Everest is a death zone! The terrible truth about the highest point in the world. Corpses on the way are a common thing

For those who love Everest and are interested in the history and real ascent of it, new numbers of those who have conquered the peak will always be a significant event.

On December 4, 2017, the Himalayan Climbing Database was updated, including information on Everest ascents throughout its history.

In a broader sense, the Himalayan Database includes records of ascents of virtually all open Himalayan peaks in Nepal and Tibet, from 1905 to the present day.
This base is supported by a small group of enthusiasts, headed by . During this time, she became the unofficial chronicler of mountaineering in the Himalayas. Its database of historical ascents and achievements has been adopted by all climbers around the world.

And today, despite her advanced age, Elizabeth Hawley remains an active participant in the annalistic history of Everest, she herself personally interviews expeditions, both before their ascent and after completion.

Everest by the numbers by Elizabeth Hawley

As of December 4, 2017, the final count of climbers who conquered Everest in the 2017 season is 648 people. As a percentage, about 61% of all climbers who left base camp reached the summit of Everest in the 2017 season.
Of these, 440 people climbed from the southern, Nepalese side, 202 people from the northern (Tibetan-Chinese) side.
17 climbers tried to climb to the top without using oxygen tanks and 11 of them succeeded!

During the 2017 season, 6 climbers died on the slope of Everest: five deaths on the south side and one on the north.

Number of climbers who have conquered Everest:

Number of climbers who have conquered Everest as of December 2018

Statistics from Nepal:

By season:

Statistics from Tibet:

By season:

Throughout the history of conquering Everest:

• Total number of climbers who have climbed Everest since the beginning of its history: 9044 people, excluding repeated ascents.
• from the southern (Nepalese) side of it, we climbed to the top 5817 times,
• while from the north (Tibetan-Chinese side) the summit was climbed 3227 times.

Of the 9,044 ascents, approximately 211 were completed without the use of oxygen tanks. This is 2.33%. It would seem to matter little. But, if you look at other statistics: of the 274 deaths on Everest, 159 were from those who did not use additional oxygen!

A remarkable fact is that out of 9044 people in the entire history of Everest, only 265 climbers (197 foreigners and 68 Sherpas) climbed to the top of the mountain along non-standard routes.

Countries with the largest number of ascents on non-standard routes: Japan (30), USA (26), USSR (23), South Korea (23), Russia (16)

Deaths on Everest

As of December 4, 2017 (since 1921), 288 people are officially considered dead. Of these, 173 are foreign climbers and 115 are Sherpas.
181 climbers died while climbing from the south side as a percentage, this is 3.4% of the total number of successful ascents, 107 people died while climbing from the north - this is 3.3% of the total number of successful ascents

Since 1990, mortality on Everest as a percentage of age has risen to 5.1% due to improved quality of climbing equipment, better weather forecasting and more people willing to reach the summit participating in commercial expeditions.

Despite the fact that Everest leads in the number of deaths, in the general statistics of eight-thousanders it occupies almost the last line in absolute terms: 1.23
Thus, Annapurna, the tenth highest eight-thousander in the world, still remains the deadliest peak in the world: on these expeditions, the mortality rate reaches 3.91, and in specific figures: 261 ascents to 71 deaths, that is, 28%.
In second place is K2 (Chogori): the ratio of ascents to deaths is 355 ascents to 82 deaths, that is, 23%.
Cho Oyu is considered the safest eight-thousander: for 3681 ascents there are 50 deaths or 0.55%

According to Everest statistics, from 1921 to 2017, an average of 4 climbers die per climbing season
From 2000 to 2018, an average of 6.5 climbers die per climbing season, but this figure is largely due to the tragedies of 2014 and 2015.

Looking at mortality rates from 1900 to 2017, it can be noted that they are essentially the same for both foreign climbers and Sherpas and are 1.18 and 1.9, respectively.
But when commercial expeditions came to Everest in large numbers, from 1990, the mortality rate of clients increased to 2.09.
In the modern era of commercialization, mortality rates among clients and employees have dropped to 1.04 and 0.64, respectively.

Although the reputation of a safe climbing route on the Nepal side was tarnished in 2014 and 2015, there were also many accidents on the Tibet side.
In 2004 and 2006, 6 and 8 climbers died, respectively. The last year without deaths on the Tibet side was 2016, and on the Nepal side was 2010.
The last time Everest didn't see death on both sides was 1981!

A remarkable fact is that out of 8,306 people in the entire history of Everest, only 265 climbers (197 foreigners and 68 Sherpas) climbed to the top of the mountain using non-standard routes.
Of these climbs there were 80 deaths, of which 50 were foreign climbers and 30 Sherpas - that's 27% of the total death rate on Everest!
This partly explains why standard routes are the most popular among commercial operators - they carry lower risks.

Everest climbing statistics

One of the remarkable features of Everest statistics is the fact that over the past two years the number of foreign climbers climbing from the northern, Chinese side has been steadily increasing, while on the contrary, from the traditional Nepalese side, it has been decreasing.
If you look at a longer time period, you will notice that similar indicators were in the 2010 season, when 85 climbers climbed to the top from the Tibet side, and 175 climbers from the Nepal side. In 2017, there were 120 and 199, respectively, the difference being 34% and 13%.
At this rate, in just a couple of years, China may overtake Nepal in the popularity of climbing Everest.

Of course, a number of events, both natural and political-economic, influenced the development of mountaineering on both sides of the top of the world.
As the chart shows, the popularity of the north side of Everest began to gain momentum until 2008, when China "closed" the climbing flow in connection with the Olympic Games in China. This forced many tour operators not to risk their money in obtaining permits from China and move to the southern, Nepalese side.
Russell Bryce was perhaps the leading figure in North Face expeditions between 1994 and 2007, guiding 219 of his clients to the summit, including 53 climbers in 2007.
But he also switched to the southern side, after the northern one was closed in 2008, making his great contribution to the statistics of ascents from the Nepalese side.

The 2008 "failure" in the above graph shows the situation when the Chinese government closed the northern side of Everest to climbing during the Olympic Games in Beijing.
The "failure" in 2014 is associated with
The "failure" in 2015 is associated with

A terrible avalanche and subsequent Sherpa strike forced the climbers to cross over to the Chinese side again.
But oddly enough, the distribution of climbers on the sides of Everest had little effect on the statistics, since, first of all, this tragedy was viewed as a natural disaster, not unique to either side, even despite the fact that Everest was closed from both China and Nepal .

One of the factors that could significantly influence the preponderance of “forces” is the recent increase by the Chinese government in the cost of permits to $9,500, which is very close to the current figure from Nepal - $11,000.
Over time, we will see how the reaction will go, although on the other hand, the constantly introduced and large number of serac collapses on the route may force most climbers to consider the Chinese side as more reliable and safe.
Moreover, the Chinese government’s immediate plans include.

