Mt. Everest Man Left Behind

[acsguitar]

they could have at least gave him a Powersauce bar

So if they were 1000 feet from the summit then they were at 28000+ feet.

It woulda been tough but someone shoulda done it

[chadlincoln]

Sad story of selfish humans.

[j_d_mcnugent]

I would think that heading up Everest w/o the proper supplies would also be considered a major no-no. The story does point out that none of the people there had enough oxygen to get him down. Sure it seems 'cold hearted' and uncool but it also sounds as if if anybody had stopped to help him or tried to lug him down, there might have been more bodies?

I don't know what you're getting at here, but the bottom line is this - you don't leave a man behind. Period. Anyone who does this kind of climbing will tell you that.

I see what he's saying. Basically if you don't have the resources to save someone's life, you simply can't. I don't necessarily agree with that philosophy, since I find it hard to believe 40 people could walk by and no one has extra oxygen to help him down the mountain. If he's not getting oxygen where he was how would it hurt to attempt taking him down the mountain. He'd be getting the same amount of oxygen whether you chose to ignore or pulled him down without compromising your own supply.

People forget what Good Samaritan means...

from what i understand of it, if one of the first of the estimated 40 people to pass him would have helped, he might have survived. it would have meant that person/team would have had to skip out on reaching the summit and head immediately down the mountain. hiliary is right to criticize those who continued on to the summit. expenses be damned, its a far greater testament to one's character to save a life, or even to try to save a life and fail, than to climb a mountain.

[WharfRat]

Not directly related, but anyone who is interested in this type of thing should check out Into Thin Air, about an expedition in '96 that went bad. An incredible book and a terribly tragic story.

[acsguitar]

Not directly related, but anyone who is interested in this type of thing should check out Into Thin Air, about an expedition in '96 that went bad. An incredible book and a terribly tragic story.

Krackhouer eh..

Yea I gotta read that.

See touching the void

[TheRock]

I remember hearing Beck Weathers speak about his Mt. Everest experience once. He mentioned that at that altitude it's all a person can do to keep themselves alive let alone help someone else, so it's common practice to leave those who fall. He was abandoned himself and was in no way bitter about it. I'll try to find a link.


<edit>
Wikipedia article about the 'death zone' and its effects on the human body. Link

[acsguitar]

I remember hearing Beck Weathers speak about his Mt. Everest experience once. He mentioned that at that altitude it's all a person can do to keep themselves alive let alone help someone else, so it's common practice to leave those who fall. He was abandoned himself and was in no way bitter about it. I'll try to find a link.

As hardcore climbers though there is a code that says don't leave your partner.

Whoever was his partner or in his group should be ashamed. Truthfully it isn't the responsibility of the other people passing him by. Its his groups responsibility.

Above 18,000 feet is the death zone. You are slowly dying as your brain and longs start filling with fluid.

[Pokeyouindaeye]

Not directly related, but anyone who is interested in this type of thing should check out Into Thin Air, about an expedition in '96 that went bad. An incredible book and a terribly tragic story.

Krackhouer eh..

Yea I gotta read that.

See touching the void

His sister was my school counselor in middle school. I remember the assembly we had when he came to talk about Into Thin Air.

[chadlincoln]

Good news. The guy isn't dead. He made it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060527/en ... 0527130903

[josebach]

Good news. The guy isn't dead. He made it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060527/en ... 0527130903

The British climber that this thread was started about is dead. He was found with no oxygen left in his tanks. The guy you posted a link to is Australian.