Into Thin Air

Into Thin Air is a 1997 book by author Jon Krakauer about the tragic events that occurred on Mt. Everest during the 1996 climbing season. Krakauer, who is an author and novice mountaineer, was sent to Everest for Outside Magazine to write an article about the commercialization of the mountain. Krakauer was originally supposed to climb only to base camp (altitude ~17,000 feet). However, once arriving on the mountain his childhood dreams of climbing to summit were reawakened and plans changed for him to attempt to summit.

The book details two climbing companies - Adventure Consultants led by Rob Hall, which was the team Jon was on, and Mountain Madness. These companies specialize in getting clients to the top of mountains. Climbing permits to enter the Himalayas from Nepal are quite expensive, sometimes costing more than $40,000. Because of the cost there is tremendous pressure to get wealthy clients to the top of the mountain. Adding to the financial challenge, many people who attempt to climb Everest are novice climbers at best with little to no experience at high altitudes, which is the boat Krakauer was in. The climbing companies utilize experienced guides and the local Sherpa population, along with strategic acclimatization methods to get clients to the top. Due to all of these challenges, there is tremendous competition between the various climbing companies for success.

On May 11, 1996, eight people died attempting to summit Everest when they were caught in a blizzard rogue storm. Into Thin Air chronologically recalls the events leading to the tragedy and uses hindsight to question the safety of the commercialization of the mountain. Some guides didn't wear oxygen and left their clients by themselves. Poor decision making due to hypoxia led to pre-established turn around times to be abandoned. Climbing ropes in key spots on the mountain were missing. On top of all of this, a massive storm came out of nowhere, making visibility and conditions almost possible to survive. Low on oxygen and confused, many people were left wandering the mountain lost until they eventually succumbed to the conditions. Krakauer argues in his book that the commercialization and competitive nature of the companies are at least in part to blame for all of the deaths (15 people total died on Everest in 1996, the deadliest climbing season in the mountain's history).

I am not a very adventurous person and have no interest in climbing Everest myself. With that being said, I find mountain climbing, specifically high altitude climbing in the Himalayas to be quite fascinating. It is amazing to me that there is a place on earth you can walk that is so starved of oxygen that you have to wear oxygen masks. If you've seen it on TV it truly looks like a place on another planet. The commercialization, competition, and scandals that occur on the mountain are also fascinating. The traditions of Nepal and Tibet that belong to this part of the world blanket the mountain and are always present as the Sherpa population play such an important role in climbing Everest. It also is a great example of the physiologic changes your body goes through when it becomes low on air. I find the whole place to be fascinating and I think Krakauer does a great job of detailing the tragic events that happened on the mountain in 1996.