Climbing with and without oxygen

Climbing to the top of Everest without the use of oxygen cylinders is still rare, and in the entire history of the mountain, only 208 people were able to climb without the use of oxygen cylinders.
However, if you look at the accident statistics, it turns out that of the 208 deaths on Everest, 168 climbers did not use oxygen tanks; however, this gives a slightly incorrect picture of the situation, because 199 deaths in the case of anoxic ascent were recorded with Sherpas engaged in laying out the route passing through

This chart shows that climbers who use supplemental oxygen are twice as likely to reach the summit as those who do not use oxygen tanks

And from this diagram it is clear that climbers who do not use additional oxygen die more often than those who do not use it

Looking at the north side, bad weather is a major factor in accidents, both for those who use oxygen tanks and for those who do not use them. However, for those climbers who do not use oxygen cylinders, frostbite becomes the second cause of death.
For those climbers who carry oxygen cylinders, the second factor in mortality is the emptying of these same cylinders.

The north side of Everest is known to be colder and windier than the south. This may explain why more climbers who don't use oxygen tanks are back!
2017 was an exception with only the opposite characteristics on the south side, when strong winds knocked climbers off the route, stopping several attempts to reach the summit without using oxygen tanks.
Looking south, it can also be said that bad weather is a major factor in accidents, both for those who use oxygen tanks and for those who do not use them.
However, here, the second leading cause of death is physical exhaustion, both for climbers with and without oxygen.

Sherpas on Everest

The work of Sherpas on Everest has undergone a huge change, especially over the past 15 years: this has been a time of explosive growth in the number of hired expedition participants.
Of course, this is primarily due to the increasing role of commercial tour operators, who hired at least 1 Sherpa per 5 clients, and today this figure has risen to 1 Sherpa per 2 clients!

This increase in Sherpas per client was due to the increasing number of inexperienced clients, and a marketing move on the part of travel companies - which, for money, guaranteed each of their clients a Sherpa on the top of Everest

In 1992, when the commercialization of Everest was just beginning, there were 22 Sherpas working on expeditions from the southern, Nepalese side for 65 clients.
In 2017 there were already 212 Sherpas and 199 clients.
On the northern side, the situation is as follows: in 2000, the Sherpa-client ratio was 17:38, in 2017 it was already 117:120!

Women on Everest

Regarding women on Everest, it is noted that a total of 536 women have climbed to the top of Everest, 497 of whom have done so for the first time, which means that 39 women have climbed Everest more than once in their lives.

Calculating the average mortality rate on Everest, we can get a figure of 4.8 people per year. If we take the period from 2000 to 2016, we can see that this figure is 6.9 people per year.

The very first woman on Everest was

The most repeated climber of Everest is a Nepalese climber!

Two Ukrainian women also visited Everest: The first Ukrainian woman on Everest was.
It is noteworthy that the very next day the second Ukrainian climbed to the top - .

Statistical results of Everest as of 2018

Some statistics about Everest climbs throughout its history

• 2 full solo ascents
• 34th traverse of Everest
• 22 ski/snowboard slopes
• 13 paragliding flights (paragliding descents)
• 1 unauthorized climb
• 20 controversial climbs
• 14 unrecognized ascents

Interesting facts about Everest

• Geography
  
  
  • Everest height is 29035 feet or 8848 meters
  • The ascent follows the border of Nepal (from the south) and from Tibet (from the north)
  • Everest was formed about 60 million years ago
  • Everest was formed as a result of the collision of the Indian tectonic plate and the Asian tectonic plate
  • Everest is growing by about 6mm every year
  • Everest is made up of various types of slate, limestone and marble
  • The rocky peak of Everest is covered with deep snow throughout the year
• Weather
  
  
  • Everest has strong winds all year round
  • Wind speed can reach 320 km/h
  • Temperatures at the top of Everest can reach -63 degrees Celsius
  • In mid-May of each year, weather conditions on Everest become suitable for climbing, this brief period is called the "weather window". There is a similar period in the fall: in November of each year.
  • During weather windows, temperatures can reach +35 degrees
• Story
  
  
  • Everest was primarily named Peak XV, and its height in 1856 was estimated at 29,000 feet (8839 m)
  • In 1955, the height of Everest was measured as 8848 meters, a value still used today
  • China uses 8843 meters to indicate the height of Everest
  • In 1999, the height of Everest measured by GPS devices was 8850 meters
  • Everest is called Chomolungma in Tibet. It means mother goddess of the universe
  • Everest is called Sagarmatha in Nepal. It means sky goddess
• Climbing
  
  
  • In the entire history of Everest, 20 Ukrainians have climbed to the top.
  • She became the first Ukrainian woman on Everest. It is noteworthy that the very next day the second Ukrainian climbed to the top - .
  • The first successful expedition to Everest was in 1953 by a team led by Colonel John Hunt, climbing from the southern side (from Nepal)
  • The first successful ascent from the north side was carried out on May 25, 1960 by climbers Nawang Gombu (Nawang Gombu, Tibet), Chu Yin-Hau and Wang Fu-Zhou (China)
  • In the entire history of conquering Everest, as of December 2017, 8,306 climbers have climbed to its summit, 4,833 people have climbed Everest more than once.
  • The Nepal side of Everest remains the most popular among climbers, with 5,280 Everest climbs using it. From the Tibet side - climbers climbed 3220 times
  • Throughout the history of Everest, 536 women have climbed to the top, of which 38 have climbed Everest more than once.
  • 208 climbers reached the summit without using oxygen tanks, this is approximately 2.7% of climbers from the total
  • 288 people (173 foreign and 115 Sherpa) died on Everest between 1924 and 2017
  • Most climbers died on the southern side - 181 people, 107 people died on the Tibetan side
  • Almost all deaths occurred on the ascent route
  • The most common causes of death were avalanches (77), falling off the route (67), altitude sickness (32) and other causes (26).
  • Since 1953, the probability of successfully climbing Everest has been 63%
  • Since 1921, the rate of successful ascent among foreign climbers is 33%, among men 32%, among women 40%
  • Since 2000, among foreign climbers the rate of successful ascent is 50%; among men 49%, among women 52%
  • Climbing
    
    
    • By 2014 there are 18 different routes to Everest
    • On average it takes 40 days to climb Everest
    • In each breath at the top of Everest, a person inhales 66% less oxygen than at sea level
    • Climbers begin to use oxygen cylinders from an altitude of 8,000 meters
    • To climb Everest, climbers must be over 16 years old if climbing from the Nepal side and at least 18 years old if climbing from the Chinese side
  • Sherpas
    
    
    • Sherpa is the name of the people of Nepal. They mainly live in western Nepal. They migrated from Tibet over the past few hundred years
    • The name "Sherpa" is also used as a surname
    • Usually their names are the names of the days of the week when they were born:

      Dawa - Monday
      Mingma - Tuesday
      Lhakpa - Wednesday
      Phurba - Thursday
      Pasang - Friday
      Pemba - Saturday
      Nyima - Sunday

    • Sherpas help climbers, carrying expeditionary cargo, organizing kitchens and life in camps along the ascent route
    • Sherpas climb Everest to earn money to feed their families
    • Sherpas are as susceptible to altitude sickness as all other climbers
    • Babu Chiri Sherpa spent a night on top of Everest in 1999
    • More than 10 kilometers of ropes are used every year to climb Everest on the south side
    • Climbers burn about 10,000 calories every day when climbing Everest
    • When climbing Everest, climbers lose from 4.5 to 10 kilograms of weight

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The summit of Everest is the highest point on our planet. Hundreds of brave men try to conquer this mountain every year. Over time, this place became not only a mecca for all climbers, but also one big cemetery for many people. Some of them remained there forever. In this article you will learn about some of the victims of Everest who became prisoners of this giant.

