🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 152 (from laksa195)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa152.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster","crawl_time":1773589297,"first_indexed_time":1375993998,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,wikipedia!en,\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster s443","src_root_hash":"17790707453426894952","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"1996 Mount Everest disaster - Wikipedia","meta_descriptions":[],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"1996 Mount Everest disaster\nThe summit of Mount Everest\nDate\n10–11 May 1996\nLocation\nMount Everest\nAltitude 8,849 metres (29,032 ft)\nCoordinates\n27°59′17″N\n86°55′30″E\n \/ \n27.98806°N 86.92500°E\nOrganised by\nAdventure Consultants\nMountain Madness\nIndo-Tibetan Border Police\nDeaths\n8\nThe\n1996 Mount Everest disaster\noccurred on 10–11 May 1996 when eight\nclimbers\ncaught in a\nblizzard\ndied on\nMount Everest\nwhile attempting to descend from the summit. Over the season, 12 people died trying to reach the summit, making it then the deadliest season on Mount Everest and now the third deadliest to date after the 23 fatalities from\navalanches\ncaused by the\nApril 2015 Nepal earthquake\n[\n1\n]\nand the 16 fatalities of the\n2014 Mount Everest avalanche\n. The 1996 disaster received widespread publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.\n[\n2\n]\nNumerous climbers were at a high altitude on Everest during the storm including the\nAdventure Consultants\nteam, led by\nRob Hall\n, and the\nMountain Madness\nteam, led by\nScott Fischer\n. While climbers died on both the\nNorth Face\nand\nSouth Col\napproaches, the events on the latter were more widely reported. Four members of the Adventure Consultants expedition died, including Hall, while Fischer was the sole casualty of the Mountain Madness expedition. Three officers of the\nIndo-Tibetan Border Police\nalso died.\nFollowing the disaster, several survivors wrote memoirs. Journalist\nJon Krakauer\n, on assignment from\nOutside\nmagazine and on the Adventure Consultants team, published\nInto Thin Air\n(1997),\n[\n3\n]\nwhich became a bestseller.\nAnatoli Boukreev\n, a guide in the Mountain Madness team, felt impugned by the book and co-authored a rebuttal called\nThe Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest\n(1997).\n[\n4\n]\nBeck Weathers\n, of Hall's expedition, and\nLene Gammelgaard\n, of Fischer's expedition, wrote about their experiences in their respective books,\nLeft for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest\n(2000)\n[\n5\n]\nand\nClimbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy\n(2000).\n[\n6\n]\nIn 2014, Lou Kasischke, also of Hall's expedition, published his own account in\nAfter the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story\n.\nIn addition to the members of the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness teams, Mike Trueman, who coordinated the rescue from Base Camp, contributed\nThe Storms: Adventure and Tragedy on Everest\n(2015). Graham Ratcliffe, who climbed to the South Col of Everest on 10 May, noted in\nA Day to Die For\n(2011) that weather reports forecasting a major storm developing after 8 May and peaking in intensity on 11 May were delivered to expedition leaders. Hall and Fischer received these before their planned summit attempts on 10 May. Some of their teams summited Everest during an apparent break in this developing storm only to descend into the full force of it late on 10 May.\nThe following is a list of climbers en route to the summit on 10 May 1996 via the South Col and Southeast Ridge, organized by expedition and role. All ages are as of 1996.\nAdventure Consultants\n[\nedit\n]\nThe\nAdventure Consultants\n' 1996 Everest expedition, led by\nRob Hall\n, consisted of 19 people, including eight clients.\nRob Hall\n(35) – expedition leader; died near the\nSouth Summit\nMichael Groom\n(37)\nAndy Harris\n(31) – disappeared near the South Summit while assisting Hall\nFrank Fischbeck (53) – had attempted Everest three times and reached the South Summit in 1994\nDoug Hansen (46) – had previously attempted Everest with Hall's team in 1995; disappeared near the South Summit while descending with Hall\nStuart Hutchison (34) – youngest client on Hall's team; previous 8,000 m experiences included\nK2\nwinter expedition in 1988,\nBroad Peak\nwest ridge in 1992, and Everest north side in 1994\nLou Kasischke (53) – had climbed six of the\nSeven Summits\nJon Krakauer\n(42) – journalist on assignment from\nOutside\nmagazine; an accomplished technical climber, but had no experience in climbing peaks over 8,000 m\nYasuko Namba\n(47) – had climbed six of the Seven Summits; became the oldest woman to summit Everest at the time; died on the\nSouth Col\nJohn Taske (56) – oldest climber on the Adventure Consultants team; no 8,000 m experience\nBeck Weathers\n(49) – had been climbing for 10 years and was also making a bid for the Seven Summits, but had no 8,000 m experience\nSardar\nAng Dorje\n(26)\nArita\nChuldum\nKami\nLhakpa Chhiri\nNgawang Norbu\nTenzing\nThe Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Rob Hall's Adventure Consultants.\n[\n7\n]\nMany other Sherpas working at lower elevations performed duties vital to the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness expeditions. Most climbing Sherpas' duties require them to ascend at least to Camp III or IV, but not all of them summit. The expedition leaders intend for only a select few of their climbing Sherpas to summit. Legendary\nSardar\nApa Sherpa\nwas scheduled to accompany the Adventure Consultants group but withdrew due to family commitments.\n[\n8\n]\nWith the exception of Namba, no client on Hall's team had reached the summit of an\n8,000-meter peak\n, and only Fischbeck, Hansen, and Hutchison had previous high-altitude Himalayan experience. Hall had also brokered a deal with\nOutside\nmagazine for advertising space in exchange for a story about the growing popularity of commercial expeditions to Everest. Krakauer was originally slated to climb with Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness team, but Hall landed him, at least in part by agreeing to reduce\nOutside\n'\ns fee for Krakauer's spot on the expedition to less than cost.\n[\n9\n]\nThe\nMountain Madness\n1996 Everest expedition, led by\nScott Fischer\n, consisted of 19 people, including 8 clients.\nScott Fischer\n(40) – expedition leader; died on the\nSoutheast ridge balcony\n350 m (1,150 ft) below the\nSouth Summit\nNeal Beidleman\n(36) – professional mountaineer\nAnatoli Boukreev\n(38) – professional mountaineer, in 1997 was awarded the\nDavid A. Sowles Memorial Award\nby the\nAmerican Alpine Club\n[\n10\n]\nMartin Adams (47) – had climbed\nAconcagua\n,\nDenali\n, and\nKilimanjaro\nCharlotte Fox\n(38) – had climbed\nall 53 of the 14,000 ft (4,267 m) peaks\nin\nColorado\nand two\n8,000 m peaks\n,\nGasherbrum II\nand\nCho Oyu\nLene Gammelgaard\n(35)\nDale Kruse (45) – long-term personal friend of Fischer's and the first to sign up for the 1996 expedition\nTim Madsen (33) – had climbed extensively in the Colorado and Canadian Rockies, but had no 8,000 m experience\nSandy Hill Pittman\n(41) – had climbed six of the\nSeven Summits\nPete Schoening\n(68) – one of the first to climb\nGasherbrum I\nand\nMount Vinson\n; known for singlehandedly\nsaving the lives of six team members\nduring a mass fall in the\nAmerican expedition\non\nK2\nin 1953\nKlev Schoening (38) – Pete's nephew and a former US national downhill ski racer; no 8,000 m experience\nSardar\nLopsang Jangbu Sherpa\n(23)\n\"Big\" Pemba\nNawang Dorje\nNgawang Sya Kya\nNgawang Tendi\nNgawang Topche (died a few months later from\nHAPE\nhe contracted during hauling duties to Camp II)\nTashi Tshering\nTendi\nThe Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness expedition.\n[\n7\n]\nNgawang Topche was hospitalized in April; he had developed\nhigh-altitude pulmonary edema\n(HAPE) while ferrying supplies above Base Camp. He was not on the mountain during the summit attempt of 10 May. Topche died from his illness in June 1996.\n[\n11\n]\nPete Schoening decided at Base Camp (5,380 m or 17,650 ft) not to make the final push to the summit. The team began the assault on the summit on 6 May, bypassing Camp I (5,944 m or 19,501 ft) and stopping at Camp II (6,500 m or 21,300 ft) for two nights. However, Kruse suffered from\naltitude sickness\nand possible\nhigh-altitude cerebral edema\n(HACE), and stopped at Camp I. Fischer descended from Camp II and escorted Kruse back to Base Camp for treatment.\n[\n12\n]\nOn 9 June 1996, three days after Sherpa Ngawang Topche died in hospital from\nhigh-altitude pulmonary edema\n,\n[\n11\n]\na private memorial service was held for Scott Fischer attended by the climbers and Sherpas from Mountain Madness at Kiana Lodge, near Seattle, Washington. The Sherpa chanted a Buddhist prayer, Beidleman gifted his late friend's engraved expedition knife to Fischer's two children, and Jeannie Price, Fischer's wife, released a cloud of butterflies.\n[\n13\n]\nTaiwanese expedition\n[\nedit\n]\n\"Makalu\"\nGau Ming-ho\nled a five-member team to Everest on 10 May 1996.\n[\n14\n]\nThe previous day (9 May), Taiwanese team member Chen Yu-Nan had died following a fall on the\nLhotse\nFace.\nIndo-Tibetan Border Police\n[\nedit\n]\nHalf of the climbing team from the\nIndo-Tibetan Border Police\nNorth Col\nexpedition from India (Subedar\nTsewang Samanla\n, Lance Naik\nDorje Morup\n, and Head Constable\nTsewang Paljor\n) died on the Northeast Ridge.\nDelays reaching the summit\n[\nedit\n]\nMap of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step\nShortly after midnight on 10 May 1996, the Adventure Consultants expedition began a summit attempt from Camp IV, atop the\nSouth Col\n(7,900 m or 25,900 ft). They were joined by six client climbers, three guides, and Sherpas from\nScott Fischer\n's Mountain Madness company, as well as an expedition sponsored by the government of\nTaiwan\n.\n[\ncitation needed\n]\nThe expeditions quickly encountered delays. The climbing Sherpas and guides had not set the fixed ropes by the time the team reached the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft), and this cost the climbers almost an hour. The cause of this delay is unclear, in part due to the death of the expedition leaders.\n[\n15\n]\nUpon reaching the\nHillary Step\n(8,760 m or 28,740 ft), the climbers again discovered that no\nfixed line\nhad been placed, and they were forced to wait an hour while the guides installed the ropes. Because some 33 climbers were attempting the summit on the same day, and Hall and Fischer had asked their climbers to stay within 150 m (500 ft) of each other, there was a bottleneck at the single fixed line at the Hillary Step. Hutchison, Kasischke, and Taske returned towards Camp IV as they feared they would run out of supplementary oxygen due to the delays.\n[\n3\n]\nClimbing without supplemental oxygen, guide Anatoli Boukreev from the Mountain Madness team was the first to reach the summit (8,848 m or 29,029 ft), at 13:07.\n[\n16\n]\n[\n17\n]\nMany of the climbers had not yet reached the summit by 14:00, the last safe time to turn around to reach Camp IV before nightfall.\nBoukreev began his descent to Camp IV at 14:30, having spent nearly 1.5 hours at or near the summit helping others complete the climb. By that time, Hall, Krakauer, Harris, Beidleman, Namba, and Mountain Madness clients Martin Adams and Klev Schoening had reached the summit,\n[\n16\n]\n[\n17\n]\nand the remaining four Mountain Madness clients had arrived. After this time, Krakauer noted that the weather did not look so benign.\n[\n18\n]\nAt 15:00, snow started to fall, and the light was diminishing.\nHall's\nSirdar\n, Ang Dorje Sherpa, and other climbing Sherpas waited at the summit for the clients. Near 15:00, they began their descent. On the way down, Ang Dorje encountered client Doug Hansen above the Hillary Step and ordered him to descend. Hansen did not respond verbally, but shook his head and pointed upward, toward the summit.\n[\n19\n]\nWhen Hall arrived at the scene, the Sherpas offered to take Hansen to the summit, but Hall sent the Sherpas down to assist the other clients, and instructed them to stash oxygen canisters on the route. Hall said he would remain to help Hansen, who had run out of supplementary oxygen.\n[\n19\n]\nScott Fischer did not summit until 15:45. He was exhausted from the ascent and becoming increasingly ill, possibly suffering from\nHAPE\n,\nHACE\n, or a combination of both. Others, including Doug Hansen and Makalu Gau, reached the summit even later.\n[\n15\n]\nDescent in a blizzard\n[\nedit\n]\nBoukreev recorded that he reached Camp IV by 17:00. Boukreev's reasons for descending ahead of his clients are disputed.\n[\n20\n]\nInitially, Boukreev said he was going down with client Martin Adams,\n[\n21\n]\nbut later descended faster and left Adams behind.\n[\n21\n]\nBoukreev also maintained that he wanted to be ready to assist struggling clients farther down the slope, and to retrieve hot tea and extra oxygen if necessary.\n[\n22\n]\nAccording to Boukreev, this plan was discussed with and approved by expedition leader Fischer.\n[\n17\n]\n[\n23\n]\nKrakauer sharply criticized Boukreev's decision not to use bottled oxygen while employed as a guide.\n[\n24\n]\nBoukreev's supporters, who include G. Weston DeWalt, co-author of\nThe Climb\n(1997), state that using bottled oxygen gives a false sense of security.\n[\n25\n]\nKrakauer and his supporters point out that, without bottled oxygen, Boukreev was unable to directly help his clients descend.\n[\n21\n]\nThe worsening weather began causing difficulties for the descending team members. The blizzard on the southwest face of Everest was reducing visibility, burying the fixed ropes, and obliterating the trail back to Camp IV that the teams had broken on the ascent. Fischer, helped by Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa, was unable to descend below the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft) in the storm. Sherpas left Makalu Gau (at 8,230 m or 27,000 ft by Gau's account\n[\n26\n]\n) with Fischer and Lopsang when Gau, too, became unable to proceed. Eventually, Lopsang was persuaded by Fischer to descend and leave him and Gau.\n[\n15\n]\nHall radioed for help, saying that Hansen had fallen unconscious but was still alive. At 17:30, Adventure Consultants guide Andy Harris, carrying supplementary oxygen and water, began climbing alone from the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft) toward Hansen and Hall at the top of Hillary Step.\n[\n3\n]\nKrakauer's account notes that by this time, the weather had deteriorated into a full-scale blizzard: \"Snow pellets borne by 70 kn [130 km\/h; 81 mph] gusts stung my face.\"\n[\n27\n]\nBoukreev gives 18:00 as \"the onset of a blizzard\".\n[\n16\n]\n[\n17\n]\nSeveral climbers got lost on the South Col during the storm. Mountain Madness guide Beidleman and clients Klev Schoening, Fox, Madsen, Pittman, and Gammelgaard, along with Adventure Consultants guide Mike Groom and clients Beck Weathers and Yasuko Namba wandered in the blizzard until they could no longer walk, huddling some 20 m (66 ft) from a drop-off of the\nKangshung Face\n.\n[\n28\n]\nNear midnight, the blizzard cleared sufficiently for the team to see Camp IV, some 200 m (660 ft) away. Beidleman, Groom, Schoening, and Gammelgaard set off to find help. Madsen and Fox remained on the mountain with the group in order to shout for the rescuers. Boukreev located the climbers and brought Pittman, Fox, and Madsen to safety. Boukreev had prioritized Pittman, Fox, and Madsen (all of whom were from his Mountain Madness expedition) over Namba (from the Adventure Consultants expedition), who seemed close to death. While Madsen waited for Boukreev to return, Beck Weathers abruptly walked away and disappeared into the storm. All of the climbers then at Camp IV were exhausted and unable to reach Namba and Weathers.\n[\n29\n]\nIn the early morning of 11 May, at 04:43, Hall radioed Base Camp that he was on the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft), confirming that he survived the night. He reported that Harris reached the two men, but Hansen, who was with him since the previous afternoon, was now \"gone\", and Harris was missing. Hall was not breathing bottled oxygen because his regulator was too choked with ice.\n[\n3\n]\nBy 09:00, Hall had fixed his\noxygen mask\nbut indicated that his frostbitten hands and feet were making it difficult to traverse the fixed ropes. Later in the afternoon, he radioed Base Camp, asking them to call his pregnant wife, Jan Arnold, on the satellite phone. During this last communication, they chose a name for their unborn child, he reassured her that he was reasonably comfortable, and told her, \"Sleep well, my sweetheart. Please don't worry too much.\"\n[\n30\n]\nShortly thereafter, he froze to death in his sleep. His body was found on 23 May by\nEd Viesturs\nand fellow mountaineers from the\nIMAX expedition\n, but was left there as requested by his wife, who said she thought he was \"where he'd liked to have stayed\".\n[\n31\n]\nThe bodies of Doug Hansen and Andy Harris have never been found. Viesturs stated in the IMAX film that upon finding Hall's body, he sat down and cried beside his friend.\n[\n32\n]\nMeanwhile, Stuart Hutchison, a client on Hall's team who had turned around before the summit on 10 May, launched a second search for Weathers and Namba. He found both alive, but barely responsive and severely frostbitten, and in no condition to move. After consulting with Lopsang, he made the decision that they could not be saved by the\nhypoxic\nsurvivors at Camp IV nor evacuated in time; the other survivors soon agreed that leaving Weathers and Namba behind was the only choice.\n[\n33\n]\nLater in the day, however, Weathers regained consciousness and walked alone under his own power to the camp, surprising everyone there, though he was suffering severe hypothermia and frostbite. Despite receiving oxygen and attempts to rewarm him, Weathers was practically abandoned again the next morning, 12 May, after a storm collapsed his tent overnight and the other survivors again thought he died. Krakauer discovered he was still conscious when the survivors in Camp IV prepared to evacuate. Despite his worsening condition, Weathers could still move mostly under his own power. A rescue team mobilized, hopeful of getting Weathers down the mountain alive. Over the next two days, Weathers was ushered down to Camp II with the assistance of eight healthy climbers from various expeditions and evacuated by a daring high-altitude helicopter rescue, one of the highest ever attempted. He survived and eventually recovered, but lost his nose, right hand, half his right forearm, and the fingers on his left hand to frostbite.\n[\n34\n]\nThe climbing Sherpas located Fischer and Gau on 11 May, but Fischer's condition had deteriorated so much that they were only able to give him\npalliative care\nbefore rescuing Gau. Boukreev made a subsequent rescue attempt but found Fischer's frozen body at around 19:00. Like Weathers, Gau was evacuated by helicopter.\nThe disaster was caused by a combination of events, including:\nIneffective leadership.\nThe expedition leaders did not realize that the blizzard, which hit in full force on 11 May, would be preceded by increasing snow through the afternoon and evening of 10 May.\n[\n35\n]\nA rivalry between Hall and Fischer, who were incentivized to get their clients to the summit,\n[\n36\n]\nleading them to ignore the aforementioned forecasts.\n[\n35\n]\nThe unwillingness of the\nSouth African team's\nguide to help contact base camp while the other teams' radios were not sufficiently strong.\n[\n36\n]\nBottlenecks at the Balcony and Hillary Step, which caused an hour-and-a-half delay in summiting. These delays were in themselves caused by delays in securing fixed ropes and the sheer number of people arriving at the bottlenecks at the same time (34 climbers on 10 May).\nThe team leaders' decisions to exceed the normal turnaround time of 14:00, with many summiting after 14:30.\nThe sudden illness of two climbers at or near the summit after 15:00.\nUnexpectedly severe oxygen deprivation sickness compromising both climbers' and guides' ability to make decisions or help others.\nInsufficient stores of oxygen, forcing guides and rescue teams to carry bottles up to stranded climbers as the storm approached.\n[\n36\n]\nJon Krakauer has suggested that the use of bottled oxygen and commercial guides, who personally accompanied and took care of all pathmaking, equipment, and important decisions, allowed otherwise unqualified climbers to attempt to summit, thereby leading to dangerous situations and more deaths.\n[\n37\n]\nIn addition, he wrote that the competition between Hall and Fischer's guiding companies may have led to Hall's decision not to turn back on 10 May after the summiting deadline of 14:00. However, it's not clear whether the guides would have been effective had they stuck to the deadline.\nIt's very difficult to turn someone around high on the mountain. If a client sees that the summit is close and they're dead-set on getting there, they're going to laugh in your face and keep going.\n[\n38\n]\n— Guy Cotter\nKrakauer also acknowledges that his own presence as a journalist for an important mountaineering magazine may have added pressure to guide clients to the summit despite the growing danger.\n[\n39\n]\nHe proposed banning bottled oxygen except for emergency cases, arguing that this would decrease the growing litter on Everest—many discarded bottles have accumulated on its slopes—and keep marginally qualified climbers off the mountain. He does point out, however, that climbing Everest has always been a highly dangerous endeavor, even before guided tours, with one fatality for every four climbers who reach the summit. Furthermore, he notes that many poor decisions made on 10 May came after two or more days of inadequate oxygen, nourishment, and rest (due to the effects of entering the\ndeath zone\nabove 8,000 m or 26,000 ft).\nIn May 2004, Kent Moore, a physicist, and John L. Semple, a surgeon, both researchers from the\nUniversity of Toronto\n, told\nNew Scientist\nmagazine that an analysis of the weather conditions on 11 May suggested that atmospheric oxygen levels fell by an additional 6% as a result of the storm, resulting in a further 14% reduction in oxygen uptake.\n[\n40\n]\n[\n41\n]\nSupplementary oxygen\n[\nedit\n]\nFollowing the disaster, the use and non-use of supplementary oxygen was the focus of much discussion and analysis, with a guide and a Sardar both criticized by Krakauer for not using supplementary oxygen while performing guide duties. Both men gave detailed written explanations as to why they preferred not to use oxygen; both men did in fact carry a bottle on the summit day that could be used if needed in an emergency or extraordinary situation. In his book\nThe Climb\n, Boukreev shared this explanation with Mark Bryant, the editor of\nOutside\nmagazine:\nAlso, Mr. Krakauer raised a question about my climbing without oxygen and suggested that perhaps my effectiveness was compromised by that decision. In the history of my career, as I have detailed above, it has been my practice to climb without supplementary oxygen. In my experience, it is safer for me, once acclimatized, to climb without oxygen in order to avoid the sudden loss of acclimatization that occurs when supplementary oxygen supplies are depleted.\nMy particular physiology, my years of high-altitude climbing, my discipline, the commitment I make to proper acclimatization, and the knowledge I have of my own capacities have always made me comfortable with this choice. And, Scott Fischer was comfortable with that choice as well. He authorized me to climb without supplementary oxygen.\nTo this I would add: As a precautionary measure, in the event that some extraordinary demand was placed upon me on summit day, I was carrying one (1) bottle of supplementary oxygen, a mask, and a regulator.\n[\n42\n]\nBeidleman said that Boukreev had brought oxygen to the Balcony but declined to use it, handing the bottle to Beidleman and stating he had “no need.” This contradicted the original plan and Fischer’s directive that guides use oxygen while supporting clients according to Beidleman. While acknowledging Boukreev’s strength and speed as a climber, Beidleman argued that going without oxygen impaired Boukreev’s ability to assist others down from the summit. He suggested that Boukreev didn’t fully recognize his responsibility as a commercial guide, noting the consequences of prioritizing personal style over team safety.\n[\n43\n]\nThere were several issues and problems with radios and their use on summit day. Scott Fischer's\nSardar\ndid not have a company-issued radio, but did have a \"small yellow\" radio that was owned by Sandy Pittman. Rob Hall's team also had an issue with a radio during a discussion over oxygen bottles that caused confusion.\n[\n36\n]\nThe 1996 season after this disaster\n[\nedit\n]\n1996 is statistically curious as the fatality rates on Everest in the 1996 season were statistically lower than normal. The record number of 12 fatalities in the 1996 spring climbing season was 3% of the 398 climbers who had ascended above Base Camp—slightly below the historical average of 3.3% at that time. Additionally, a total of 84 climbers reached the summit that season, giving a fatality-to-summit ratio of 1 to 7—significantly less than the historical average of 1 to 4 prior to 1996. Accounting for the increased volume of climbers in 1996 compared with previous years, the fatality rates on Everest dropped considerably, meaning that 1996 was statistically a\nsafer\n-than-average year.\n[\n44\n]\nName\n[\n45\n]\nNationality\nExpedition\nLocation of death\nCause of death\nAndrew \"Harold\" Harris\n(Guide)\n \nNew Zealand\nAdventure Consultants\nnear\nSouth Summit\n, 8,749 m\nUnknown; presumed as falling during descent near summit\nDoug Hansen\n(Client)\n \nUnited States\nRob Hall\n(Guide\/Expedition leader)\n \nNew Zealand\nExposure\nYasuko Namba\n(Client)\n \nJapan\nSouth Col\n, c. 7,900 m\nScott Fischer\n(Guide\/Expedition leader)\n \nUnited States\nMountain Madness\nSoutheast Ridge, 8,300 m\nSubedar\nTsewang Smanla\n \nIndia\nIndo-Tibetan Border Police\nNortheast Ridge, 8,600 m\nLance Naik\nDorje Morup\n \nIndia\nHead Constable\nTsewang Paljor\n \nIndia\nOther fatalities in 1996\n[\nedit\n]\nThe following is a list of the other fatalities during the spring 1996 climbing season on Everest. These deaths were not directly related to the storm or the events of 10–11 May 1996 Everest disaster.\n9 May – Chen Yu-Nan (陳玉男) – from the Taiwanese National Expedition, died after a fall down the\nLhotse\nFace\n[\n46\n]\n19 May – Reinhard Wlasich – Austrian climber, died from a combination of\nHAPE\nand\nHACE\nat 8,300 m (27,200 ft) on the Northeast Ridge\n[\n47\n]\n25 May – Bruce Herrod – photojournalist with a South African team, was on the South Col during the 10–11 May storm and reached the summit two weeks later, but died descending the Southeast Ridge\n[\n48\n]\n6 June – Ngawang Topche Sherpa – Nepali Sherpa for Mountain Madness, developed a severe case of\nHAPE\non 22 April while working above Base Camp; died in June in a\nKathmandu\nhospital\n[\n49\n]\nThe following fatalities occurred on Everest during the fall 1996 climbing season.\n[\n50\n]\n[\n51\n]\n25 September – Yves Bouchon – French climber, died in an avalanche at 7,800 m (25,600 ft) on the southeast route below Camp IV, along with the two Sherpas listed below\n25 September –\nLopsang Jangbu Sherpa\n– Nepalese Sherpa, the same climbing\nSardar\non the Mountain Madness expedition involved in the May 1996 Everest disaster; died in avalanche\n25 September – Dawa Sherpa – Nepalese Sherpa; died in avalanche\nIn the epilogue to\nHigh Exposure\n,\nDavid Breashears\ndescribes encountering some of the bodies upon climbing Everest again in May 1997.\n[\n52\n]\nInto Thin Air: Death on Everest\n(released 9 November 1997) is a made-for-TV movie based on\nJon Krakauer\n's book\nInto Thin Air\n: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster\n(1997). The film, directed by\nRobert Markowitz\nand written by\nRobert J. Avrech\n, tells the story of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.\n[\n53\n]\nThe Climb\nis\nAnatoli Boukreev\n's account of the events that unfolded on the mountain. It is also in part a response to Krakauer's book.\nThe IMAX film\nEverest\n(1998) documents the disaster, and the involvement of that film's crew and climbing team in the rescue effort.\n[\n54\n]\nThe Dark Side of Everest\n(2003),\nNational Geographic Channel\n, discusses climbers' motivations, the ethics and challenges involved when climbers encounter trouble at high altitudes, and specific disasters, e.g. the 10–11 May 1996 Mount Everest disaster and Bruce Herrod's death on 25 May 1996.\nRemnants of Everest: The 1996 Tragedy\n(2007; released in the US as\nStorm over Everest\nand broadcast on the US PBS-TV series\nFrontline\n), is a documentary by director\nDavid Breashears\n[\n55\n]\n), with music composed by\nJocelyn Pook\n.\nSeconds from Disaster\n-\nInto the Death Zone\n, 2012 TV documentary.\n[\n56\n]\nThe events inspired the feature film\nEverest\n(2015).\nJoby Talbot\n's opera\nEverest\n, based on the events of the disaster, was produced by the\nDallas Opera\nand premiered in 2015.\n[\n57\n]\nBeck Weathers\n' book\nLeft for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest\n(2000).\nLene Gammelgaard\n's book\nClimbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy\n(first published June 9, 1999).\nLou Kasischke's book\nAfter the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story\n(2014).\nList of 20th-century summiteers of Mount Everest\nList of deaths on eight-thousanders\nList of media related to Mount Everest\nList of people who died climbing Mount Everest\nList of mountaineering disasters by death toll\n^\n\"Mount Everest Nepal Earthquake\"\n.\nThe New York Times\n. 28 April 2015.\n^\nDahlburg, John-Thor (1996).\n\"Climbing Veterans Call Everest Deaths Inevitable\"\n.\nLos Angeles Times\n.\n^\na\nb\nc\nd\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 296\n^\nBoukreev, Anatoli\n; G. Weston Dewalt (1997).\nThe Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest\n. New York: St. Martins.\nISBN\n \n978-0-312-96533-4\n.\n^\n^\nGammelgard, Lene (2000).\nClimbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy\n. New York: Perennial.\nISBN\n \n978-0-330-39227-3\n.\n^\na\nb\nKrakauer 1997\n, pp. xv–xvi\n^\n\"Apa Sherpa Full Biography - Apa Sherpa Foundation\"\n.\napasherpafoundation.org\n. Archived from\nthe original\non 17 October 2016\n. Retrieved\n13 October\n2016\n.\n^\nBoukreev; Dewalt p. 12\n^\n\"David A. Sowles Memorial Award – American Alpine Club\"\n.\namericanalpineclub.org\n. Archived from\nthe original\non 27 September 2015\n. Retrieved\n27 September\n2015\n.\n^\na\nb\nKrakauer 1997\n, pp. 108–114.\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 140\n^\nConant, Jennet (22 September 2015).\n\"The Real Story of Sandy Hill Pittman, Everest's Socialite Climber\"\n.\nVanity Fair\n. Condé Nast\n. Retrieved\n25 July\n2021\n.\n^\n\"U.S. climber, thought dead, rescued from Mount Everest\"\n.\nCNN\n. 13 May 1996. Archived from\nthe original\non 19 November 2015\n. Retrieved\n14 November\n2015\n.\n^\na\nb\nc\n\"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa's response to Krakauer's article\"\n. Outsideonline.com. Archived from\nthe original\non 19 September 2010\n. Retrieved\n5 December\n2010\n.\n^\na\nb\nc\n\"Anatoli Boukreev's response to Krakauer's article\"\n. Outsideonline.com\n. Retrieved\n5 December\n2010\n.\n[\ndead link\n]\n^\na\nb\nc\nd\n\"What Really Happened In The Thin Air\"\n. MountainZone.com\n. Retrieved\n10 October\n2025\n.\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, pp. 241–242.\n^\na\nb\nStorm Over Everest\n.\nStatement by Ang Dorje\n^\n\"Salon Wanderlust | Coming down\"\n.\nSalon.com\n. 10 May 1996. Archived from\nthe original\non 23 April 1999\n. Retrieved\n5 December\n2010\n.\n^\na\nb\nc\nComing Down page 3\nArchived\n3 March 2000 at the\nWayback Machine\nDwight Garner,\nsalon.com\n1998 August\n^\n\"Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Anatoli Boukreev response\"\n.\noutsideonline.com\n. Archived from\nthe original\non 30 May 2001\n. Retrieved\n27 September\n2015\n.\n^\n\"Everest controversy continues\"\n. Salon.com. 7 August 1998\n. Retrieved\n10 October\n2025\n.\n^\n\"Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Reply from Jon Krakauer\"\n.\noutsideonline.com\n. Archived from\nthe original\non 31 May 2001\n. Retrieved\n27 September\n2015\n.\n^\nGlaxoSmithKline: On top of the world – Acclimatisation\nArchived\n25 May 2009 at the\nWayback Machine\n^\n\"Gau's account and pictures\"\n. Classic.mountainzone.com\n. Retrieved\n5 December\n2010\n.\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 193\n^\nStorm Over Everest\n. 1998.\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 214\n^\n\"Explorers' Last Words and Technology: From Robert Falcon Scott to Rob Hall\"\n.\nAdventure\n. 29 March 2012. Archived from\nthe original\non 5 August 2021\n. Retrieved\n5 August\n2021\n.\n^\n\"Bodies to come down in Everest clean-up\"\n.\nwww.theaustralian.com.au\n. 22 April 2010\n. Retrieved\n5 August\n2021\n.\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 295.\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, pp. 322–324\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, pp. 342–344, 368\n^\na\nb\nRatcliffe, Graham (2011).\nA Day to Die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : the untold true story\n. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 328.\nISBN\n \n9781845966386\n.\nOCLC\n \n671466084\n.\n^\na\nb\nc\nd\nKrakauer 1997\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, pp. 355–8\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 238\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 354\n^\n\"The Day the Sky Fell on Everest\"\n.\nNew Scientist\n(2449): 15. 29 May 2004\n. Retrieved\n11 December\n2006\n.\n^\nPeplow, Mark (25 May 2004).\n\"High Winds Suck Oxygen from Everest: Predicting Pressure Lows Could Protect Climbers\"\n. BioEd Online\n. Retrieved\n11 December\n2006\n.\nMoore explains that these jet streaks can drag a huge draught of air up the side of the mountain, lowering the air pressure. He calculates that this typically reduces the partial pressure of oxygen in the air by about 6%, which translates to a 14% reduction in oxygen uptake for the climbers. Air at that altitude already contains only one third as much oxygen as sea-level air.\n^\nBoukreev, Anatoli; DeWalt, G. Weston (2002).\nThe Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest\n. Pan Books. pp. 217, 218.\nISBN\n \n978-0-330-48896-9\n.\n^\nBeidleman, Neal\n(23 September 2020).\n\"Mill House Podcast – Episode 19\"\n(video)\n.\nyoutube.com\n.\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 274\n^\nList of Everest Fatalities\nAdventureStats.com\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 155\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 276\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, p. 278\n^\nKrakauer 1997\n, pp. 108–114\n^\n\"Video\"\n.\nCNN\n. 14 October 1996. Archived from\nthe original\non 28 June 2011\n. Retrieved\n24 February\n2011\n.\n^\n\"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa killed in Everest avalanche\"\n.\nMountain Zone\n.\n^\nBreashears, David.\n\"Epilogue\"\n.\nHigh Exposure\n.\n\"Except for Scott's body, still wrapped with a pack and rope the way Anatoli had left him, the summit slopes were mercifully free of the tragedy. When we reached the South Summit,\nRob\nhad disappeared from sight, shrouded by a tall drift formed around his body. Andy Harris and Doug Hansen may lie near him, though we'll probably never know. [...] Near the base of the Hillary Step we found the last vestige of the 1996 disasters, the body of Bruce Herrod, the photojournalist who'd been with the South African team.\"\n^\nJonathan Crow (2008).\nInto Thin Air: Death on Everest\n. Movies & TV Dept. Archived from\nthe original\non 13 October 2008.\n^\nBaumgarten, Marjorie (14 October 2014).\n\"Everest\"\n.\nThe Austin Chronicle\n. Retrieved\n19 November\n2014\n.\n^\nFrontline: Storm Over Everest\n. PBS. 2007. Archived from\nthe original\non 10 December 2015.\n^\n\"Into the Death Zone\"\n.\nIMDb\n.\n^\n\"REVIEW: Dallas Opera's stunning world premiere of 'Everest'\n\"\n. Archived from\nthe original\non 2 February 2017\n. Retrieved\n27 January\n2017\n.\nKrakauer, Jon\n(1997).\nInto Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster\n.\nDoubleday\n.\nISBN\n \n978-0-385-49208-9\n.\nRatcliffe, Graham (2013).\nA day to die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : one survivor's personal journey to uncover the truth\n. Edinburgh.\nISBN\n \n978-1-78057-641-1\n.\n{{\ncite book\n}}\n:  CS1 maint: location missing publisher (\nlink\n)\nThe Website for the 2008 PBS Frontline television show titled Storm Over Everest.\nPBS Frontline: 'Storm Over Everest' – washingtonpost.com\nClimber Recounts Tragedy in 'Storm Over Everest'\nKen Kamler: Medical miracle on Everest – TEDMED\nPBS Storm over Everest : Roundtable : The Ethics of Climbing\n(with Peter Hackett, M.D.Lincoln Hall, James H. Moss, J.D., and Jim Williams)","attrs_markdown":"[Jump to content](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#bodyContent)\n\nMain menu\n\nMain menu\n\nmove to sidebar\n\nhide\n\nNavigation\n\n- [Main page](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Main_Page \"Visit the main page [z]\")\n- [Contents](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Contents \"Guides to browsing Wikipedia\")\n- [Current events](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Portal:Current_events \"Articles related to current events\")\n- [Random article](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:Random \"Visit a randomly selected article [x]\")\n- [About Wikipedia](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:About \"Learn about Wikipedia and how it works\")\n- [Contact us](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Contact_us \"How to contact Wikipedia\")\n\nContribute\n\n- [Help](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:Contents \"Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia\")\n- [Learn to edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:Introduction \"Learn how to edit Wikipedia\")\n- [Community portal](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Community_portal \"The hub for editors\")\n- [Recent changes](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:RecentChanges \"A list of recent changes to Wikipedia [r]\")\n- [Upload file](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:File_upload_wizard \"Add images or other media for use on Wikipedia\")\n- [Special pages](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:SpecialPages \"A list of all special pages [q]\")\n\n[![](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/static\/images\/icons\/enwiki-25.svg) ![Wikipedia](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/static\/images\/mobile\/copyright\/wikipedia-wordmark-en-25.svg) ![The Free Encyclopedia](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/static\/images\/mobile\/copyright\/wikipedia-tagline-en-25.svg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Main_Page)\n\n[Search](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:Search \"Search Wikipedia [f]\")\n\nAppearance\n\n- [Donate](https:\/\/donate.wikimedia.org\/?wmf_source=donate&wmf_medium=sidebar&wmf_campaign=en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en)\n- [Create account](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=1996+Mount+Everest+disaster \"You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory\")\n- [Log in](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=1996+Mount+Everest+disaster \"You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. 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[o]\")\n\n## Contents\nmove to sidebar\n\nhide\n\n- [(Top)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster)\n- [1 Climbers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Climbers)\n  Toggle Climbers subsection\n  - [1\\.1 Adventure Consultants](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Adventure_Consultants)\n    - [1\\.1.1 Guides](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Guides)\n    - [1\\.1.2 Clients](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Clients)\n    - [1\\.1.3 Sherpas](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Sherpas)\n  - [1\\.2 Mountain Madness](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Mountain_Madness)\n    - [1\\.2.1 Guides](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Guides_2)\n    - [1\\.2.2 Clients](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Clients_2)\n    - [1\\.2.3 Sherpas](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Sherpas_2)\n  - [1\\.3 Taiwanese expedition](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Taiwanese_expedition)\n  - [1\\.4 Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police)\n- [2 Timeline](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Timeline)\n  Toggle Timeline subsection\n  - [2\\.1 Delays reaching the summit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Delays_reaching_the_summit)\n  - [2\\.2 Descent in a blizzard](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Descent_in_a_blizzard)\n  - [2\\.3 11 May](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#11_May)\n- [3 Analysis](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Analysis)\n  Toggle Analysis subsection\n  - [3\\.1 Supplementary oxygen](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Supplementary_oxygen)\n  - [3\\.2 Radios](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Radios)\n- [4 The 1996 season after this disaster](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#The_1996_season_after_this_disaster)\n- [5 List of fatalities](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#List_of_fatalities)\n  Toggle List of fatalities subsection\n  - [5\\.1 Other fatalities in 1996](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Other_fatalities_in_1996)\n- [6 In the media](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#In_the_media)\n- [7 See also](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#See_also)\n- [8 References](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#References)\n- [9 Bibliography](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Bibliography)\n- [10 External links](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#External_links)\n\nToggle the table of contents\n\n# 1996 Mount Everest disaster\n19 languages\n\n- [العربية](https:\/\/ar.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AB%D8%A9_%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%84_%D8%A5%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA_1996 \"كارثة جبل إفرست 1996 – Arabic\")\n- [Asturianu](https:\/\/ast.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Desastre_del_Everest_de_1996 \"Desastre del Everest de 1996 – Asturian\")\n- [Čeština](https:\/\/cs.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Trag%C3%A9die_na_Mount_Everestu_\\(1996\\) \"Tragédie na Mount Everestu (1996) – Czech\")\n- [Deutsch](https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ungl%C3%BCck_am_Mount_Everest_\\(1996\\) \"Unglück am Mount Everest (1996) – German\")\n- [Español](https:\/\/es.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Desastre_del_Everest_de_1996 \"Desastre del Everest de 1996 – Spanish\")\n- [Eesti](https:\/\/et.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996._aasta_Everesti_trag%C3%B6%C3%B6dia \"1996. aasta Everesti tragöödia – Estonian\")\n- 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[Wikidata item](https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Special:EntityPage\/Q1517252 \"Structured data on this page hosted by Wikidata [g]\")\n\nAppearance\n\nmove to sidebar\n\nhide\n\nFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia\n\nDeath of eight climbers\n\n|   |   |\n|---|---|\n| [![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/8\/8b\/Everest_Peace_Project_-_Everest_summit.jpg\/330px-Everest_Peace_Project_-_Everest_summit.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Everest_Peace_Project_-_Everest_summit.jpg)The summit of Mount Everest |   |\n| [![Map](https:\/\/maps.wikimedia.org\/img\/osm-intl,10,27.988055555556,86.925,270x200.png?lang=en&domain=en.wikipedia.org&title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&revid=1341628405&groups=_6dfa26e220f925af0fce16cd705c12bec965b10d&parser=legacy)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:Map\/10\/27.988055555556\/86.925\/en) |   |\n| Date | 10–11 May 1996 |\n| Location | [Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest \"Mount Everest\") Altitude 8,849 metres (29,032 ft) |\n| [Coordinates](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Geographic_coordinate_system \"Geographic coordinate system\") | [27°59′17″N 86°55′30″E \/ 27\\.98806°N 86.92500°E \/ 27\\.98806; 86.92500](https:\/\/geohack.toolforge.org\/geohack.php?pagename=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&params=27_59_17_N_86_55_30_E_type:event) |\n| Organised by | [Adventure Consultants](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Adventure_Consultants \"Adventure Consultants\") [Mountain Madness](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mountain_Madness \"Mountain Madness\") [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police \"Indo-Tibetan Border Police\") |\n| Deaths | 8 |\n\nThe **1996 Mount Everest disaster** occurred on 10–11 May 1996 when eight [climbers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Expedition_climbing \"Expedition climbing\") caught in a [blizzard](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Blizzard \"Blizzard\") died on [Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest \"Mount Everest\") while attempting to descend from the summit. Over the season, 12 people died trying to reach the summit, making it then the deadliest season on Mount Everest and now the third deadliest to date after the 23 fatalities from [avalanches](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2015_Mount_Everest_avalanches \"2015 Mount Everest avalanches\") caused by the [April 2015 Nepal earthquake](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/April_2015_Nepal_earthquake \"April 2015 Nepal earthquake\")[\\[1\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-1) and the 16 fatalities of the [2014 Mount Everest avalanche](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2014_Mount_Everest_ice_avalanche \"2014 Mount Everest ice avalanche\"). The 1996 disaster received widespread publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.