Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival

After his accident, doctors told Simpson that his mobility would be permanently impaired and he would never climb again. He proved doctors wrong, but after six operations, he had arthritis in his knee. In 1987, Simpson watched from the Hunza Valley as his friends Andy and Jon set off for the unclimbed mountain Tupodam in the Himalayas. Although he intended to attempt Tupodam with them, he dropped out due to pain. Simpson anticipated that Andy and Jon would be back in three days. Taking in the beauty of his surroundings, he headed back to base camp.

In Yates’s book Against the Wall (published in 1997), Yates confirms that Touching the Void “told his side of the Siula Grande story ‘faithfully and truly’” (272). Additionally, Yates notes that he does not feel guilty about cutting the rope, since he did all he could, and ultimately, they both survived. His only regret is failing to thoroughly check that Simpson had died. Against the Wall acknowledges that many people perceive cutting the rope as an unthinkable act. However, Yates presents the moment as a clear-sighted decision, in contrast to the mistakes he and Simpson made in the preceding days. Crucially, they neglected their physical welfare by climbing in the dark, failing to drink or eat enough, and allowing themselves to become cold and frostbitten.