People who have never been interested in mountaineering probably haven’t thought about what happens when climbing a mountain. The weather can instantly change the situation for the worse and can easily take the life of an unprepared climber. One rash act can lead to death. At such a height, people who managed to maintain their sanity remain alive. It is a fact that most people die more often on the way down the mountain than on the way up. After conquering the peak, you immediately feel that everything is behind you. It is this false feeling that fails novice climbers. Others are destroyed by their stubbornness. Often, having climbed to an altitude above 7500 meters, which is called the “death zone,” many believe that they are obliged to reach the summit soon and do not listen to the warnings of their guides. This often becomes their last thoughtless act. Everest victims say goodbye to life in different ways, but the outcome, unfortunately, is the same for everyone.

Everest victim photo

According to official data in 2017, 292 people died on Chomolungma. Many remain lying on the Himalayan slopes like decorations on a Christmas tree. Due to the low temperature, bodies do not decompose and become mummified, so the corpses appear untouched. Retrieving bodies from great heights is very labor-intensive and costs a lot of money. There have already been expeditions, the purpose of which was to collect the dead and remove the garbage left by the climbers, but finding everyone is still an unrealistic task. At high altitudes, routine cleaning becomes a very risky endeavor, not to mention the heavy weight of the bodies. And such events are very rarely funded, so most often people are buried right on the spot. Some are draped in the flag of their home country.

The body of Frances Arsentieva. Everest victim

The famous American Frances Arsentieva became a victim of Everest back in 1998. She and her husband Sergei Arsentiev were in the same group and reached the top of Chomolungma in May. She was the first woman to climb the highest mountain without supplemental oxygen. During the descent, Frances became separated from the rest of the expedition. The entire group successfully reached the camp without her, and only there they noticed the climber’s absence. Sergei went in search of her and, unfortunately, also died. His body was found much later. Members of the South African and Uzbek expedition met Frances and spent some time with her, handing over their oxygen tanks and caring for her. Later, the British from her group returned and also helped her recover, but she was in critical condition. They failed to save her. All information about the incident is not supported by facts, and there were many people who saw Frances - there are so many versions. According to the Chinese liaison officer, the climber died in the arms of the Sherpas, but due to the language barrier between the group and the liaison officer, some of the information may have been misunderstood. Until now, no official witnesses to her death have been found, and there are inconsistencies in people’s stories.

Nine years later, one of the group members, Briton Ian Woodall, could not forgive himself for this incident and, having raised funds for a new expedition, went to Everest to bury Frances. He wrapped her in an American flag, included a note from his son, and threw her body into the abyss.

Everest victims photo. Sergei and Francis Arsentiev

“We threw her body into a cliff. She rests in peace. I was finally able to do something for her." – Ian Woodell.

Everest's first victims

On June 7, 1922, 7 people died at once. This is considered the first officially documented death while attempting to climb Chomolungma. A total of three ascents were carried out under the command of Charles Granville Bruce. The first two were unsuccessful, and the third turned into a tragedy. The expedition doctor believed that the last attempt was impossible, since the entire group had already lost strength, but other team members decided that the risks were small and moved on. George Mallory led part of the group through the icy slopes, but one of the snow accumulations turned out to be quite unstable. As a result, a collapse occurred and an avalanche formed, part of which covered the first group. It contained Howard Somervell, Colin Crawford and George Mallory himself. They were lucky to get out of the snow, but the next group was carried away by tons of snow flying from above. Nine porters were covered. Only two Sherpas managed to escape, and the rest died. Another participant was not found and was also presumed dead. Their names: Norbu ( Norbu), Temba ( Temba), Pasang ( Pasang), Dorodje ( Dorje), Sange ( Sange), Tupac ( Tupac) and Pema ( Pema). This tragedy opened the official list of Everest casualties and also marked the end of the 1922 expedition. The remaining group stopped climbing and left the mountain on August 2.

The first climbers to Everest. Standing from left are Andrew Irwin and George Mallory.

George Mallory made two more attempts to climb, unfortunately, the third time turned out to be tragic again. On June 8, 1924, two young and confident climbers left the high-altitude camp heading towards the summit. George Mallory and Andrew Irvine were last seen at approximately 1 p.m. Just below the Second Stage (8610 meters), Noel Odell, another member of the expedition, saw two black dots that slowly disappeared into the haze. After this, Mallory and Irwin were not seen again. Odell waited for them for a long time a little above the last camp at an altitude of 8170 meters, after which he went down to their place for the night and folded two sleeping bags in the tent in the letter “T”, this was a sign for people from the base camp, which meant: “Found no traces.” , I can only hope, I’m waiting for instructions.”

George Mallory's body was found 75 years later at an altitude of 8155 meters. His corpse was entangled in the remains of a safety rope, which was broken in some places. This indicated a possible failure of the climber. Andrew Irwin's ice ax was also found nearby, but he himself has still not been found. Mallory was missing a photo of his wife and a British flag, which were the things he intended to leave at the summit. Two climbers became victims of Everest, and like hundreds of others, they remained legends for centuries for everyone who tries to climb to the top of this mountain.

Everest 2015 victims. Dozens of dead

On April 25-26, an avalanche occurred on Chomolungma due to an earthquake, which took the lives of many people. This was the biggest incident of all time. This year, a record number of people gathered on the slopes of Everest, because due to last year’s avalanche, which in turn took 16 human lives, many abandoned the climb and returned in the new year to try to conquer the peak again.

Everest victims photos

An evacuation was carried out, as a result of which 61 people were taken to safety and 19 were found dead. These days, many professional climbers and simply good people have left the world. Among them was Daniel Fredinburg, an employee of Google. He was here to map the area for one of the Google Earth-type projects. A large number of people who were at the base camp during the avalanche were injured. Most of the victims died there. The climbers who were in higher altitude camps were not injured, but were cut off from civilization for some time.

Everest victims instead of navigation

Some of the bodies remain lying next to the ascent paths. Hundreds of people pass by these mummies every season. Some of the dead have already become a local landmark. For example, the well-known “Mr. Green Shoes Everest”, which lies at an altitude of 8500 meters. This is one of the members of the Indian group that disappeared in 1996. A group of 6 people climbed to the top, three decided to stop climbing and return, and the rest said that they would continue climbing. The climbers who went up later radioed and reported that they had reached the summit. After that they were never seen again. The man in bright green boots lying on the slope was most likely once one of the climbers of the Indian group, presumably it was Tsewang Paljor. He was seen before the tragedy in the camp, wearing green boots. It lay on the mountain for more than 15 years and was a reference point for many conquerors of Chomolungma. Another climber who visited the summit in 2014 said that most of the corpses were missing. Most likely, someone moved them or buried them.