[\\[2\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-2)\n\nNumerous climbers were at a high altitude on Everest during the storm including the [Adventure Consultants](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Adventure_Consultants \"Adventure Consultants\") team, led by [Rob Hall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\"), and the [Mountain Madness](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mountain_Madness \"Mountain Madness\") team, led by [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\"). While climbers died on both the [North Face](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/North_Face_\\(Everest\\) \"North Face (Everest)\") and [South Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Col \"South Col\") approaches, the events on the latter were more widely reported. Four members of the Adventure Consultants expedition died, including Hall, while Fischer was the sole casualty of the Mountain Madness expedition. Three officers of the [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police \"Indo-Tibetan Border Police\") also died.\n\nFollowing the disaster, several survivors wrote memoirs. Journalist [Jon Krakauer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jon_Krakauer \"Jon Krakauer\"), on assignment from *[Outside](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Outside_\\(magazine\\) \"Outside (magazine)\")* magazine and on the Adventure Consultants team, published *[Into Thin Air](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Into_Thin_Air \"Into Thin Air\")* (1997),[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) which became a bestseller. [Anatoli Boukreev](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anatoli_Boukreev \"Anatoli Boukreev\"), a guide in the Mountain Madness team, felt impugned by the book and co-authored a rebuttal called *[The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Climb_\\(book\\) \"The Climb (book)\")* (1997).[\\[4\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-4) [Beck Weathers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beck_Weathers \"Beck Weathers\"), of Hall's expedition, and [Lene Gammelgaard](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lene_Gammelgaard \"Lene Gammelgaard\"), of Fischer's expedition, wrote about their experiences in their respective books, *Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest* (2000)[\\[5\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-5) and *Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy* (2000).[\\[6\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-6) In 2014, Lou Kasischke, also of Hall's expedition, published his own account in *[After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/After_the_Wind \"After the Wind\")*.\n\nIn addition to the members of the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness teams, Mike Trueman, who coordinated the rescue from Base Camp, contributed *The Storms: Adventure and Tragedy on Everest* (2015). Graham Ratcliffe, who climbed to the South Col of Everest on 10 May, noted in *A Day to Die For* (2011) that weather reports forecasting a major storm developing after 8 May and peaking in intensity on 11 May were delivered to expedition leaders. Hall and Fischer received these before their planned summit attempts on 10 May. Some of their teams summited Everest during an apparent break in this developing storm only to descend into the full force of it late on 10 May.\n\n## Climbers\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=1 \"Edit section: Climbers\")\\]\n\nThe following is a list of climbers en route to the summit on 10 May 1996 via the South Col and Southeast Ridge, organized by expedition and role. All ages are as of 1996.\n\n### Adventure Consultants\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=2 \"Edit section: Adventure Consultants\")\\]\n\nThe [Adventure Consultants](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Adventure_Consultants \"Adventure Consultants\")' 1996 Everest expedition, led by [Rob Hall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\"), consisted of 19 people, including eight clients.\n\n#### Guides\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=3 \"Edit section: Guides\")\\]\n\n- [Rob Hall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\") (35) – expedition leader; died near the [South Summit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Summit \"South Summit\")\n- [Michael Groom](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Michael_Groom_\\(climber\\) \"Michael Groom (climber)\") (37)\n- [Andy Harris](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Andy_Harris_\\(mountain_guide\\) \"Andy Harris (mountain guide)\") (31) – disappeared near the South Summit while assisting Hall\n\n#### Clients\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=4 \"Edit section: Clients\")\\]\n\n- Frank Fischbeck (53) – had attempted Everest three times and reached the South Summit in 1994\n- Doug Hansen (46) – had previously attempted Everest with Hall's team in 1995; disappeared near the South Summit while descending with Hall\n- Stuart Hutchison (34) – youngest client on Hall's team; previous 8,000 m experiences included [K2](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/K2 \"K2\") winter expedition in 1988, [Broad Peak](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Broad_Peak \"Broad Peak\") west ridge in 1992, and Everest north side in 1994\n- Lou Kasischke (53) – had climbed six of the [Seven Summits](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Seven_Summits \"Seven Summits\")\n- [Jon Krakauer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jon_Krakauer \"Jon Krakauer\") (42) – journalist on assignment from *[Outside](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Outside_\\(magazine\\) \"Outside (magazine)\")* magazine; an accomplished technical climber, but had no experience in climbing peaks over 8,000 m\n- [Yasuko Namba](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yasuko_Namba \"Yasuko Namba\") (47) – had climbed six of the Seven Summits; became the oldest woman to summit Everest at the time; died on the [South Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Col \"South Col\")\n- John Taske (56) – oldest climber on the Adventure Consultants team; no 8,000 m experience\n- [Beck Weathers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beck_Weathers \"Beck Weathers\") (49) – had been climbing for 10 years and was also making a bid for the Seven Summits, but had no 8,000 m experience\n\n#### Sherpas\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=5 \"Edit section: Sherpas\")\\]\n\n- *[Sardar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sardar_\\(Sherpa\\) \"Sardar (Sherpa)\")* [Ang Dorje](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ang_Dorje_Sherpa \"Ang Dorje Sherpa\") (26)\n- Arita\n- Chuldum\n- Kami\n- Lhakpa Chhiri\n- Ngawang Norbu\n- Tenzing\n\nThe Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Rob Hall's Adventure Consultants.[\\[7\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi-7) Many other Sherpas working at lower elevations performed duties vital to the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness expeditions. Most climbing Sherpas' duties require them to ascend at least to Camp III or IV, but not all of them summit. The expedition leaders intend for only a select few of their climbing Sherpas to summit. Legendary *[Sardar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sardar_\\(Sherpa\\) \"Sardar (Sherpa)\")* [Apa Sherpa](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Apa_Sherpa \"Apa Sherpa\") was scheduled to accompany the Adventure Consultants group but withdrew due to family commitments.[\\[8\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-8)\n\nWith the exception of Namba, no client on Hall's team had reached the summit of an [8,000-meter peak](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eight-thousander \"Eight-thousander\"), and only Fischbeck, Hansen, and Hutchison had previous high-altitude Himalayan experience. Hall had also brokered a deal with *Outside* magazine for advertising space in exchange for a story about the growing popularity of commercial expeditions to Everest. Krakauer was originally slated to climb with Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness team, but Hall landed him, at least in part by agreeing to reduce *Outside*'s fee for Krakauer's spot on the expedition to less than cost.[\\[9\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-9)\n\n### Mountain Madness\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=6 \"Edit section: Mountain Madness\")\\]\n\nThe [Mountain Madness](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mountain_Madness \"Mountain Madness\") 1996 Everest expedition, led by [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\"), consisted of 19 people, including 8 clients.\n\n#### Guides\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=7 \"Edit section: Guides\")\\]\n\n- [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\") (40) – expedition leader; died on the [Southeast ridge balcony](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest#Southeast_ridge \"Mount Everest\") 350 m (1,150 ft) below the [South Summit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Summit \"South Summit\")\n- [Neal Beidleman](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neal_Beidleman \"Neal Beidleman\") (36) – professional mountaineer\n- [Anatoli Boukreev](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anatoli_Boukreev \"Anatoli Boukreev\") (38) – professional mountaineer, in 1997 was awarded the [David A. Sowles Memorial Award](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_A._Sowles_Memorial_Award \"David A. Sowles Memorial Award\") by the [American Alpine Club](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/American_Alpine_Club \"American Alpine Club\")[\\[10\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-10)\n\n#### Clients\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=8 \"Edit section: Clients\")\\]\n\n- Martin Adams (47) – had climbed [Aconcagua](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aconcagua \"Aconcagua\"), [Denali](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Denali \"Denali\"), and [Kilimanjaro](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Kilimanjaro \"Mount Kilimanjaro\")\n- [Charlotte Fox](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Charlotte_Fox_\\(mountaineer\\) \"Charlotte Fox (mountaineer)\") (38) – had climbed [all 53 of the 14,000 ft (4,267 m) peaks](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Colorado_fourteeners \"List of Colorado fourteeners\") in [Colorado](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Colorado \"Colorado\") and two [8,000 m peaks](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eight-thousander \"Eight-thousander\"), [Gasherbrum II](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gasherbrum_II \"Gasherbrum II\") and [Cho Oyu](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cho_Oyu \"Cho Oyu\")\n- [Lene Gammelgaard](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lene_Gammelgaard \"Lene Gammelgaard\") (35)\n- Dale Kruse (45) – long-term personal friend of Fischer's and the first to sign up for the 1996 expedition\n- Tim Madsen (33) – had climbed extensively in the Colorado and Canadian Rockies, but had no 8,000 m experience\n- [Sandy Hill Pittman](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sandy_Hill_\\(mountaineer\\) \"Sandy Hill (mountaineer)\") (41) – had climbed six of the [Seven Summits](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Seven_Summits \"Seven Summits\")\n- [Pete Schoening](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pete_Schoening \"Pete Schoening\") (68) – one of the first to climb [Gasherbrum I](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gasherbrum_I \"Gasherbrum I\") and [Mount Vinson](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Vinson \"Mount Vinson\"); known for singlehandedly [saving the lives of six team members](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1953_American_Karakoram_expedition#Attempted_rescue_and_fall \"1953 American Karakoram expedition\") during a mass fall in the [American expedition](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1953_American_Karakoram_expedition \"1953 American Karakoram expedition\") on [K2](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/K2 \"K2\") in 1953\n- Klev Schoening (38) – Pete's nephew and a former US national downhill ski racer; no 8,000 m experience\n\n#### Sherpas\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=9 \"Edit section: Sherpas\")\\]\n\n- *[Sardar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sardar_\\(Sherpa\\) \"Sardar (Sherpa)\")* [Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lopsang_Jangbu_Sherpa \"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa\") (23)\n- \"Big\" Pemba\n- [Nawang Dorje](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nawang_Dorje \"Nawang Dorje\")\n- Ngawang Sya Kya\n- Ngawang Tendi\n- Ngawang Topche (died a few months later from [HAPE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\") he contracted during hauling duties to Camp II)\n- Tashi Tshering\n- Tendi\n\nThe Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness expedition.[\\[7\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi-7) Ngawang Topche was hospitalized in April; he had developed [high-altitude pulmonary edema](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\") (HAPE) while ferrying supplies above Base Camp. He was not on the mountain during the summit attempt of 10 May. Topche died from his illness in June 1996.[\\[11\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114-11)\n\nPete Schoening decided at Base Camp (5,380 m or 17,650 ft) not to make the final push to the summit. The team began the assault on the summit on 6 May, bypassing Camp I (5,944 m or 19,501 ft) and stopping at Camp II (6,500 m or 21,300 ft) for two nights. However, Kruse suffered from [altitude sickness](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Altitude_sickness \"Altitude sickness\") and possible [high-altitude cerebral edema](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_cerebral_edema \"High-altitude cerebral edema\") (HACE), and stopped at Camp I. Fischer descended from Camp II and escorted Kruse back to Base Camp for treatment.[\\[12\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._140-12)\n\nOn 9 June 1996, three days after Sherpa Ngawang Topche died in hospital from [high-altitude pulmonary edema](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\"),[\\[11\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114-11) a private memorial service was held for Scott Fischer attended by the climbers and Sherpas from Mountain Madness at Kiana Lodge, near Seattle, Washington. The Sherpa chanted a Buddhist prayer, Beidleman gifted his late friend's engraved expedition knife to Fischer's two children, and Jeannie Price, Fischer's wife, released a cloud of butterflies.[\\[13\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-13)\n\n### Taiwanese expedition\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=10 \"Edit section: Taiwanese expedition\")\\]\n\n\"Makalu\" [Gau Ming-ho](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gau_Ming-ho \"Gau Ming-ho\") led a five-member team to Everest on 10 May 1996.[\\[14\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-14)\n\nThe previous day (9 May), Taiwanese team member Chen Yu-Nan had died following a fall on the [Lhotse](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lhotse \"Lhotse\") Face.\n\n### Indo-Tibetan Border Police\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=11 \"Edit section: Indo-Tibetan Border Police\")\\]\n\nMain article: [1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police_expedition_to_Mount_Everest \"1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest\")\n\nHalf of the climbing team from the [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police \"Indo-Tibetan Border Police\") [North Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/North_Col \"North Col\") expedition from India (Subedar [Tsewang Samanla](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tsewang_Samanla \"Tsewang Samanla\"), Lance Naik [Dorje Morup](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dorje_Morup \"Dorje Morup\"), and Head Constable [Tsewang Paljor](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tsewang_Paljor \"Tsewang Paljor\")) died on the Northeast Ridge.\n\n## Timeline\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=12 \"Edit section: Timeline\")\\]\n\n### Delays reaching the summit\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=13 \"Edit section: Delays reaching the summit\")\\]\n\n[![Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/d\/d1\/Lage_des_Mount_Everest.PNG)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lage_des_Mount_Everest.PNG \"Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step\")\n\nMap of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step\n\nShortly after midnight on 10 May 1996, the Adventure Consultants expedition began a summit attempt from Camp IV, atop the [South Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Col \"South Col\") (7,900 m or 25,900 ft). They were joined by six client climbers, three guides, and Sherpas from [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\")'s Mountain Madness company, as well as an expedition sponsored by the government of [Taiwan](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Taiwan \"Taiwan\").\\[*[citation needed](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Citation_needed \"Wikipedia:Citation needed\")*\\]\n\nThe expeditions quickly encountered delays. The climbing Sherpas and guides had not set the fixed ropes by the time the team reached the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft), and this cost the climbers almost an hour. The cause of this delay is unclear, in part due to the death of the expedition leaders.[\\[15\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15)\n\nUpon reaching the [Hillary Step](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hillary_Step \"Hillary Step\") (8,760 m or 28,740 ft), the climbers again discovered that no [fixed line](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fixed_rope \"Fixed rope\") had been placed, and they were forced to wait an hour while the guides installed the ropes. Because some 33 climbers were attempting the summit on the same day, and Hall and Fischer had asked their climbers to stay within 150 m (500 ft) of each other, there was a bottleneck at the single fixed line at the Hillary Step. Hutchison, Kasischke, and Taske returned towards Camp IV as they feared they would run out of supplementary oxygen due to the delays.[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3)\n\nClimbing without supplemental oxygen, guide Anatoli Boukreev from the Mountain Madness team was the first to reach the summit (8,848 m or 29,029 ft), at 13:07.[\\[16\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\\[17\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17) Many of the climbers had not yet reached the summit by 14:00, the last safe time to turn around to reach Camp IV before nightfall.\n\nBoukreev began his descent to Camp IV at 14:30, having spent nearly 1.5 hours at or near the summit helping others complete the climb. By that time, Hall, Krakauer, Harris, Beidleman, Namba, and Mountain Madness clients Martin Adams and Klev Schoening had reached the summit,[\\[16\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\\[17\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17) and the remaining four Mountain Madness clients had arrived. After this time, Krakauer noted that the weather did not look so benign.[\\[18\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997241%E2%80%93242-18) At 15:00, snow started to fall, and the light was diminishing.\n\nHall's [Sirdar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sardar_\\(Sherpa\\) \"Sardar (Sherpa)\"), Ang Dorje Sherpa, and other climbing Sherpas waited at the summit for the clients. Near 15:00, they began their descent. On the way down, Ang Dorje encountered client Doug Hansen above the Hillary Step and ordered him to descend. Hansen did not respond verbally, but shook his head and pointed upward, toward the summit.[\\[19\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Storm_Over_Everest-19) When Hall arrived at the scene, the Sherpas offered to take Hansen to the summit, but Hall sent the Sherpas down to assist the other clients, and instructed them to stash oxygen canisters on the route. Hall said he would remain to help Hansen, who had run out of supplementary oxygen.[\\[19\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Storm_Over_Everest-19)\n\nScott Fischer did not summit until 15:45. He was exhausted from the ascent and becoming increasingly ill, possibly suffering from [HAPE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\"), [HACE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_cerebral_edema \"High-altitude cerebral edema\"), or a combination of both. Others, including Doug Hansen and Makalu Gau, reached the summit even later.[\\[15\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15)\n\n### Descent in a blizzard\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=14 \"Edit section: Descent in a blizzard\")\\]\n\nBoukreev recorded that he reached Camp IV by 17:00. Boukreev's reasons for descending ahead of his clients are disputed.[\\[20\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-20) Initially, Boukreev said he was going down with client Martin Adams,[\\[21\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21) but later descended faster and left Adams behind.[\\[21\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21) Boukreev also maintained that he wanted to be ready to assist struggling clients farther down the slope, and to retrieve hot tea and extra oxygen if necessary.[\\[22\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-22) According to Boukreev, this plan was discussed with and approved by expedition leader Fischer.[\\[17\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17)[\\[23\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Salon2-23)\n\nKrakauer sharply criticized Boukreev's decision not to use bottled oxygen while employed as a guide.[\\[24\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-24) Boukreev's supporters, who include G. Weston DeWalt, co-author of *[The Climb](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Climb_\\(book\\) \"The Climb (book)\")* (1997), state that using bottled oxygen gives a false sense of security.[\\[25\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-25) Krakauer and his supporters point out that, without bottled oxygen, Boukreev was unable to directly help his clients descend.[\\[21\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21)\n\nThe worsening weather began causing difficulties for the descending team members. The blizzard on the southwest face of Everest was reducing visibility, burying the fixed ropes, and obliterating the trail back to Camp IV that the teams had broken on the ascent. Fischer, helped by Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa, was unable to descend below the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft) in the storm. Sherpas left Makalu Gau (at 8,230 m or 27,000 ft by Gau's account[\\[26\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Gau-26)) with Fischer and Lopsang when Gau, too, became unable to proceed. Eventually, Lopsang was persuaded by Fischer to descend and leave him and Gau.[\\[15\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15)\n\nHall radioed for help, saying that Hansen had fallen unconscious but was still alive. At 17:30, Adventure Consultants guide Andy Harris, carrying supplementary oxygen and water, began climbing alone from the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft) toward Hansen and Hall at the top of Hillary Step.[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) Krakauer's account notes that by this time, the weather had deteriorated into a full-scale blizzard: \"Snow pellets borne by 70 kn \\[130 km\/h; 81 mph\\] gusts stung my face.\"[\\[27\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._193-27) Boukreev gives 18:00 as \"the onset of a blizzard\".[\\[16\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\\[17\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17)\n\nSeveral climbers got lost on the South Col during the storm. Mountain Madness guide Beidleman and clients Klev Schoening, Fox, Madsen, Pittman, and Gammelgaard, along with Adventure Consultants guide Mike Groom and clients Beck Weathers and Yasuko Namba wandered in the blizzard until they could no longer walk, huddling some 20 m (66 ft) from a drop-off of the [Kangshung Face](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kangshung_Face \"Kangshung Face\").[\\[28\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-28)\n\nNear midnight, the blizzard cleared sufficiently for the team to see Camp IV, some 200 m (660 ft) away. Beidleman, Groom, Schoening, and Gammelgaard set off to find help. Madsen and Fox remained on the mountain with the group in order to shout for the rescuers. Boukreev located the climbers and brought Pittman, Fox, and Madsen to safety. Boukreev had prioritized Pittman, Fox, and Madsen (all of whom were from his Mountain Madness expedition) over Namba (from the Adventure Consultants expedition), who seemed close to death. While Madsen waited for Boukreev to return, Beck Weathers abruptly walked away and disappeared into the storm. All of the climbers then at Camp IV were exhausted and unable to reach Namba and Weathers.[\\[29\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._214-29)\n\n### 11 May\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=15 \"Edit section: 11 May\")\\]\n\nIn the early morning of 11 May, at 04:43, Hall radioed Base Camp that he was on the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft), confirming that he survived the night. He reported that Harris reached the two men, but Hansen, who was with him since the previous afternoon, was now \"gone\", and Harris was missing. Hall was not breathing bottled oxygen because his regulator was too choked with ice.[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3)\n\nBy 09:00, Hall had fixed his [oxygen mask](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oxygen_mask \"Oxygen mask\") but indicated that his frostbitten hands and feet were making it difficult to traverse the fixed ropes. Later in the afternoon, he radioed Base Camp, asking them to call his pregnant wife, Jan Arnold, on the satellite phone. During this last communication, they chose a name for their unborn child, he reassured her that he was reasonably comfortable, and told her, \"Sleep well, my sweetheart. Please don't worry too much.\"[\\[30\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-30) Shortly thereafter, he froze to death in his sleep. His body was found on 23 May by [Ed Viesturs](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ed_Viesturs \"Ed Viesturs\") and fellow mountaineers from the [IMAX expedition](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(1998_film\\) \"Everest (1998 film)\"), but was left there as requested by his wife, who said she thought he was \"where he'd liked to have stayed\".[\\[31\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-31) The bodies of Doug Hansen and Andy Harris have never been found. Viesturs stated in the IMAX film that upon finding Hall's body, he sat down and cried beside his friend.[\\[32\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997295-32)\n\nMeanwhile, Stuart Hutchison, a client on Hall's team who had turned around before the summit on 10 May, launched a second search for Weathers and Namba. He found both alive, but barely responsive and severely frostbitten, and in no condition to move. After consulting with Lopsang, he made the decision that they could not be saved by the [hypoxic](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hypoxia_\\(medicine\\) \"Hypoxia (medicine)\") survivors at Camp IV nor evacuated in time; the other survivors soon agreed that leaving Weathers and Namba behind was the only choice.[\\[33\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._322%E2%80%934-33)\n\nLater in the day, however, Weathers regained consciousness and walked alone under his own power to the camp, surprising everyone there, though he was suffering severe hypothermia and frostbite. Despite receiving oxygen and attempts to rewarm him, Weathers was practically abandoned again the next morning, 12 May, after a storm collapsed his tent overnight and the other survivors again thought he died. Krakauer discovered he was still conscious when the survivors in Camp IV prepared to evacuate. Despite his worsening condition, Weathers could still move mostly under his own power. A rescue team mobilized, hopeful of getting Weathers down the mountain alive. Over the next two days, Weathers was ushered down to Camp II with the assistance of eight healthy climbers from various expeditions and evacuated by a daring high-altitude helicopter rescue, one of the highest ever attempted. He survived and eventually recovered, but lost his nose, right hand, half his right forearm, and the fingers on his left hand to frostbite.[\\[34\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._342%E2%80%934,_368-34)\n\nThe climbing Sherpas located Fischer and Gau on 11 May, but Fischer's condition had deteriorated so much that they were only able to give him [palliative care](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Palliative_care \"Palliative care\") before rescuing Gau. Boukreev made a subsequent rescue attempt but found Fischer's frozen body at around 19:00. Like Weathers, Gau was evacuated by helicopter.\n\n## Analysis\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=16 \"Edit section: Analysis\")\\]\n\nThe disaster was caused by a combination of events, including:\n\n- Ineffective leadership.\n  - The expedition leaders did not realize that the blizzard, which hit in full force on 11 May, would be preceded by increasing snow through the afternoon and evening of 10 May.[\\[35\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Ratcliffe_2011-35)\n  - A rivalry between Hall and Fischer, who were incentivized to get their clients to the summit,[\\[36\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36) leading them to ignore the aforementioned forecasts.[\\[35\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Ratcliffe_2011-35)\n  - The unwillingness of the [South African team's](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_South_African_Everest_expedition \"1996 South African Everest expedition\") guide to help contact base camp while the other teams' radios were not sufficiently strong.[\\[36\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36)\n- Bottlenecks at the Balcony and Hillary Step, which caused an hour-and-a-half delay in summiting. These delays were in themselves caused by delays in securing fixed ropes and the sheer number of people arriving at the bottlenecks at the same time (34 climbers on 10 May).\n- The team leaders' decisions to exceed the normal turnaround time of 14:00, with many summiting after 14:30.\n- The sudden illness of two climbers at or near the summit after 15:00.\n- Unexpectedly severe oxygen deprivation sickness compromising both climbers' and guides' ability to make decisions or help others.\n- Insufficient stores of oxygen, forcing guides and rescue teams to carry bottles up to stranded climbers as the storm approached.[\\[36\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36)\n\nJon Krakauer has suggested that the use of bottled oxygen and commercial guides, who personally accompanied and took care of all pathmaking, equipment, and important decisions, allowed otherwise unqualified climbers to attempt to summit, thereby leading to dangerous situations and more deaths.[\\[37\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._355%E2%80%938-37) In addition, he wrote that the competition between Hall and Fischer's guiding companies may have led to Hall's decision not to turn back on 10 May after the summiting deadline of 14:00. However, it's not clear whether the guides would have been effective had they stuck to the deadline.\n\n> It's very difficult to turn someone around high on the mountain. If a client sees that the summit is close and they're dead-set on getting there, they're going to laugh in your face and keep going.[\\[38\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krackauer_p._238-38)\n\n— Guy Cotter\n\nKrakauer also acknowledges that his own presence as a journalist for an important mountaineering magazine may have added pressure to guide clients to the summit despite the growing danger.[\\[39\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._354-39) He proposed banning bottled oxygen except for emergency cases, arguing that this would decrease the growing litter on Everest—many discarded bottles have accumulated on its slopes—and keep marginally qualified climbers off the mountain. He does point out, however, that climbing Everest has always been a highly dangerous endeavor, even before guided tours, with one fatality for every four climbers who reach the summit. Furthermore, he notes that many poor decisions made on 10 May came after two or more days of inadequate oxygen, nourishment, and rest (due to the effects of entering the [death zone](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Death_zone \"Death zone\") above 8,000 m or 26,000 ft).\n\nIn May 2004, Kent Moore, a physicist, and John L. Semple, a surgeon, both researchers from the [University of Toronto](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/University_of_Toronto \"University of Toronto\"), told *[New Scientist](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Scientist \"New Scientist\")* magazine that an analysis of the weather conditions on 11 May suggested that atmospheric oxygen levels fell by an additional 6% as a result of the storm, resulting in a further 14% reduction in oxygen uptake.[\\[40\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-NewScientist-40)[\\[41\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-BioEd_Online-41)\n\n### Supplementary oxygen\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=17 \"Edit section: Supplementary oxygen\")\\]\n\nFollowing the disaster, the use and non-use of supplementary oxygen was the focus of much discussion and analysis, with a guide and a Sardar both criticized by Krakauer for not using supplementary oxygen while performing guide duties. Both men gave detailed written explanations as to why they preferred not to use oxygen; both men did in fact carry a bottle on the summit day that could be used if needed in an emergency or extraordinary situation. In his book *The Climb*, Boukreev shared this explanation with Mark Bryant, the editor of *Outside* magazine:\n\n> Also, Mr. Krakauer raised a question about my climbing without oxygen and suggested that perhaps my effectiveness was compromised by that decision. In the history of my career, as I have detailed above, it has been my practice to climb without supplementary oxygen. In my experience, it is safer for me, once acclimatized, to climb without oxygen in order to avoid the sudden loss of acclimatization that occurs when supplementary oxygen supplies are depleted.\n> \n> My particular physiology, my years of high-altitude climbing, my discipline, the commitment I make to proper acclimatization, and the knowledge I have of my own capacities have always made me comfortable with this choice. And, Scott Fischer was comfortable with that choice as well. He authorized me to climb without supplementary oxygen.\n> \n> To this I would add: As a precautionary measure, in the event that some extraordinary demand was placed upon me on summit day, I was carrying one (1) bottle of supplementary oxygen, a mask, and a regulator.[\\[42\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-42)\n\nBeidleman said that Boukreev had brought oxygen to the Balcony but declined to use it, handing the bottle to Beidleman and stating he had “no need.” This contradicted the original plan and Fischer’s directive that guides use oxygen while supporting clients according to Beidleman. While acknowledging Boukreev’s strength and speed as a climber, Beidleman argued that going without oxygen impaired Boukreev’s ability to assist others down from the summit. He suggested that Boukreev didn’t fully recognize his responsibility as a commercial guide, noting the consequences of prioritizing personal style over team safety.[\\[43\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-43)\n\n### Radios\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=18 \"Edit section: Radios\")\\]\n\nThere were several issues and problems with radios and their use on summit day. Scott Fischer's *Sardar* did not have a company-issued radio, but did have a \"small yellow\" radio that was owned by Sandy Pittman. Rob Hall's team also had an issue with a radio during a discussion over oxygen bottles that caused confusion.[\\[36\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36)\n\n## The 1996 season after this disaster\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=19 \"Edit section: The 1996 season after this disaster\")\\]\n\n1996 is statistically curious as the fatality rates on Everest in the 1996 season were statistically lower than normal. The record number of 12 fatalities in the 1996 spring climbing season was 3% of the 398 climbers who had ascended above Base Camp—slightly below the historical average of 3.3% at that time. Additionally, a total of 84 climbers reached the summit that season, giving a fatality-to-summit ratio of 1 to 7—significantly less than the historical average of 1 to 4 prior to 1996. Accounting for the increased volume of climbers in 1996 compared with previous years, the fatality rates on Everest dropped considerably, meaning that 1996 was statistically a *safer*\\-than-average year.[\\[44\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._274-44)\n\n## List of fatalities\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=20 \"Edit section: List of fatalities\")\\]\n\n| Name[\\[45\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-list-45) | Nationality | Expedition | Location of death | Cause of death |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| [Andrew \"Harold\" Harris](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Andy_Harris_\\(mountain_guide\\) \"Andy Harris (mountain guide)\") (Guide) | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/3e\/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg\/40px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png) [New Zealand](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Zealand \"New Zealand\") | Adventure Consultants | near [South Summit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Summit_\\(Everest\\) \"South Summit (Everest)\"), 8,749 m | Unknown; presumed as falling during descent near summit |\n| [Doug Hansen](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Doug_Hansen_\\(Everest\\) \"Doug Hansen (Everest)\") (Client) | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/a\/a4\/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg\/40px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) [United States](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States \"United States\") |   |   |   |\n| [Rob Hall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\") (Guide\/Expedition leader) | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/3e\/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg\/40px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png) [New Zealand](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Zealand \"New Zealand\") | Exposure |   |   |\n| [Yasuko Namba](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yasuko_Namba \"Yasuko Namba\") (Client) | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/1\/1b\/Flag_of_Japan_%281870%E2%80%931999%29.svg\/40px-Flag_of_Japan_%281870%E2%80%931999%29.svg.png) [Japan](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Japan \"Japan\") | [South Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Col \"South Col\"), c. 7,900 m |   |   |\n| [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\") (Guide\/Expedition leader) | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/a\/a4\/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg\/40px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) [United States](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States \"United States\") | Mountain Madness | Southeast Ridge, 8,300 m |   |\n| [Subedar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Subedar \"Subedar\") [Tsewang Smanla](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tsewang_Smanla \"Tsewang Smanla\") | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/4\/41\/Flag_of_India.svg\/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/India \"India\") | Indo-Tibetan Border Police | Northeast Ridge, 8,600 m |   |\n| [Lance Naik](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lance_Naik \"Lance Naik\") [Dorje Morup](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dorje_Morup \"Dorje Morup\") | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/4\/41\/Flag_of_India.svg\/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/India \"India\") |   |   |   |\n| [Head Constable](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Head_Constable \"Head Constable\") [Tsewang Paljor](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tsewang_Paljor \"Tsewang Paljor\") | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/4\/41\/Flag_of_India.svg\/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/India \"India\") |   |   |   |\n\n### Other fatalities in 1996\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=21 \"Edit section: Other fatalities in 1996\")\\]\n\nThe following is a list of the other fatalities during the spring 1996 climbing season on Everest. These deaths were not directly related to the storm or the events of 10–11 May 1996 Everest disaster.\n\n- 9 May – Chen Yu-Nan (陳玉男) – from the Taiwanese National Expedition, died after a fall down the [Lhotse](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lhotse \"Lhotse\") Face[\\[46\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._155-46)\n- 19 May – Reinhard Wlasich – Austrian climber, died from a combination of [HAPE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\") and [HACE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_cerebral_edema \"High-altitude cerebral edema\") at 8,300 m (27,200 ft) on the Northeast Ridge[\\[47\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._276-47)\n- 25 May – Bruce Herrod – photojournalist with a South African team, was on the South Col during the 10–11 May storm and reached the summit two weeks later, but died descending the Southeast Ridge[\\[48\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._278-48)\n- 6 June – Ngawang Topche Sherpa – Nepali Sherpa for Mountain Madness, developed a severe case of [HAPE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\") on 22 April while working above Base Camp; died in June in a [Kathmandu](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kathmandu \"Kathmandu\") hospital[\\[49\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._108-114-49)\n\nThe following fatalities occurred on Everest during the fall 1996 climbing season.[\\[50\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-50)[\\[51\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-51)\n\n- 25 September – Yves Bouchon – French climber, died in an avalanche at 7,800 m (25,600 ft) on the southeast route below Camp IV, along with the two Sherpas listed below\n- 25 September – [Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lopsang_Jangbu_Sherpa \"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa\") – Nepalese Sherpa, the same climbing *[Sardar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sardar_\\(Sherpa\\) \"Sardar (Sherpa)\")* on the Mountain Madness expedition involved in the May 1996 Everest disaster; died in avalanche\n- 25 September – Dawa Sherpa – Nepalese Sherpa; died in avalanche\n\nIn the epilogue to *High Exposure*, [David Breashears](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_Breashears \"David Breashears\") describes encountering some of the bodies upon climbing Everest again in May 1997.