This past Saturday, three people died and two others disappeared while descending from the summit of Mount Everest. But it wasn’t an avalanche or a snow-storm or a deadly fall that led to the tragedy. Instead, they had simply started climbing too late in the day, due to a traffic jam of climbers trying to get to the summit during a short window of good weather. As a result, they ran out of supplemental oxygen before they could safely return to base camp. They died of altitude sickness and exhaustion, mere hours after standing at the top of the world.
Ed Viesturs has climbed Mount Everest seven times, including one summer in 1996, when 11 fellow climbers perished on the mountain. He is also the author of “No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing The World’s 14 Highest Peaks,” and he lays out the combination of factors — both physical and psychological — that all too often lead to tragedy.
The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!