In 2006, for ridiculous reasons, David Sharp became a victim of Everest. He died long and painfully, but other climbers who passed by did not even stop to help. This is because he was wearing green boots, and most people thought that he was the famous Indian climber who died in 1996.

One of the last victims of Everest was the Swiss Ueli Steck. He left this world on April 30, 2017, trying to follow a route that had not yet been tested by anyone. Having fallen, he fell from a height of more than 1000 m and died.

Quite a large number of tragedies occurred at the “Third Pole”. Most people have gone missing and it is still unclear for what reasons. Every climb to the top is an incredible risk. The chances of staying on the slopes of this mountain forever and immortalizing yourself in history are quite high. Many people can’t understand why people do this and why they risk their lives. Even an experienced climber with extensive experience can become a victim of Everest, but this fact will never stop real adventurers. George Mallory was once asked: “Why are you going to Everest?”. His answer was the phrase: “Because he exists!”

Everest victims video

Every climber is well aware that mountain peaks whose height exceeds 8000 meters are fraught with mortal danger for their conquerors. Under conditions, the human body completely loses its ability to recover, which is often the reason. The tragedy on Everest in May 1996 was a clear confirmation of this.

Victims of the insidious peak

By a fateful coincidence, the entire year of 1996 became a sad page in the history of the conquest of Everest. During the season, fifteen people lost their lives storming this treacherous peak. Two commercial climbing groups, Mountain Madness and Adventure Consultants, were also affected by the disaster.

As evidenced by the chronicle of the 1996 Everest tragedy, they included six experienced, highly qualified guides, eight Sherpas - local residents hired as guides and porters, and sixteen clients who paid sixty-five thousand dollars for the opportunity to play with death on the icy slopes. For five, the ascent ended tragically.

How the 1996 Everest tragedy began

Early in the morning of May 10, when the sun's rays had not yet illuminated the peaks of the mountains, thirty daredevils began the assault on Everest, a peak rising 8848 meters above sea level. The groups were led by serious professionals Rob Hall and Scott Fisher. They knew that the entire area beyond 8,000 meters was called the “death zone”, and understood the need for careful preparation of climbers and strict adherence to established rules, especially when it comes to such treacherous peaks as Everest. The year 1996, the tragedy of which shocked sports fans, became a black page in the history of world mountaineering.

As those who were lucky enough to survive later testified, problems arose from the very beginning of the assault. The ascent schedule, which strictly regulated the time required to overcome each section of the slope, was immediately violated, as it turned out that the Sherpas had failed to install rope railings on the group’s path. When we finally got to the most critical area, which bears the name, we lost more than an hour of precious time there due to the accumulation of climbers from other groups.

Climbers have a rule that says: “If you're behind schedule, don't wait for trouble - come back!” Four commercial group clients, Stuart Hutchinson, John Tuske, Frank Fischbeck and Lou Kasischke, took this sage advice and survived. The rest of the climbers continued on their way. By five o'clock in the morning they reached the next important milestone, located at an altitude of 8350 meters and called the “Balcony”. There was again a delay, this time due to lack of insurance. But there were only a hundred meters left to the cherished peak. It beckoned, clearly silhouetted against the background of the perfect blue sky, and this proximity of the goal was intoxicating and dulled the sense of danger.

On the top

Is one hundred meters a lot or a little? If you measure from home to the nearest cafe, then they are very close, but when we are talking about an almost vertical slope, thin air and a temperature of -40 ° C, then in this case they can stretch into icy infinity. Therefore, each climber overcame the last, most difficult section of the climb independently, choosing speed depending on his own well-being and reserve of strength.

At about one o'clock in the afternoon, Russian Anatoly Bukreev, an experienced climber and Honored Master of Sports, climbed Everest. He first set foot on this peak in 1991 and subsequently conquered eleven more eight-thousanders on the planet. Twice he was awarded for personal courage. He has saved many lives, including during the ascent of Everest (tragedy 1996). Anatoly died a year later in an avalanche in the Himalayas.

Somewhat behind Boukreev, two more appeared at the summit - commercial client Jon Brakauer and Adventure Consultants guide Andy Harris. Half an hour later they were joined by Mountain Madness guide Neil Beidleman and their client Martin Adams. The rest of the climbers were far behind.

Belated Descent

According to the schedule, the deadline for the start of the descent was set at two o'clock in the afternoon, but by this time most of the participants in the ascent had not yet reached the top, and when they finally succeeded, people rejoiced and took photographs for too long. Thus, time was irretrievably lost. This was one of the reasons for the event now known as the 1996 Everest tragedy.

Only at about sixteen o'clock a message was received at the base camp that all the climbers were at the top. He was the first to begin the descent, since of all those present he had spent the longest at the maximum altitude and could no longer cope without additional oxygen. His task was to return to Camp IV - the last stopping place before the summit, rest and return to help the others, taking with him oxygen cylinders and a thermos of hot tea.

In mountain captivity

Survivors of the 1996 tragedy on Everest later said that by the beginning of the descent of Anatolia, the weather had sharply deteriorated, the wind had risen, and visibility had deteriorated. It became impossible to stay further at the peak, and the rest of the team also pulled down. went down with one of the Sherpas named Lopsang.

Having reached the “Balcony” and finding themselves at a level of 8230 meters, they were forced to linger due to the extremely poor health of Fischer, who by that time had developed severe cerebral edema - a common phenomenon at extreme altitudes. He sent Lopsang to continue the descent and, if possible, bring help.

When Sherpa reached Camp IV, the people in it were not ready to leave the tents and again find themselves on the mountain slope among the snowstorm that had risen by that time. The last hope rested on Boukreev, but at that time he was leading three people out of snow captivity - Sandy Pittman, Charlotte Fox and Tim Madsen. Only in the middle of the next day did we manage to get to Fischer, but he was already dead. They couldn’t bring his body down, so they simply buried him with stones on the mountainside. Everest, which he conquered (1996), became a monument to Scott. The tragedy continued its dark harvest.

By this time, the wind had become even stronger, and the snow it raised limited visibility literally to arm's length. In this most difficult situation, a group of climbers from the Adventure Consultants squad got lost, completely losing their bearings. They tried to find the way to Camp IV and moved blindly until they fell exhausted at the very edge of the abyss, fortunately, not reaching it a few meters.

It was the same Bukreev who saved them from certain death. In the impenetrable snow mess, he managed to find the freezing climbers and drag them one by one to the camp. This episode was later described in detail by Neil Beidleman, one of those who was lucky enough to escape death while conquering Everest (1996).