[\\[52\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-52)\n\n## In the media\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=22 \"Edit section: In the media\")\\]\n\n- *[Into Thin Air: Death on Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Into_Thin_Air:_Death_on_Everest \"Into Thin Air: Death on Everest\")* (released 9 November 1997) is a made-for-TV movie based on [Jon Krakauer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jon_Krakauer \"Jon Krakauer\")'s book *[Into Thin Air](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Into_Thin_Air \"Into Thin Air\"): A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster* (1997). The film, directed by [Robert Markowitz](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Robert_Markowitz \"Robert Markowitz\") and written by [Robert J. Avrech](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Robert_J._Avrech \"Robert J. Avrech\"), tells the story of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.[\\[53\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-53)\n- *[The Climb](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Climb_\\(book\\) \"The Climb (book)\")* is [Anatoli Boukreev](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anatoli_Boukreev \"Anatoli Boukreev\")'s account of the events that unfolded on the mountain. It is also in part a response to Krakauer's book.\n- The IMAX film [*Everest*](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(1998_film\\) \"Everest (1998 film)\") (1998) documents the disaster, and the involvement of that film's crew and climbing team in the rescue effort.[\\[54\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Baumgarten-54)\n- *The Dark Side of Everest* (2003), [National Geographic Channel](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/National_Geographic_\\(American_TV_channel\\) \"National Geographic (American TV channel)\"), discusses climbers' motivations, the ethics and challenges involved when climbers encounter trouble at high altitudes, and specific disasters, e.g. the 10–11 May 1996 Mount Everest disaster and Bruce Herrod's death on 25 May 1996.\n- *Remnants of Everest: The 1996 Tragedy* (2007; released in the US as *Storm over Everest* and broadcast on the US PBS-TV series *[Frontline](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Frontline_\\(American_TV_program\\) \"Frontline (American TV program)\")*), is a documentary by director [David Breashears](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_Breashears \"David Breashears\")[\\[55\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-55)), with music composed by [Jocelyn Pook](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jocelyn_Pook \"Jocelyn Pook\").\n- *[Seconds from Disaster](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Seconds_from_Disaster \"Seconds from Disaster\") - [Into the Death Zone](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Seconds_From_Disaster_episodes#Season_6_\\(2012\\) \"List of Seconds From Disaster episodes\")*, 2012 TV documentary.[\\[56\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-56)\n- The events inspired the feature film [*Everest*](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(2015_film\\) \"Everest (2015 film)\") (2015).\n- [Joby Talbot](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Joby_Talbot \"Joby Talbot\")'s opera *[Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(opera\\) \"Everest (opera)\")*, based on the events of the disaster, was produced by the [Dallas Opera](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dallas_Opera \"Dallas Opera\") and premiered in 2015.[\\[57\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-57)\n- [Beck Weathers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beck_Weathers \"Beck Weathers\")' book *Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest* (2000).\n- [Lene Gammelgaard](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lene_Gammelgaard \"Lene Gammelgaard\")'s book *Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy* (first published June 9, 1999).\n- Lou Kasischke's book *After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story* (2014).\n\n## See also\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=23 \"Edit section: See also\")\\]\n\n[![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/4\/4a\/Commons-logo.svg\/40px-Commons-logo.svg.png)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Commons-logo.svg)\n\nWikimedia Commons has media related to [Mount Everest](https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/%E0%BD%87%E0%BD%BC%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%98%E0%BD%BC%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%82%E0%BE%B3%E0%BD%84%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%98 \"commons:ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ\").\n\n- [List of 20th-century summiteers of Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_20th-century_summiteers_of_Mount_Everest \"List of 20th-century summiteers of Mount Everest\")\n- [List of deaths on eight-thousanders](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_deaths_on_eight-thousanders \"List of deaths on eight-thousanders\")\n- [List of media related to Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_media_related_to_Mount_Everest \"List of media related to Mount Everest\")\n- [List of people who died climbing Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_people_who_died_climbing_Mount_Everest \"List of people who died climbing Mount Everest\")\n- [List of mountaineering disasters by death toll](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_mountaineering_disasters_by_death_toll \"List of mountaineering disasters by death toll\")\n\n## References\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=24 \"Edit section: References\")\\]\n\n1. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-1)**\n   [\"Mount Everest Nepal Earthquake\"](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/04\/28\/world\/asia\/mount-everest-nepal-earthquake.html). *The New York Times*. 28 April 2015.\n2. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-2)**\n   Dahlburg, John-Thor (1996). [\"Climbing Veterans Call Everest Deaths Inevitable\"](https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/archives\/la-xpm-1996-05-15-mn-4341-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*.\n3. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-2) [***d***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-3) [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 296\n4. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-4)**\n   [Boukreev, Anatoli](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anatoli_Boukreev \"Anatoli Boukreev\"); G. Weston Dewalt (1997). [*The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest*](https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/climbtragicambit00bouk). New York: St. Martins. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n   \n   [978-0-312-96533-4](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-0-312-96533-4 \"Special:BookSources\/978-0-312-96533-4\")\n   \n   .\n5. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-5)**\n   [Weathers, Beck](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beck_Weathers \"Beck Weathers\"); Stephen G. Michaud (2000). *Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest*. New York: Villard. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n   \n   [978-0-375-50404-4](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-0-375-50404-4 \"Special:BookSources\/978-0-375-50404-4\")\n   \n   .\n6. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-6)**\n   Gammelgard, Lene (2000). *Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy*. New York: Perennial. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n   \n   [978-0-330-39227-3](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-0-330-39227-3 \"Special:BookSources\/978-0-330-39227-3\")\n   \n   .\n7. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi_7-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi_7-1) [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. xv–xvi\n8. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-8)**\n   [\"Apa Sherpa Full Biography - Apa Sherpa Foundation\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20161017032156\/http:\/\/apasherpafoundation.org\/apa-sherpa-full-biography\/). *apasherpafoundation.org*. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/apasherpafoundation.org\/apa-sherpa-full-biography\/) on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.\n9. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-9)** Boukreev; Dewalt p. 12\n10. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-10)**\n    [\"David A. Sowles Memorial Award – American Alpine Club\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20150927000946\/http:\/\/www.americanalpineclub.org\/p\/sowles-award). *americanalpineclub.org*. Archived from [the original](https:\/\/www.americanalpineclub.org\/p\/sowles-award) on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.\n11. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114_11-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114_11-1) [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 108–114.\n12. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._140_12-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 140\n13. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-13)**\n    Conant, Jennet (22 September 2015). [\"The Real Story of Sandy Hill Pittman, Everest's Socialite Climber\"](https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/culture\/2015\/09\/sandy-hill-pittman-mount-everest). *Vanity Fair*. Condé Nast. Retrieved 25 July 2021.\n14. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-14)**\n    [\"U.S. climber, thought dead, rescued from Mount Everest\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20151119060557\/http:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/US\/9605\/13\/everest\/). *CNN*. 13 May 1996. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/US\/9605\/13\/everest\/) on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.\n15. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-2)\n    [\"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa's response to Krakauer's article\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20100919000319\/http:\/\/outsideonline.com\/outside\/destinations\/199609\/199609_everest_clarification_4.html). Outsideonline.com. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/outsideonline.com\/outside\/destinations\/199609\/199609_everest_clarification_4.html) on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 5 December 2010.\n16. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-2)\n    [\"Anatoli Boukreev's response to Krakauer's article\"](http:\/\/outsideonline.com\/outside\/destinations\/199609\/199609_everest_clarification_2.html). Outsideonline.com. Retrieved 5 December 2010.\n    \n    \\[*[dead link](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Link_rot \"Wikipedia:Link rot\")*\\]\n17. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-2) [***d***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-3)\n    [\"What Really Happened In The Thin Air\"](https:\/\/www.mountainzone.com\/climbing\/fischer\/letters.html). MountainZone.com. Retrieved 10 October 2025.\n18. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997241%E2%80%93242_18-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 241–242.\n19. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Storm_Over_Everest_19-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Storm_Over_Everest_19-1)\n    *Storm Over Everest*. \"Statement by Ang Dorje\"\n20. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-20)**\n    [\"Salon Wanderlust \\| Coming down\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/19990423153959\/http:\/\/www2.salonmagazine.com\/wlust\/feature\/1998\/08\/cov_03feature.html). *Salon.com*. 10 May 1996. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/www.salon.com\/wlust\/feature\/1998\/08\/cov_03feature.html) on 23 April 1999. Retrieved 5 December 2010.\n21. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-2) [Coming Down page 3](http:\/\/www.salon.com\/wlust\/feature\/1998\/08\/cov_03feature3.html) [Archived](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20000303032319\/http:\/\/www.salon.com\/wlust\/feature\/1998\/08\/cov_03feature3.html) 3 March 2000 at the [Wayback Machine](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wayback_Machine \"Wayback Machine\") Dwight Garner, *salon.com* 1998 August\n22. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-22)**\n    [\"Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Anatoli Boukreev response\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20010530225855\/http:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/peaks\/fischer\/anatoli.html). *outsideonline.com*. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/peaks\/fischer\/anatoli.html) on 30 May 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2015.\n23. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Salon2_23-0)**\n    [\"Everest controversy continues\"](https:\/\/www.salon.com\/1998\/08\/07\/featurea_4\/). Salon.com. 7 August 1998. Retrieved 10 October 2025.\n24. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-24)**\n    [\"Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Reply from Jon Krakauer\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20010531151540\/http:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/peaks\/fischer\/krakreply1.html). *outsideonline.com*. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/peaks\/fischer\/krakreply1.html) on 31 May 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2015.\n25. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-25)** [GlaxoSmithKline: On top of the world – Acclimatisation](http:\/\/www.gsk.com\/people\/mogens\/acclimatisation.htm) [Archived](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20090525150616\/http:\/\/www.gsk.com\/people\/mogens\/acclimatisation.htm) 25 May 2009 at the [Wayback Machine](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wayback_Machine \"Wayback Machine\")\n26. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Gau_26-0)**\n    [\"Gau's account and pictures\"](http:\/\/classic.mountainzone.com\/climbing\/misc\/gau\/index-ie3.html). Classic.mountainzone.com. Retrieved 5 December 2010.\n27. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._193_27-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 193\n28. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-28)**\n    *Storm Over Everest*. 1998.\n29. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._214_29-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 214\n30. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-30)**\n    [\"Explorers' Last Words and Technology: From Robert Falcon Scott to Rob Hall\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20210805173832\/https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/adventure\/article\/explorers-last-words-and-technology-from-robert-falcon-scott-to-rob-hall). *Adventure*. 29 March 2012. Archived from [the original](https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/adventure\/article\/explorers-last-words-and-technology-from-robert-falcon-scott-to-rob-hall) on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.\n31. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-31)**\n    [\"Bodies to come down in Everest clean-up\"](https:\/\/www.theaustralian.com.au\/news\/world\/widow-of-climber-rob-hall-wants-his-body-left-on-mountain-during-sherpas-everest-clean-up\/news-story\/ba6352eda9e1dbaaf4a22bd9b9dcdb16). *www.theaustralian.com.au*. 22 April 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2021.\n32. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997295_32-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 295.\n33. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._322%E2%80%934_33-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 322–324\n34. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._342%E2%80%934,_368_34-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 342–344, 368\n35. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Ratcliffe_2011_35-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Ratcliffe_2011_35-1)\n    Ratcliffe, Graham (2011). *A Day to Die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : the untold true story*. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 328. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n    \n    [9781845966386](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/9781845966386 \"Special:BookSources\/9781845966386\")\n    \n    . [OCLC](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/OCLC_\\(identifier\\) \"OCLC (identifier)\") [671466084](https:\/\/search.worldcat.org\/oclc\/671466084).\n36. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-2) [***d***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-3) [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997)\n37. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._355%E2%80%938_37-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 355–8\n38. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krackauer_p._238_38-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 238\n39. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._354_39-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 354\n40. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-NewScientist_40-0)**\n    [\"The Day the Sky Fell on Everest\"](https:\/\/www.newscientist.com\/article\/mg18224492.200-the-day-the-sky-fell-on-everest.html). *New Scientist* (2449): 15. 29 May 2004. Retrieved 11 December 2006.\n41. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-BioEd_Online_41-0)**\n    Peplow, Mark (25 May 2004). [\"High Winds Suck Oxygen from Everest: Predicting Pressure Lows Could Protect Climbers\"](http:\/\/www.bioedonline.org\/news\/news.cfm?art=986). BioEd Online. Retrieved 11 December 2006. \"Moore explains that these jet streaks can drag a huge draught of air up the side of the mountain, lowering the air pressure. He calculates that this typically reduces the partial pressure of oxygen in the air by about 6%, which translates to a 14% reduction in oxygen uptake for the climbers. Air at that altitude already contains only one third as much oxygen as sea-level air.\"\n42. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-42)**\n    Boukreev, Anatoli; DeWalt, G. Weston (2002). *The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest*. Pan Books. pp. 217, 218. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n    \n    [978-0-330-48896-9](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-0-330-48896-9 \"Special:BookSources\/978-0-330-48896-9\")\n    \n    .\n43. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-43)**\n    [Beidleman, Neal](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neal_Beidleman \"Neal Beidleman\") (23 September 2020). [\"Mill House Podcast – Episode 19\"](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jL9UHk1zTeY&t=5254s) (video). *youtube.com*.\n44. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._274_44-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 274\n45. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-list_45-0)** [List of Everest Fatalities](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20110613055601\/http:\/\/www.adventurestats.com\/tables\/everestfatilities.shtml) AdventureStats.com\n46. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._155_46-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 155\n47. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._276_47-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 276\n48. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._278_48-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 278\n49. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._108-114_49-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 108–114\n50. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-50)**\n    [\"Video\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20110628224026\/http:\/\/sportsillustrated.cnn.com\/vault\/article\/magazine\/MAG1008873\/2\/index.htm). *CNN*. 14 October 1996. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/sportsillustrated.cnn.com\/vault\/article\/magazine\/MAG1008873\/2\/index.htm) on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.\n51. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-51)**\n    [\"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa killed in Everest avalanche\"](http:\/\/classic.mountainzone.com\/climbing\/fischer\/lopsang.html). *Mountain Zone*.\n52. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-52)**\n    Breashears, David. [\"Epilogue\"](https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/everest\/exposure\/epilogue.html). *High Exposure*.\n    \n    \"Except for Scott's body, still wrapped with a pack and rope the way Anatoli had left him, the summit slopes were mercifully free of the tragedy. When we reached the South Summit, [Rob](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\") had disappeared from sight, shrouded by a tall drift formed around his body. Andy Harris and Doug Hansen may lie near him, though we'll probably never know. \\[...\\] Near the base of the Hillary Step we found the last vestige of the 1996 disasters, the body of Bruce Herrod, the photojournalist who'd been with the South African team.\"\n53. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-53)**\n    Jonathan Crow (2008). [*Into Thin Air: Death on Everest*](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20081013084931\/http:\/\/movies.nytimes.com\/movie\/178032\/Into-Thin-Air-Death-on-Everest\/overview). Movies & TV Dept. Archived from [the original](https:\/\/movies.nytimes.com\/movie\/178032\/Into-Thin-Air-Death-on-Everest\/overview) on 13 October 2008.\n    \n    `{{cite book}}`: `|work=` ignored ([help](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:CS1_errors#periodical_ignored \"Help:CS1 errors\"))\n54. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Baumgarten_54-0)**\n    Baumgarten, Marjorie (14 October 2014). [\"Everest\"](http:\/\/www.austinchronicle.com\/calendar\/film\/2002-10-14\/141987\/). *[The Austin Chronicle](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Austin_Chronicle \"The Austin Chronicle\")*. Retrieved 19 November 2014.\n55. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-55)**\n    [*Frontline: Storm Over Everest*](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20151210134829\/https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=hJ5olbdXd10). PBS. 2007. Archived from [the original](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=hJ5olbdXd10) on 10 December 2015.\n56. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-56)**\n    [\"Into the Death Zone\"](https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt2506656\/). *[IMDb](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/IMDb \"IMDb\")*.\n57. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-57)**\n    [\"REVIEW: Dallas Opera's stunning world premiere of 'Everest'\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170202151406\/http:\/\/www.dallasvoice.com\/review-dallas-operas-world-premiere-everest-10189197.html). Archived from [the original](http:\/\/www.dallasvoice.com\/review-dallas-operas-world-premiere-everest-10189197.html) on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.\n\n## Bibliography\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=25 \"Edit section: Bibliography\")\\]\n\n- [Krakauer, Jon](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jon_Krakauer \"Jon Krakauer\") (1997). [*Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster*](https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/intothinairperso00krak). [Doubleday](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Doubleday_\\(publisher\\) \"Doubleday (publisher)\"). [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n  \n  [978-0-385-49208-9](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-0-385-49208-9 \"Special:BookSources\/978-0-385-49208-9\")\n  \n  .\n- Ratcliffe, Graham (2013). *A day to die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : one survivor's personal journey to uncover the truth*. Edinburgh. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n  \n  [978-1-78057-641-1](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-1-78057-641-1 \"Special:BookSources\/978-1-78057-641-1\")\n  \n  .\n  `{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher \"Category:CS1 maint: location missing publisher\"))\n\n## External links\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=26 \"Edit section: External links\")\\]\n\n- [The Website for the 2008 PBS Frontline television show titled Storm Over Everest.](https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/pages\/frontline\/everest\/)\n- [PBS Frontline: 'Storm Over Everest' – washingtonpost.com](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-dyn\/content\/discussion\/2008\/05\/08\/DI2008050802853.html)\n- [Climber Recounts Tragedy in 'Storm Over Everest'](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/templates\/story\/story.php?storyId=90374592)\n- [Ken Kamler: Medical miracle on Everest – TEDMED](https:\/\/www.ted.com\/talks\/ken_kamler_medical_miracle_on_everest)\n- [PBS Storm over Everest : Roundtable : The Ethics of Climbing](https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/pages\/frontline\/everest\/etc\/roundtable.html) (with Peter Hackett, M.D.Lincoln Hall, James H. Moss, J.D., and Jim Williams)\n\n| [v](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Template:Mount_Everest96d \"Template:Mount Everest96d\") [t](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Template_talk:Mount_Everest96d&action=edit&redlink=1 \"Template talk:Mount Everest96d (page does not exist)\") [e](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:EditPage\/Template:Mount_Everest96d \"Special:EditPage\/Template:Mount Everest96d\")[Mount Everest disaster of 1996]() |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Survivors | [Ang Dorje Sherpa](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ang_Dorje_Sherpa \"Ang Dorje Sherpa\") [Jon Krakauer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jon_Krakauer \"Jon Krakauer\") [Beck Weathers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beck_Weathers \"Beck Weathers\") [Neal Beidleman](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neal_Beidleman \"Neal Beidleman\") [Lene Gammelgaard](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lene_Gammelgaard \"Lene Gammelgaard\") [Anatoli Boukreev](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anatoli_Boukreev \"Anatoli Boukreev\") [Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lopsang_Jangbu_Sherpa \"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa\") [Michael Groom (climber)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Michael_Groom_\\(climber\\) \"Michael Groom (climber)\") [Sandy Hill (mountaineer)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sandy_Hill_\\(mountaineer\\) \"Sandy Hill (mountaineer)\") [Pete Schoening](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pete_Schoening \"Pete Schoening\") [Makalu Gau](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gau_Ming-Ho \"Gau Ming-Ho\") | [![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/5\/5c\/Mount_Everest%2C_Nepal%2C_Himalayas.jpg\/120px-Mount_Everest%2C_Nepal%2C_Himalayas.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Mount_Everest,_Nepal,_Himalayas.jpg) [![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/5\/5f\/Climbing_through_the_Yellow_Band%2C_Mt._Everest%2C_-May_2007_a.jpg\/120px-Climbing_through_the_Yellow_Band%2C_Mt._Everest%2C_-May_2007_a.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Climbing_through_the_Yellow_Band,_Mt._Everest,_-May_2007_a.jpg) |\n| Dead | [Andy Harris (mountain guide)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Andy_Harris_\\(mountain_guide\\) \"Andy Harris (mountain guide)\") [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\") [Rob Hall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\") Tsewang Samanla and Dorje Morup ([Green Boots](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Green_Boots \"Green Boots\")) [Yasuko Namba](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yasuko_Namba \"Yasuko Namba\") |   |\n| Media | *[Into Thin Air](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Into_Thin_Air \"Into Thin Air\")* *[Into Thin Air: Death on Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Into_Thin_Air:_Death_on_Everest \"Into Thin Air: Death on Everest\")* *[The Climb (book)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Climb_\\(book\\) \"The Climb (book)\")* [*Everest* (1998 film)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(1998_film\\) \"Everest (1998 film)\") [*Everest* (2015 film)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(2015_film\\) \"Everest (2015 film)\") *[After the Wind](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/After_the_Wind \"After the Wind\")* *[Climbing High](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lene_Gammelgaard \"Lene Gammelgaard\")* |   |\n| Expeditions | [Adventure Consultants](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Adventure_Consultants \"Adventure Consultants\") [Mountain Madness](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mountain_Madness \"Mountain Madness\") [1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police_expedition_to_Mount_Everest \"1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest\") |   |\n\n| [v](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Template:Mount_Everest \"Template:Mount Everest\") [t](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Template_talk:Mount_Everest \"Template talk:Mount Everest\") [e](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:EditPage\/Template:Mount_Everest \"Special:EditPage\/Template:Mount Everest\")[Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest \"Mount Everest\") |   |   |\n|---|---|---|\n| Topography and landmarks | [Base Camp](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_base_camps \"Everest base camps\") [Geneva Spur](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Geneva_Spur \"Geneva Spur\") [Hillary Step](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hillary_Step \"Hillary Step\") [Hornbein Couloir](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hornbein_Couloir \"Hornbein Couloir\") [Kangshung Face](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kangshung_Face \"Kangshung Face\") (East Face) [Kangshung Glacier](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kangshung_Glacier \"Kangshung Glacier\") [Khumbu Glacier](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Khumbu_Glacier \"Khumbu Glacier\") [Khumbu Icefall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Khumbu_Icefall \"Khumbu Icefall\") [Lhakpa La](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lhakpa_La \"Lhakpa La\") [Lho La](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lho_La \"Lho La\") [North Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/North_Col \"North Col\") [North Face](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/North_Face_\\(Everest\\) \"North Face (Everest)\") [Norton Couloir](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Norton_Couloir \"Norton Couloir\") [Rongbuk Glacier](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rongbuk_Glacier \"Rongbuk Glacier\") [South Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Col \"South Col\") [South Summit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Summit_\\(Everest\\) \"South Summit (Everest)\") [Three Pinnacles](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Three_Pinnacles \"Three Pinnacles\") [Three Steps](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Three_Steps \"Three Steps\") \"[Green Boots cave](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Green_Boots \"Green Boots\")\" [Western Cwm](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Western_Cwm \"Western Cwm\") | [![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/4\/4b\/Everest_kalapatthar_crop.jpg\/120px-Everest_kalapatthar_crop.jpg)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Everest_kalapatthar_crop.jpg) |\n| [Expeditions](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Mount_Everest_expeditions \"List of Mount Everest expeditions\") | [1921 British reconnaissance](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1921_British_Mount_Everest_reconnaissance_expedition \"1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition\") [1922 British](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1922_British_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1922 British Mount Everest expedition\") [1924 British](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1924_British_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1924 British Mount Everest expedition\") ([Affair of the Dancing Lamas](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Affair_of_the_Dancing_Lamas \"Affair of the Dancing Lamas\")) [1933 British aerial reconnaissance](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Houston%E2%80%93Mount_Everest_flight_expedition \"Houston–Mount Everest flight expedition\") [1933 British](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1933_British_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1933 British Mount Everest expedition\") [1935 British](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1935_British_Mount_Everest_reconnaissance_expedition \"1935 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition\") [1936 British](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1936_British_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1936 British Mount Everest expedition\") [1938 British](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1938_British_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1938 British Mount Everest expedition\") [1950–52 British–Swiss–US reconnaissance](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest_reconnaissance_from_Nepal \"Mount Everest reconnaissance from Nepal\") [1951 British](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1951_British_Mount_Everest_reconnaissance_expedition \"1951 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition\") [1952 Swiss](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1952_Swiss_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1952 Swiss Mount Everest expedition\") [1953 British](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1953_British_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1953 British Mount Everest expedition\") [1960 Chinese](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1960_Chinese_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1960 Chinese Mount Everest expedition\") [1963 American](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1963_American_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1963 American Mount Everest expedition\") [1975 British SW Face](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1975_British_Mount_Everest_Southwest_Face_expedition \"1975 British Mount Everest Southwest Face expedition\") [1976 British–Nepalese SW Face](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1976_British_and_Nepalese_Army_Expedition_to_Everest \"1976 British and Nepalese Army Expedition to Everest\") [1979 Yugoslav West Ridge](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1979_Yugoslav_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1979 Yugoslav Mount Everest expedition\") [1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police_expedition_to_Mount_Everest \"1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest\") [2006 Philippine](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2006_Philippine_Mount_Everest_expedition \"2006 Philippine Mount Everest expedition\") [2007 Altitude Everest expedition](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2007_Altitude_Everest_expedition \"2007 Altitude Everest expedition\") [Earth Day 20 International Peace Climb](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Earth_Day_20_International_Peace_Climb \"Earth Day 20 International Peace Climb\") [Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mallory_and_Irvine_Research_Expedition \"Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition\") |   |\n| Notable [fatalities](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_people_who_died_climbing_Mount_Everest \"List of people who died climbing Mount Everest\") | [Francys Arsentiev (Sleeping Beauty)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Francys_Arsentiev \"Francys Arsentiev\") [Peter Boardman](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peter_Boardman \"Peter Boardman\") [Green Boots](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Green_Boots \"Green Boots\") [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\") [Rob Hall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\") [Sandy Irvine](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sandy_Irvine \"Sandy Irvine\") [George Mallory](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/George_Mallory \"George Mallory\") [Hannelore Schmatz](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hannelore_Schmatz \"Hannelore Schmatz\") [David Sharp](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_Sharp_\\(mountaineer\\) \"David Sharp (mountaineer)\") [Joe Tasker](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Joe_Tasker \"Joe Tasker\") |   |\n| Committees | [Joint Himalayan Committee](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Joint_Himalayan_Committee \"Joint Himalayan Committee\") [Mount Everest Committee](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest_Committee \"Mount Everest Committee\") |   |\n| [In media](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_media_related_to_Mount_Everest \"List of media related to Mount Everest\") | *[Beyond the Edge](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beyond_the_Edge_\\(2013_film\\) \"Beyond the Edge (2013 film)\")* [*The Climb* (book)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Climb_\\(book\\) \"The Climb (book)\") [*The Climb* (2007 film)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Climb_\\(2007_film\\) \"The Climb (2007 film)\") *[The Epic of Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Epic_of_Everest \"The Epic of Everest\")* [*Everest* (1998 film)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(1998_film\\) \"Everest (1998 film)\") [*Everest* (2015 film)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(2015_film\\) \"Everest (2015 film)\") [*Everest* (Indian TV series)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(Indian_TV_series\\) \"Everest (Indian TV series)\") *[Everest '82](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_%2782 \"Everest '82\")* *[Everest: Beyond the Limit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest:_Beyond_the_Limit \"Everest: Beyond the Limit\")* [EverestMax](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/EverestMax \"EverestMax\") [Expedition Everest (roller coaster)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Expedition_Everest \"Expedition Everest\") *[Into Thin Air](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Into_Thin_Air \"Into Thin Air\")* *[The Man Who Skied Down Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Man_Who_Skied_Down_Everest \"The Man Who Skied Down Everest\")* [Mount Everest webcam](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest_webcam \"Mount Everest webcam\") [*Paths of Glory*](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Paths_of_Glory_\\(Archer_novel\\) \"Paths of Glory (Archer novel)\") [*Peak*](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peak_\\(novel\\) \"Peak (novel)\") *[The Conquest of Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Conquest_of_Everest \"The Conquest of Everest\")* *[The Wildest Dream](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Wildest_Dream \"The Wildest Dream\")* *[Wings Over Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wings_Over_Everest \"Wings Over Everest\")* |   |\n| [Years](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Timeline_of_Mount_Everest_expeditions \"Timeline of Mount Everest expeditions\") | [1970 disaster](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1970_Mount_Everest_disaster \"1970 Mount Everest disaster\") [1974 avalanche](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1974_French_Mount_Everest_expedition \"1974 French Mount Everest expedition\") [1988 disaster](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1988_Czechoslovak_-_New_Zealand_Mount_Everest_Southwest_Face_Expedition \"1988 Czechoslovak - New Zealand Mount Everest Southwest Face Expedition\") [1996 disaster]() [2012](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest_in_2012 \"Mount Everest in 2012\") [2013](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest_in_2013 \"Mount Everest in 2013\") [2014 avalanche](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2014_Mount_Everest_ice_avalanche \"2014 Mount Everest ice avalanche\") [2015 avalanches](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2015_Mount_Everest_avalanches \"2015 Mount Everest avalanches\") [2016](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest_in_2016 \"Mount Everest in 2016\") [2017](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest_in_2017 \"Mount Everest in 2017\") [2018](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest_in_2018 \"Mount Everest in 2018\") |   |\n| Mount Everest massif | [Khumbutse](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Khumbutse \"Khumbutse\") [Lhotse](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lhotse \"Lhotse\") [Lingtren](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lingtren \"Lingtren\") [Nuptse](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nuptse \"Nuptse\") [Pumori](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pumori \"Pumori\") |   |\n| [Records](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Mount_Everest_records \"List of Mount Everest records\") | [Times to the summit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Mount_Everest_summiters_by_frequency \"List of Mount Everest summiters by frequency\") [20th-century summiters](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_20th-century_summiters_of_Mount_Everest \"List of 20th-century summiters of Mount Everest\") |   |\n| [Mountain guides](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mountain_guide \"Mountain guide\") | [List of Mount Everest guides](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Mount_Everest_guides \"List of Mount Everest guides\") [Sherpas](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sherpa_people \"Sherpa people\") |   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Over the season, 12 people died trying to reach the summit, making it then the deadliest season on Mount Everest and now the third deadliest to date after the 23 fatalities from [avalanches](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2015_Mount_Everest_avalanches \"2015 Mount Everest avalanches\") caused by the [April 2015 Nepal earthquake](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/April_2015_Nepal_earthquake \"April 2015 Nepal earthquake\")[\\[1\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-1) and the 16 fatalities of the [2014 Mount Everest avalanche](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2014_Mount_Everest_ice_avalanche \"2014 Mount Everest ice avalanche\"). The 1996 disaster received widespread publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.[\\[2\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-2)\n\nNumerous climbers were at a high altitude on Everest during the storm including the [Adventure Consultants](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Adventure_Consultants \"Adventure Consultants\") team, led by [Rob Hall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\"), and the [Mountain Madness](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mountain_Madness \"Mountain Madness\") team, led by [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\"). While climbers died on both the [North Face](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/North_Face_\\(Everest\\) \"North Face (Everest)\") and [South Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Col \"South Col\") approaches, the events on the latter were more widely reported. Four members of the Adventure Consultants expedition died, including Hall, while Fischer was the sole casualty of the Mountain Madness expedition. Three officers of the [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police \"Indo-Tibetan Border Police\") also died.\n\nFollowing the disaster, several survivors wrote memoirs. Journalist [Jon Krakauer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jon_Krakauer \"Jon Krakauer\"), on assignment from *[Outside](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Outside_\\(magazine\\) \"Outside (magazine)\")* magazine and on the Adventure Consultants team, published *[Into Thin Air](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Into_Thin_Air \"Into Thin Air\")* (1997),[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) which became a bestseller. [Anatoli Boukreev](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anatoli_Boukreev \"Anatoli Boukreev\"), a guide in the Mountain Madness team, felt impugned by the book and co-authored a rebuttal called *[The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Climb_\\(book\\) \"The Climb (book)\")* (1997).[\\[4\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-4) [Beck Weathers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beck_Weathers \"Beck Weathers\"), of Hall's expedition, and [Lene Gammelgaard](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lene_Gammelgaard \"Lene Gammelgaard\"), of Fischer's expedition, wrote about their experiences in their respective books, *Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest* (2000)[\\[5\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-5) and *Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy* (2000).