Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

Hall’s group, including Krakauer, set off from Base Camp on May 6 to ascend to the summit. Krakauer reaches Camp Two at the front of the group with guide Harris. Goran Kropp, a Swedish solo climber, passes them on his way down from having almost reached the top of Everest. He decided to turn back at 28,700 feet, only about an hour from the summit, because he feared that the hour was growing late and that he may not have been able to descend safely. Rob admires his good judgment in opting to turn back, observing that “with enough determination, any bloody idiot can get up this hill [...] the trick is to get back down alive.” (153).

The group has a rest day at Camp Two. Doug discusses his previous unsuccessful summit attempt; Doug is determined to reach the summit this time, in spite of his ailing health. Fischer arrives at Camp Two, having just taken an emergency trip to Base Camp from Camp Two to aid a struggling client; Krakauer observes that Fischer looks exhausted and unwell. Fischer instructs a guide named Boukreev to escort the clients of Mountain Madness; instead he dawdles at Base Camp and leaves the group far behind.