Tragedy

Anatoly did everything in his power. He was unable to help only two people: the Japanese Yasuka Namba was already in a hopeless state by that time, and another member of the group, Withers, got lost in a snowstorm and could not be found. The next morning he himself reached the camp, but was so frostbitten that no one hoped for a successful outcome. He survived, but when he was airlifted to the hospital, doctors had to amputate his right hand, all the fingers of his left and his nose. This is how the climb to Everest (1996) turned out to be such a misfortune for him.

The tragedy that unfolded on May 11 continued in full force the next day. When the last climbers left the summit, two people brought up the rear: Rob Hall and his friend Doug Hansen. After some time, an alarming message was received from Rob that Doug had lost consciousness. They urgently needed oxygen, and Adventure Consultants guide Andy Harris headed towards them with a cylinder.

When he succeeded, Hansen was still alive, but in critical condition. The situation was complicated by the fact that Rob’s oxygen cylinder regulator had frozen over and could not be connected to the mask. After some time, Harris, who arrived to help, suddenly disappeared in the snowy darkness.

During the last radio communication session, Rob Hall reported that both climbers with him were dead, and he was practically hopeless due to severe frostbite. The man asked to speak to his pregnant wife, Jan Arnold, who remained in New Zealand. Having said a few words of consolation to her, Rob turned off the radio forever. The 1996 Everest tragedy ended this man's life. It was not possible to save him, and only twelve days later his body, petrified in the cold, was found by members of another expedition.

The 1996 Mount Everest tragedy had a sad outcome. The Mountain Madness group suffered fewer losses, but its leader Scott Fisher died during the descent from the summit. The second team - “Adventure Consultants” - lost four people at once. These were: leader Rod Hall, his regular client Doug Hansen, climber-instructor Andy Harris and Japanese athlete Yasuko Namba, who did not reach Camp IV quite a bit.

Causes of the disaster

Today, after many years have passed since the sad events, analyzing the causes of this largest tragedy in the Himalayas, experts come to the conclusion that there were several of them. Conquering mountain heights exceeding eight thousand meters is always associated with risk, but its degree largely depends on how strictly the requirements for climbing participants are observed.

Among the reasons that resulted in the tragedy on Everest (May 1996), first of all, violations associated with the ascent schedule were noted. In accordance with the previously planned plan, both groups, starting their ascent at midnight on May 10, were supposed to reach the mountain ridge at dawn, and at 10 a.m. on May 11, be at the South Summit.

It was planned to climb to the final point of the ascent - Everest - at noon. This plan remained unfulfilled, and the ascent lasted up to 16 hours. The violations provoked a series of fatal events that resulted in the death of people. Rule “If you're behind schedule, don't wait for trouble - come back!” was ignored.

Researchers cite a number of delays during the ascent as one of the reasons why the tragedy occurred on Everest in May 1996. The plan for the climb was that Lapsang and Rob Sherpas would leave camp before the rest of the team and install rope railings near the South Summit for the safety of the climbers. They did not do this due to an attack of altitude sickness in one of them. This work had to be done by guides Boukreev and Beidleman, which resulted in additional delay.

Security violations

In addition, the organizers of the climb committed a gross violation of safety rules that day. The fact is that on May 11, three groups set out to storm Everest. The tragedy of 1996 occurred largely because there were an excessive number of climbers on the slope that day, and there was a traffic jam before the last, most difficult section of the climb.

As a result, at an altitude of 8500 meters, in thin air and severe frost, tired people were forced to wait their turn, standing in the piercing wind. Subsequently, analyzing the reasons that resulted in the tragedy on Everest in 1996, the organizers of the climb justified themselves with the hope that a large number of participants in the climb would help them more easily cope with deep snow and other difficulties of the route.

Impact of natural factors on climbers

Everyone who makes ascents, and especially those who organize them, should know that at extreme heights the human body is subject to a number of negative influences. Among them is a lack of oxygen caused by low air pressure, and frost, sometimes reaching -75 ° C.

Aggravated by extreme fatigue as a result of climbing a mountain slope, these factors lead to increased heart rate, respiration, and sometimes hypothermia and hypoxia. At such altitudes, the body completely loses its ability to recover, and increased physical activity leads to its extreme exhaustion. These are the dangers that Everest conceals. The tragedy of 1996, which took place on its slopes, became a clear and sad confirmation of this.

As practice shows, among the causes of death of climbers at high altitudes, the most common is cerebral edema. It occurs as a result of low oxygen content in the air and leads to paralysis, coma and death. Another cause of death in conditions of thin air and low temperatures is called pulmonary edema. It often ends in inflammation, bronchitis and rib fractures.

Lack of oxygen, aggravated by high exercise, often causes heart attacks, which can also lead to death in the absence of immediate medical attention. Blindness caused by the shine of snow in clear weather also poses a significant danger to a person who finds himself in the mountains. It leads to accidents that Everest witnessed. The tragedy (1996), photos of the participants of which illustrate this article, provided rich material for understanding its causes and developing safety measures.

And finally, frostbite. As noted above, on eight-thousanders the temperature often drops to -75 °C. If we consider that wind gusts here reach 130 kilometers per hour, it becomes clear what a danger such extreme weather conditions pose to people’s lives.

In addition to the extremely negative impact on a person’s physical condition, all of these factors significantly worsen his mental abilities. This affects short-term and long-term memory, clarity of mind, the ability to adequately assess the situation and, as a result, makes it impossible to make the right decisions.

In order to stimulate the body's resistance to negative factors affecting it, acclimatization is practiced. However, in this case, her schedule was disrupted. The reason for this was the delay in the installation of high-altitude camps, as well as the poor preparation of the ascent participants themselves. As can be seen from their memories, many did not know how to properly distribute their strength and, wanting to save it, showed unreasonable slowness on the rise.

Weather factor and lack of oxygen

Experienced climbers know that even the most careful preparation of an expedition is not a guarantee of success. A lot depends on whether you are lucky with the weather. Everest is an area where it changes with amazing speed. Within a short period of time, it is possible to transition from a clear sunny day to a snow hurricane, covering everything around with impenetrable darkness.

This is exactly what happened on that ill-fated day, May 11, 1996. The tragedy on Everest also erupted because when the climbers, who had barely survived the delight of conquering the peak, began their descent, the weather sharply worsened. Blizzards and blizzards severely limited visibility and obscured the markers indicating the path to Camp IV. As a result, a group of climbers got lost and lost their bearings.

Hurricane winds, the speed of which reached 130 kilometers per hour that day, and severe frost not only exposed people to the danger of being swept into the abyss, but also led to a decrease in atmospheric pressure. As a result, the oxygen content in the air dropped. It reached 14%, which greatly aggravated the situation. This concentration required the immediate use of oxygen cylinders, which by that time were completely used up. The result was a critical situation. There was a threat of loss of consciousness, pulmonary edema and imminent death.

The lack of cylinders is a mistake of the organizers of the ascent, which Everest has not forgiven them for. The tragedy of 1996 also occurred because some of its participants were unprepared people who could not tolerate rarefied air. During acclimatization trips, they had to sleep with oxygen cylinders, which significantly increased their consumption. In addition, they were required in large numbers to rescue Ngawang Sherpa, who was urgently evacuated from a height.