[\\[6\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-6) In 2014, Lou Kasischke, also of Hall's expedition, published his own account in *[After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/After_the_Wind \"After the Wind\")*.\n\nIn addition to the members of the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness teams, Mike Trueman, who coordinated the rescue from Base Camp, contributed *The Storms: Adventure and Tragedy on Everest* (2015). Graham Ratcliffe, who climbed to the South Col of Everest on 10 May, noted in *A Day to Die For* (2011) that weather reports forecasting a major storm developing after 8 May and peaking in intensity on 11 May were delivered to expedition leaders. Hall and Fischer received these before their planned summit attempts on 10 May. Some of their teams summited Everest during an apparent break in this developing storm only to descend into the full force of it late on 10 May.\n\nThe following is a list of climbers en route to the summit on 10 May 1996 via the South Col and Southeast Ridge, organized by expedition and role. All ages are as of 1996.\n\n### Adventure Consultants\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=2 \"Edit section: Adventure Consultants\")\\]\n\nThe [Adventure Consultants](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Adventure_Consultants \"Adventure Consultants\")' 1996 Everest expedition, led by [Rob Hall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\"), consisted of 19 people, including eight clients.\n\n- [Rob Hall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\") (35) – expedition leader; died near the [South Summit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Summit \"South Summit\")\n- [Michael Groom](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Michael_Groom_\\(climber\\) \"Michael Groom (climber)\") (37)\n- [Andy Harris](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Andy_Harris_\\(mountain_guide\\) \"Andy Harris (mountain guide)\") (31) – disappeared near the South Summit while assisting Hall\n\n- Frank Fischbeck (53) – had attempted Everest three times and reached the South Summit in 1994\n- Doug Hansen (46) – had previously attempted Everest with Hall's team in 1995; disappeared near the South Summit while descending with Hall\n- Stuart Hutchison (34) – youngest client on Hall's team; previous 8,000 m experiences included [K2](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/K2 \"K2\") winter expedition in 1988, [Broad Peak](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Broad_Peak \"Broad Peak\") west ridge in 1992, and Everest north side in 1994\n- Lou Kasischke (53) – had climbed six of the [Seven Summits](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Seven_Summits \"Seven Summits\")\n- [Jon Krakauer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jon_Krakauer \"Jon Krakauer\") (42) – journalist on assignment from *[Outside](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Outside_\\(magazine\\) \"Outside (magazine)\")* magazine; an accomplished technical climber, but had no experience in climbing peaks over 8,000 m\n- [Yasuko Namba](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yasuko_Namba \"Yasuko Namba\") (47) – had climbed six of the Seven Summits; became the oldest woman to summit Everest at the time; died on the [South Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Col \"South Col\")\n- John Taske (56) – oldest climber on the Adventure Consultants team; no 8,000 m experience\n- [Beck Weathers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beck_Weathers \"Beck Weathers\") (49) – had been climbing for 10 years and was also making a bid for the Seven Summits, but had no 8,000 m experience\n\n- *[Sardar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sardar_\\(Sherpa\\) \"Sardar (Sherpa)\")* [Ang Dorje](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ang_Dorje_Sherpa \"Ang Dorje Sherpa\") (26)\n- Arita\n- Chuldum\n- Kami\n- Lhakpa Chhiri\n- Ngawang Norbu\n- Tenzing\n\nThe Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Rob Hall's Adventure Consultants.[\\[7\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi-7) Many other Sherpas working at lower elevations performed duties vital to the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness expeditions. Most climbing Sherpas' duties require them to ascend at least to Camp III or IV, but not all of them summit. The expedition leaders intend for only a select few of their climbing Sherpas to summit. Legendary *[Sardar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sardar_\\(Sherpa\\) \"Sardar (Sherpa)\")* [Apa Sherpa](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Apa_Sherpa \"Apa Sherpa\") was scheduled to accompany the Adventure Consultants group but withdrew due to family commitments.[\\[8\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-8)\n\nWith the exception of Namba, no client on Hall's team had reached the summit of an [8,000-meter peak](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eight-thousander \"Eight-thousander\"), and only Fischbeck, Hansen, and Hutchison had previous high-altitude Himalayan experience. Hall had also brokered a deal with *Outside* magazine for advertising space in exchange for a story about the growing popularity of commercial expeditions to Everest. Krakauer was originally slated to climb with Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness team, but Hall landed him, at least in part by agreeing to reduce *Outside*'s fee for Krakauer's spot on the expedition to less than cost.[\\[9\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-9)\n\nThe [Mountain Madness](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mountain_Madness \"Mountain Madness\") 1996 Everest expedition, led by [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\"), consisted of 19 people, including 8 clients.\n\n- [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\") (40) – expedition leader; died on the [Southeast ridge balcony](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Everest#Southeast_ridge \"Mount Everest\") 350 m (1,150 ft) below the [South Summit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Summit \"South Summit\")\n- [Neal Beidleman](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neal_Beidleman \"Neal Beidleman\") (36) – professional mountaineer\n- [Anatoli Boukreev](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anatoli_Boukreev \"Anatoli Boukreev\") (38) – professional mountaineer, in 1997 was awarded the [David A. Sowles Memorial Award](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_A._Sowles_Memorial_Award \"David A. Sowles Memorial Award\") by the [American Alpine Club](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/American_Alpine_Club \"American Alpine Club\")[\\[10\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-10)\n\n- Martin Adams (47) – had climbed [Aconcagua](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aconcagua \"Aconcagua\"), [Denali](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Denali \"Denali\"), and [Kilimanjaro](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Kilimanjaro \"Mount Kilimanjaro\")\n- [Charlotte Fox](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Charlotte_Fox_\\(mountaineer\\) \"Charlotte Fox (mountaineer)\") (38) – had climbed [all 53 of the 14,000 ft (4,267 m) peaks](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Colorado_fourteeners \"List of Colorado fourteeners\") in [Colorado](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Colorado \"Colorado\") and two [8,000 m peaks](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eight-thousander \"Eight-thousander\"), [Gasherbrum II](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gasherbrum_II \"Gasherbrum II\") and [Cho Oyu](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cho_Oyu \"Cho Oyu\")\n- [Lene Gammelgaard](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lene_Gammelgaard \"Lene Gammelgaard\") (35)\n- Dale Kruse (45) – long-term personal friend of Fischer's and the first to sign up for the 1996 expedition\n- Tim Madsen (33) – had climbed extensively in the Colorado and Canadian Rockies, but had no 8,000 m experience\n- [Sandy Hill Pittman](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sandy_Hill_\\(mountaineer\\) \"Sandy Hill (mountaineer)\") (41) – had climbed six of the [Seven Summits](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Seven_Summits \"Seven Summits\")\n- [Pete Schoening](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pete_Schoening \"Pete Schoening\") (68) – one of the first to climb [Gasherbrum I](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gasherbrum_I \"Gasherbrum I\") and [Mount Vinson](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Vinson \"Mount Vinson\"); known for singlehandedly [saving the lives of six team members](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1953_American_Karakoram_expedition#Attempted_rescue_and_fall \"1953 American Karakoram expedition\") during a mass fall in the [American expedition](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1953_American_Karakoram_expedition \"1953 American Karakoram expedition\") on [K2](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/K2 \"K2\") in 1953\n- Klev Schoening (38) – Pete's nephew and a former US national downhill ski racer; no 8,000 m experience\n\n- *[Sardar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sardar_\\(Sherpa\\) \"Sardar (Sherpa)\")* [Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lopsang_Jangbu_Sherpa \"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa\") (23)\n- \"Big\" Pemba\n- [Nawang Dorje](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nawang_Dorje \"Nawang Dorje\")\n- Ngawang Sya Kya\n- Ngawang Tendi\n- Ngawang Topche (died a few months later from [HAPE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\") he contracted during hauling duties to Camp II)\n- Tashi Tshering\n- Tendi\n\nThe Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness expedition.[\\[7\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi-7) Ngawang Topche was hospitalized in April; he had developed [high-altitude pulmonary edema](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\") (HAPE) while ferrying supplies above Base Camp. He was not on the mountain during the summit attempt of 10 May. Topche died from his illness in June 1996.[\\[11\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114-11)\n\nPete Schoening decided at Base Camp (5,380 m or 17,650 ft) not to make the final push to the summit. The team began the assault on the summit on 6 May, bypassing Camp I (5,944 m or 19,501 ft) and stopping at Camp II (6,500 m or 21,300 ft) for two nights. However, Kruse suffered from [altitude sickness](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Altitude_sickness \"Altitude sickness\") and possible [high-altitude cerebral edema](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_cerebral_edema \"High-altitude cerebral edema\") (HACE), and stopped at Camp I. Fischer descended from Camp II and escorted Kruse back to Base Camp for treatment.[\\[12\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._140-12)\n\nOn 9 June 1996, three days after Sherpa Ngawang Topche died in hospital from [high-altitude pulmonary edema](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\"),[\\[11\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114-11) a private memorial service was held for Scott Fischer attended by the climbers and Sherpas from Mountain Madness at Kiana Lodge, near Seattle, Washington. The Sherpa chanted a Buddhist prayer, Beidleman gifted his late friend's engraved expedition knife to Fischer's two children, and Jeannie Price, Fischer's wife, released a cloud of butterflies.[\\[13\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-13)\n\n### Taiwanese expedition\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=10 \"Edit section: Taiwanese expedition\")\\]\n\n\"Makalu\" [Gau Ming-ho](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gau_Ming-ho \"Gau Ming-ho\") led a five-member team to Everest on 10 May 1996.[\\[14\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-14)\n\nThe previous day (9 May), Taiwanese team member Chen Yu-Nan had died following a fall on the [Lhotse](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lhotse \"Lhotse\") Face.\n\n### Indo-Tibetan Border Police\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=11 \"Edit section: Indo-Tibetan Border Police\")\\]\n\nHalf of the climbing team from the [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police \"Indo-Tibetan Border Police\") [North Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/North_Col \"North Col\") expedition from India (Subedar [Tsewang Samanla](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tsewang_Samanla \"Tsewang Samanla\"), Lance Naik [Dorje Morup](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dorje_Morup \"Dorje Morup\"), and Head Constable [Tsewang Paljor](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tsewang_Paljor \"Tsewang Paljor\")) died on the Northeast Ridge.\n\n### Delays reaching the summit\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=13 \"Edit section: Delays reaching the summit\")\\]\n\n[![Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/d\/d1\/Lage_des_Mount_Everest.PNG)](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lage_des_Mount_Everest.PNG \"Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step\")\n\nMap of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step\n\nShortly after midnight on 10 May 1996, the Adventure Consultants expedition began a summit attempt from Camp IV, atop the [South Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Col \"South Col\") (7,900 m or 25,900 ft). They were joined by six client climbers, three guides, and Sherpas from [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\")'s Mountain Madness company, as well as an expedition sponsored by the government of [Taiwan](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Taiwan \"Taiwan\").\\[*[citation needed](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Citation_needed \"Wikipedia:Citation needed\")*\\]\n\nThe expeditions quickly encountered delays. The climbing Sherpas and guides had not set the fixed ropes by the time the team reached the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft), and this cost the climbers almost an hour. The cause of this delay is unclear, in part due to the death of the expedition leaders.[\\[15\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15)\n\nUpon reaching the [Hillary Step](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hillary_Step \"Hillary Step\") (8,760 m or 28,740 ft), the climbers again discovered that no [fixed line](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fixed_rope \"Fixed rope\") had been placed, and they were forced to wait an hour while the guides installed the ropes. Because some 33 climbers were attempting the summit on the same day, and Hall and Fischer had asked their climbers to stay within 150 m (500 ft) of each other, there was a bottleneck at the single fixed line at the Hillary Step. Hutchison, Kasischke, and Taske returned towards Camp IV as they feared they would run out of supplementary oxygen due to the delays.[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3)\n\nClimbing without supplemental oxygen, guide Anatoli Boukreev from the Mountain Madness team was the first to reach the summit (8,848 m or 29,029 ft), at 13:07.[\\[16\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\\[17\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17) Many of the climbers had not yet reached the summit by 14:00, the last safe time to turn around to reach Camp IV before nightfall.\n\nBoukreev began his descent to Camp IV at 14:30, having spent nearly 1.5 hours at or near the summit helping others complete the climb. By that time, Hall, Krakauer, Harris, Beidleman, Namba, and Mountain Madness clients Martin Adams and Klev Schoening had reached the summit,[\\[16\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\\[17\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17) and the remaining four Mountain Madness clients had arrived. After this time, Krakauer noted that the weather did not look so benign.[\\[18\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997241%E2%80%93242-18) At 15:00, snow started to fall, and the light was diminishing.\n\nHall's [Sirdar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sardar_\\(Sherpa\\) \"Sardar (Sherpa)\"), Ang Dorje Sherpa, and other climbing Sherpas waited at the summit for the clients. Near 15:00, they began their descent. On the way down, Ang Dorje encountered client Doug Hansen above the Hillary Step and ordered him to descend. Hansen did not respond verbally, but shook his head and pointed upward, toward the summit.[\\[19\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Storm_Over_Everest-19) When Hall arrived at the scene, the Sherpas offered to take Hansen to the summit, but Hall sent the Sherpas down to assist the other clients, and instructed them to stash oxygen canisters on the route. Hall said he would remain to help Hansen, who had run out of supplementary oxygen.[\\[19\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Storm_Over_Everest-19)\n\nScott Fischer did not summit until 15:45. He was exhausted from the ascent and becoming increasingly ill, possibly suffering from [HAPE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\"), [HACE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_cerebral_edema \"High-altitude cerebral edema\"), or a combination of both. Others, including Doug Hansen and Makalu Gau, reached the summit even later.[\\[15\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15)\n\n### Descent in a blizzard\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=14 \"Edit section: Descent in a blizzard\")\\]\n\nBoukreev recorded that he reached Camp IV by 17:00. Boukreev's reasons for descending ahead of his clients are disputed.[\\[20\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-20) Initially, Boukreev said he was going down with client Martin Adams,[\\[21\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21) but later descended faster and left Adams behind.[\\[21\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21) Boukreev also maintained that he wanted to be ready to assist struggling clients farther down the slope, and to retrieve hot tea and extra oxygen if necessary.[\\[22\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-22) According to Boukreev, this plan was discussed with and approved by expedition leader Fischer.[\\[17\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17)[\\[23\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Salon2-23)\n\nKrakauer sharply criticized Boukreev's decision not to use bottled oxygen while employed as a guide.[\\[24\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-24) Boukreev's supporters, who include G. Weston DeWalt, co-author of *[The Climb](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Climb_\\(book\\) \"The Climb (book)\")* (1997), state that using bottled oxygen gives a false sense of security.[\\[25\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-25) Krakauer and his supporters point out that, without bottled oxygen, Boukreev was unable to directly help his clients descend.[\\[21\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21)\n\nThe worsening weather began causing difficulties for the descending team members. The blizzard on the southwest face of Everest was reducing visibility, burying the fixed ropes, and obliterating the trail back to Camp IV that the teams had broken on the ascent. Fischer, helped by Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa, was unable to descend below the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft) in the storm. Sherpas left Makalu Gau (at 8,230 m or 27,000 ft by Gau's account[\\[26\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Gau-26)) with Fischer and Lopsang when Gau, too, became unable to proceed. Eventually, Lopsang was persuaded by Fischer to descend and leave him and Gau.[\\[15\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15)\n\nHall radioed for help, saying that Hansen had fallen unconscious but was still alive. At 17:30, Adventure Consultants guide Andy Harris, carrying supplementary oxygen and water, began climbing alone from the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft) toward Hansen and Hall at the top of Hillary Step.[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) Krakauer's account notes that by this time, the weather had deteriorated into a full-scale blizzard: \"Snow pellets borne by 70 kn \\[130 km\/h; 81 mph\\] gusts stung my face.\"[\\[27\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._193-27) Boukreev gives 18:00 as \"the onset of a blizzard\".[\\[16\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\\[17\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17)\n\nSeveral climbers got lost on the South Col during the storm. Mountain Madness guide Beidleman and clients Klev Schoening, Fox, Madsen, Pittman, and Gammelgaard, along with Adventure Consultants guide Mike Groom and clients Beck Weathers and Yasuko Namba wandered in the blizzard until they could no longer walk, huddling some 20 m (66 ft) from a drop-off of the [Kangshung Face](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kangshung_Face \"Kangshung Face\").[\\[28\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-28)\n\nNear midnight, the blizzard cleared sufficiently for the team to see Camp IV, some 200 m (660 ft) away. Beidleman, Groom, Schoening, and Gammelgaard set off to find help. Madsen and Fox remained on the mountain with the group in order to shout for the rescuers. Boukreev located the climbers and brought Pittman, Fox, and Madsen to safety. Boukreev had prioritized Pittman, Fox, and Madsen (all of whom were from his Mountain Madness expedition) over Namba (from the Adventure Consultants expedition), who seemed close to death. While Madsen waited for Boukreev to return, Beck Weathers abruptly walked away and disappeared into the storm. All of the climbers then at Camp IV were exhausted and unable to reach Namba and Weathers.[\\[29\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._214-29)\n\nIn the early morning of 11 May, at 04:43, Hall radioed Base Camp that he was on the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft), confirming that he survived the night. He reported that Harris reached the two men, but Hansen, who was with him since the previous afternoon, was now \"gone\", and Harris was missing. Hall was not breathing bottled oxygen because his regulator was too choked with ice.[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3)\n\nBy 09:00, Hall had fixed his [oxygen mask](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oxygen_mask \"Oxygen mask\") but indicated that his frostbitten hands and feet were making it difficult to traverse the fixed ropes. Later in the afternoon, he radioed Base Camp, asking them to call his pregnant wife, Jan Arnold, on the satellite phone. During this last communication, they chose a name for their unborn child, he reassured her that he was reasonably comfortable, and told her, \"Sleep well, my sweetheart. Please don't worry too much.\"[\\[30\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-30) Shortly thereafter, he froze to death in his sleep. His body was found on 23 May by [Ed Viesturs](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ed_Viesturs \"Ed Viesturs\") and fellow mountaineers from the [IMAX expedition](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(1998_film\\) \"Everest (1998 film)\"), but was left there as requested by his wife, who said she thought he was \"where he'd liked to have stayed\".[\\[31\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-31) The bodies of Doug Hansen and Andy Harris have never been found. Viesturs stated in the IMAX film that upon finding Hall's body, he sat down and cried beside his friend.[\\[32\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997295-32)\n\nMeanwhile, Stuart Hutchison, a client on Hall's team who had turned around before the summit on 10 May, launched a second search for Weathers and Namba. He found both alive, but barely responsive and severely frostbitten, and in no condition to move. After consulting with Lopsang, he made the decision that they could not be saved by the [hypoxic](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hypoxia_\\(medicine\\) \"Hypoxia (medicine)\") survivors at Camp IV nor evacuated in time; the other survivors soon agreed that leaving Weathers and Namba behind was the only choice.[\\[33\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._322%E2%80%934-33)\n\nLater in the day, however, Weathers regained consciousness and walked alone under his own power to the camp, surprising everyone there, though he was suffering severe hypothermia and frostbite. Despite receiving oxygen and attempts to rewarm him, Weathers was practically abandoned again the next morning, 12 May, after a storm collapsed his tent overnight and the other survivors again thought he died. Krakauer discovered he was still conscious when the survivors in Camp IV prepared to evacuate. Despite his worsening condition, Weathers could still move mostly under his own power. A rescue team mobilized, hopeful of getting Weathers down the mountain alive. Over the next two days, Weathers was ushered down to Camp II with the assistance of eight healthy climbers from various expeditions and evacuated by a daring high-altitude helicopter rescue, one of the highest ever attempted. He survived and eventually recovered, but lost his nose, right hand, half his right forearm, and the fingers on his left hand to frostbite.[\\[34\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._342%E2%80%934,_368-34)\n\nThe climbing Sherpas located Fischer and Gau on 11 May, but Fischer's condition had deteriorated so much that they were only able to give him [palliative care](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Palliative_care \"Palliative care\") before rescuing Gau. Boukreev made a subsequent rescue attempt but found Fischer's frozen body at around 19:00. Like Weathers, Gau was evacuated by helicopter.\n\nThe disaster was caused by a combination of events, including:\n\n- Ineffective leadership.\n  - The expedition leaders did not realize that the blizzard, which hit in full force on 11 May, would be preceded by increasing snow through the afternoon and evening of 10 May.[\\[35\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Ratcliffe_2011-35)\n  - A rivalry between Hall and Fischer, who were incentivized to get their clients to the summit,[\\[36\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36) leading them to ignore the aforementioned forecasts.[\\[35\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Ratcliffe_2011-35)\n  - The unwillingness of the [South African team's](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_South_African_Everest_expedition \"1996 South African Everest expedition\") guide to help contact base camp while the other teams' radios were not sufficiently strong.[\\[36\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36)\n- Bottlenecks at the Balcony and Hillary Step, which caused an hour-and-a-half delay in summiting. These delays were in themselves caused by delays in securing fixed ropes and the sheer number of people arriving at the bottlenecks at the same time (34 climbers on 10 May).\n- The team leaders' decisions to exceed the normal turnaround time of 14:00, with many summiting after 14:30.\n- The sudden illness of two climbers at or near the summit after 15:00.\n- Unexpectedly severe oxygen deprivation sickness compromising both climbers' and guides' ability to make decisions or help others.\n- Insufficient stores of oxygen, forcing guides and rescue teams to carry bottles up to stranded climbers as the storm approached.[\\[36\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36)\n\nJon Krakauer has suggested that the use of bottled oxygen and commercial guides, who personally accompanied and took care of all pathmaking, equipment, and important decisions, allowed otherwise unqualified climbers to attempt to summit, thereby leading to dangerous situations and more deaths.[\\[37\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._355%E2%80%938-37) In addition, he wrote that the competition between Hall and Fischer's guiding companies may have led to Hall's decision not to turn back on 10 May after the summiting deadline of 14:00. However, it's not clear whether the guides would have been effective had they stuck to the deadline.\n\n> It's very difficult to turn someone around high on the mountain. If a client sees that the summit is close and they're dead-set on getting there, they're going to laugh in your face and keep going.[\\[38\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krackauer_p._238-38)\n\n— Guy Cotter\n\nKrakauer also acknowledges that his own presence as a journalist for an important mountaineering magazine may have added pressure to guide clients to the summit despite the growing danger.[\\[39\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._354-39) He proposed banning bottled oxygen except for emergency cases, arguing that this would decrease the growing litter on Everest—many discarded bottles have accumulated on its slopes—and keep marginally qualified climbers off the mountain. He does point out, however, that climbing Everest has always been a highly dangerous endeavor, even before guided tours, with one fatality for every four climbers who reach the summit. Furthermore, he notes that many poor decisions made on 10 May came after two or more days of inadequate oxygen, nourishment, and rest (due to the effects of entering the [death zone](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Death_zone \"Death zone\") above 8,000 m or 26,000 ft).\n\nIn May 2004, Kent Moore, a physicist, and John L. Semple, a surgeon, both researchers from the [University of Toronto](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/University_of_Toronto \"University of Toronto\"), told *[New Scientist](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Scientist \"New Scientist\")* magazine that an analysis of the weather conditions on 11 May suggested that atmospheric oxygen levels fell by an additional 6% as a result of the storm, resulting in a further 14% reduction in oxygen uptake.[\\[40\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-NewScientist-40)[\\[41\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-BioEd_Online-41)\n\n### Supplementary oxygen\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=17 \"Edit section: Supplementary oxygen\")\\]\n\nFollowing the disaster, the use and non-use of supplementary oxygen was the focus of much discussion and analysis, with a guide and a Sardar both criticized by Krakauer for not using supplementary oxygen while performing guide duties. Both men gave detailed written explanations as to why they preferred not to use oxygen; both men did in fact carry a bottle on the summit day that could be used if needed in an emergency or extraordinary situation. In his book *The Climb*, Boukreev shared this explanation with Mark Bryant, the editor of *Outside* magazine:\n\n> Also, Mr. Krakauer raised a question about my climbing without oxygen and suggested that perhaps my effectiveness was compromised by that decision. In the history of my career, as I have detailed above, it has been my practice to climb without supplementary oxygen. In my experience, it is safer for me, once acclimatized, to climb without oxygen in order to avoid the sudden loss of acclimatization that occurs when supplementary oxygen supplies are depleted.\n> \n> My particular physiology, my years of high-altitude climbing, my discipline, the commitment I make to proper acclimatization, and the knowledge I have of my own capacities have always made me comfortable with this choice. And, Scott Fischer was comfortable with that choice as well. He authorized me to climb without supplementary oxygen.\n> \n> To this I would add: As a precautionary measure, in the event that some extraordinary demand was placed upon me on summit day, I was carrying one (1) bottle of supplementary oxygen, a mask, and a regulator.[\\[42\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-42)\n\nBeidleman said that Boukreev had brought oxygen to the Balcony but declined to use it, handing the bottle to Beidleman and stating he had “no need.” This contradicted the original plan and Fischer’s directive that guides use oxygen while supporting clients according to Beidleman. While acknowledging Boukreev’s strength and speed as a climber, Beidleman argued that going without oxygen impaired Boukreev’s ability to assist others down from the summit. He suggested that Boukreev didn’t fully recognize his responsibility as a commercial guide, noting the consequences of prioritizing personal style over team safety.[\\[43\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-43)\n\nThere were several issues and problems with radios and their use on summit day. Scott Fischer's *Sardar* did not have a company-issued radio, but did have a \"small yellow\" radio that was owned by Sandy Pittman. Rob Hall's team also had an issue with a radio during a discussion over oxygen bottles that caused confusion.[\\[36\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36)\n\n## The 1996 season after this disaster\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=19 \"Edit section: The 1996 season after this disaster\")\\]\n\n1996 is statistically curious as the fatality rates on Everest in the 1996 season were statistically lower than normal. The record number of 12 fatalities in the 1996 spring climbing season was 3% of the 398 climbers who had ascended above Base Camp—slightly below the historical average of 3.3% at that time. Additionally, a total of 84 climbers reached the summit that season, giving a fatality-to-summit ratio of 1 to 7—significantly less than the historical average of 1 to 4 prior to 1996. Accounting for the increased volume of climbers in 1996 compared with previous years, the fatality rates on Everest dropped considerably, meaning that 1996 was statistically a *safer*\\-than-average year.[\\[44\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._274-44)\n\n| Name[\\[45\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-list-45) | Nationality | Expedition | Location of death | Cause of death |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| [Andrew \"Harold\" Harris](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Andy_Harris_\\(mountain_guide\\) \"Andy Harris (mountain guide)\") (Guide) | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/3e\/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg\/40px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png) [New Zealand](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Zealand \"New Zealand\") | Adventure Consultants | near [South Summit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Summit_\\(Everest\\) \"South Summit (Everest)\"), 8,749 m | Unknown; presumed as falling during descent near summit |\n| [Doug Hansen](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Doug_Hansen_\\(Everest\\) \"Doug Hansen (Everest)\") (Client) | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/a\/a4\/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg\/40px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) [United States](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States \"United States\") |   |   |   |\n| [Rob Hall](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\") (Guide\/Expedition leader) | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/3e\/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg\/40px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png) [New Zealand](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Zealand \"New Zealand\") | Exposure |   |   |\n| [Yasuko Namba](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yasuko_Namba \"Yasuko Namba\") (Client) | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/1\/1b\/Flag_of_Japan_%281870%E2%80%931999%29.svg\/40px-Flag_of_Japan_%281870%E2%80%931999%29.svg.png) [Japan](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Japan \"Japan\") | [South Col](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Col \"South Col\"), c. 7,900 m |   |   |\n| [Scott Fischer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scott_Fischer \"Scott Fischer\") (Guide\/Expedition leader) | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/a\/a4\/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg\/40px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) [United States](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States \"United States\") | Mountain Madness | Southeast Ridge, 8,300 m |   |\n| [Subedar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Subedar \"Subedar\") [Tsewang Smanla](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tsewang_Smanla \"Tsewang Smanla\") | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/4\/41\/Flag_of_India.svg\/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/India \"India\") | Indo-Tibetan Border Police | Northeast Ridge, 8,600 m |   |\n| [Lance Naik](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lance_Naik \"Lance Naik\") [Dorje Morup](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dorje_Morup \"Dorje Morup\") | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/4\/41\/Flag_of_India.svg\/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/India \"India\") |   |   |   |\n| [Head Constable](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Head_Constable \"Head Constable\") [Tsewang Paljor](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tsewang_Paljor \"Tsewang Paljor\") | ![](https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/4\/41\/Flag_of_India.svg\/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/India \"India\") |   |   |   |\n\n### Other fatalities in 1996\n\\[[edit](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=21 \"Edit section: Other fatalities in 1996\")\\]\n\nThe following is a list of the other fatalities during the spring 1996 climbing season on Everest. These deaths were not directly related to the storm or the events of 10–11 May 1996 Everest disaster.\n\n- 9 May – Chen Yu-Nan (陳玉男) – from the Taiwanese National Expedition, died after a fall down the [Lhotse](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lhotse \"Lhotse\") Face[\\[46\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._155-46)\n- 19 May – Reinhard Wlasich – Austrian climber, died from a combination of [HAPE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\") and [HACE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_cerebral_edema \"High-altitude cerebral edema\") at 8,300 m (27,200 ft) on the Northeast Ridge[\\[47\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._276-47)\n- 25 May – Bruce Herrod – photojournalist with a South African team, was on the South Col during the 10–11 May storm and reached the summit two weeks later, but died descending the Southeast Ridge[\\[48\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._278-48)\n- 6 June – Ngawang Topche Sherpa – Nepali Sherpa for Mountain Madness, developed a severe case of [HAPE](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema \"High-altitude pulmonary edema\") on 22 April while working above Base Camp; died in June in a [Kathmandu](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kathmandu \"Kathmandu\") hospital[\\[49\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._108-114-49)\n\nThe following fatalities occurred on Everest during the fall 1996 climbing season.[\\[50\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-50)[\\[51\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-51)\n\n- 25 September – Yves Bouchon – French climber, died in an avalanche at 7,800 m (25,600 ft) on the southeast route below Camp IV, along with the two Sherpas listed below\n- 25 September – [Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lopsang_Jangbu_Sherpa \"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa\") – Nepalese Sherpa, the same climbing *[Sardar](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sardar_\\(Sherpa\\) \"Sardar (Sherpa)\")* on the Mountain Madness expedition involved in the May 1996 Everest disaster; died in avalanche\n- 25 September – Dawa Sherpa – Nepalese Sherpa; died in avalanche\n\nIn the epilogue to *High Exposure*, [David Breashears](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_Breashears \"David Breashears\") describes encountering some of the bodies upon climbing Everest again in May 1997.[\\[52\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-52)\n\n- *[Into Thin Air: Death on Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Into_Thin_Air:_Death_on_Everest \"Into Thin Air: Death on Everest\")* (released 9 November 1997) is a made-for-TV movie based on [Jon Krakauer](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jon_Krakauer \"Jon Krakauer\")'s book *[Into Thin Air](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Into_Thin_Air \"Into Thin Air\"): A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster* (1997). The film, directed by [Robert Markowitz](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Robert_Markowitz \"Robert Markowitz\") and written by [Robert J. Avrech](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Robert_J._Avrech \"Robert J. Avrech\"), tells the story of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.[\\[53\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-53)\n- *[The Climb](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Climb_\\(book\\) \"The Climb (book)\")* is [Anatoli Boukreev](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anatoli_Boukreev \"Anatoli Boukreev\")'s account of the events that unfolded on the mountain. It is also in part a response to Krakauer's book.\n- The IMAX film [*Everest*](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(1998_film\\) \"Everest (1998 film)\") (1998) documents the disaster, and the involvement of that film's crew and climbing team in the rescue effort.[\\[54\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Baumgarten-54)\n- *The Dark Side of Everest* (2003), [National Geographic Channel](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/National_Geographic_\\(American_TV_channel\\) \"National Geographic (American TV channel)\"), discusses climbers' motivations, the ethics and challenges involved when climbers encounter trouble at high altitudes, and specific disasters, e.g. the 10–11 May 1996 Mount Everest disaster and Bruce Herrod's death on 25 May 1996.\n- *Remnants of Everest: The 1996 Tragedy* (2007; released in the US as *Storm over Everest* and broadcast on the US PBS-TV series *[Frontline](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Frontline_\\(American_TV_program\\) \"Frontline (American TV program)\")*), is a documentary by director [David Breashears](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_Breashears \"David Breashears\")[\\[55\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-55)), with music composed by [Jocelyn Pook](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jocelyn_Pook \"Jocelyn Pook\").\n- *[Seconds from Disaster](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Seconds_from_Disaster \"Seconds from Disaster\") - [Into the Death Zone](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Seconds_From_Disaster_episodes#Season_6_\\(2012\\) \"List of Seconds From Disaster episodes\")*, 2012 TV documentary.[\\[56\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-56)\n- The events inspired the feature film [*Everest*](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(2015_film\\) \"Everest (2015 film)\") (2015).\n- [Joby Talbot](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Joby_Talbot \"Joby Talbot\")'s opera *[Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Everest_\\(opera\\) \"Everest (opera)\")*, based on the events of the disaster, was produced by the [Dallas Opera](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dallas_Opera \"Dallas Opera\") and premiered in 2015.[\\[57\\]](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-57)\n- [Beck Weathers](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beck_Weathers \"Beck Weathers\")' book *Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest* (2000).\n- [Lene Gammelgaard](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lene_Gammelgaard \"Lene Gammelgaard\")'s book *Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy* (first published June 9, 1999).\n- Lou Kasischke's book *After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story* (2014).\n\n- [List of 20th-century summiteers of Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_20th-century_summiteers_of_Mount_Everest \"List of 20th-century summiteers of Mount Everest\")\n- [List of deaths on eight-thousanders](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_deaths_on_eight-thousanders \"List of deaths on eight-thousanders\")\n- [List of media related to Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_media_related_to_Mount_Everest \"List of media related to Mount Everest\")\n- [List of people who died climbing Mount Everest](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_people_who_died_climbing_Mount_Everest \"List of people who died climbing Mount Everest\")\n- [List of mountaineering disasters by death toll](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_mountaineering_disasters_by_death_toll \"List of mountaineering disasters by death toll\")\n\n1. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-1)**\n   [\"Mount Everest Nepal Earthquake\"](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/04\/28\/world\/asia\/mount-everest-nepal-earthquake.html). *The New York Times*. 28 April 2015.\n2. