 27,300 feet to begin his own attempt. At 9:00 AM, Hall reached the summit of Everest. As is often the case, the problems began on the descent. Fatigue and cerebral edema began to take their toll and by the time he reached the Second Step, he was clearly in trouble. After hours of descending with minimal progress, he collapsed just below the Third Step. Feeling the situation to be hopeless, the Sherpas were told to descend or else risk dying themselves. On the morning of May 26, four climbers from another expedition were startled to find Hall alive and sitting cross-legged on the ridge at 28,000 feet. Thus began the rescue that would save his life.
In the midst of the drama occurring on the mountain, Hall describes the nightmare at home as his family, indeed the whole world, is notified of his death only to begin hearing rumors of his survival. The book is a quick read and provides a fascinating insight into this tragic season on the North Side of Everest. Hall provides a very readable and personable story–although some of the lengthy hallucinatory dream sequences can become a bit tedious. Nevertheless, any fan of mountaineering will want to add this their collection.
Ed Viesturs latest book, K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain, chronicles the history of expeditions to the world’s second highest peak. Focusing on the most significant seasons in K2′s history, beginning in 1932 and culminating with the tragic 2008 season in which 11 climbers died on a single day, he vividly paints the physical, political, and psychological issues that shaped the history of this great mountain. Along the way, he further elaborates on his own 1992 summit taking the opportunity to provide greater insight than that written in his previous book, “No Shortcuts to the Top”.
Pulling from his extensive study of prior expeditions in preparation for his own 1992 summit, he describes how intense nationalism, politics, ego, and overambition have influenced both success and tragedy on K2 just as much as the mountain itself and the weather. Having been given access to private diaries from some notable K2 climbers allows Viesturs to give even further insight into the team dynamics which can so greatly determine success or failure during such a pressure-filled expedition.
As one of the few mountaineers to summit all 8000ers, it’s unavoidable that he make comparisons between K2 and other great mountains – especially to Everest. Indeed, Viesturs spends a significant amount of time dispelling any similarities between the 2008 disaster on K2 and the 1996 disaster on Everest. He concludes with some interesting thoughts on the future of K2 in particular and mountaineering in general. K2 is currently the domain of serious and seasoned mountaneers but as K2 begins to become a somewhat more “glamorous” summit, it’s likely that it will see the same commercialization as found each year on Everest.
At a time when the media and book stores are filled with yearly accounts from each season on Everest, “K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain” reminds us that drama, triumph, and tragedy can be found throughout the great mountain ranges of the world. If you’d like to expand your mountaineering insight beyond Everest, give Viesturs’ latest book a read – I think you’ll find in enlightening.
If you’re even remotely interested in what it’s like to climb the highest peaks in the world, I highly recommend reading Ed Viestur’s latest book – “No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World’s 14 Highest Peaks”. In it, Viesturs chronicles his early exposure and passion for climbing, his stint as a guide for RMI (Ranier Mountaineering Incorporated), his first expeditions into the Himalaya, and finally, his “Endeavor 8000″ project to summit all the 8000 meter peaks without supplemental oxygen. From his first summit of an 8000′er (Kangchenjunga) in 1989 and culminating with the completion of “Endeavor 8000″ on the summit of Annapurna in 2005, Viesturs vividly describes the world of the high-altitude mountaineer.
In the mountaineering world, Viesturs is probably best known for his sensible approach to a obviously dangerous activity. With one exception (K2 in 1992), Viesturs has learned to trust his instincts and remain safe. His mantra, “getting to the top is optional – getting down is mandatory”, has served him well. In fact, he once aborted an attempt at summitting Everest within 300′ of the peak because conditions “just weren’t right” and his self-imposed summit-deadline would be passed and therefore not allow the necessary time needed for a safe descent. Unlike many high-altitude mountaineers, he’s never contracted any form of edema or even suffered frostbite. He feels no need to completely rehash the tragic 1996 season on Everest in which 11 climbers died on the mountain, but as he was instrumental in the rescue for many of the survivors, it’s understandable that he describe his own role during the days leading up to and following this tragedy.
The most inspiring aspect in Viesturs’ book, however, may be how he took his passion for mountaineering and, through dedication and perseverance, managed to turn it into his livelihood. Even as he was completing his training and beginning a career as a veterinarian, it was becoming clear that he was going to have to choose between two somewhat incompatible pursuits. As America’s most well-known mountaineer, he now has association with numerous sponsors and product endorsements as well as being constantly recruited for keynote and corporate motivational speaking.
How many of us spend our days grinding out our mundane existence while secretly wishing we could make our living doing what others consider recreation? Viesturs shows us that with dedication and determination, one can achieve their dreams. For Ed Viesturs, that meant standing on the 14 highest places on the planet. For the rest of us, it may mean something a bit closer to sea level. Regardless of the dream, it’s the dedication to the pursuit that ultimately allows each of us to attain our own summit. The important thing is to never stop climbing.