The dangers lurking in the commercial approach to mountaineering

And one more important factor that caused the sad event of May 11, 1996. The tragedy on Everest was to some extent a consequence of the commercialization of mountaineering, which began in the nineties. Then structures appeared and quickly developed aimed solely at making a profit from the desire of clients to participate in conquering peaks. For them, neither the level of training of these people, nor their age, nor physical condition played a role.

The main thing was that the required amount was paid. In the case of Mountain Madness and Adventure Consultants, it was sixty-five thousand dollars. The price included the services of professional guides, expenses for food, equipment, delivery to the base camp and escort to the peak of the mountain.

Subsequently, one of the guides admitted that the clients who were part of the “Mountain Madness” were so unprepared for the climb that he was already sure of failure, and, nevertheless, led them to a height accessible only to experienced athletes. This endangered the lives of not only these tourists, but also everyone who went with them. At altitude, one person's mistake can lead to the death of the entire group. This is partly what happened. The Everest tragedy (1996), whose participants became victims of commercial interests, is a clear confirmation of this.

When Prince Siddhartha was born, it was prophesied that he would give up his entire vast inheritance and become a great teacher.
Fearing that the prophecy would come true, his father, the Raja of one of the Indian principalities, surrounded his son with care and comfort.
One of the raja's commands was to clear the city streets of sick and infirm people, the sight and conversations with whom could force Siddhartha to leave the fate of the heir to the principality.

But nevertheless, the prince was concerned about the problems of the commoners.
One day, in the thirtieth year of his life, Siddhartha, accompanied by the charioteer Channa, got out of the palace. There he saw “four sights” that changed his entire subsequent life: an old beggar, a sick man, a decomposing corpse and a hermit.
Then he realized the harsh reality of life - that illness, suffering, aging and death are inevitable and neither wealth nor nobility can protect against them, and that the path of self-knowledge is the only way to understand the causes of suffering.

This prompted him, in his thirtieth year, to leave his home, family and property and go in search of a way to get rid of suffering.

Today we know this great man by the name of Buddha.

At the core of his teaching was the concept of impermanence, that we should live our lives as productively as possible and not fear death.

Buddhists usually face death soberly. Many of them also treat corpses calmly. They make a distinction between a person's body, a temporary shelter, and his soul - an immortal essence destined for eternal real life.

Perhaps because we foreigners lead a much more mundane lifestyle, we are very uncomfortable being around dead bodies. As a rule, they make either a disgusted or disgusting impression on us. We are unable to distinguish between the earthly body and eternal life.
Many of us are afraid of dead bodies, but oddly enough, if the corpse becomes increasingly difficult to identify, then the horror that arose towards it is erased.
We are horrified when we see how a pathologist works with recently deceased people, but at the same time we can quite calmly observe the work of an archaeologist who has dug up the skeleton of a person from the distant past.

One of the things that shocks and surprises people to whom I tell about my climb to Everest is that they think that I climb to the top by stepping over a huge number of corpses.
But why weren’t these bodies brought down and buried according to the canons of the Buddhist religion? they ask me.

But before I answer this question, I'm going to debunk the popular media myth that Everest is literally littered with the bodies of dead climbers.
Debunking this myth is very important because it is what proves that climbing Everest is inherently unethical. Believe it or not, many people even hold a grudge against climbers who climb Everest, believing that they are completely devoid of conscience, that they will stop at nothing to reach the top of Everest, and that climbers are ready to walk to the top even over the corpses of their comrades.

Returning to the theme of the myth, we can say with confidence that Everest is littered with the bodies of dead climbers just as much as Antarctica is littered with the bodies of dead pioneers of Shackleton’s era.

Yes, it is true that more than 200 people died on Everest during their ascents, and that the bodies of the vast majority of them are still on the mountain.
But on the other hand, Everest is a huge territory, and most of the bodies of the dead are hidden in the depths of the Northern Wall, the Kangshung Wall and the Khumbu Glacier. These "burials" are as inaccessible as if the bodies were buried several hundred meters underground. And even more so, not a single climber will stumble or step over them when climbing to the top.

Perhaps the best example of this is on the Northeast ridge of Everest in 1924.
Some people believe that if climbers can find Irwin's body, he will also have a camera with him that could reveal the century-old secret of Everest: whether Irvine and Mallory were on its summit in 1924.

However, for almost 100 years now, climbers have been searching for Irwin’s body on the North Slope... For this, both the visual method and aerial photographs and satellite images are used. But all searches turn out to be in vain, and apparently Irwin’s body will never be found.

There are many more corpses in our city cemetery, and they lie much denser.... Of course, not all are hidden from view, but at the same time, every tombstone marks these bodies, but there are also places where there are no tombstones.... and this means that when I walk with the graves of my relatives, I unwittingly step over or even step on the graves of other people who have been buried for a long time.

So let's stop reacting to tabloid headlines. Everest is not littered with corpses!
Over the past 100 years, less than 300 people have died in this mountain range. There are hundreds of other places on Earth that have had much greater casualties.
But what shocks people so much when we talk about corpses on Everest? Perhaps the fact is that these bodies remain on the mountainside and are not taken to the valleys where they could be buried in the ground.
So why is this happening?

A simple answer to this question is the fact that in most cases it is simply impossible to carry out such an operation.
Helicopters cannot operate at high altitudes due to the thin atmosphere, and on the Tibetan side, their flights in the highlands are generally prohibited by the Chinese government!

Even if a person died in the arms of his comrades, lowering the body from a great height will take all the climbers and sherpas of the expedition, and in the pre-summit zone, even the well-coordinated work of the entire team may not help in the descent.
Most climbers, when stepping above the "death zone", are aware of this fine line between life and death. And they consider their safety as their first priority and not reaching the top at any cost.
In addition, a special operation to remove the body of the deceased from the mountain to the valley will cost tens of thousands of dollars to the family of the deceased, and will also endanger the lives of other climbers taking part in this operation.
Climbers' insurance typically covers search and rescue, but these policies do not cover the recovery of a deceased person.

The bodies of those climbers who died after falling off the route are often unattainable for the rescue team, and in such harsh conditions, these bodies very quickly freeze into ice.

The bodies of those climbers who died from exhaustion, located near the ascent route, are often at the edge of the field of view, or after some time, end up on the slopes of the South-West Face or on Kangshung from the Tibetan side.
A similar thing happened to David Sharp, a British climber who died on the northeast ridge in 2006. His body was removed from the climbing route at the request of his family.
A similar thing happened to the Indian climber Tsevan Paljor, who died in 1996, but his body remained in plain sight in a niche on the north-eastern part of the ridge for almost 20 years: but now it is not there... apparently it was removed from the route.

Yet every year people die on Everest, and in most cases their bodies remain on the mountain. If you attempt to climb to the top and climb to it, you will probably notice several bodies of the dead along the way.

I also walked near the bodies of the dead, but I did not dwell on them. I understood that these few bodies were only a small fraction of those killed who remained here forever over the past decades.
I saw that some bodies were lying along the route, they died from exhaustion, and I could understand how they died, I knew how they suffered and understood that I could not afford to leave my family and friends with such grief.