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-2)**\n   Dahlburg, John-Thor (1996). [\"Climbing Veterans Call Everest Deaths Inevitable\"](https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/archives\/la-xpm-1996-05-15-mn-4341-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*.\n3. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-2) [***d***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-3) [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 296\n4. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-4)**\n   [Boukreev, Anatoli](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anatoli_Boukreev \"Anatoli Boukreev\"); G. Weston Dewalt (1997). [*The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest*](https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/climbtragicambit00bouk). New York: St. Martins. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n   \n   [978-0-312-96533-4](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-0-312-96533-4 \"Special:BookSources\/978-0-312-96533-4\")\n   \n   .\n5. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-5)**\n6. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-6)**\n   Gammelgard, Lene (2000). *Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy*. New York: Perennial. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n   \n   [978-0-330-39227-3](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-0-330-39227-3 \"Special:BookSources\/978-0-330-39227-3\")\n   \n   .\n7. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi_7-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi_7-1) [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. xv–xvi\n8. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-8)**\n   [\"Apa Sherpa Full Biography - Apa Sherpa Foundation\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20161017032156\/http:\/\/apasherpafoundation.org\/apa-sherpa-full-biography\/). *apasherpafoundation.org*. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/apasherpafoundation.org\/apa-sherpa-full-biography\/) on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.\n9. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-9)** Boukreev; Dewalt p. 12\n10. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-10)**\n    [\"David A. Sowles Memorial Award – American Alpine Club\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20150927000946\/http:\/\/www.americanalpineclub.org\/p\/sowles-award). *americanalpineclub.org*. Archived from [the original](https:\/\/www.americanalpineclub.org\/p\/sowles-award) on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.\n11. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114_11-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114_11-1) [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 108–114.\n12. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._140_12-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 140\n13. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-13)**\n    Conant, Jennet (22 September 2015). [\"The Real Story of Sandy Hill Pittman, Everest's Socialite Climber\"](https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/culture\/2015\/09\/sandy-hill-pittman-mount-everest). *Vanity Fair*. Condé Nast. Retrieved 25 July 2021.\n14. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-14)**\n    [\"U.S. climber, thought dead, rescued from Mount Everest\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20151119060557\/http:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/US\/9605\/13\/everest\/). *CNN*. 13 May 1996. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/US\/9605\/13\/everest\/) on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.\n15. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-2)\n    [\"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa's response to Krakauer's article\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20100919000319\/http:\/\/outsideonline.com\/outside\/destinations\/199609\/199609_everest_clarification_4.html). Outsideonline.com. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/outsideonline.com\/outside\/destinations\/199609\/199609_everest_clarification_4.html) on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 5 December 2010.\n16. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-2)\n    [\"Anatoli Boukreev's response to Krakauer's article\"](http:\/\/outsideonline.com\/outside\/destinations\/199609\/199609_everest_clarification_2.html). Outsideonline.com. Retrieved 5 December 2010.\n    \n    \\[*[dead link](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Link_rot \"Wikipedia:Link rot\")*\\]\n17. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-2) [***d***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-3)\n    [\"What Really Happened In The Thin Air\"](https:\/\/www.mountainzone.com\/climbing\/fischer\/letters.html). MountainZone.com. Retrieved 10 October 2025.\n18. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997241%E2%80%93242_18-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 241–242.\n19. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Storm_Over_Everest_19-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Storm_Over_Everest_19-1)\n    *Storm Over Everest*. \"Statement by Ang Dorje\"\n20. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-20)**\n    [\"Salon Wanderlust \\| Coming down\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/19990423153959\/http:\/\/www2.salonmagazine.com\/wlust\/feature\/1998\/08\/cov_03feature.html). *Salon.com*. 10 May 1996. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/www.salon.com\/wlust\/feature\/1998\/08\/cov_03feature.html) on 23 April 1999. Retrieved 5 December 2010.\n21. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-2) [Coming Down page 3](http:\/\/www.salon.com\/wlust\/feature\/1998\/08\/cov_03feature3.html) [Archived](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20000303032319\/http:\/\/www.salon.com\/wlust\/feature\/1998\/08\/cov_03feature3.html) 3 March 2000 at the [Wayback Machine](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wayback_Machine \"Wayback Machine\") Dwight Garner, *salon.com* 1998 August\n22. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-22)**\n    [\"Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Anatoli Boukreev response\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20010530225855\/http:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/peaks\/fischer\/anatoli.html). *outsideonline.com*. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/peaks\/fischer\/anatoli.html) on 30 May 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2015.\n23. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Salon2_23-0)**\n    [\"Everest controversy continues\"](https:\/\/www.salon.com\/1998\/08\/07\/featurea_4\/). Salon.com. 7 August 1998. Retrieved 10 October 2025.\n24. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-24)**\n    [\"Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Reply from Jon Krakauer\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20010531151540\/http:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/peaks\/fischer\/krakreply1.html). *outsideonline.com*. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/peaks\/fischer\/krakreply1.html) on 31 May 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2015.\n25. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-25)** [GlaxoSmithKline: On top of the world – Acclimatisation](http:\/\/www.gsk.com\/people\/mogens\/acclimatisation.htm) [Archived](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20090525150616\/http:\/\/www.gsk.com\/people\/mogens\/acclimatisation.htm) 25 May 2009 at the [Wayback Machine](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wayback_Machine \"Wayback Machine\")\n26. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Gau_26-0)**\n    [\"Gau's account and pictures\"](http:\/\/classic.mountainzone.com\/climbing\/misc\/gau\/index-ie3.html). Classic.mountainzone.com. Retrieved 5 December 2010.\n27. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._193_27-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 193\n28. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-28)**\n    *Storm Over Everest*. 1998.\n29. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._214_29-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 214\n30. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-30)**\n    [\"Explorers' Last Words and Technology: From Robert Falcon Scott to Rob Hall\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20210805173832\/https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/adventure\/article\/explorers-last-words-and-technology-from-robert-falcon-scott-to-rob-hall). *Adventure*. 29 March 2012. Archived from [the original](https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/adventure\/article\/explorers-last-words-and-technology-from-robert-falcon-scott-to-rob-hall) on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.\n31. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-31)**\n    [\"Bodies to come down in Everest clean-up\"](https:\/\/www.theaustralian.com.au\/news\/world\/widow-of-climber-rob-hall-wants-his-body-left-on-mountain-during-sherpas-everest-clean-up\/news-story\/ba6352eda9e1dbaaf4a22bd9b9dcdb16). *www.theaustralian.com.au*. 22 April 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2021.\n32. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997295_32-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 295.\n33. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._322%E2%80%934_33-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 322–324\n34. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._342%E2%80%934,_368_34-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 342–344, 368\n35. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Ratcliffe_2011_35-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Ratcliffe_2011_35-1)\n    Ratcliffe, Graham (2011). *A Day to Die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : the untold true story*. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 328. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n    \n    [9781845966386](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/9781845966386 \"Special:BookSources\/9781845966386\")\n    \n    . [OCLC](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/OCLC_\\(identifier\\) \"OCLC (identifier)\") [671466084](https:\/\/search.worldcat.org\/oclc\/671466084).\n36. ^ [***a***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-0) [***b***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-1) [***c***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-2) [***d***](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-3) [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997)\n37. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._355%E2%80%938_37-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 355–8\n38. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krackauer_p._238_38-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 238\n39. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._354_39-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 354\n40. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-NewScientist_40-0)**\n    [\"The Day the Sky Fell on Everest\"](https:\/\/www.newscientist.com\/article\/mg18224492.200-the-day-the-sky-fell-on-everest.html). *New Scientist* (2449): 15. 29 May 2004. Retrieved 11 December 2006.\n41. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-BioEd_Online_41-0)**\n    Peplow, Mark (25 May 2004). [\"High Winds Suck Oxygen from Everest: Predicting Pressure Lows Could Protect Climbers\"](http:\/\/www.bioedonline.org\/news\/news.cfm?art=986). BioEd Online. Retrieved 11 December 2006. \"Moore explains that these jet streaks can drag a huge draught of air up the side of the mountain, lowering the air pressure. He calculates that this typically reduces the partial pressure of oxygen in the air by about 6%, which translates to a 14% reduction in oxygen uptake for the climbers. Air at that altitude already contains only one third as much oxygen as sea-level air.\"\n42. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-42)**\n    Boukreev, Anatoli; DeWalt, G. Weston (2002). *The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest*. Pan Books. pp. 217, 218. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n    \n    [978-0-330-48896-9](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-0-330-48896-9 \"Special:BookSources\/978-0-330-48896-9\")\n    \n    .\n43. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-43)**\n    [Beidleman, Neal](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neal_Beidleman \"Neal Beidleman\") (23 September 2020). [\"Mill House Podcast – Episode 19\"](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jL9UHk1zTeY&t=5254s) (video). *youtube.com*.\n44. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._274_44-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 274\n45. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-list_45-0)** [List of Everest Fatalities](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20110613055601\/http:\/\/www.adventurestats.com\/tables\/everestfatilities.shtml) AdventureStats.com\n46. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._155_46-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 155\n47. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._276_47-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 276\n48. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._278_48-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 278\n49. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._108-114_49-0)** [Krakauer 1997](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 108–114\n50. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-50)**\n    [\"Video\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20110628224026\/http:\/\/sportsillustrated.cnn.com\/vault\/article\/magazine\/MAG1008873\/2\/index.htm). *CNN*. 14 October 1996. Archived from [the original](http:\/\/sportsillustrated.cnn.com\/vault\/article\/magazine\/MAG1008873\/2\/index.htm) on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.\n51. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-51)**\n    [\"Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa killed in Everest avalanche\"](http:\/\/classic.mountainzone.com\/climbing\/fischer\/lopsang.html). *Mountain Zone*.\n52. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-52)**\n    Breashears, David. [\"Epilogue\"](https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/everest\/exposure\/epilogue.html). *High Exposure*.\n    \n    \"Except for Scott's body, still wrapped with a pack and rope the way Anatoli had left him, the summit slopes were mercifully free of the tragedy. When we reached the South Summit, [Rob](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rob_Hall \"Rob Hall\") had disappeared from sight, shrouded by a tall drift formed around his body. Andy Harris and Doug Hansen may lie near him, though we'll probably never know. \\[...\\] Near the base of the Hillary Step we found the last vestige of the 1996 disasters, the body of Bruce Herrod, the photojournalist who'd been with the South African team.\"\n53. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-53)**\n    Jonathan Crow (2008). [*Into Thin Air: Death on Everest*](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20081013084931\/http:\/\/movies.nytimes.com\/movie\/178032\/Into-Thin-Air-Death-on-Everest\/overview). Movies & TV Dept. Archived from [the original](https:\/\/movies.nytimes.com\/movie\/178032\/Into-Thin-Air-Death-on-Everest\/overview) on 13 October 2008.\n54. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Baumgarten_54-0)**\n    Baumgarten, Marjorie (14 October 2014). [\"Everest\"](http:\/\/www.austinchronicle.com\/calendar\/film\/2002-10-14\/141987\/). *[The Austin Chronicle](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Austin_Chronicle \"The Austin Chronicle\")*. Retrieved 19 November 2014.\n55. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-55)**\n    [*Frontline: Storm Over Everest*](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20151210134829\/https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=hJ5olbdXd10). PBS. 2007. Archived from [the original](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=hJ5olbdXd10) on 10 December 2015.\n56. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-56)**\n    [\"Into the Death Zone\"](https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt2506656\/). *[IMDb](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/IMDb \"IMDb\")*.\n57. **[^](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-57)**\n    [\"REVIEW: Dallas Opera's stunning world premiere of 'Everest'\"](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170202151406\/http:\/\/www.dallasvoice.com\/review-dallas-operas-world-premiere-everest-10189197.html). Archived from [the original](http:\/\/www.dallasvoice.com\/review-dallas-operas-world-premiere-everest-10189197.html) on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.\n\n- [Krakauer, Jon](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jon_Krakauer \"Jon Krakauer\") (1997). [*Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster*](https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/intothinairperso00krak). [Doubleday](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Doubleday_\\(publisher\\) \"Doubleday (publisher)\"). [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n  \n  [978-0-385-49208-9](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-0-385-49208-9 \"Special:BookSources\/978-0-385-49208-9\")\n  \n  .\n- Ratcliffe, Graham (2013). *A day to die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : one survivor's personal journey to uncover the truth*. Edinburgh. [ISBN](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ISBN_\\(identifier\\) \"ISBN (identifier)\")\n  \n  [978-1-78057-641-1](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Special:BookSources\/978-1-78057-641-1 \"Special:BookSources\/978-1-78057-641-1\")\n  \n  .\n  `{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher \"Category:CS1 maint: location missing publisher\"))\n\n- [The Website for the 2008 PBS Frontline television show titled Storm Over Everest.](https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/pages\/frontline\/everest\/)\n- [PBS Frontline: 'Storm Over Everest' – washingtonpost.com](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-dyn\/content\/discussion\/2008\/05\/08\/DI2008050802853.html)\n- [Climber Recounts Tragedy in 'Storm Over Everest'](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/templates\/story\/story.php?storyId=90374592)\n- [Ken Kamler: Medical miracle on Everest – TEDMED](https:\/\/www.ted.com\/talks\/ken_kamler_medical_miracle_on_everest)\n- [PBS Storm over Everest : Roundtable : The Ethics of Climbing](https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/pages\/frontline\/everest\/etc\/roundtable.html) (with Peter Hackett, M.D.Lincoln Hall, James H. Moss, J.D., and Jim Williams)","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster
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Boilerpipe Text	1996 Mount Everest disaster The summit of Mount Everest Date 10–11 May 1996 Location Mount Everest Altitude 8,849 metres (29,032 ft) Coordinates 27°59′17″N 86°55′30″E / 27.98806°N 86.92500°E Organised by Adventure Consultants Mountain Madness Indo-Tibetan Border Police Deaths 8 The 1996 Mount Everest disaster occurred on 10–11 May 1996 when eight climbers caught in a blizzard died on Mount Everest while attempting to descend from the summit. Over the season, 12 people died trying to reach the summit, making it then the deadliest season on Mount Everest and now the third deadliest to date after the 23 fatalities from avalanches caused by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake [ 1 ] and the 16 fatalities of the 2014 Mount Everest avalanche . The 1996 disaster received widespread publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest. [ 2 ] Numerous climbers were at a high altitude on Everest during the storm including the Adventure Consultants team, led by Rob Hall , and the Mountain Madness team, led by Scott Fischer . While climbers died on both the North Face and South Col approaches, the events on the latter were more widely reported. Four members of the Adventure Consultants expedition died, including Hall, while Fischer was the sole casualty of the Mountain Madness expedition. Three officers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police also died. Following the disaster, several survivors wrote memoirs. Journalist Jon Krakauer , on assignment from Outside magazine and on the Adventure Consultants team, published Into Thin Air (1997), [ 3 ] which became a bestseller. Anatoli Boukreev , a guide in the Mountain Madness team, felt impugned by the book and co-authored a rebuttal called The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest (1997). [ 4 ] Beck Weathers , of Hall's expedition, and Lene Gammelgaard , of Fischer's expedition, wrote about their experiences in their respective books, Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest (2000) [ 5 ] and Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy (2000). [ 6 ] In 2014, Lou Kasischke, also of Hall's expedition, published his own account in After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story . In addition to the members of the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness teams, Mike Trueman, who coordinated the rescue from Base Camp, contributed The Storms: Adventure and Tragedy on Everest (2015). Graham Ratcliffe, who climbed to the South Col of Everest on 10 May, noted in A Day to Die For (2011) that weather reports forecasting a major storm developing after 8 May and peaking in intensity on 11 May were delivered to expedition leaders. Hall and Fischer received these before their planned summit attempts on 10 May. Some of their teams summited Everest during an apparent break in this developing storm only to descend into the full force of it late on 10 May. The following is a list of climbers en route to the summit on 10 May 1996 via the South Col and Southeast Ridge, organized by expedition and role. All ages are as of 1996. Adventure Consultants [ edit ] The Adventure Consultants ' 1996 Everest expedition, led by Rob Hall , consisted of 19 people, including eight clients. Rob Hall (35) – expedition leader; died near the South Summit Michael Groom (37) Andy Harris (31) – disappeared near the South Summit while assisting Hall Frank Fischbeck (53) – had attempted Everest three times and reached the South Summit in 1994 Doug Hansen (46) – had previously attempted Everest with Hall's team in 1995; disappeared near the South Summit while descending with Hall Stuart Hutchison (34) – youngest client on Hall's team; previous 8,000 m experiences included K2 winter expedition in 1988, Broad Peak west ridge in 1992, and Everest north side in 1994 Lou Kasischke (53) – had climbed six of the Seven Summits Jon Krakauer (42) – journalist on assignment from Outside magazine; an accomplished technical climber, but had no experience in climbing peaks over 8,000 m Yasuko Namba (47) – had climbed six of the Seven Summits; became the oldest woman to summit Everest at the time; died on the South Col John Taske (56) – oldest climber on the Adventure Consultants team; no 8,000 m experience Beck Weathers (49) – had been climbing for 10 years and was also making a bid for the Seven Summits, but had no 8,000 m experience Sardar Ang Dorje (26) Arita Chuldum Kami Lhakpa Chhiri Ngawang Norbu Tenzing The Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Rob Hall's Adventure Consultants. [ 7 ] Many other Sherpas working at lower elevations performed duties vital to the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness expeditions. Most climbing Sherpas' duties require them to ascend at least to Camp III or IV, but not all of them summit. The expedition leaders intend for only a select few of their climbing Sherpas to summit. Legendary Sardar Apa Sherpa was scheduled to accompany the Adventure Consultants group but withdrew due to family commitments. [ 8 ] With the exception of Namba, no client on Hall's team had reached the summit of an 8,000-meter peak , and only Fischbeck, Hansen, and Hutchison had previous high-altitude Himalayan experience. Hall had also brokered a deal with Outside magazine for advertising space in exchange for a story about the growing popularity of commercial expeditions to Everest. Krakauer was originally slated to climb with Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness team, but Hall landed him, at least in part by agreeing to reduce Outside ' s fee for Krakauer's spot on the expedition to less than cost. [ 9 ] The Mountain Madness 1996 Everest expedition, led by Scott Fischer , consisted of 19 people, including 8 clients. Scott Fischer (40) – expedition leader; died on the Southeast ridge balcony 350 m (1,150 ft) below the South Summit Neal Beidleman (36) – professional mountaineer Anatoli Boukreev (38) – professional mountaineer, in 1997 was awarded the David A. Sowles Memorial Award by the American Alpine Club [ 10 ] Martin Adams (47) – had climbed Aconcagua , Denali , and Kilimanjaro Charlotte Fox (38) – had climbed all 53 of the 14,000 ft (4,267 m) peaks in Colorado and two 8,000 m peaks , Gasherbrum II and Cho Oyu Lene Gammelgaard (35) Dale Kruse (45) – long-term personal friend of Fischer's and the first to sign up for the 1996 expedition Tim Madsen (33) – had climbed extensively in the Colorado and Canadian Rockies, but had no 8,000 m experience Sandy Hill Pittman (41) – had climbed six of the Seven Summits Pete Schoening (68) – one of the first to climb Gasherbrum I and Mount Vinson ; known for singlehandedly saving the lives of six team members during a mass fall in the American expedition on K2 in 1953 Klev Schoening (38) – Pete's nephew and a former US national downhill ski racer; no 8,000 m experience Sardar Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa (23) "Big" Pemba Nawang Dorje Ngawang Sya Kya Ngawang Tendi Ngawang Topche (died a few months later from HAPE he contracted during hauling duties to Camp II) Tashi Tshering Tendi The Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness expedition. [ 7 ] Ngawang Topche was hospitalized in April; he had developed high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) while ferrying supplies above Base Camp. He was not on the mountain during the summit attempt of 10 May. Topche died from his illness in June 1996. [ 11 ] Pete Schoening decided at Base Camp (5,380 m or 17,650 ft) not to make the final push to the summit. The team began the assault on the summit on 6 May, bypassing Camp I (5,944 m or 19,501 ft) and stopping at Camp II (6,500 m or 21,300 ft) for two nights. However, Kruse suffered from altitude sickness and possible high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), and stopped at Camp I. Fischer descended from Camp II and escorted Kruse back to Base Camp for treatment. [ 12 ] On 9 June 1996, three days after Sherpa Ngawang Topche died in hospital from high-altitude pulmonary edema , [ 11 ] a private memorial service was held for Scott Fischer attended by the climbers and Sherpas from Mountain Madness at Kiana Lodge, near Seattle, Washington. The Sherpa chanted a Buddhist prayer, Beidleman gifted his late friend's engraved expedition knife to Fischer's two children, and Jeannie Price, Fischer's wife, released a cloud of butterflies. [ 13 ] Taiwanese expedition [ edit ] "Makalu" Gau Ming-ho led a five-member team to Everest on 10 May 1996. [ 14 ] The previous day (9 May), Taiwanese team member Chen Yu-Nan had died following a fall on the Lhotse Face. Indo-Tibetan Border Police [ edit ] Half of the climbing team from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police North Col expedition from India (Subedar Tsewang Samanla , Lance Naik Dorje Morup , and Head Constable Tsewang Paljor ) died on the Northeast Ridge. Delays reaching the summit [ edit ] Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step Shortly after midnight on 10 May 1996, the Adventure Consultants expedition began a summit attempt from Camp IV, atop the South Col (7,900 m or 25,900 ft). They were joined by six client climbers, three guides, and Sherpas from Scott Fischer 's Mountain Madness company, as well as an expedition sponsored by the government of Taiwan . [ citation needed ] The expeditions quickly encountered delays. The climbing Sherpas and guides had not set the fixed ropes by the time the team reached the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft), and this cost the climbers almost an hour. The cause of this delay is unclear, in part due to the death of the expedition leaders. [ 15 ] Upon reaching the Hillary Step (8,760 m or 28,740 ft), the climbers again discovered that no fixed line had been placed, and they were forced to wait an hour while the guides installed the ropes. Because some 33 climbers were attempting the summit on the same day, and Hall and Fischer had asked their climbers to stay within 150 m (500 ft) of each other, there was a bottleneck at the single fixed line at the Hillary Step. Hutchison, Kasischke, and Taske returned towards Camp IV as they feared they would run out of supplementary oxygen due to the delays. [ 3 ] Climbing without supplemental oxygen, guide Anatoli Boukreev from the Mountain Madness team was the first to reach the summit (8,848 m or 29,029 ft), at 13:07. [ 16 ] [ 17 ] Many of the climbers had not yet reached the summit by 14:00, the last safe time to turn around to reach Camp IV before nightfall. Boukreev began his descent to Camp IV at 14:30, having spent nearly 1.5 hours at or near the summit helping others complete the climb. By that time, Hall, Krakauer, Harris, Beidleman, Namba, and Mountain Madness clients Martin Adams and Klev Schoening had reached the summit, [ 16 ] [ 17 ] and the remaining four Mountain Madness clients had arrived. After this time, Krakauer noted that the weather did not look so benign. [ 18 ] At 15:00, snow started to fall, and the light was diminishing. Hall's Sirdar , Ang Dorje Sherpa, and other climbing Sherpas waited at the summit for the clients. Near 15:00, they began their descent. On the way down, Ang Dorje encountered client Doug Hansen above the Hillary Step and ordered him to descend. Hansen did not respond verbally, but shook his head and pointed upward, toward the summit. [ 19 ] When Hall arrived at the scene, the Sherpas offered to take Hansen to the summit, but Hall sent the Sherpas down to assist the other clients, and instructed them to stash oxygen canisters on the route. Hall said he would remain to help Hansen, who had run out of supplementary oxygen. [ 19 ] Scott Fischer did not summit until 15:45. He was exhausted from the ascent and becoming increasingly ill, possibly suffering from HAPE , HACE , or a combination of both. Others, including Doug Hansen and Makalu Gau, reached the summit even later. [ 15 ] Descent in a blizzard [ edit ] Boukreev recorded that he reached Camp IV by 17:00. Boukreev's reasons for descending ahead of his clients are disputed. [ 20 ] Initially, Boukreev said he was going down with client Martin Adams, [ 21 ] but later descended faster and left Adams behind. [ 21 ] Boukreev also maintained that he wanted to be ready to assist struggling clients farther down the slope, and to retrieve hot tea and extra oxygen if necessary. [ 22 ] According to Boukreev, this plan was discussed with and approved by expedition leader Fischer. [ 17 ] [ 23 ] Krakauer sharply criticized Boukreev's decision not to use bottled oxygen while employed as a guide. [ 24 ] Boukreev's supporters, who include G. Weston DeWalt, co-author of The Climb (1997), state that using bottled oxygen gives a false sense of security. [ 25 ] Krakauer and his supporters point out that, without bottled oxygen, Boukreev was unable to directly help his clients descend. [ 21 ] The worsening weather began causing difficulties for the descending team members. The blizzard on the southwest face of Everest was reducing visibility, burying the fixed ropes, and obliterating the trail back to Camp IV that the teams had broken on the ascent. Fischer, helped by Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa, was unable to descend below the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft) in the storm. Sherpas left Makalu Gau (at 8,230 m or 27,000 ft by Gau's account [ 26 ] ) with Fischer and Lopsang when Gau, too, became unable to proceed. Eventually, Lopsang was persuaded by Fischer to descend and leave him and Gau. [ 15 ] Hall radioed for help, saying that Hansen had fallen unconscious but was still alive. At 17:30, Adventure Consultants guide Andy Harris, carrying supplementary oxygen and water, began climbing alone from the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft) toward Hansen and Hall at the top of Hillary Step. [ 3 ] Krakauer's account notes that by this time, the weather had deteriorated into a full-scale blizzard: "Snow pellets borne by 70 kn [130 km/h; 81 mph] gusts stung my face." [ 27 ] Boukreev gives 18:00 as "the onset of a blizzard". [ 16 ] [ 17 ] Several climbers got lost on the South Col during the storm. Mountain Madness guide Beidleman and clients Klev Schoening, Fox, Madsen, Pittman, and Gammelgaard, along with Adventure Consultants guide Mike Groom and clients Beck Weathers and Yasuko Namba wandered in the blizzard until they could no longer walk, huddling some 20 m (66 ft) from a drop-off of the Kangshung Face . [ 28 ] Near midnight, the blizzard cleared sufficiently for the team to see Camp IV, some 200 m (660 ft) away. Beidleman, Groom, Schoening, and Gammelgaard set off to find help. Madsen and Fox remained on the mountain with the group in order to shout for the rescuers. Boukreev located the climbers and brought Pittman, Fox, and Madsen to safety. Boukreev had prioritized Pittman, Fox, and Madsen (all of whom were from his Mountain Madness expedition) over Namba (from the Adventure Consultants expedition), who seemed close to death. While Madsen waited for Boukreev to return, Beck Weathers abruptly walked away and disappeared into the storm. All of the climbers then at Camp IV were exhausted and unable to reach Namba and Weathers. [ 29 ] In the early morning of 11 May, at 04:43, Hall radioed Base Camp that he was on the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft), confirming that he survived the night. He reported that Harris reached the two men, but Hansen, who was with him since the previous afternoon, was now "gone", and Harris was missing. Hall was not breathing bottled oxygen because his regulator was too choked with ice. [ 3 ] By 09:00, Hall had fixed his oxygen mask but indicated that his frostbitten hands and feet were making it difficult to traverse the fixed ropes. Later in the afternoon, he radioed Base Camp, asking them to call his pregnant wife, Jan Arnold, on the satellite phone. During this last communication, they chose a name for their unborn child, he reassured her that he was reasonably comfortable, and told her, "Sleep well, my sweetheart. Please don't worry too much." [ 30 ] Shortly thereafter, he froze to death in his sleep. His body was found on 23 May by Ed Viesturs and fellow mountaineers from the IMAX expedition , but was left there as requested by his wife, who said she thought he was "where he'd liked to have stayed". [ 31 ] The bodies of Doug Hansen and Andy Harris have never been found. Viesturs stated in the IMAX film that upon finding Hall's body, he sat down and cried beside his friend. [ 32 ] Meanwhile, Stuart Hutchison, a client on Hall's team who had turned around before the summit on 10 May, launched a second search for Weathers and Namba. He found both alive, but barely responsive and severely frostbitten, and in no condition to move. After consulting with Lopsang, he made the decision that they could not be saved by the hypoxic survivors at Camp IV nor evacuated in time; the other survivors soon agreed that leaving Weathers and Namba behind was the only choice. [ 33 ] Later in the day, however, Weathers regained consciousness and walked alone under his own power to the camp, surprising everyone there, though he was suffering severe hypothermia and frostbite. Despite receiving oxygen and attempts to rewarm him, Weathers was practically abandoned again the next morning, 12 May, after a storm collapsed his tent overnight and the other survivors again thought he died. Krakauer discovered he was still conscious when the survivors in Camp IV prepared to evacuate. Despite his worsening condition, Weathers could still move mostly under his own power. A rescue team mobilized, hopeful of getting Weathers down the mountain alive. Over the next two days, Weathers was ushered down to Camp II with the assistance of eight healthy climbers from various expeditions and evacuated by a daring high-altitude helicopter rescue, one of the highest ever attempted. He survived and eventually recovered, but lost his nose, right hand, half his right forearm, and the fingers on his left hand to frostbite. [ 34 ] The climbing Sherpas located Fischer and Gau on 11 May, but Fischer's condition had deteriorated so much that they were only able to give him palliative care before rescuing Gau. Boukreev made a subsequent rescue attempt but found Fischer's frozen body at around 19:00. Like Weathers, Gau was evacuated by helicopter. The disaster was caused by a combination of events, including: Ineffective leadership. The expedition leaders did not realize that the blizzard, which hit in full force on 11 May, would be preceded by increasing snow through the afternoon and evening of 10 May. [ 35 ] A rivalry between Hall and Fischer, who were incentivized to get their clients to the summit, [ 36 ] leading them to ignore the aforementioned forecasts. [ 35 ] The unwillingness of the South African team's guide to help contact base camp while the other teams' radios were not sufficiently strong. [ 36 ] Bottlenecks at the Balcony and Hillary Step, which caused an hour-and-a-half delay in summiting. These delays were in themselves caused by delays in securing fixed ropes and the sheer number of people arriving at the bottlenecks at the same time (34 climbers on 10 May). The team leaders' decisions to exceed the normal turnaround time of 14:00, with many summiting after 14:30. The sudden illness of two climbers at or near the summit after 15:00. Unexpectedly severe oxygen deprivation sickness compromising both climbers' and guides' ability to make decisions or help others. Insufficient stores of oxygen, forcing guides and rescue teams to carry bottles up to stranded climbers as the storm approached. [ 36 ] Jon Krakauer has suggested that the use of bottled oxygen and commercial guides, who personally accompanied and took care of all pathmaking, equipment, and important decisions, allowed otherwise unqualified climbers to attempt to summit, thereby leading to dangerous situations and more deaths. [ 37 ] In addition, he wrote that the competition between Hall and Fischer's guiding companies may have led to Hall's decision not to turn back on 10 May after the summiting deadline of 14:00. However, it's not clear whether the guides would have been effective had they stuck to the deadline. It's very difficult to turn someone around high on the mountain. If a client sees that the summit is close and they're dead-set on getting there, they're going to laugh in your face and keep going. [ 38 ] — Guy Cotter Krakauer also acknowledges that his own presence as a journalist for an important mountaineering magazine may have added pressure to guide clients to the summit despite the growing danger. [ 39 ] He proposed banning bottled oxygen except for emergency cases, arguing that this would decrease the growing litter on Everest—many discarded bottles have accumulated on its slopes—and keep marginally qualified climbers off the mountain. He does point out, however, that climbing Everest has always been a highly dangerous endeavor, even before guided tours, with one fatality for every four climbers who reach the summit. Furthermore, he notes that many poor decisions made on 10 May came after two or more days of inadequate oxygen, nourishment, and rest (due to the effects of entering the death zone above 8,000 m or 26,000 ft). In May 2004, Kent Moore, a physicist, and John L. Semple, a surgeon, both researchers from the University of Toronto , told New Scientist magazine that an analysis of the weather conditions on 11 May suggested that atmospheric oxygen levels fell by an additional 6% as a result of the storm, resulting in a further 14% reduction in oxygen uptake. [ 40 ] [ 41 ] Supplementary oxygen [ edit ] Following the disaster, the use and non-use of supplementary oxygen was the focus of much discussion and analysis, with a guide and a Sardar both criticized by Krakauer for not using supplementary oxygen while performing guide duties. Both men gave detailed written explanations as to why they preferred not to use oxygen; both men did in fact carry a bottle on the summit day that could be used if needed in an emergency or extraordinary situation. In his book The Climb , Boukreev shared this explanation with Mark Bryant, the editor of Outside magazine: Also, Mr. Krakauer raised a question about my climbing without oxygen and suggested that perhaps my effectiveness was compromised by that decision. In the history of my career, as I have detailed above, it has been my practice to climb without supplementary oxygen. In my experience, it is safer for me, once acclimatized, to climb without oxygen in order to avoid the sudden loss of acclimatization that occurs when supplementary oxygen supplies are depleted. My particular physiology, my years of high-altitude climbing, my discipline, the commitment I make to proper acclimatization, and the knowledge I have of my own capacities have always made me comfortable with this choice. And, Scott Fischer was comfortable with that choice as well. He authorized me to climb without supplementary oxygen. To this I would add: As a precautionary measure, in the event that some extraordinary demand was placed upon me on summit day, I was carrying one (1) bottle of supplementary oxygen, a mask, and a regulator. [ 42 ] Beidleman said that Boukreev had brought oxygen to the Balcony but declined to use it, handing the bottle to Beidleman and stating he had “no need.” This contradicted the original plan and Fischer’s directive that guides use oxygen while supporting clients according to Beidleman. While acknowledging Boukreev’s strength and speed as a climber, Beidleman argued that going without oxygen impaired Boukreev’s ability to assist others down from the summit. He suggested that Boukreev didn’t fully recognize his responsibility as a commercial guide, noting the consequences of prioritizing personal style over team safety. [ 43 ] There were several issues and problems with radios and their use on summit day. Scott Fischer's Sardar did not have a company-issued radio, but did have a "small yellow" radio that was owned by Sandy Pittman. Rob Hall's team also had an issue with a radio during a discussion over oxygen bottles that caused confusion. [ 36 ] The 1996 season after this disaster [ edit ] 1996 is statistically curious as the fatality rates on Everest in the 1996 season were statistically lower than normal. The record number of 12 fatalities in the 1996 spring climbing season was 3% of the 398 climbers who had ascended above Base Camp—slightly below the historical average of 3.3% at that time. Additionally, a total of 84 climbers reached the summit that season, giving a fatality-to-summit ratio of 1 to 7—significantly less than the historical average of 1 to 4 prior to 1996. Accounting for the increased volume of climbers in 1996 compared with previous years, the fatality rates on Everest dropped considerably, meaning that 1996 was statistically a safer -than-average year. [ 44 ] Name [ 45 ] Nationality Expedition Location of death Cause of death Andrew "Harold" Harris (Guide) New Zealand Adventure Consultants near South Summit , 8,749 m Unknown; presumed as falling during descent near summit Doug Hansen (Client) United States Rob Hall (Guide/Expedition leader) New Zealand Exposure Yasuko Namba (Client) Japan South Col , c. 7,900 m Scott Fischer (Guide/Expedition leader) United States Mountain Madness Southeast Ridge, 8,300 m Subedar Tsewang Smanla India Indo-Tibetan Border Police Northeast Ridge, 8,600 m Lance Naik Dorje Morup India Head Constable Tsewang Paljor India Other fatalities in 1996 [ edit ] The following is a list of the other fatalities during the spring 1996 climbing season on Everest. These deaths were not directly related to the storm or the events of 10–11 May 1996 Everest disaster. 