I read a lot of history about Mount Everest more than I ever
thought possible. But, it was interesting to read how a well plan expedition
with expert guides run into trouble so easily. Climber Jon Krakauer and a group people were at the top of
the mountain; Jon Krakauer had reached the summit and was descending, and
others were on their way to reach the summit. During their climb, they got
separated from their guides. Krakauer, his guide, and another climber ran out
of oxygen and all were caught in a sudden blizzard, in which several climbers died.
Some of Krakauer’s friends died, including his guide Rob Hall. I think this
disaster could have been avoided if the climbers had turned back when they knew
it was getting late. Two o’clock was the time they needed to turn back, no
matter where they were. But being so close to the summit, and having invested
so much money and time, and having already endured so much hardship, it seemed
logical to them to push forward. They
were the type of people willing to take extreme risks, and so some paid with
their lives. Was it worth it? Maybe it was for some of them, like Doug Hansen,
who was a postal worker and held two jobs to pay for his dream of reaching the
summit of Mount Everest. It might’ve been worth it for guide Rob Hall as well,
who was getting paid. For him it was a job, just like it was for the sherpas.
Even though some people think it is safe to climb Mount Everest because of
technology, the climb is still high-risk because of extreme and unpredictable
weather.
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