Please pay attention to this photo. It shows a view of the Everest route from the third stage. The photo was taken from a height of 8600 meters. If you study it in detail, you can see four corpses on the slope of Everest.
Two bodies lying close to the route most likely died from exhaustion. One body is 50 meters below, partially covered in snow, and another is hanging over the edge of a rocky area. These bodies were carried by climbers away from the trail, which was essentially the equivalent of a burial.

In general, in this section, near the third step, there is a large number of bodies of the dead, this is due to the fact that from here, the top of Everest seems to be at arm's length, and this deceptive fact forces climbers to move to the top despite their condition, when the right decision was would turn down.

Let me remind you once again that this photo was taken at around 8600 meters and only about 100 people a year pass this section, and those who found the strength to reach such a height are already having difficulty finding the strength to fight for their own survival.
Only in this photograph did I discover the bodies of two more dead climbers, because in fact, with my own eyes I saw only two on this step...
But as paradoxical as it sounds, these two bodies helped me survive the ascent

I have since removed this photo from my blog to prevent inappropriate comments and conversations.
I have left here only a low-resolution version of the photo, which would make it very difficult to distinguish the bodies of the dead.

Some people who hear about bodies lying on Everest say that the mountain should be closed to climbers in memory of those who remained there forever.
I don’t quite understand this approach, but I think that this opinion arises when people do not know at all what mountaineering is, what climbing to the tops of mountains is.
Climbers who go to Everest understand and know about the risks, they themselves decided to take this risk, because mountaineering and victories enrich their lives.

Of course, not everyone believes that such a risk is worth the reward, but this is the choice of every climber. Mountaineering and the mountains are not a place where it is wise to interfere with the choices of others.
I don’t know a single climber who would like the mountain to be closed for climbing in memory of those who died, of those who took risks and their risk was higher than they could overcome.

Perhaps it would be easier if people saw climbing Everest as a metaphor for life. And if you want to live life, you must accept that from time to time you will see corpses, because the dead are part of real life.
Perhaps this look will help to more soberly assess the situation with Everest and understand what the corpses on the mountainside mean.
Every death is a tragedy for the loved ones of the deceased, but death is an unchangeable part of our existence. Death accompanies us all throughout our lives. And when someone dies, we can learn to be more merciful and become a better person.

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Mira stores not only piles of garbage, but also the remains of its conquerors. For many decades now, the corpses of losers have been decorating the highest point of the planet, and no one intends to remove them from there. Most likely, the number of unburied bodies will only increase.

Attention, impressionable people, pass by!

In 2013, the media obtained photos from the very top of Everest. Dean Carrere, a famous climber from Canada, took a selfie against the background of the sky, rocks and heaps of garbage brought earlier by his predecessors.

At the same time, on the slopes of the mountain you can see not only various garbage, but also unburied bodies of people who remained there forever. The summit of Everest is known for its extreme conditions, which literally turn it into a mountain of death. Everyone who conquers Chomolungma must understand that conquering this peak may be the last.

Night temperatures here drop to minus 60 degrees! Closer to the top, hurricane winds blow at speeds of up to 50 m/s: at such moments the frost is felt by the human body as minus 100! Plus, the extremely rarefied atmosphere at such an altitude contains extremely little oxygen, literally on the border of deadly limits. Under such loads, even the most resilient people’s hearts suddenly stop, and equipment often fails—for example, the valve of an oxygen cylinder may freeze. The slightest mistake is enough to lose consciousness and, having fallen, never get up again...

At the same time, you can hardly expect that someone will come to your rescue. The climb to the legendary peak is fantastically difficult, and only true fanatics meet here. As one of the participants in the Russian Himalayan expedition, Master of Sports of the USSR in mountaineering, Alexander Abramov, put it:

“The corpses on the route are a good example and a reminder to be more careful on the mountain. But every year there are more and more climbers, and according to statistics, the number of corpses will increase every year. What is unacceptable in normal life is considered normal at high altitudes.”

There are terrible stories among those who have been there...

Local residents - Sherpas, naturally adapted to life in these harsh conditions, are hired as guides and porters for climbers. Their services are simply irreplaceable - they provide fixed ropes, delivery of equipment, and, of course, rescue. But in order for them to come to
help needs money...

Sherpas at work.

These people risk themselves every day so that even moneybags unprepared for difficulties can get their share of the experiences they want to get for their money.

Climbing Everest is a very expensive pleasure, costing from $25,000 to $60,000. Those who are trying to save money sometimes have to pay extra on this bill with their very lives... There are no official statistics, but according to those who have returned, not many people are buried forever on the slopes of Everest less than 150 people, and perhaps as many as 200...

Groups of climbers pass by the frozen bodies of their predecessors: at least eight unburied corpses lie near the common trails on the northern route, ten more on the southern route, recalling the serious danger that befalls a person in these places. Some of the unfortunate people were just as eager to reach the top, but fell and crashed, someone froze to death, someone lost consciousness from lack of oxygen... And it is highly not recommended to deviate from the trodden routes - you will stumble, and no one will come to your rescue , risking his own life. Death Mountain does not forgive mistakes, and people here are as indifferent to misfortune as rocks.

Below is the supposed corpse of the very first climber to conquer Everest, George Mallory, who died on the descent.

“Why are you going to Everest?” - Mallory was asked. - “Because he exists!”

In 1924, the Mallory-Irving team began an assault on the great mountain. The last time they were seen was only 150 meters from the top, seen through binoculars in a break in the clouds... They did not return back, and the fate of the first Europeans who climbed so high remained a mystery for many decades.

One of the climbers in 1975 claimed that he saw someone's frozen body to the side, but did not have the strength to reach it. And only in 1999, one of the expeditions came across a cluster of bodies of dead climbers on a slope to the west of the main route. There they found Mallory lying on his stomach, as if hugging a mountain, his head and arms frozen into the slope.

His partner Irving was never found, although the bandage on Mallory's body suggests that the pair were with each other until the very end. The rope was cut with a knife. Probably, Irving could move longer and, leaving his comrade, died somewhere lower down the slope.

The bodies of the dead climbers remain here forever; no one is going to evacuate them. Helicopters cannot reach such a height, and few people are capable of carrying the considerable weight of a dead body...

The unfortunate are left lying without burial on the slopes. The icy wind gnaws the bodies to the bones, leaving an absolutely terrible sight...

As the history of recent decades has shown, extreme sports enthusiasts obsessed with records will calmly pass by not only corpses, but on the icy slope there is a real “law of the jungle”: those who are still alive are left without help.

So in 1996, a group of climbers from a Japanese university did not interrupt their climb to Everest because their Indian colleagues were injured in a snow storm. No matter how they begged for help, the Japanese passed by. On the descent they found those Indians already frozen to death...

In May 2006, another amazing incident occurred: 42 climbers passed by the freezing Briton one after another, including a Discovery Channel film crew... and no one helped him, everyone was in a hurry to accomplish their own “feat” of conquering Everest!