9 May – Chen Yu-Nan (陳玉男) – from the Taiwanese National Expedition, died after a fall down the Lhotse Face [ 46 ] 19 May – Reinhard Wlasich – Austrian climber, died from a combination of HAPE and HACE at 8,300 m (27,200 ft) on the Northeast Ridge [ 47 ] 25 May – Bruce Herrod – photojournalist with a South African team, was on the South Col during the 10–11 May storm and reached the summit two weeks later, but died descending the Southeast Ridge [ 48 ] 6 June – Ngawang Topche Sherpa – Nepali Sherpa for Mountain Madness, developed a severe case of HAPE on 22 April while working above Base Camp; died in June in a Kathmandu hospital [ 49 ] The following fatalities occurred on Everest during the fall 1996 climbing season. [ 50 ] [ 51 ] 25 September – Yves Bouchon – French climber, died in an avalanche at 7,800 m (25,600 ft) on the southeast route below Camp IV, along with the two Sherpas listed below 25 September – Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa – Nepalese Sherpa, the same climbing Sardar on the Mountain Madness expedition involved in the May 1996 Everest disaster; died in avalanche 25 September – Dawa Sherpa – Nepalese Sherpa; died in avalanche In the epilogue to High Exposure , David Breashears describes encountering some of the bodies upon climbing Everest again in May 1997. [ 52 ] Into Thin Air: Death on Everest (released 9 November 1997) is a made-for-TV movie based on Jon Krakauer 's book Into Thin Air : A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster (1997). The film, directed by Robert Markowitz and written by Robert J. Avrech , tells the story of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. [ 53 ] The Climb is Anatoli Boukreev 's account of the events that unfolded on the mountain. It is also in part a response to Krakauer's book. The IMAX film Everest (1998) documents the disaster, and the involvement of that film's crew and climbing team in the rescue effort. [ 54 ] The Dark Side of Everest (2003), National Geographic Channel , discusses climbers' motivations, the ethics and challenges involved when climbers encounter trouble at high altitudes, and specific disasters, e.g. the 10–11 May 1996 Mount Everest disaster and Bruce Herrod's death on 25 May 1996. Remnants of Everest: The 1996 Tragedy (2007; released in the US as Storm over Everest and broadcast on the US PBS-TV series Frontline ), is a documentary by director David Breashears [ 55 ] ), with music composed by Jocelyn Pook . Seconds from Disaster - Into the Death Zone , 2012 TV documentary. [ 56 ] The events inspired the feature film Everest (2015). Joby Talbot 's opera Everest , based on the events of the disaster, was produced by the Dallas Opera and premiered in 2015. [ 57 ] Beck Weathers ' book Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest (2000). Lene Gammelgaard 's book Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy (first published June 9, 1999). Lou Kasischke's book After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story (2014). List of 20th-century summiteers of Mount Everest List of deaths on eight-thousanders List of media related to Mount Everest List of people who died climbing Mount Everest List of mountaineering disasters by death toll ^ "Mount Everest Nepal Earthquake" . The New York Times . 28 April 2015. ^ Dahlburg, John-Thor (1996). "Climbing Veterans Call Everest Deaths Inevitable" . Los Angeles Times . ^ a b c d Krakauer 1997 , p. 296 ^ Boukreev, Anatoli ; G. Weston Dewalt (1997). The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest . New York: St. Martins. ISBN 978-0-312-96533-4 . ^ ^ Gammelgard, Lene (2000). Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy . New York: Perennial. ISBN 978-0-330-39227-3 . ^ a b Krakauer 1997 , pp. xv–xvi ^ "Apa Sherpa Full Biography - Apa Sherpa Foundation" . apasherpafoundation.org . Archived from the original on 17 October 2016 . Retrieved 13 October 2016 . ^ Boukreev; Dewalt p. 12 ^ "David A. Sowles Memorial Award – American Alpine Club" . americanalpineclub.org . Archived from the original on 27 September 2015 . Retrieved 27 September 2015 . ^ a b Krakauer 1997 , pp. 108–114. ^ Krakauer 1997 , p. 140 ^ Conant, Jennet (22 September 2015). "The Real Story of Sandy Hill Pittman, Everest's Socialite Climber" . Vanity Fair . Condé Nast . Retrieved 25 July 2021 . ^ "U.S. climber, thought dead, rescued from Mount Everest" . CNN . 13 May 1996. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015 . Retrieved 14 November 2015 . ^ a b c "Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa's response to Krakauer's article" . Outsideonline.com. Archived from the original on 19 September 2010 . Retrieved 5 December 2010 . ^ a b c "Anatoli Boukreev's response to Krakauer's article" . Outsideonline.com . Retrieved 5 December 2010 . [ dead link ] ^ a b c d "What Really Happened In The Thin Air" . MountainZone.com . Retrieved 10 October 2025 . ^ Krakauer 1997 , pp. 241–242. ^ a b Storm Over Everest . Statement by Ang Dorje ^ "Salon Wanderlust \| Coming down" . Salon.com . 10 May 1996. Archived from the original on 23 April 1999 . Retrieved 5 December 2010 . ^ a b c Coming Down page 3 Archived 3 March 2000 at the Wayback Machine Dwight Garner, salon.com 1998 August ^ "Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Anatoli Boukreev response" . outsideonline.com . Archived from the original on 30 May 2001 . Retrieved 27 September 2015 . ^ "Everest controversy continues" . Salon.com. 7 August 1998 . Retrieved 10 October 2025 . ^ "Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Reply from Jon Krakauer" . outsideonline.com . Archived from the original on 31 May 2001 . Retrieved 27 September 2015 . ^ GlaxoSmithKline: On top of the world – Acclimatisation Archived 25 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine ^ "Gau's account and pictures" . Classic.mountainzone.com . Retrieved 5 December 2010 . ^ Krakauer 1997 , p. 193 ^ Storm Over Everest . 1998. ^ Krakauer 1997 , p. 214 ^ "Explorers' Last Words and Technology: From Robert Falcon Scott to Rob Hall" . Adventure . 29 March 2012. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021 . Retrieved 5 August 2021 . ^ "Bodies to come down in Everest clean-up" . www.theaustralian.com.au . 22 April 2010 . Retrieved 5 August 2021 . ^ Krakauer 1997 , p. 295. ^ Krakauer 1997 , pp. 322–324 ^ Krakauer 1997 , pp. 342–344, 368 ^ a b Ratcliffe, Graham (2011). A Day to Die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : the untold true story . Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 328. ISBN 9781845966386 . OCLC 671466084 . ^ a b c d Krakauer 1997 ^ Krakauer 1997 , pp. 355–8 ^ Krakauer 1997 , p. 238 ^ Krakauer 1997 , p. 354 ^ "The Day the Sky Fell on Everest" . New Scientist (2449): 15. 29 May 2004 . Retrieved 11 December 2006 . ^ Peplow, Mark (25 May 2004). "High Winds Suck Oxygen from Everest: Predicting Pressure Lows Could Protect Climbers" . BioEd Online . Retrieved 11 December 2006 . Moore explains that these jet streaks can drag a huge draught of air up the side of the mountain, lowering the air pressure. He calculates that this typically reduces the partial pressure of oxygen in the air by about 6%, which translates to a 14% reduction in oxygen uptake for the climbers. Air at that altitude already contains only one third as much oxygen as sea-level air. ^ Boukreev, Anatoli; DeWalt, G. Weston (2002). The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest . Pan Books. pp. 217, 218. ISBN 978-0-330-48896-9 . ^ Beidleman, Neal (23 September 2020). "Mill House Podcast – Episode 19" (video) . youtube.com . ^ Krakauer 1997 , p. 274 ^ List of Everest Fatalities AdventureStats.com ^ Krakauer 1997 , p. 155 ^ Krakauer 1997 , p. 276 ^ Krakauer 1997 , p. 278 ^ Krakauer 1997 , pp. 108–114 ^ "Video" . CNN . 14 October 1996. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011 . Retrieved 24 February 2011 . ^ "Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa killed in Everest avalanche" . Mountain Zone . ^ Breashears, David. "Epilogue" . High Exposure . "Except for Scott's body, still wrapped with a pack and rope the way Anatoli had left him, the summit slopes were mercifully free of the tragedy. When we reached the South Summit, Rob had disappeared from sight, shrouded by a tall drift formed around his body. Andy Harris and Doug Hansen may lie near him, though we'll probably never know. [...] Near the base of the Hillary Step we found the last vestige of the 1996 disasters, the body of Bruce Herrod, the photojournalist who'd been with the South African team." ^ Jonathan Crow (2008). Into Thin Air: Death on Everest . Movies & TV Dept. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. ^ Baumgarten, Marjorie (14 October 2014). "Everest" . The Austin Chronicle . Retrieved 19 November 2014 . ^ Frontline: Storm Over Everest . PBS. 2007. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. ^ "Into the Death Zone" . IMDb . ^ "REVIEW: Dallas Opera's stunning world premiere of 'Everest' " . Archived from the original on 2 February 2017 . Retrieved 27 January 2017 . Krakauer, Jon (1997). Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster . Doubleday . ISBN 978-0-385-49208-9 . Ratcliffe, Graham (2013). A day to die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : one survivor's personal journey to uncover the truth . Edinburgh. ISBN 978-1-78057-641-1 . {{ cite book }} : CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( link ) The Website for the 2008 PBS Frontline television show titled Storm Over Everest. PBS Frontline: 'Storm Over Everest' – washingtonpost.com Climber Recounts Tragedy in 'Storm Over Everest' Ken Kamler: Medical miracle on Everest – TEDMED PBS Storm over Everest : Roundtable : The Ethics of Climbing (with Peter Hackett, M.D.Lincoln Hall, James H. Moss, J.D., and Jim Williams)
Markdown	[Jump to content](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#bodyContent) Main menu Main menu move to sidebar hide Navigation - [Main page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page "Visit the main page [z]") - [Contents](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents "Guides to browsing Wikipedia") - [Current events](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events "Articles related to current events") - [Random article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random "Visit a randomly selected article [x]") - [About Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:About "Learn about Wikipedia and how it works") - [Contact us](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us "How to contact Wikipedia") Contribute - [Help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents "Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia") - [Learn to edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Introduction "Learn how to edit Wikipedia") - [Community portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_portal "The hub for editors") - [Recent changes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RecentChanges "A list of recent changes to Wikipedia [r]") - [Upload file](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:File_upload_wizard "Add images or other media for use on Wikipedia") - [Special pages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:SpecialPages "A list of all special pages [q]") [![](https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/icons/enwiki-25.svg) ![Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en-25.svg) ![The Free Encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en-25.svg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page) [Search](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search "Search Wikipedia [f]") Appearance - [Donate](https://donate.wikimedia.org/?wmf_source=donate&wmf_medium=sidebar&wmf_campaign=en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en) - [Create account](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=1996+Mount+Everest+disaster "You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory") - [Log in](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=1996+Mount+Everest+disaster "You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. 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[o]") ## Contents move to sidebar hide - [(Top)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster) - [1 Climbers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Climbers) Toggle Climbers subsection - [1\.1 Adventure Consultants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Adventure_Consultants) - [1\.1.1 Guides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Guides) - [1\.1.2 Clients](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Clients) - [1\.1.3 Sherpas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Sherpas) - [1\.2 Mountain Madness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Mountain_Madness) - [1\.2.1 Guides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Guides_2) - [1\.2.2 Clients](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Clients_2) - [1\.2.3 Sherpas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Sherpas_2) - [1\.3 Taiwanese expedition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Taiwanese_expedition) - [1\.4 Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police) - [2 Timeline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Timeline) Toggle Timeline subsection - [2\.1 Delays reaching the summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Delays_reaching_the_summit) - [2\.2 Descent in a blizzard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Descent_in_a_blizzard) - [2\.3 11 May](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#11_May) - [3 Analysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Analysis) Toggle Analysis subsection - [3\.1 Supplementary oxygen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Supplementary_oxygen) - [3\.2 Radios](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Radios) - [4 The 1996 season after this disaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#The_1996_season_after_this_disaster) - [5 List of fatalities](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#List_of_fatalities) Toggle List of fatalities subsection - [5\.1 Other fatalities in 1996](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Other_fatalities_in_1996) - [6 In the media](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#In_the_media) - [7 See also](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#See_also) - [8 References](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#References) - [9 Bibliography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#Bibliography) - [10 External links](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#External_links) Toggle the table of contents # 1996 Mount Everest disaster 19 languages - [العربية](https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AB%D8%A9_%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%84_%D8%A5%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA_1996 "كارثة جبل إفرست 1996 – Arabic") - [Asturianu](https://ast.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desastre_del_Everest_de_1996 "Desastre del Everest de 1996 – Asturian") - [Čeština](https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trag%C3%A9die_na_Mount_Everestu_\(1996\) "Tragédie na Mount Everestu (1996) – Czech") - [Deutsch](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ungl%C3%BCck_am_Mount_Everest_\(1996\) "Unglück am Mount Everest (1996) – German") - [Español](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desastre_del_Everest_de_1996 "Desastre del Everest de 1996 – Spanish") - [Eesti](https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996._aasta_Everesti_trag%C3%B6%C3%B6dia "1996. aasta Everesti tragöödia – Estonian") - [فارسی](https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%B9%D9%87_%DB%B1%DB%B9%DB%B9%DB%B6_%DA%A9%D9%88%D9%87_%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA "فاجعه ۱۹۹۶ کوه اورست – Persian") - [Suomi](https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everestin_onnettomuus_1996 "Mount Everestin onnettomuus 1996 – Finnish") - [Français](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saison_d%27alpinisme_1996_sur_l%27Everest "Saison d'alpinisme 1996 sur l'Everest – French") - [עברית](https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%90%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%9F_%D7%91%D7%94%D7%A8_%D7%94%D7%90%D7%95%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%A1%D7%98_\(1996\) "האסון בהר האוורסט (1996) – Hebrew") - [हिन्दी](https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_%E0%A4%8F%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F_%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4_%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE "1996 एवरेस्ट पर्वत आपदा – Hindi") - [Bahasa Indonesia](https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bencana_Gunung_Everest_1996 "Bencana Gunung Everest 1996 – Indonesian") - [Italiano](https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedia_dell%27Everest_del_1996 "Tragedia dell'Everest del 1996 – Italian") - [日本語](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996%E5%B9%B4%E3%81%AE%E3%82%A8%E3%83%99%E3%83%AC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E5%A4%A7%E9%87%8F%E9%81%AD%E9%9B%A3 "1996年のエベレスト大量遭難 – Japanese") - [Português](https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desastre_do_monte_Everest_em_1996 "Desastre do monte Everest em 1996 – Portuguese") - [Русский](https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%84%D0%B0_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%94%D0%B6%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%BD%D0%B3%D0%BC%D0%B5_\(1996\) "Катастрофа на Джомолунгме (1996) – Russian") - [Українська](https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A2%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B3%D0%B5%D0%B4%D1%96%D1%8F_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%95%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D1%96_1996_%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%83 "Трагедія на Евересті 1996 року – Ukrainian") - [Tiếng Việt](https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%E1%BA%A3m_h%E1%BB%8Da_tr%C3%AAn_n%C3%BAi_Everest_1996 "Thảm họa trên núi Everest 1996 – Vietnamese") - [中文](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996%E5%B9%B4%E7%8F%A0%E7%A9%86%E6%9C%97%E7%91%AA%E5%B3%B0%E4%BA%8B%E6%95%85 "1996年珠穆朗瑪峰事故 – Chinese") [Edit links](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q1517252#sitelinks-wikipedia "Edit interlanguage links") - [Article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster "View the content page [c]") - [Talk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:1996_Mount_Everest_disaster "Discuss improvements to the content page [t]") English - [Read](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster) - [Edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit "Edit this page [e]") - [View history](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=history "Past revisions of this page [h]") Tools Tools move to sidebar hide Actions - [Read](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster) - 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[Get shortened URL](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:UrlShortener&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2F1996_Mount_Everest_disaster) Print/export - [Download as PDF](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:DownloadAsPdf&page=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=show-download-screen "Download this page as a PDF file") - [Printable version](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&printable=yes "Printable version of this page [p]") In other projects - [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:1996_Mount_Everest_disaster) - [Wikidata item](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q1517252 "Structured data on this page hosted by Wikidata [g]") Appearance move to sidebar hide From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Death of eight climbers \| \| \| \|---\|---\| \| [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Everest_Peace_Project_-_Everest_summit.jpg/330px-Everest_Peace_Project_-_Everest_summit.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Everest_Peace_Project_-_Everest_summit.jpg)The summit of Mount Everest \| \| \| [![Map](https://maps.wikimedia.org/img/osm-intl,10,27.988055555556,86.925,270x200.png?lang=en&domain=en.wikipedia.org&title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&revid=1341628405&groups=_6dfa26e220f925af0fce16cd705c12bec965b10d&parser=legacy)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Map/10/27.988055555556/86.925/en) \| \| \| Date \| 10–11 May 1996 \| \| Location \| [Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest "Mount Everest") Altitude 8,849 metres (29,032 ft) \| \| [Coordinates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_coordinate_system "Geographic coordinate system") \| [27°59′17″N 86°55′30″E / 27\.98806°N 86.92500°E / 27\.98806; 86.92500](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&params=27_59_17_N_86_55_30_E_type:event) \| \| Organised by \| [Adventure Consultants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Consultants "Adventure Consultants") [Mountain Madness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Madness "Mountain Madness") [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police "Indo-Tibetan Border Police") \| \| Deaths \| 8 \| The 1996 Mount Everest disaster occurred on 10–11 May 1996 when eight [climbers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedition_climbing "Expedition climbing") caught in a [blizzard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard "Blizzard") died on [Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest "Mount Everest") while attempting to descend from the summit. Over the season, 12 people died trying to reach the summit, making it then the deadliest season on Mount Everest and now the third deadliest to date after the 23 fatalities from [avalanches](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Mount_Everest_avalanches "2015 Mount Everest avalanches") caused by the [April 2015 Nepal earthquake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_2015_Nepal_earthquake "April 2015 Nepal earthquake")[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-1) and the 16 fatalities of the [2014 Mount Everest avalanche](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Mount_Everest_ice_avalanche "2014 Mount Everest ice avalanche"). The 1996 disaster received widespread publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-2) Numerous climbers were at a high altitude on Everest during the storm including the [Adventure Consultants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Consultants "Adventure Consultants") team, led by [Rob Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall"), and the [Mountain Madness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Madness "Mountain Madness") team, led by [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer"). While climbers died on both the [North Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Face_\(Everest\) "North Face (Everest)") and [South Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Col "South Col") approaches, the events on the latter were more widely reported. Four members of the Adventure Consultants expedition died, including Hall, while Fischer was the sole casualty of the Mountain Madness expedition. Three officers of the [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police "Indo-Tibetan Border Police") also died. Following the disaster, several survivors wrote memoirs. Journalist [Jon Krakauer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer "Jon Krakauer"), on assignment from [Outside](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outside_\(magazine\) "Outside (magazine)") magazine and on the Adventure Consultants team, published [Into Thin Air](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_Thin_Air "Into Thin Air") (1997),[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) which became a bestseller. [Anatoli Boukreev](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Boukreev "Anatoli Boukreev"), a guide in the Mountain Madness team, felt impugned by the book and co-authored a rebuttal called [The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Climb_\(book\) "The Climb (book)") (1997).[\[4\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-4) [Beck Weathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Weathers "Beck Weathers"), of Hall's expedition, and [Lene Gammelgaard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lene_Gammelgaard "Lene Gammelgaard"), of Fischer's expedition, wrote about their experiences in their respective books, Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest (2000)[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-5) and Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy (2000).[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-6) In 2014, Lou Kasischke, also of Hall's expedition, published his own account in [After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_the_Wind "After the Wind"). In addition to the members of the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness teams, Mike Trueman, who coordinated the rescue from Base Camp, contributed The Storms: Adventure and Tragedy on Everest (2015). Graham Ratcliffe, who climbed to the South Col of Everest on 10 May, noted in A Day to Die For (2011) that weather reports forecasting a major storm developing after 8 May and peaking in intensity on 11 May were delivered to expedition leaders. Hall and Fischer received these before their planned summit attempts on 10 May. Some of their teams summited Everest during an apparent break in this developing storm only to descend into the full force of it late on 10 May. ## Climbers \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=1 "Edit section: Climbers")\] The following is a list of climbers en route to the summit on 10 May 1996 via the South Col and Southeast Ridge, organized by expedition and role. All ages are as of 1996. ### Adventure Consultants \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=2 "Edit section: Adventure Consultants")\] The [Adventure Consultants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Consultants "Adventure Consultants")' 1996 Everest expedition, led by [Rob Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall"), consisted of 19 people, including eight clients. #### Guides \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=3 "Edit section: Guides")\] - [Rob Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall") (35) – expedition leader; died near the [South Summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Summit "South Summit") - [Michael Groom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Groom_\(climber\) "Michael Groom (climber)") (37) - [Andy Harris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Harris_\(mountain_guide\) "Andy Harris (mountain guide)") (31) – disappeared near the South Summit while assisting Hall #### Clients \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=4 "Edit section: Clients")\] - Frank Fischbeck (53) – had attempted Everest three times and reached the South Summit in 1994 - Doug Hansen (46) – had previously attempted Everest with Hall's team in 1995; disappeared near the South Summit while descending with Hall - Stuart Hutchison (34) – youngest client on Hall's team; previous 8,000 m experiences included [K2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2 "K2") winter expedition in 1988, [Broad Peak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_Peak "Broad Peak") west ridge in 1992, and Everest north side in 1994 - Lou Kasischke (53) – had climbed six of the [Seven Summits](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Summits "Seven Summits") - [Jon Krakauer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer "Jon Krakauer") (42) – journalist on assignment from [Outside](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outside_\(magazine\) "Outside (magazine)") magazine; an accomplished technical climber, but had no experience in climbing peaks over 8,000 m - [Yasuko Namba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuko_Namba "Yasuko Namba") (47) – had climbed six of the Seven Summits; became the oldest woman to summit Everest at the time; died on the [South Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Col "South Col") - John Taske (56) – oldest climber on the Adventure Consultants team; no 8,000 m experience - [Beck Weathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Weathers "Beck Weathers") (49) – had been climbing for 10 years and was also making a bid for the Seven Summits, but had no 8,000 m experience #### Sherpas \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=5 "Edit section: Sherpas")\] - [Sardar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_\(Sherpa\) "Sardar (Sherpa)") [Ang Dorje](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ang_Dorje_Sherpa "Ang Dorje Sherpa") (26) - Arita - Chuldum - Kami - Lhakpa Chhiri - Ngawang Norbu - Tenzing The Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Rob Hall's Adventure Consultants.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi-7) Many other Sherpas working at lower elevations performed duties vital to the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness expeditions. Most climbing Sherpas' duties require them to ascend at least to Camp III or IV, but not all of them summit. The expedition leaders intend for only a select few of their climbing Sherpas to summit. Legendary [Sardar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_\(Sherpa\) "Sardar (Sherpa)") [Apa Sherpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apa_Sherpa "Apa Sherpa") was scheduled to accompany the Adventure Consultants group but withdrew due to family commitments.[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-8) With the exception of Namba, no client on Hall's team had reached the summit of an [8,000-meter peak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-thousander "Eight-thousander"), and only Fischbeck, Hansen, and Hutchison had previous high-altitude Himalayan experience. Hall had also brokered a deal with Outside magazine for advertising space in exchange for a story about the growing popularity of commercial expeditions to Everest. Krakauer was originally slated to climb with Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness team, but Hall landed him, at least in part by agreeing to reduce Outside's fee for Krakauer's spot on the expedition to less than cost.[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-9) ### Mountain Madness \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=6 "Edit section: Mountain Madness")\] The [Mountain Madness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Madness "Mountain Madness") 1996 Everest expedition, led by [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer"), consisted of 19 people, including 8 clients. #### Guides \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=7 "Edit section: Guides")\] - [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer") (40) – expedition leader; died on the [Southeast ridge balcony](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest#Southeast_ridge "Mount Everest") 350 m (1,150 ft) below the [South Summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Summit "South Summit") - [Neal Beidleman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Beidleman "Neal Beidleman") (36) – professional mountaineer - [Anatoli Boukreev](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Boukreev "Anatoli Boukreev") (38) – professional mountaineer, in 1997 was awarded the [David A. Sowles Memorial Award](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_A._Sowles_Memorial_Award "David A. Sowles Memorial Award") by the [American Alpine Club](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Alpine_Club "American Alpine Club")[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-10) #### Clients \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=8 "Edit section: Clients")\] - Martin Adams (47) – had climbed [Aconcagua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconcagua "Aconcagua"), [Denali](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denali "Denali"), and [Kilimanjaro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kilimanjaro "Mount Kilimanjaro") - [Charlotte Fox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Fox_\(mountaineer\) "Charlotte Fox (mountaineer)") (38) – had climbed [all 53 of the 14,000 ft (4,267 m) peaks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Colorado_fourteeners "List of Colorado fourteeners") in [Colorado](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado "Colorado") and two [8,000 m peaks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-thousander "Eight-thousander"), [Gasherbrum II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasherbrum_II "Gasherbrum II") and [Cho Oyu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cho_Oyu "Cho Oyu") - [Lene Gammelgaard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lene_Gammelgaard "Lene Gammelgaard") (35) - Dale Kruse (45) – long-term personal friend of Fischer's and the first to sign up for the 1996 expedition - Tim Madsen (33) – had climbed extensively in the Colorado and Canadian Rockies, but had no 8,000 m experience - [Sandy Hill Pittman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hill_\(mountaineer\) "Sandy Hill (mountaineer)") (41) – had climbed six of the [Seven Summits](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Summits "Seven Summits") - [Pete Schoening](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Schoening "Pete Schoening") (68) – one of the first to climb [Gasherbrum I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasherbrum_I "Gasherbrum I") and [Mount Vinson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vinson "Mount Vinson"); known for singlehandedly [saving the lives of six team members](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_American_Karakoram_expedition#Attempted_rescue_and_fall "1953 American Karakoram expedition") during a mass fall in the [American expedition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_American_Karakoram_expedition "1953 American Karakoram expedition") on [K2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2 "K2") in 1953 - Klev Schoening (38) – Pete's nephew and a former US national downhill ski racer; no 8,000 m experience #### Sherpas \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=9 "Edit section: Sherpas")\] - [Sardar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_\(Sherpa\) "Sardar (Sherpa)") [Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lopsang_Jangbu_Sherpa "Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa") (23) - "Big" Pemba - [Nawang Dorje](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nawang_Dorje "Nawang Dorje") - Ngawang Sya Kya - Ngawang Tendi - Ngawang Topche (died a few months later from [HAPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema") he contracted during hauling duties to Camp II) - Tashi Tshering - Tendi The Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness expedition.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi-7) Ngawang Topche was hospitalized in April; he had developed [high-altitude pulmonary edema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema") (HAPE) while ferrying supplies above Base Camp. He was not on the mountain during the summit attempt of 10 May. Topche died from his illness in June 1996.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114-11) Pete Schoening decided at Base Camp (5,380 m or 17,650 ft) not to make the final push to the summit. The team began the assault on the summit on 6 May, bypassing Camp I (5,944 m or 19,501 ft) and stopping at Camp II (6,500 m or 21,300 ft) for two nights. However, Kruse suffered from [altitude sickness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness "Altitude sickness") and possible [high-altitude cerebral edema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_cerebral_edema "High-altitude cerebral edema") (HACE), and stopped at Camp I. Fischer descended from Camp II and escorted Kruse back to Base Camp for treatment.[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._140-12) On 9 June 1996, three days after Sherpa Ngawang Topche died in hospital from [high-altitude pulmonary edema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema"),[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114-11) a private memorial service was held for Scott Fischer attended by the climbers and Sherpas from Mountain Madness at Kiana Lodge, near Seattle, Washington. The Sherpa chanted a Buddhist prayer, Beidleman gifted his late friend's engraved expedition knife to Fischer's two children, and Jeannie Price, Fischer's wife, released a cloud of butterflies.[\[13\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-13) ### Taiwanese expedition \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=10 "Edit section: Taiwanese expedition")\] "Makalu" [Gau Ming-ho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gau_Ming-ho "Gau Ming-ho") led a five-member team to Everest on 10 May 1996.[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-14) The previous day (9 May), Taiwanese team member Chen Yu-Nan had died following a fall on the [Lhotse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lhotse "Lhotse") Face. ### Indo-Tibetan Border Police \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=11 "Edit section: Indo-Tibetan Border Police")\] Main article: [1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police_expedition_to_Mount_Everest "1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest") Half of the climbing team from the [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police "Indo-Tibetan Border Police") [North Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Col "North Col") expedition from India (Subedar [Tsewang Samanla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsewang_Samanla "Tsewang Samanla"), Lance Naik [Dorje Morup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorje_Morup "Dorje Morup"), and Head Constable [Tsewang Paljor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsewang_Paljor "Tsewang Paljor")) died on the Northeast Ridge. ## Timeline \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=12 "Edit section: Timeline")\] ### Delays reaching the summit \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=13 "Edit section: Delays reaching the summit")\] [![Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Lage_des_Mount_Everest.PNG)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lage_des_Mount_Everest.PNG "Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step") Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step Shortly after midnight on 10 May 1996, the Adventure Consultants expedition began a summit attempt from Camp IV, atop the [South Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Col "South Col") (7,900 m or 25,900 ft). They were joined by six client climbers, three guides, and Sherpas from [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer")'s Mountain Madness company, as well as an expedition sponsored by the government of [Taiwan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan "Taiwan").\[[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed "Wikipedia:Citation needed")\] The expeditions quickly encountered delays. The climbing Sherpas and guides had not set the fixed ropes by the time the team reached the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft), and this cost the climbers almost an hour. The cause of this delay is unclear, in part due to the death of the expedition leaders.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15) Upon reaching the [Hillary Step](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Step "Hillary Step") (8,760 m or 28,740 ft), the climbers again discovered that no [fixed line](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed_rope "Fixed rope") had been placed, and they were forced to wait an hour while the guides installed the ropes. Because some 33 climbers were attempting the summit on the same day, and Hall and Fischer had asked their climbers to stay within 150 m (500 ft) of each other, there was a bottleneck at the single fixed line at the Hillary Step. Hutchison, Kasischke, and Taske returned towards Camp IV as they feared they would run out of supplementary oxygen due to the delays.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) Climbing without supplemental oxygen, guide Anatoli Boukreev from the Mountain Madness team was the first to reach the summit (8,848 m or 29,029 ft), at 13:07.[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17) Many of the climbers had not yet reached the summit by 14:00, the last safe time to turn around to reach Camp IV before nightfall. Boukreev began his descent to Camp IV at 14:30, having spent nearly 1.5 hours at or near the summit helping others complete the climb. By that time, Hall, Krakauer, Harris, Beidleman, Namba, and Mountain Madness clients Martin Adams and Klev Schoening had reached the summit,[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17) and the remaining four Mountain Madness clients had arrived. After this time, Krakauer noted that the weather did not look so benign.[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997241%E2%80%93242-18) At 15:00, snow started to fall, and the light was diminishing. Hall's [Sirdar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_\(Sherpa\) "Sardar (Sherpa)"), Ang Dorje Sherpa, and other climbing Sherpas waited at the summit for the clients. Near 15:00, they began their descent. On the way down, Ang Dorje encountered client Doug Hansen above the Hillary Step and ordered him to descend. Hansen did not respond verbally, but shook his head and pointed upward, toward the summit.[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Storm_Over_Everest-19) When Hall arrived at the scene, the Sherpas offered to take Hansen to the summit, but Hall sent the Sherpas down to assist the other clients, and instructed them to stash oxygen canisters on the route. Hall said he would remain to help Hansen, who had run out of supplementary oxygen.[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Storm_Over_Everest-19) Scott Fischer did not summit until 15:45. He was exhausted from the ascent and becoming increasingly ill, possibly suffering from [HAPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema"), [HACE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_cerebral_edema "High-altitude cerebral edema"), or a combination of both. Others, including Doug Hansen and Makalu Gau, reached the summit even later.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15) ### Descent in a blizzard \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=14 "Edit section: Descent in a blizzard")\] Boukreev recorded that he reached Camp IV by 17:00. Boukreev's reasons for descending ahead of his clients are disputed.[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-20) Initially, Boukreev said he was going down with client Martin Adams,[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21) but later descended faster and left Adams behind.[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21) Boukreev also maintained that he wanted to be ready to assist struggling clients farther down the slope, and to retrieve hot tea and extra oxygen if necessary.[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-22) According to Boukreev, this plan was discussed with and approved by expedition leader Fischer.[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17)[\[23\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Salon2-23) Krakauer sharply criticized Boukreev's decision not to use bottled oxygen while employed as a guide.[\[24\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-24) Boukreev's supporters, who include G. Weston DeWalt, co-author of [The Climb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Climb_\(book\) "The Climb (book)") (1997), state that using bottled oxygen gives a false sense of security.[\[25\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-25) Krakauer and his supporters point out that, without bottled oxygen, Boukreev was unable to directly help his clients descend.[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21) The worsening weather began causing difficulties for the descending team members. The blizzard on the southwest face of Everest was reducing visibility, burying the fixed ropes, and obliterating the trail back to Camp IV that the teams had broken on the ascent. Fischer, helped by Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa, was unable to descend below the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft) in the storm. Sherpas left Makalu Gau (at 8,230 m or 27,000 ft by Gau's account[\[26\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Gau-26)) with Fischer and Lopsang when Gau, too, became unable to proceed. Eventually, Lopsang was persuaded by Fischer to descend and leave him and Gau.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15) Hall radioed for help, saying that Hansen had fallen unconscious but was still alive. At 17:30, Adventure Consultants guide Andy Harris, carrying supplementary oxygen and water, began climbing alone from the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft) toward Hansen and Hall at the top of Hillary Step.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) Krakauer's account notes that by this time, the weather had deteriorated into a full-scale blizzard: "Snow pellets borne by 70 kn \[130 km/h; 81 mph\] gusts stung my face."[\[27\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._193-27) Boukreev gives 18:00 as "the onset of a blizzard".[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17) Several climbers got lost on the South Col during the storm. Mountain Madness guide Beidleman and clients Klev Schoening, Fox, Madsen, Pittman, and Gammelgaard, along with Adventure Consultants guide Mike Groom and clients Beck Weathers and Yasuko Namba wandered in the blizzard until they could no longer walk, huddling some 20 m (66 ft) from a drop-off of the [Kangshung Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangshung_Face "Kangshung Face").[\[28\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-28) Near midnight, the blizzard cleared sufficiently for the team to see Camp IV, some 200 m (660 ft) away. Beidleman, Groom, Schoening, and Gammelgaard set off to find help. Madsen and Fox remained on the mountain with the group in order to shout for the rescuers. Boukreev located the climbers and brought Pittman, Fox, and Madsen to safety. Boukreev had prioritized Pittman, Fox, and Madsen (all of whom were from his Mountain Madness expedition) over Namba (from the Adventure Consultants expedition), who seemed close to death. While Madsen waited for Boukreev to return, Beck Weathers abruptly walked away and disappeared into the storm. All of the climbers then at Camp IV were exhausted and unable to reach Namba and Weathers.