MT EVEREST RANK

DEAD
ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS MOUNTAIN MADNESS
Rob Hall, Lead Scott Fisher, Lead Guide
Doug Hanson, hesitant/ reluctant to return to
Everest

Andy Harris, Guide
Yasuko Namba,

ALIVE: OTHER KEY PLAYERS
Ang Dorje, Head Sherpa Lopsang Jangbu, Head Sherpa
Anatoli Boukreev, guide

Group (Description, p. 5):
Not hard core climbers
Big group
Group of complete strangers----could they rely on team members in difficulttimes?

OUTLINE OF EVENTS:

SUMMIT
Page 12. Krakauer, Harris, and Boukreev reached the summit

MISSTEPS:
Page 8. Old Radios with only 10 channels
Page 8. Fischer chose to escort Kurse down the mountain while his team launched its bid for the summit---Fischer
explained: I didnt want Boukrev or Beidlman or one of the sherpas to do it. Hes my friend.
Page 10. Hall and Fischer stressed the importance of turning back in climbers fell behind schedule, but neither
guide settled on an exact turnaround time.
Page 11. No ropes had been affixed along the final 500 meters of the climb----thought that Montenegrin expedition
had installed ropes, but they hadnt
Bottlnecks occurred because Krakauer & Ang Dorge wanted to install ropes the final 500 meters, but by rule, had to
wait for guides to arrive to affix ropes
Page 11. Lopsang Jangbu, head Sherpa for Scott Fishers Mountain Madness usually led, but was exhausted from
helping Pittman (Conde Nast writer)
Page 11. Fischers illness caused him to lag far behind the others, and preventing him from performing his sweep
duties. As a result, he could not assess the situation or turn clients around when delays occurred. He also
could not communicate with those at the lead, because he and Lopsang Jangbu had the only two phones (and
Jangbu had fallen behind the lead climbers due to exhaustion from helping Pittman).
Page 12. Harris became very disoriented during the descent, and mistakenly concluded that NO supplementary
oxygen remained at the South Summit
Page 13. Boukreev descended ahead of his clients
Page 13. Hall would not abandon his client, Hansen, on the descent. At some point, he Hansen died. Later Hall
died alone on the mountain as well.

ESCALATION OF COMMITMENT
Difficult to Turn around after coming so far
11. During the final climb to the ascent, 4 clients (Taske, Hutchison, Kasichke and Fishbeck) decided to turn back
before reaching the summer----if you are too driven, you are likely to die


RANK
Page 9. Boukreev: I wanted very much for my feelings to be heard, but it had become increasingly clear to me
that Scott Fischer did not look upon my advice in the same way he did Rob Halls. My voice was not as
authoritative as I would have liked, so I tried not to be argumentative, choosing instead to downplay my intuitions.
Page 11. Pittman (Conde Nast writer) recognized that Jangbus assistance to her might be an overwhelming
burden for him, but didnt unclip herself from the Sherpa out of respect for his authority.
Page 12. Many climbers noticed Fischers deteriorating physical condition during the ascent, yet no one questioned
his plans to proceed.
Page 12. Krakauer: My ability to discern the obvious was exacerbated to some degree by the guide-client
protocol.on this expedition, Harris had been cast in the role of invincible guide we had be specifically
indoctrinated not to question our guides judgment.the thought never entered my mind that a guide might need
help from me.
Page 12. by 2pm, most of Fischers clients had not arrived at the summit. Beidlman became worried.
Beidlman had serious reservations about people climbing past midday, but he did not feel comfortable telling
Fischer and the other team members that they should turn around. He explained, I was definitely considered the
third guide, so I tried not to be too pushy. As a consequence, I did not always speak when I should have. Due
to his pay ($10,000 compared to Boukreevs $25,000), he was quite conscious of his place in the expedition
pecking order.