Briton David Sharp, who climbed the mountain on his own, died due to the fact that his oxygen tank failed at an altitude of 8500 meters. Sharpe was no stranger to the mountains, but suddenly left without oxygen, he felt ill and fell on the rocks in the middle of the northern ridge. Some of those who passed by claim that it seemed to them that he was simply resting.

But the media around the world glorified New Zealander Mark Inglis, who that day climbed to the roof of the world on prosthetics made of hydrocarbon fiber. He became one of the few who admitted that Sharpe was indeed left to die on the slope:

“At least our expedition was the only one that did something for him: our Sherpas gave him oxygen. About 40 climbers passed by him that day, and no one did anything.”

David Sharp didn't have much money, so he went to the summit without the help of Sherpas, and he had no one to call for help. Probably, if he were richer, this story would have had a happier ending.

Climbing Everest.

David Sharp shouldn't have died. It would be enough if the commercial and non-commercial expeditions that went to the summit agreed to save the Englishman. If this did not happen, it was only because there was no money or equipment. If he had someone left at the base camp who could order and pay for evacuation, the Briton would have survived. But his funds were only enough to hire a cook and a tent at the base camp.

At the same time, commercial expeditions are regularly organized to Everest, allowing completely unprepared “tourists”, very old people, the blind, people with severe disabilities and other owners of deep wallets to reach the summit.

Still alive, David Sharp spent a terrible night at an altitude of 8500 meters in the company of “Mr. Yellow Boots”... This is the corpse of an Indian climber in bright boots, lying for many years on a ridge in the middle of the road to the summit.

A little later, guide Harry Kikstra was assigned to lead a group that included Thomas Weber, who had vision problems, a second client, Lincoln Hall, and five Sherpas. They left the third camp at night under good climatic conditions. Gulping oxygen, two hours later they came across the body of David Sharp, walked around him with disgust and continued on their way to the top.

Everything went according to plan, Weber climbed on his own using the railing, Lincoln Hall moved forward with two Sherpas. Suddenly, Weber's vision dropped sharply, and just 50 meters from the top, the guide decided to end the climb and headed back with his Sherpa and Weber. They slowly descended... and suddenly Weber became weak, lost coordination, and died, falling into the hands of the guide in the middle of the ridge.

Hall, who was returning from the summit, also radioed to Kikstra that he was not feeling well, and Sherpas were sent to help him. However, Hall collapsed at a height and could not be revived for nine hours. It was beginning to get dark, and the Sherpas were ordered to take care of their own salvation and descend.

Rescue operation.

Seven hours later, another guide, Dan Mazur, who was traveling with clients to the summit, came across Hall, who, to his surprise, was alive. After he was given tea, oxygen and medicine, the climber found enough strength to talk on the radio to his group at the base.

Rescue work on Everest.

Since Lincoln Hall is one of the most famous “Himalayans” of Australia, a member of the expedition that opened one of the paths on the northern side of Everest in 1984, he was not left without help. All the expeditions located on the northern side agreed among themselves and sent ten Sherpas after him. He escaped with frostbitten hands - a minimal loss in such a situation. But David Sharp, abandoned on the trail, had neither a big name nor a support group.

Transportation.

But the Dutch expedition left a climber from India to die - just five meters from their tent, leaving him while he was still whispering something and waving his hand...

But often many of those who died are themselves to blame. A well-known tragedy that shocked many occurred in 1998. Then a married couple died - Russian Sergei Arsentiev and American Frances Distefano.

They reached the summit on May 22, using absolutely no oxygen. Thus, Frances became the first American woman and only the second woman in history to conquer Everest without oxygen. During the descent, the couple lost each other. For the sake of this record, Francis already lay exhausted for two days on the descent on the southern slope of Everest. Climbers from different countries passed by the frozen but still alive woman. Some offered her oxygen, which she refused at first, not wanting to spoil her record, others poured several sips of hot tea.

Sergei Arsentyev, without waiting for Francis in the camp, went in search. The next day, five Uzbek climbers walked to the summit past Frances - she was still alive. The Uzbeks could help, but to do this they would have to give up the climb. Although one of their comrades has already climbed the peak, and in this case the expedition is already considered successful.

On the descent we met Sergei. They said they saw Frances. He took oxygen cylinders - and did not return; most likely, he was blown away by a strong wind into a two-kilometer abyss.

The next day there are three other Uzbeks, three Sherpas and two from South Africa, a total of 8 people! They approach her lying down - she has already spent the second cold night, but she is still alive! And again everyone passes by, to the top.

British climber Ian Woodhall recalls:

“My heart sank when I realized that this man in the red and black suit was alive, but completely alone at an altitude of 8.5 km, just 350 meters from the top. Katie and I, without thinking, turned off the route and tried to do everything possible to save the dying woman. Thus ended our expedition, which we had been preparing for years, begging money from sponsors... We did not immediately manage to get to it, although it was close. Moving at such a height is the same as running under water...

Having discovered her, we tried to dress the woman, but her muscles atrophied, she looked like a rag doll and kept muttering: “I am an American. Please don’t leave me”... We dressed her for two hours,” Woodhall continues his story. “I realized that Katie herself was about to freeze to death.” We had to get out of there as soon as possible. I tried to pick Frances up and carry her, but it was no use. My futile attempts to save her put Katie at risk. There was nothing we could do.

Not a day went by that I didn't think about Frances. A year later, in 1999, Katie and I decided to try again to reach the top. We succeeded, but on the way back we were horrified to notice Frances' body, lying exactly as we had left her, perfectly preserved by the cold temperatures.
No one deserves such an end. Katie and I promised each other that we would return to Everest again to bury Frances. It took 8 years to prepare the new expedition. I wrapped Frances in an American flag and included a note from my son. We pushed her body into the cliff, away from the eyes of other climbers. Now she rests in peace. Finally I was able to do something for her."

A year later, the body of Sergei Arsenyev was found:

“We definitely saw him - I remember the purple puffer suit. He was in a sort of bowing position, lying...in the Mallory area at approximately 27,150 feet (8,254 m). I think this is him,” writes Jake Norton, a member of the 1999 expedition.

But in the same 1999 there was a case when people remained people. A member of the Ukrainian expedition spent a cold night almost in the same place as the American. His team brought him down to the base camp, and then more than 40 people from other expeditions helped. As a result, he got off lightly with the loss of four fingers.

Japanese Miko Imai, veteran of Himalayan expeditions:

“In such extreme situations, everyone has the right to decide: to save or not to save a partner... Above 8000 meters you are completely occupied with yourself and it is quite natural that you do not help another, since you have no extra strength.”

Alexander Abramov, Master of Sports of the USSR in mountaineering:

“You can’t continue climbing, maneuvering between corpses, and pretend that this is in the order of things!”

The question immediately arises: did this remind anyone of Varanasi - the city of the dead? Well, if we return from horror to beauty, then look at the Lonely Peak of Mont Aiguille...

Be interesting with