[\[29\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._214-29) ### 11 May \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=15 "Edit section: 11 May")\] In the early morning of 11 May, at 04:43, Hall radioed Base Camp that he was on the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft), confirming that he survived the night. He reported that Harris reached the two men, but Hansen, who was with him since the previous afternoon, was now "gone", and Harris was missing. Hall was not breathing bottled oxygen because his regulator was too choked with ice.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) By 09:00, Hall had fixed his [oxygen mask](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_mask "Oxygen mask") but indicated that his frostbitten hands and feet were making it difficult to traverse the fixed ropes. Later in the afternoon, he radioed Base Camp, asking them to call his pregnant wife, Jan Arnold, on the satellite phone. During this last communication, they chose a name for their unborn child, he reassured her that he was reasonably comfortable, and told her, "Sleep well, my sweetheart. Please don't worry too much."[\[30\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-30) Shortly thereafter, he froze to death in his sleep. His body was found on 23 May by [Ed Viesturs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Viesturs "Ed Viesturs") and fellow mountaineers from the [IMAX expedition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(1998_film\) "Everest (1998 film)"), but was left there as requested by his wife, who said she thought he was "where he'd liked to have stayed".[\[31\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-31) The bodies of Doug Hansen and Andy Harris have never been found. Viesturs stated in the IMAX film that upon finding Hall's body, he sat down and cried beside his friend.[\[32\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997295-32) Meanwhile, Stuart Hutchison, a client on Hall's team who had turned around before the summit on 10 May, launched a second search for Weathers and Namba. He found both alive, but barely responsive and severely frostbitten, and in no condition to move. After consulting with Lopsang, he made the decision that they could not be saved by the [hypoxic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoxia_\(medicine\) "Hypoxia (medicine)") survivors at Camp IV nor evacuated in time; the other survivors soon agreed that leaving Weathers and Namba behind was the only choice.[\[33\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._322%E2%80%934-33) Later in the day, however, Weathers regained consciousness and walked alone under his own power to the camp, surprising everyone there, though he was suffering severe hypothermia and frostbite. Despite receiving oxygen and attempts to rewarm him, Weathers was practically abandoned again the next morning, 12 May, after a storm collapsed his tent overnight and the other survivors again thought he died. Krakauer discovered he was still conscious when the survivors in Camp IV prepared to evacuate. Despite his worsening condition, Weathers could still move mostly under his own power. A rescue team mobilized, hopeful of getting Weathers down the mountain alive. Over the next two days, Weathers was ushered down to Camp II with the assistance of eight healthy climbers from various expeditions and evacuated by a daring high-altitude helicopter rescue, one of the highest ever attempted. He survived and eventually recovered, but lost his nose, right hand, half his right forearm, and the fingers on his left hand to frostbite.[\[34\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._342%E2%80%934,_368-34) The climbing Sherpas located Fischer and Gau on 11 May, but Fischer's condition had deteriorated so much that they were only able to give him [palliative care](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palliative_care "Palliative care") before rescuing Gau. Boukreev made a subsequent rescue attempt but found Fischer's frozen body at around 19:00. Like Weathers, Gau was evacuated by helicopter. ## Analysis \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=16 "Edit section: Analysis")\] The disaster was caused by a combination of events, including: - Ineffective leadership. - The expedition leaders did not realize that the blizzard, which hit in full force on 11 May, would be preceded by increasing snow through the afternoon and evening of 10 May.[\[35\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Ratcliffe_2011-35) - A rivalry between Hall and Fischer, who were incentivized to get their clients to the summit,[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36) leading them to ignore the aforementioned forecasts.[\[35\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Ratcliffe_2011-35) - The unwillingness of the [South African team's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_South_African_Everest_expedition "1996 South African Everest expedition") guide to help contact base camp while the other teams' radios were not sufficiently strong.[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36) - Bottlenecks at the Balcony and Hillary Step, which caused an hour-and-a-half delay in summiting. These delays were in themselves caused by delays in securing fixed ropes and the sheer number of people arriving at the bottlenecks at the same time (34 climbers on 10 May). - The team leaders' decisions to exceed the normal turnaround time of 14:00, with many summiting after 14:30. - The sudden illness of two climbers at or near the summit after 15:00. - Unexpectedly severe oxygen deprivation sickness compromising both climbers' and guides' ability to make decisions or help others. - Insufficient stores of oxygen, forcing guides and rescue teams to carry bottles up to stranded climbers as the storm approached.[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36) Jon Krakauer has suggested that the use of bottled oxygen and commercial guides, who personally accompanied and took care of all pathmaking, equipment, and important decisions, allowed otherwise unqualified climbers to attempt to summit, thereby leading to dangerous situations and more deaths.[\[37\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._355%E2%80%938-37) In addition, he wrote that the competition between Hall and Fischer's guiding companies may have led to Hall's decision not to turn back on 10 May after the summiting deadline of 14:00. However, it's not clear whether the guides would have been effective had they stuck to the deadline. > It's very difficult to turn someone around high on the mountain. If a client sees that the summit is close and they're dead-set on getting there, they're going to laugh in your face and keep going.[\[38\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krackauer_p._238-38) — Guy Cotter Krakauer also acknowledges that his own presence as a journalist for an important mountaineering magazine may have added pressure to guide clients to the summit despite the growing danger.[\[39\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._354-39) He proposed banning bottled oxygen except for emergency cases, arguing that this would decrease the growing litter on Everest—many discarded bottles have accumulated on its slopes—and keep marginally qualified climbers off the mountain. He does point out, however, that climbing Everest has always been a highly dangerous endeavor, even before guided tours, with one fatality for every four climbers who reach the summit. Furthermore, he notes that many poor decisions made on 10 May came after two or more days of inadequate oxygen, nourishment, and rest (due to the effects of entering the [death zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_zone "Death zone") above 8,000 m or 26,000 ft). In May 2004, Kent Moore, a physicist, and John L. Semple, a surgeon, both researchers from the [University of Toronto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Toronto "University of Toronto"), told [New Scientist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Scientist "New Scientist") magazine that an analysis of the weather conditions on 11 May suggested that atmospheric oxygen levels fell by an additional 6% as a result of the storm, resulting in a further 14% reduction in oxygen uptake.[\[40\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-NewScientist-40)[\[41\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-BioEd_Online-41) ### Supplementary oxygen \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=17 "Edit section: Supplementary oxygen")\] Following the disaster, the use and non-use of supplementary oxygen was the focus of much discussion and analysis, with a guide and a Sardar both criticized by Krakauer for not using supplementary oxygen while performing guide duties. Both men gave detailed written explanations as to why they preferred not to use oxygen; both men did in fact carry a bottle on the summit day that could be used if needed in an emergency or extraordinary situation. In his book The Climb, Boukreev shared this explanation with Mark Bryant, the editor of Outside magazine: > Also, Mr. Krakauer raised a question about my climbing without oxygen and suggested that perhaps my effectiveness was compromised by that decision. In the history of my career, as I have detailed above, it has been my practice to climb without supplementary oxygen. In my experience, it is safer for me, once acclimatized, to climb without oxygen in order to avoid the sudden loss of acclimatization that occurs when supplementary oxygen supplies are depleted. > > My particular physiology, my years of high-altitude climbing, my discipline, the commitment I make to proper acclimatization, and the knowledge I have of my own capacities have always made me comfortable with this choice. And, Scott Fischer was comfortable with that choice as well. He authorized me to climb without supplementary oxygen. > > To this I would add: As a precautionary measure, in the event that some extraordinary demand was placed upon me on summit day, I was carrying one (1) bottle of supplementary oxygen, a mask, and a regulator.[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-42) Beidleman said that Boukreev had brought oxygen to the Balcony but declined to use it, handing the bottle to Beidleman and stating he had “no need.” This contradicted the original plan and Fischer’s directive that guides use oxygen while supporting clients according to Beidleman. While acknowledging Boukreev’s strength and speed as a climber, Beidleman argued that going without oxygen impaired Boukreev’s ability to assist others down from the summit. He suggested that Boukreev didn’t fully recognize his responsibility as a commercial guide, noting the consequences of prioritizing personal style over team safety.[\[43\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-43) ### Radios \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=18 "Edit section: Radios")\] There were several issues and problems with radios and their use on summit day. Scott Fischer's Sardar did not have a company-issued radio, but did have a "small yellow" radio that was owned by Sandy Pittman. Rob Hall's team also had an issue with a radio during a discussion over oxygen bottles that caused confusion.[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36) ## The 1996 season after this disaster \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=19 "Edit section: The 1996 season after this disaster")\] 1996 is statistically curious as the fatality rates on Everest in the 1996 season were statistically lower than normal. The record number of 12 fatalities in the 1996 spring climbing season was 3% of the 398 climbers who had ascended above Base Camp—slightly below the historical average of 3.3% at that time. Additionally, a total of 84 climbers reached the summit that season, giving a fatality-to-summit ratio of 1 to 7—significantly less than the historical average of 1 to 4 prior to 1996. Accounting for the increased volume of climbers in 1996 compared with previous years, the fatality rates on Everest dropped considerably, meaning that 1996 was statistically a safer\-than-average year.[\[44\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._274-44) ## List of fatalities \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=20 "Edit section: List of fatalities")\] \| Name[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-list-45) \| Nationality \| Expedition \| Location of death \| Cause of death \| \|---\|---\|---\|---\|---\| \| [Andrew "Harold" Harris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Harris_\(mountain_guide\) "Andy Harris (mountain guide)") (Guide) \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/40px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png) [New Zealand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand "New Zealand") \| Adventure Consultants \| near [South Summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Summit_\(Everest\) "South Summit (Everest)"), 8,749 m \| Unknown; presumed as falling during descent near summit \| \| [Doug Hansen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Hansen_\(Everest\) "Doug Hansen (Everest)") (Client) \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/40px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) [United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States "United States") \| \| \| \| \| [Rob Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall") (Guide/Expedition leader) \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/40px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png) [New Zealand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand "New Zealand") \| Exposure \| \| \| \| [Yasuko Namba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuko_Namba "Yasuko Namba") (Client) \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Flag_of_Japan_%281870%E2%80%931999%29.svg/40px-Flag_of_Japan_%281870%E2%80%931999%29.svg.png) [Japan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan "Japan") \| [South Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Col "South Col"), c. 7,900 m \| \| \| \| [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer") (Guide/Expedition leader) \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/40px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) [United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States "United States") \| Mountain Madness \| Southeast Ridge, 8,300 m \| \| \| [Subedar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subedar "Subedar") [Tsewang Smanla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsewang_Smanla "Tsewang Smanla") \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India "India") \| Indo-Tibetan Border Police \| Northeast Ridge, 8,600 m \| \| \| [Lance Naik](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Naik "Lance Naik") [Dorje Morup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorje_Morup "Dorje Morup") \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India "India") \| \| \| \| \| [Head Constable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_Constable "Head Constable") [Tsewang Paljor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsewang_Paljor "Tsewang Paljor") \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India "India") \| \| \| \| ### Other fatalities in 1996 \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=21 "Edit section: Other fatalities in 1996")\] The following is a list of the other fatalities during the spring 1996 climbing season on Everest. These deaths were not directly related to the storm or the events of 10–11 May 1996 Everest disaster. - 9 May – Chen Yu-Nan (陳玉男) – from the Taiwanese National Expedition, died after a fall down the [Lhotse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lhotse "Lhotse") Face[\[46\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._155-46) - 19 May – Reinhard Wlasich – Austrian climber, died from a combination of [HAPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema") and [HACE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_cerebral_edema "High-altitude cerebral edema") at 8,300 m (27,200 ft) on the Northeast Ridge[\[47\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._276-47) - 25 May – Bruce Herrod – photojournalist with a South African team, was on the South Col during the 10–11 May storm and reached the summit two weeks later, but died descending the Southeast Ridge[\[48\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._278-48) - 6 June – Ngawang Topche Sherpa – Nepali Sherpa for Mountain Madness, developed a severe case of [HAPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema") on 22 April while working above Base Camp; died in June in a [Kathmandu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathmandu "Kathmandu") hospital[\[49\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._108-114-49) The following fatalities occurred on Everest during the fall 1996 climbing season.[\[50\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-50)[\[51\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-51) - 25 September – Yves Bouchon – French climber, died in an avalanche at 7,800 m (25,600 ft) on the southeast route below Camp IV, along with the two Sherpas listed below - 25 September – [Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lopsang_Jangbu_Sherpa "Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa") – Nepalese Sherpa, the same climbing [Sardar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_\(Sherpa\) "Sardar (Sherpa)") on the Mountain Madness expedition involved in the May 1996 Everest disaster; died in avalanche - 25 September – Dawa Sherpa – Nepalese Sherpa; died in avalanche In the epilogue to High Exposure, [David Breashears](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Breashears "David Breashears") describes encountering some of the bodies upon climbing Everest again in May 1997.[\[52\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-52) ## In the media \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=22 "Edit section: In the media")\] - [Into Thin Air: Death on Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_Thin_Air:_Death_on_Everest "Into Thin Air: Death on Everest") (released 9 November 1997) is a made-for-TV movie based on [Jon Krakauer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer "Jon Krakauer")'s book [Into Thin Air](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_Thin_Air "Into Thin Air"): A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster (1997). The film, directed by [Robert Markowitz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Markowitz "Robert Markowitz") and written by [Robert J. Avrech](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_J._Avrech "Robert J. Avrech"), tells the story of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.[\[53\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-53) - [The Climb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Climb_\(book\) "The Climb (book)") is [Anatoli Boukreev](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Boukreev "Anatoli Boukreev")'s account of the events that unfolded on the mountain. It is also in part a response to Krakauer's book. - The IMAX film [Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(1998_film\) "Everest (1998 film)") (1998) documents the disaster, and the involvement of that film's crew and climbing team in the rescue effort.[\[54\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Baumgarten-54) - The Dark Side of Everest (2003), [National Geographic Channel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Geographic_\(American_TV_channel\) "National Geographic (American TV channel)"), discusses climbers' motivations, the ethics and challenges involved when climbers encounter trouble at high altitudes, and specific disasters, e.g. the 10–11 May 1996 Mount Everest disaster and Bruce Herrod's death on 25 May 1996. - Remnants of Everest: The 1996 Tragedy (2007; released in the US as Storm over Everest and broadcast on the US PBS-TV series [Frontline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontline_\(American_TV_program\) "Frontline (American TV program)")), is a documentary by director [David Breashears](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Breashears "David Breashears")[\[55\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-55)), with music composed by [Jocelyn Pook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jocelyn_Pook "Jocelyn Pook"). - [Seconds from Disaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seconds_from_Disaster "Seconds from Disaster") - [Into the Death Zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Seconds_From_Disaster_episodes#Season_6_\(2012\) "List of Seconds From Disaster episodes"), 2012 TV documentary.[\[56\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-56) - The events inspired the feature film [Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(2015_film\) "Everest (2015 film)") (2015). - [Joby Talbot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joby_Talbot "Joby Talbot")'s opera [Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(opera\) "Everest (opera)"), based on the events of the disaster, was produced by the [Dallas Opera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Opera "Dallas Opera") and premiered in 2015.[\[57\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-57) - [Beck Weathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Weathers "Beck Weathers")' book Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest (2000). - [Lene Gammelgaard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lene_Gammelgaard "Lene Gammelgaard")'s book Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy (first published June 9, 1999). - Lou Kasischke's book After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story (2014). ## See also \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=23 "Edit section: See also")\] [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/40px-Commons-logo.svg.png)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg) Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Mount Everest](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/%E0%BD%87%E0%BD%BC%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%98%E0%BD%BC%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%82%E0%BE%B3%E0%BD%84%E0%BC%8B%E0%BD%98 "commons:ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ"). - [List of 20th-century summiteers of Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_20th-century_summiteers_of_Mount_Everest "List of 20th-century summiteers of Mount Everest") - [List of deaths on eight-thousanders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deaths_on_eight-thousanders "List of deaths on eight-thousanders") - [List of media related to Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_media_related_to_Mount_Everest "List of media related to Mount Everest") - [List of people who died climbing Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_died_climbing_Mount_Everest "List of people who died climbing Mount Everest") - [List of mountaineering disasters by death toll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountaineering_disasters_by_death_toll "List of mountaineering disasters by death toll") ## References \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=24 "Edit section: References")\] 1. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-1) ["Mount Everest Nepal Earthquake"](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/28/world/asia/mount-everest-nepal-earthquake.html). The New York Times. 28 April 2015. 2. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-2) Dahlburg, John-Thor (1996). ["Climbing Veterans Call Everest Deaths Inevitable"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-05-15-mn-4341-story.html). Los Angeles Times. 3. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-2) [d](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-3) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 296 4. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-4)* [Boukreev, Anatoli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Boukreev "Anatoli Boukreev"); G. Weston Dewalt (1997). [The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest](https://archive.org/details/climbtragicambit00bouk). New York: St. Martins. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-0-312-96533-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-312-96533-4 "Special:BookSources/978-0-312-96533-4") . 5. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-5) [Weathers, Beck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Weathers "Beck Weathers"); Stephen G. Michaud (2000). Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest. New York: Villard. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-0-375-50404-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-375-50404-4 "Special:BookSources/978-0-375-50404-4") . 6. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-6) Gammelgard, Lene (2000). Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy. New York: Perennial. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-0-330-39227-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-330-39227-3 "Special:BookSources/978-0-330-39227-3") . 7. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi_7-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi_7-1) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. xv–xvi 8. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-8)* ["Apa Sherpa Full Biography - Apa Sherpa Foundation"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161017032156/http://apasherpafoundation.org/apa-sherpa-full-biography/). apasherpafoundation.org. Archived from [the original](http://apasherpafoundation.org/apa-sherpa-full-biography/) on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016. 9. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-9) Boukreev; Dewalt p. 12 10. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-10) ["David A. Sowles Memorial Award – American Alpine Club"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150927000946/http://www.americanalpineclub.org/p/sowles-award). americanalpineclub.org. Archived from [the original](https://www.americanalpineclub.org/p/sowles-award) on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015. 11. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114_11-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114_11-1) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 108–114. 12. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._140_12-0)* [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 140 13. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-13) Conant, Jennet (22 September 2015). ["The Real Story of Sandy Hill Pittman, Everest's Socialite Climber"](https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/09/sandy-hill-pittman-mount-everest). Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Retrieved 25 July 2021. 14. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-14) ["U.S. climber, thought dead, rescued from Mount Everest"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151119060557/http://edition.cnn.com/US/9605/13/everest/). CNN. 13 May 1996. Archived from [the original](http://edition.cnn.com/US/9605/13/everest/) on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015. 15. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-2) ["Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa's response to Krakauer's article"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100919000319/http://outsideonline.com/outside/destinations/199609/199609_everest_clarification_4.html). Outsideonline.com. Archived from [the original](http://outsideonline.com/outside/destinations/199609/199609_everest_clarification_4.html) on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 5 December 2010. 16. ^ [a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-2) ["Anatoli Boukreev's response to Krakauer's article"](http://outsideonline.com/outside/destinations/199609/199609_everest_clarification_2.html). Outsideonline.com. Retrieved 5 December 2010. \[[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot "Wikipedia:Link rot")\] 17. ^ [a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-2) [d](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-3) ["What Really Happened In The Thin Air"](https://www.mountainzone.com/climbing/fischer/letters.html). MountainZone.com. Retrieved 10 October 2025. 18. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997241%E2%80%93242_18-0)* [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 241–242. 19. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Storm_Over_Everest_19-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Storm_Over_Everest_19-1) Storm Over Everest. "Statement by Ang Dorje" 20. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-20)* ["Salon Wanderlust \\| Coming down"](https://web.archive.org/web/19990423153959/http://www2.salonmagazine.com/wlust/feature/1998/08/cov_03feature.html). Salon.com. 10 May 1996. Archived from [the original](http://www.salon.com/wlust/feature/1998/08/cov_03feature.html) on 23 April 1999. Retrieved 5 December 2010. 21. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-2) [Coming Down page 3](http://www.salon.com/wlust/feature/1998/08/cov_03feature3.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20000303032319/http://www.salon.com/wlust/feature/1998/08/cov_03feature3.html) 3 March 2000 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") Dwight Garner, salon.com* 1998 August 22. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-22) ["Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Anatoli Boukreev response"](https://web.archive.org/web/20010530225855/http://www.outsideonline.com/peaks/fischer/anatoli.html). outsideonline.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.outsideonline.com/peaks/fischer/anatoli.html) on 30 May 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2015. 23. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Salon2_23-0) ["Everest controversy continues"](https://www.salon.com/1998/08/07/featurea_4/). Salon.com. 7 August 1998. Retrieved 10 October 2025. 24. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-24) ["Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Reply from Jon Krakauer"](https://web.archive.org/web/20010531151540/http://www.outsideonline.com/peaks/fischer/krakreply1.html). outsideonline.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.outsideonline.com/peaks/fischer/krakreply1.html) on 31 May 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2015. 25. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-25) [GlaxoSmithKline: On top of the world – Acclimatisation](http://www.gsk.com/people/mogens/acclimatisation.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090525150616/http://www.gsk.com/people/mogens/acclimatisation.htm) 25 May 2009 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") 26. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Gau_26-0) ["Gau's account and pictures"](http://classic.mountainzone.com/climbing/misc/gau/index-ie3.html). Classic.mountainzone.com. Retrieved 5 December 2010. 27. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._193_27-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 193 28. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-28) Storm Over Everest. 1998. 29. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._214_29-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 214 30. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-30) ["Explorers' Last Words and Technology: From Robert Falcon Scott to Rob Hall"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210805173832/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/explorers-last-words-and-technology-from-robert-falcon-scott-to-rob-hall). Adventure. 29 March 2012. Archived from [the original](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/explorers-last-words-and-technology-from-robert-falcon-scott-to-rob-hall) on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021. 31. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-31) ["Bodies to come down in Everest clean-up"](https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/widow-of-climber-rob-hall-wants-his-body-left-on-mountain-during-sherpas-everest-clean-up/news-story/ba6352eda9e1dbaaf4a22bd9b9dcdb16). www.theaustralian.com.au. 22 April 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2021. 32. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997295_32-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 295. 33. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._322%E2%80%934_33-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 322–324 34. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._342%E2%80%934,_368_34-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 342–344, 368 35. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Ratcliffe_2011_35-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Ratcliffe_2011_35-1) Ratcliffe, Graham (2011). A Day to Die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : the untold true story. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 328. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [9781845966386](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781845966386 "Special:BookSources/9781845966386") . [OCLC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCLC_\(identifier\) "OCLC (identifier)") [671466084](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/671466084). 36. ^ [a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-2) [d](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-3) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997) 37. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._355%E2%80%938_37-0)* [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 355–8 38. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krackauer_p._238_38-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 238 39. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._354_39-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 354 40. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-NewScientist_40-0) ["The Day the Sky Fell on Everest"](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18224492.200-the-day-the-sky-fell-on-everest.html). New Scientist (2449): 15. 29 May 2004. Retrieved 11 December 2006. 41. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-BioEd_Online_41-0) Peplow, Mark (25 May 2004). ["High Winds Suck Oxygen from Everest: Predicting Pressure Lows Could Protect Climbers"](http://www.bioedonline.org/news/news.cfm?art=986). BioEd Online. Retrieved 11 December 2006. "Moore explains that these jet streaks can drag a huge draught of air up the side of the mountain, lowering the air pressure. He calculates that this typically reduces the partial pressure of oxygen in the air by about 6%, which translates to a 14% reduction in oxygen uptake for the climbers. Air at that altitude already contains only one third as much oxygen as sea-level air." 42. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-42) Boukreev, Anatoli; DeWalt, G. Weston (2002). The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest. Pan Books. pp. 217, 218. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-0-330-48896-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-330-48896-9 "Special:BookSources/978-0-330-48896-9") . 43. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-43) [Beidleman, Neal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Beidleman "Neal Beidleman") (23 September 2020). ["Mill House Podcast – Episode 19"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL9UHk1zTeY&t=5254s) (video). youtube.com. 44. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._274_44-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 274 45. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-list_45-0) [List of Everest Fatalities](https://web.archive.org/web/20110613055601/http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml) AdventureStats.com 46. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._155_46-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 155 47. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._276_47-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 276 48. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._278_48-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 278 49. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._108-114_49-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 108–114 50. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-50) ["Video"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110628224026/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1008873/2/index.htm). CNN. 14 October 1996. Archived from [the original](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1008873/2/index.htm) on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011. 51. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-51) ["Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa killed in Everest avalanche"](http://classic.mountainzone.com/climbing/fischer/lopsang.html). Mountain Zone. 52. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-52) Breashears, David. ["Epilogue"](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/everest/exposure/epilogue.html). High Exposure. "Except for Scott's body, still wrapped with a pack and rope the way Anatoli had left him, the summit slopes were mercifully free of the tragedy. When we reached the South Summit, [Rob](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall") had disappeared from sight, shrouded by a tall drift formed around his body. Andy Harris and Doug Hansen may lie near him, though we'll probably never know. \[...\] Near the base of the Hillary Step we found the last vestige of the 1996 disasters, the body of Bruce Herrod, the photojournalist who'd been with the South African team." 53. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-53) Jonathan Crow (2008). [Into Thin Air: Death on Everest](https://web.archive.org/web/20081013084931/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/178032/Into-Thin-Air-Death-on-Everest/overview). Movies & TV Dept. Archived from [the original](https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/178032/Into-Thin-Air-Death-on-Everest/overview) on 13 October 2008. `{{cite book}}`: `\|work=` ignored ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#periodical_ignored "Help:CS1 errors")) 54. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Baumgarten_54-0) Baumgarten, Marjorie (14 October 2014). ["Everest"](http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/film/2002-10-14/141987/). [The Austin Chronicle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Austin_Chronicle "The Austin Chronicle"). Retrieved 19 November 2014. 55. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-55) [Frontline: Storm Over Everest](https://web.archive.org/web/20151210134829/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ5olbdXd10). PBS. 2007. Archived from [the original](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ5olbdXd10) on 10 December 2015. 56. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-56) ["Into the Death Zone"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2506656/). [IMDb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMDb "IMDb"). 57. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-57) ["REVIEW: Dallas Opera's stunning world premiere of 'Everest'"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170202151406/http://www.dallasvoice.com/review-dallas-operas-world-premiere-everest-10189197.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.dallasvoice.com/review-dallas-operas-world-premiere-everest-10189197.html) on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017. ## Bibliography \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=25 "Edit section: Bibliography")\] - [Krakauer, Jon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer "Jon Krakauer") (1997). [Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster](https://archive.org/details/intothinairperso00krak). [Doubleday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubleday_\(publisher\) "Doubleday (publisher)"). [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-0-385-49208-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-385-49208-9 "Special:BookSources/978-0-385-49208-9") . - Ratcliffe, Graham (2013). A day to die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : one survivor's personal journey to uncover the truth. Edinburgh. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-1-78057-641-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-78057-641-1 "Special:BookSources/978-1-78057-641-1") . `{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher "Category:CS1 maint: location missing publisher")) ## External links \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=26 "Edit section: External links")\] - [The Website for the 2008 PBS Frontline television show titled Storm Over Everest.](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/everest/) - [PBS Frontline: 'Storm Over Everest' – washingtonpost.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/05/08/DI2008050802853.html) - [Climber Recounts Tragedy in 'Storm Over Everest'](https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90374592) - [Ken Kamler: Medical miracle on Everest – TEDMED](https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_kamler_medical_miracle_on_everest) - [PBS Storm over Everest : Roundtable : The Ethics of Climbing](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/everest/etc/roundtable.html) (with Peter Hackett, M.D.Lincoln Hall, James H. Moss, J.D., and Jim Williams) \| [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Mount_Everest96d "Template:Mount Everest96d") [t](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template_talk:Mount_Everest96d&action=edit&redlink=1 "Template talk:Mount Everest96d (page does not exist)") [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Mount_Everest96d "Special:EditPage/Template:Mount Everest96d")[Mount Everest disaster of 1996]() \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Survivors \| [Ang Dorje Sherpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ang_Dorje_Sherpa "Ang Dorje Sherpa") [Jon Krakauer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer "Jon Krakauer") [Beck Weathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Weathers "Beck Weathers") [Neal Beidleman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Beidleman "Neal Beidleman") [Lene Gammelgaard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lene_Gammelgaard "Lene Gammelgaard") [Anatoli Boukreev](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Boukreev "Anatoli Boukreev") [Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lopsang_Jangbu_Sherpa "Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa") [Michael Groom (climber)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Groom_\(climber\) "Michael Groom (climber)") [Sandy Hill (mountaineer)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hill_\(mountaineer\) "Sandy Hill (mountaineer)") [Pete Schoening](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Schoening "Pete Schoening") [Makalu Gau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gau_Ming-Ho "Gau Ming-Ho") \| [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Mount_Everest%2C_Nepal%2C_Himalayas.jpg/120px-Mount_Everest%2C_Nepal%2C_Himalayas.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mount_Everest,_Nepal,_Himalayas.jpg) [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Climbing_through_the_Yellow_Band%2C_Mt._Everest%2C_-May_2007_a.jpg/120px-Climbing_through_the_Yellow_Band%2C_Mt._Everest%2C_-May_2007_a.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Climbing_through_the_Yellow_Band,_Mt._Everest,_-May_2007_a.jpg) \| \| Dead \| [Andy Harris (mountain guide)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Harris_\(mountain_guide\) "Andy Harris (mountain guide)") [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer") [Rob Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall") Tsewang Samanla and Dorje Morup ([Green Boots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Boots "Green Boots")) [Yasuko Namba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuko_Namba "Yasuko Namba") \| \| \| Media \| [Into Thin Air](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_Thin_Air "Into Thin Air") [Into Thin Air: Death on Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_Thin_Air:_Death_on_Everest "Into Thin Air: Death on Everest") [The Climb (book)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Climb_\(book\) "The Climb (book)") [Everest (1998 film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(1998_film\) "Everest (1998 film)") [Everest (2015 film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(2015_film\) "Everest (2015 film)") [After the Wind](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_the_Wind "After the Wind") [Climbing High](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lene_Gammelgaard "Lene Gammelgaard") \| \| \| Expeditions \| [Adventure Consultants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Consultants "Adventure Consultants") [Mountain Madness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Madness "Mountain Madness") [1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police_expedition_to_Mount_Everest "1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest") \| \| \| [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Mount_Everest "Template:Mount Everest") [t](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Mount_Everest "Template talk:Mount Everest") [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Mount_Everest "Special:EditPage/Template:Mount Everest")[Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest "Mount Everest") \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Topography and landmarks \| [Base Camp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_base_camps "Everest base camps") [Geneva Spur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Spur "Geneva Spur") [Hillary Step](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Step "Hillary Step") [Hornbein Couloir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbein_Couloir "Hornbein Couloir") [Kangshung Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangshung_Face "Kangshung Face") (East Face) [Kangshung Glacier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangshung_Glacier "Kangshung Glacier") [Khumbu Glacier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khumbu_Glacier "Khumbu Glacier") [Khumbu Icefall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khumbu_Icefall "Khumbu Icefall") [Lhakpa La](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lhakpa_La "Lhakpa La") [Lho La](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lho_La "Lho La") [North Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Col "North Col") [North Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Face_\(Everest\) "North Face (Everest)") [Norton Couloir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_Couloir "Norton Couloir") [Rongbuk Glacier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rongbuk_Glacier "Rongbuk Glacier") [South Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Col "South Col") [South Summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Summit_\(Everest\) "South Summit (Everest)") [Three Pinnacles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Pinnacles "Three Pinnacles") [Three Steps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Steps "Three Steps") "[Green Boots cave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Boots "Green Boots")" [Western Cwm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Cwm "Western Cwm") \| [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Everest_kalapatthar_crop.jpg/120px-Everest_kalapatthar_crop.