On May 10, 1996, I was dreaming about what life would be like after graduating high school in a couple of days. At the same time, on the other side of the world, 19 climbers were fighting for their lives in the bitter cold of Mt. Everest. One of them, Jon Krakauer, would survive to tell their story in his book Into Thin Air.
I read this book in about 2 sittings. For the life of me can’t understand what would drive a person to do attempt something like climbing Mt. Everest. For those who reach the summit find themselves at 29,029 feet above sea level. This is roughly the same cruising altitude of commercial airliners.
Krakauer, a journalist, and expert climber went to Everest on assignment to write about the increasing commercialization of climbing the world’s highest mountain. It wasn’t a hard sell for him, climbing the mountain had been a childhood dream of his. Professional guides were now taking anyone with a modest amount of athleticism and $65,000 to burn.
Into Thin Air tells what happens when things go wrong in Krakauer’s climbing party. Nine people would leave basecamp to attempt the summit. Only four from his party would return.
Pushing Limits
On some level, I get the desire to push the limits. There is a part of us that desires to measure ourselves against the world’s toughest challenges. But, as Into Thin Air shows, summitting Mt. Everest isn’t something that should be taken lightly. And, even the best of the best can’t always protect their clients, let alone themselves.
Into Thin Air is a fascinating story that reads almost like a novel. Krakauer doesn’t steer away from the controversy of the trip or the role he may or may not have played in the outcome. He is honest about the scars that the trip left on the few who survived.