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Everest_kalapatthar_crop.jpg) \| \| [Expeditions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mount_Everest_expeditions "List of Mount Everest expeditions") \| [1921 British reconnaissance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1921_British_Mount_Everest_reconnaissance_expedition "1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition") [1922 British](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1922_British_Mount_Everest_expedition "1922 British Mount Everest expedition") [1924 British](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1924_British_Mount_Everest_expedition "1924 British Mount Everest expedition") ([Affair of the Dancing Lamas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affair_of_the_Dancing_Lamas "Affair of the Dancing Lamas")) [1933 British aerial reconnaissance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston%E2%80%93Mount_Everest_flight_expedition "Houston–Mount Everest flight expedition") [1933 British](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1933_British_Mount_Everest_expedition "1933 British Mount Everest expedition") [1935 British](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1935_British_Mount_Everest_reconnaissance_expedition "1935 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition") [1936 British](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1936_British_Mount_Everest_expedition "1936 British Mount Everest expedition") [1938 British](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1938_British_Mount_Everest_expedition "1938 British Mount Everest expedition") [1950–52 British–Swiss–US reconnaissance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest_reconnaissance_from_Nepal "Mount Everest reconnaissance from Nepal") [1951 British](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1951_British_Mount_Everest_reconnaissance_expedition "1951 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition") [1952 Swiss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1952_Swiss_Mount_Everest_expedition "1952 Swiss Mount Everest expedition") [1953 British](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_British_Mount_Everest_expedition "1953 British Mount Everest expedition") [1960 Chinese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Chinese_Mount_Everest_expedition "1960 Chinese Mount Everest expedition") [1963 American](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963_American_Mount_Everest_expedition "1963 American Mount Everest expedition") [1975 British SW Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_British_Mount_Everest_Southwest_Face_expedition "1975 British Mount Everest Southwest Face expedition") [1976 British–Nepalese SW Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_British_and_Nepalese_Army_Expedition_to_Everest "1976 British and Nepalese Army Expedition to Everest") [1979 Yugoslav West Ridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_Yugoslav_Mount_Everest_expedition "1979 Yugoslav Mount Everest expedition") [1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police_expedition_to_Mount_Everest "1996 Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition to Mount Everest") [2006 Philippine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Philippine_Mount_Everest_expedition "2006 Philippine Mount Everest expedition") [2007 Altitude Everest expedition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Altitude_Everest_expedition "2007 Altitude Everest expedition") [Earth Day 20 International Peace Climb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day_20_International_Peace_Climb "Earth Day 20 International Peace Climb") [Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallory_and_Irvine_Research_Expedition "Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition") \| \| \| Notable [fatalities](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_died_climbing_Mount_Everest "List of people who died climbing Mount Everest") \| [Francys Arsentiev (Sleeping Beauty)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francys_Arsentiev "Francys Arsentiev") [Peter Boardman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Boardman "Peter Boardman") [Green Boots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Boots "Green Boots") [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer") [Rob Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall") [Sandy Irvine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Irvine "Sandy Irvine") [George Mallory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mallory "George Mallory") [Hannelore Schmatz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannelore_Schmatz "Hannelore Schmatz") [David Sharp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sharp_\(mountaineer\) "David Sharp (mountaineer)") [Joe Tasker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Tasker "Joe Tasker") \| \| \| Committees \| [Joint Himalayan Committee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Himalayan_Committee "Joint Himalayan Committee") [Mount Everest Committee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest_Committee "Mount Everest Committee") \| \| \| [In media](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_media_related_to_Mount_Everest "List of media related to Mount Everest") \| [Beyond the Edge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_the_Edge_\(2013_film\) "Beyond the Edge (2013 film)") [The Climb (book)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Climb_\(book\) "The Climb (book)") [The Climb (2007 film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Climb_\(2007_film\) "The Climb (2007 film)") [The Epic of Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Epic_of_Everest "The Epic of Everest") [Everest (1998 film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(1998_film\) "Everest (1998 film)") [Everest (2015 film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(2015_film\) "Everest (2015 film)") [Everest (Indian TV series)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(Indian_TV_series\) "Everest (Indian TV series)") [Everest '82](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_%2782 "Everest '82") [Everest: Beyond the Limit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest:_Beyond_the_Limit "Everest: Beyond the Limit") [EverestMax](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EverestMax "EverestMax") [Expedition Everest (roller coaster)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedition_Everest "Expedition Everest") [Into Thin Air](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_Thin_Air "Into Thin Air") [The Man Who Skied Down Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Skied_Down_Everest "The Man Who Skied Down Everest") [Mount Everest webcam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest_webcam "Mount Everest webcam") [Paths of Glory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paths_of_Glory_\(Archer_novel\) "Paths of Glory (Archer novel)") [Peak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_\(novel\) "Peak (novel)") [The Conquest of Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conquest_of_Everest "The Conquest of Everest") [The Wildest Dream](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wildest_Dream "The Wildest Dream") [Wings Over Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wings_Over_Everest "Wings Over Everest") \| \| \| [Years](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Mount_Everest_expeditions "Timeline of Mount Everest expeditions") \| [1970 disaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970_Mount_Everest_disaster "1970 Mount Everest disaster") [1974 avalanche](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1974_French_Mount_Everest_expedition "1974 French Mount Everest expedition") [1988 disaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988_Czechoslovak_-_New_Zealand_Mount_Everest_Southwest_Face_Expedition "1988 Czechoslovak - New Zealand Mount Everest Southwest Face Expedition") [1996 disaster]() [2012](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest_in_2012 "Mount Everest in 2012") [2013](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest_in_2013 "Mount Everest in 2013") [2014 avalanche](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Mount_Everest_ice_avalanche "2014 Mount Everest ice avalanche") [2015 avalanches](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Mount_Everest_avalanches "2015 Mount Everest avalanches") [2016](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest_in_2016 "Mount Everest in 2016") [2017](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest_in_2017 "Mount Everest in 2017") [2018](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest_in_2018 "Mount Everest in 2018") \| \| \| Mount Everest massif \| [Khumbutse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khumbutse "Khumbutse") [Lhotse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lhotse "Lhotse") [Lingtren](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingtren "Lingtren") [Nuptse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuptse "Nuptse") [Pumori](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumori "Pumori") \| \| \| [Records](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mount_Everest_records "List of Mount Everest records") \| [Times to the summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mount_Everest_summiters_by_frequency "List of Mount Everest summiters by frequency") [20th-century summiters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_20th-century_summiters_of_Mount_Everest "List of 20th-century summiters of Mount Everest") \| \| \| [Mountain guides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_guide "Mountain guide") \| [List of Mount Everest guides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mount_Everest_guides "List of Mount Everest guides") [Sherpas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherpa_people "Sherpa people") \| \| ![](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=1) Retrieved from "<https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&oldid=1341628405>" [Categories](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Category "Help:Category"): - [1996 disasters in Asia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1996_disasters_in_Asia "Category:1996 disasters in Asia") - [1996 in Nepal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1996_in_Nepal "Category:1996 in Nepal") - [Deaths on Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Deaths_on_Mount_Everest "Category:Deaths on Mount Everest") - [Mountaineering disasters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Mountaineering_disasters "Category:Mountaineering disasters") - [Natural disasters in Nepal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Natural_disasters_in_Nepal "Category:Natural disasters in Nepal") - [May 1996 in Asia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:May_1996_in_Asia "Category:May 1996 in 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Readable Markdown	\| \| \| \|---\|---\| \| [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Everest_Peace_Project_-_Everest_summit.jpg/330px-Everest_Peace_Project_-_Everest_summit.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Everest_Peace_Project_-_Everest_summit.jpg)The summit of Mount Everest \| \| \| [![Map](https://maps.wikimedia.org/img/osm-intl,10,27.988055555556,86.925,270x200.png?lang=en&domain=en.wikipedia.org&title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&revid=1341628405&groups=_6dfa26e220f925af0fce16cd705c12bec965b10d&parser=legacy)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Map/10/27.988055555556/86.925/en) \| \| \| Date \| 10–11 May 1996 \| \| Location \| [Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest "Mount Everest") Altitude 8,849 metres (29,032 ft) \| \| [Coordinates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_coordinate_system "Geographic coordinate system") \| [27°59′17″N 86°55′30″E / 27\.98806°N 86.92500°E](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&params=27_59_17_N_86_55_30_E_type:event) \| \| Organised by \| [Adventure Consultants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Consultants "Adventure Consultants") [Mountain Madness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Madness "Mountain Madness") [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police "Indo-Tibetan Border Police") \| \| Deaths \| 8 \| The 1996 Mount Everest disaster occurred on 10–11 May 1996 when eight [climbers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedition_climbing "Expedition climbing") caught in a [blizzard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard "Blizzard") died on [Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest "Mount Everest") while attempting to descend from the summit. Over the season, 12 people died trying to reach the summit, making it then the deadliest season on Mount Everest and now the third deadliest to date after the 23 fatalities from [avalanches](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Mount_Everest_avalanches "2015 Mount Everest avalanches") caused by the [April 2015 Nepal earthquake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_2015_Nepal_earthquake "April 2015 Nepal earthquake")[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-1) and the 16 fatalities of the [2014 Mount Everest avalanche](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Mount_Everest_ice_avalanche "2014 Mount Everest ice avalanche"). The 1996 disaster received widespread publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-2) Numerous climbers were at a high altitude on Everest during the storm including the [Adventure Consultants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Consultants "Adventure Consultants") team, led by [Rob Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall"), and the [Mountain Madness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Madness "Mountain Madness") team, led by [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer"). While climbers died on both the [North Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Face_\(Everest\) "North Face (Everest)") and [South Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Col "South Col") approaches, the events on the latter were more widely reported. Four members of the Adventure Consultants expedition died, including Hall, while Fischer was the sole casualty of the Mountain Madness expedition. Three officers of the [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police "Indo-Tibetan Border Police") also died. Following the disaster, several survivors wrote memoirs. Journalist [Jon Krakauer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer "Jon Krakauer"), on assignment from [Outside](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outside_\(magazine\) "Outside (magazine)") magazine and on the Adventure Consultants team, published [Into Thin Air](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_Thin_Air "Into Thin Air") (1997),[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) which became a bestseller. [Anatoli Boukreev](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Boukreev "Anatoli Boukreev"), a guide in the Mountain Madness team, felt impugned by the book and co-authored a rebuttal called [The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Climb_\(book\) "The Climb (book)") (1997).[\[4\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-4) [Beck Weathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Weathers "Beck Weathers"), of Hall's expedition, and [Lene Gammelgaard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lene_Gammelgaard "Lene Gammelgaard"), of Fischer's expedition, wrote about their experiences in their respective books, Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest (2000)[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-5) and Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy (2000).[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-6) In 2014, Lou Kasischke, also of Hall's expedition, published his own account in [After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_the_Wind "After the Wind"). In addition to the members of the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness teams, Mike Trueman, who coordinated the rescue from Base Camp, contributed The Storms: Adventure and Tragedy on Everest (2015). Graham Ratcliffe, who climbed to the South Col of Everest on 10 May, noted in A Day to Die For (2011) that weather reports forecasting a major storm developing after 8 May and peaking in intensity on 11 May were delivered to expedition leaders. Hall and Fischer received these before their planned summit attempts on 10 May. Some of their teams summited Everest during an apparent break in this developing storm only to descend into the full force of it late on 10 May. The following is a list of climbers en route to the summit on 10 May 1996 via the South Col and Southeast Ridge, organized by expedition and role. All ages are as of 1996. ### Adventure Consultants \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=2 "Edit section: Adventure Consultants")\] The [Adventure Consultants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Consultants "Adventure Consultants")' 1996 Everest expedition, led by [Rob Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall"), consisted of 19 people, including eight clients. - [Rob Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall") (35) – expedition leader; died near the [South Summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Summit "South Summit") - [Michael Groom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Groom_\(climber\) "Michael Groom (climber)") (37) - [Andy Harris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Harris_\(mountain_guide\) "Andy Harris (mountain guide)") (31) – disappeared near the South Summit while assisting Hall - Frank Fischbeck (53) – had attempted Everest three times and reached the South Summit in 1994 - Doug Hansen (46) – had previously attempted Everest with Hall's team in 1995; disappeared near the South Summit while descending with Hall - Stuart Hutchison (34) – youngest client on Hall's team; previous 8,000 m experiences included [K2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2 "K2") winter expedition in 1988, [Broad Peak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_Peak "Broad Peak") west ridge in 1992, and Everest north side in 1994 - Lou Kasischke (53) – had climbed six of the [Seven Summits](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Summits "Seven Summits") - [Jon Krakauer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer "Jon Krakauer") (42) – journalist on assignment from [Outside](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outside_\(magazine\) "Outside (magazine)") magazine; an accomplished technical climber, but had no experience in climbing peaks over 8,000 m - [Yasuko Namba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuko_Namba "Yasuko Namba") (47) – had climbed six of the Seven Summits; became the oldest woman to summit Everest at the time; died on the [South Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Col "South Col") - John Taske (56) – oldest climber on the Adventure Consultants team; no 8,000 m experience - [Beck Weathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Weathers "Beck Weathers") (49) – had been climbing for 10 years and was also making a bid for the Seven Summits, but had no 8,000 m experience - [Sardar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_\(Sherpa\) "Sardar (Sherpa)") [Ang Dorje](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ang_Dorje_Sherpa "Ang Dorje Sherpa") (26) - Arita - Chuldum - Kami - Lhakpa Chhiri - Ngawang Norbu - Tenzing The Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Rob Hall's Adventure Consultants.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi-7) Many other Sherpas working at lower elevations performed duties vital to the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness expeditions. Most climbing Sherpas' duties require them to ascend at least to Camp III or IV, but not all of them summit. The expedition leaders intend for only a select few of their climbing Sherpas to summit. Legendary [Sardar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_\(Sherpa\) "Sardar (Sherpa)") [Apa Sherpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apa_Sherpa "Apa Sherpa") was scheduled to accompany the Adventure Consultants group but withdrew due to family commitments.[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-8) With the exception of Namba, no client on Hall's team had reached the summit of an [8,000-meter peak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-thousander "Eight-thousander"), and only Fischbeck, Hansen, and Hutchison had previous high-altitude Himalayan experience. Hall had also brokered a deal with Outside magazine for advertising space in exchange for a story about the growing popularity of commercial expeditions to Everest. Krakauer was originally slated to climb with Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness team, but Hall landed him, at least in part by agreeing to reduce Outside's fee for Krakauer's spot on the expedition to less than cost.[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-9) The [Mountain Madness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Madness "Mountain Madness") 1996 Everest expedition, led by [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer"), consisted of 19 people, including 8 clients. - [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer") (40) – expedition leader; died on the [Southeast ridge balcony](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest#Southeast_ridge "Mount Everest") 350 m (1,150 ft) below the [South Summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Summit "South Summit") - [Neal Beidleman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Beidleman "Neal Beidleman") (36) – professional mountaineer - [Anatoli Boukreev](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Boukreev "Anatoli Boukreev") (38) – professional mountaineer, in 1997 was awarded the [David A. Sowles Memorial Award](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_A._Sowles_Memorial_Award "David A. Sowles Memorial Award") by the [American Alpine Club](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Alpine_Club "American Alpine Club")[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-10) - Martin Adams (47) – had climbed [Aconcagua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconcagua "Aconcagua"), [Denali](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denali "Denali"), and [Kilimanjaro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kilimanjaro "Mount Kilimanjaro") - [Charlotte Fox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Fox_\(mountaineer\) "Charlotte Fox (mountaineer)") (38) – had climbed [all 53 of the 14,000 ft (4,267 m) peaks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Colorado_fourteeners "List of Colorado fourteeners") in [Colorado](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado "Colorado") and two [8,000 m peaks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-thousander "Eight-thousander"), [Gasherbrum II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasherbrum_II "Gasherbrum II") and [Cho Oyu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cho_Oyu "Cho Oyu") - [Lene Gammelgaard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lene_Gammelgaard "Lene Gammelgaard") (35) - Dale Kruse (45) – long-term personal friend of Fischer's and the first to sign up for the 1996 expedition - Tim Madsen (33) – had climbed extensively in the Colorado and Canadian Rockies, but had no 8,000 m experience - [Sandy Hill Pittman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hill_\(mountaineer\) "Sandy Hill (mountaineer)") (41) – had climbed six of the [Seven Summits](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Summits "Seven Summits") - [Pete Schoening](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Schoening "Pete Schoening") (68) – one of the first to climb [Gasherbrum I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasherbrum_I "Gasherbrum I") and [Mount Vinson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vinson "Mount Vinson"); known for singlehandedly [saving the lives of six team members](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_American_Karakoram_expedition#Attempted_rescue_and_fall "1953 American Karakoram expedition") during a mass fall in the [American expedition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_American_Karakoram_expedition "1953 American Karakoram expedition") on [K2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2 "K2") in 1953 - Klev Schoening (38) – Pete's nephew and a former US national downhill ski racer; no 8,000 m experience - [Sardar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_\(Sherpa\) "Sardar (Sherpa)") [Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lopsang_Jangbu_Sherpa "Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa") (23) - "Big" Pemba - [Nawang Dorje](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nawang_Dorje "Nawang Dorje") - Ngawang Sya Kya - Ngawang Tendi - Ngawang Topche (died a few months later from [HAPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema") he contracted during hauling duties to Camp II) - Tashi Tshering - Tendi The Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness expedition.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi-7) Ngawang Topche was hospitalized in April; he had developed [high-altitude pulmonary edema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema") (HAPE) while ferrying supplies above Base Camp. He was not on the mountain during the summit attempt of 10 May. Topche died from his illness in June 1996.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114-11) Pete Schoening decided at Base Camp (5,380 m or 17,650 ft) not to make the final push to the summit. The team began the assault on the summit on 6 May, bypassing Camp I (5,944 m or 19,501 ft) and stopping at Camp II (6,500 m or 21,300 ft) for two nights. However, Kruse suffered from [altitude sickness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness "Altitude sickness") and possible [high-altitude cerebral edema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_cerebral_edema "High-altitude cerebral edema") (HACE), and stopped at Camp I. Fischer descended from Camp II and escorted Kruse back to Base Camp for treatment.[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._140-12) On 9 June 1996, three days after Sherpa Ngawang Topche died in hospital from [high-altitude pulmonary edema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema"),[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114-11) a private memorial service was held for Scott Fischer attended by the climbers and Sherpas from Mountain Madness at Kiana Lodge, near Seattle, Washington. The Sherpa chanted a Buddhist prayer, Beidleman gifted his late friend's engraved expedition knife to Fischer's two children, and Jeannie Price, Fischer's wife, released a cloud of butterflies.[\[13\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-13) ### Taiwanese expedition \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=10 "Edit section: Taiwanese expedition")\] "Makalu" [Gau Ming-ho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gau_Ming-ho "Gau Ming-ho") led a five-member team to Everest on 10 May 1996.[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-14) The previous day (9 May), Taiwanese team member Chen Yu-Nan had died following a fall on the [Lhotse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lhotse "Lhotse") Face. ### Indo-Tibetan Border Police \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=11 "Edit section: Indo-Tibetan Border Police")\] Half of the climbing team from the [Indo-Tibetan Border Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Tibetan_Border_Police "Indo-Tibetan Border Police") [North Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Col "North Col") expedition from India (Subedar [Tsewang Samanla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsewang_Samanla "Tsewang Samanla"), Lance Naik [Dorje Morup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorje_Morup "Dorje Morup"), and Head Constable [Tsewang Paljor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsewang_Paljor "Tsewang Paljor")) died on the Northeast Ridge. ### Delays reaching the summit \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=13 "Edit section: Delays reaching the summit")\] [![Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Lage_des_Mount_Everest.PNG)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lage_des_Mount_Everest.PNG "Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step") Map of Mount Everest, South Col, and Hillary Step Shortly after midnight on 10 May 1996, the Adventure Consultants expedition began a summit attempt from Camp IV, atop the [South Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Col "South Col") (7,900 m or 25,900 ft). They were joined by six client climbers, three guides, and Sherpas from [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer")'s Mountain Madness company, as well as an expedition sponsored by the government of [Taiwan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan "Taiwan").\[[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed "Wikipedia:Citation needed")\] The expeditions quickly encountered delays. The climbing Sherpas and guides had not set the fixed ropes by the time the team reached the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft), and this cost the climbers almost an hour. The cause of this delay is unclear, in part due to the death of the expedition leaders.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15) Upon reaching the [Hillary Step](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Step "Hillary Step") (8,760 m or 28,740 ft), the climbers again discovered that no [fixed line](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed_rope "Fixed rope") had been placed, and they were forced to wait an hour while the guides installed the ropes. Because some 33 climbers were attempting the summit on the same day, and Hall and Fischer had asked their climbers to stay within 150 m (500 ft) of each other, there was a bottleneck at the single fixed line at the Hillary Step. Hutchison, Kasischke, and Taske returned towards Camp IV as they feared they would run out of supplementary oxygen due to the delays.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) Climbing without supplemental oxygen, guide Anatoli Boukreev from the Mountain Madness team was the first to reach the summit (8,848 m or 29,029 ft), at 13:07.[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17) Many of the climbers had not yet reached the summit by 14:00, the last safe time to turn around to reach Camp IV before nightfall. Boukreev began his descent to Camp IV at 14:30, having spent nearly 1.5 hours at or near the summit helping others complete the climb. By that time, Hall, Krakauer, Harris, Beidleman, Namba, and Mountain Madness clients Martin Adams and Klev Schoening had reached the summit,[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17) and the remaining four Mountain Madness clients had arrived. After this time, Krakauer noted that the weather did not look so benign.[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997241%E2%80%93242-18) At 15:00, snow started to fall, and the light was diminishing. Hall's [Sirdar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_\(Sherpa\) "Sardar (Sherpa)"), Ang Dorje Sherpa, and other climbing Sherpas waited at the summit for the clients. Near 15:00, they began their descent. On the way down, Ang Dorje encountered client Doug Hansen above the Hillary Step and ordered him to descend. Hansen did not respond verbally, but shook his head and pointed upward, toward the summit.[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Storm_Over_Everest-19) When Hall arrived at the scene, the Sherpas offered to take Hansen to the summit, but Hall sent the Sherpas down to assist the other clients, and instructed them to stash oxygen canisters on the route. Hall said he would remain to help Hansen, who had run out of supplementary oxygen.[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Storm_Over_Everest-19) Scott Fischer did not summit until 15:45. He was exhausted from the ascent and becoming increasingly ill, possibly suffering from [HAPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema"), [HACE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_cerebral_edema "High-altitude cerebral edema"), or a combination of both. Others, including Doug Hansen and Makalu Gau, reached the summit even later.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15) ### Descent in a blizzard \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=14 "Edit section: Descent in a blizzard")\] Boukreev recorded that he reached Camp IV by 17:00. Boukreev's reasons for descending ahead of his clients are disputed.[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-20) Initially, Boukreev said he was going down with client Martin Adams,[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21) but later descended faster and left Adams behind.[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21) Boukreev also maintained that he wanted to be ready to assist struggling clients farther down the slope, and to retrieve hot tea and extra oxygen if necessary.[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-22) According to Boukreev, this plan was discussed with and approved by expedition leader Fischer.[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17)[\[23\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Salon2-23) Krakauer sharply criticized Boukreev's decision not to use bottled oxygen while employed as a guide.[\[24\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-24) Boukreev's supporters, who include G. Weston DeWalt, co-author of [The Climb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Climb_\(book\) "The Climb (book)") (1997), state that using bottled oxygen gives a false sense of security.[\[25\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-25) Krakauer and his supporters point out that, without bottled oxygen, Boukreev was unable to directly help his clients descend.[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-salongarner-21) The worsening weather began causing difficulties for the descending team members. The blizzard on the southwest face of Everest was reducing visibility, burying the fixed ropes, and obliterating the trail back to Camp IV that the teams had broken on the ascent. Fischer, helped by Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa, was unable to descend below the Balcony (8,350 m or 27,400 ft) in the storm. Sherpas left Makalu Gau (at 8,230 m or 27,000 ft by Gau's account[\[26\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Gau-26)) with Fischer and Lopsang when Gau, too, became unable to proceed. Eventually, Lopsang was persuaded by Fischer to descend and leave him and Gau.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Lopsang-15) Hall radioed for help, saying that Hansen had fallen unconscious but was still alive. At 17:30, Adventure Consultants guide Andy Harris, carrying supplementary oxygen and water, began climbing alone from the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft) toward Hansen and Hall at the top of Hillary Step.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) Krakauer's account notes that by this time, the weather had deteriorated into a full-scale blizzard: "Snow pellets borne by 70 kn \[130 km/h; 81 mph\] gusts stung my face."[\[27\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._193-27) Boukreev gives 18:00 as "the onset of a blizzard".[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev-16)[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Boukreev2-17) Several climbers got lost on the South Col during the storm. Mountain Madness guide Beidleman and clients Klev Schoening, Fox, Madsen, Pittman, and Gammelgaard, along with Adventure Consultants guide Mike Groom and clients Beck Weathers and Yasuko Namba wandered in the blizzard until they could no longer walk, huddling some 20 m (66 ft) from a drop-off of the [Kangshung Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangshung_Face "Kangshung Face").[\[28\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-28) Near midnight, the blizzard cleared sufficiently for the team to see Camp IV, some 200 m (660 ft) away. Beidleman, Groom, Schoening, and Gammelgaard set off to find help. Madsen and Fox remained on the mountain with the group in order to shout for the rescuers. Boukreev located the climbers and brought Pittman, Fox, and Madsen to safety. Boukreev had prioritized Pittman, Fox, and Madsen (all of whom were from his Mountain Madness expedition) over Namba (from the Adventure Consultants expedition), who seemed close to death. While Madsen waited for Boukreev to return, Beck Weathers abruptly walked away and disappeared into the storm. All of the climbers then at Camp IV were exhausted and unable to reach Namba and Weathers.[\[29\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._214-29) In the early morning of 11 May, at 04:43, Hall radioed Base Camp that he was on the South Summit (8,749 m or 28,704 ft), confirming that he survived the night. He reported that Harris reached the two men, but Hansen, who was with him since the previous afternoon, was now "gone", and Harris was missing. Hall was not breathing bottled oxygen because his regulator was too choked with ice.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._302-3) By 09:00, Hall had fixed his [oxygen mask](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_mask "Oxygen mask") but indicated that his frostbitten hands and feet were making it difficult to traverse the fixed ropes. Later in the afternoon, he radioed Base Camp, asking them to call his pregnant wife, Jan Arnold, on the satellite phone. During this last communication, they chose a name for their unborn child, he reassured her that he was reasonably comfortable, and told her, "Sleep well, my sweetheart. Please don't worry too much."[\[30\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-30) Shortly thereafter, he froze to death in his sleep. His body was found on 23 May by [Ed Viesturs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Viesturs "Ed Viesturs") and fellow mountaineers from the [IMAX expedition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(1998_film\) "Everest (1998 film)"), but was left there as requested by his wife, who said she thought he was "where he'd liked to have stayed".[\[31\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-31) The bodies of Doug Hansen and Andy Harris have never been found. Viesturs stated in the IMAX film that upon finding Hall's body, he sat down and cried beside his friend.[\[32\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997295-32) Meanwhile, Stuart Hutchison, a client on Hall's team who had turned around before the summit on 10 May, launched a second search for Weathers and Namba. He found both alive, but barely responsive and severely frostbitten, and in no condition to move. After consulting with Lopsang, he made the decision that they could not be saved by the [hypoxic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoxia_\(medicine\) "Hypoxia (medicine)") survivors at Camp IV nor evacuated in time; the other survivors soon agreed that leaving Weathers and Namba behind was the only choice.[\[33\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._322%E2%80%934-33) Later in the day, however, Weathers regained consciousness and walked alone under his own power to the camp, surprising everyone there, though he was suffering severe hypothermia and frostbite. Despite receiving oxygen and attempts to rewarm him, Weathers was practically abandoned again the next morning, 12 May, after a storm collapsed his tent overnight and the other survivors again thought he died. Krakauer discovered he was still conscious when the survivors in Camp IV prepared to evacuate. Despite his worsening condition, Weathers could still move mostly under his own power. A rescue team mobilized, hopeful of getting Weathers down the mountain alive. Over the next two days, Weathers was ushered down to Camp II with the assistance of eight healthy climbers from various expeditions and evacuated by a daring high-altitude helicopter rescue, one of the highest ever attempted. He survived and eventually recovered, but lost his nose, right hand, half his right forearm, and the fingers on his left hand to frostbite.[\[34\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._342%E2%80%934,_368-34) The climbing Sherpas located Fischer and Gau on 11 May, but Fischer's condition had deteriorated so much that they were only able to give him [palliative care](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palliative_care "Palliative care") before rescuing Gau. Boukreev made a subsequent rescue attempt but found Fischer's frozen body at around 19:00. Like Weathers, Gau was evacuated by helicopter. The disaster was caused by a combination of events, including: - Ineffective leadership. - The expedition leaders did not realize that the blizzard, which hit in full force on 11 May, would be preceded by increasing snow through the afternoon and evening of 10 May.[\[35\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Ratcliffe_2011-35) - A rivalry between Hall and Fischer, who were incentivized to get their clients to the summit,[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36) leading them to ignore the aforementioned forecasts.[\[35\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Ratcliffe_2011-35) - The unwillingness of the [South African team's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_South_African_Everest_expedition "1996 South African Everest expedition") guide to help contact base camp while the other teams' radios were not sufficiently strong.[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36) - Bottlenecks at the Balcony and Hillary Step, which caused an hour-and-a-half delay in summiting. These delays were in themselves caused by delays in securing fixed ropes and the sheer number of people arriving at the bottlenecks at the same time (34 climbers on 10 May). - The team leaders' decisions to exceed the normal turnaround time of 14:00, with many summiting after 14:30. - The sudden illness of two climbers at or near the summit after 15:00. - Unexpectedly severe oxygen deprivation sickness compromising both climbers' and guides' ability to make decisions or help others. - Insufficient stores of oxygen, forcing guides and rescue teams to carry bottles up to stranded climbers as the storm approached.[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36) Jon Krakauer has suggested that the use of bottled oxygen and commercial guides, who personally accompanied and took care of all pathmaking, equipment, and important decisions, allowed otherwise unqualified climbers to attempt to summit, thereby leading to dangerous situations and more deaths.[\[37\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._355%E2%80%938-37) In addition, he wrote that the competition between Hall and Fischer's guiding companies may have led to Hall's decision not to turn back on 10 May after the summiting deadline of 14:00. However, it's not clear whether the guides would have been effective had they stuck to the deadline. > It's very difficult to turn someone around high on the mountain. If a client sees that the summit is close and they're dead-set on getting there, they're going to laugh in your face and keep going.[\[38\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krackauer_p._238-38) — Guy Cotter Krakauer also acknowledges that his own presence as a journalist for an important mountaineering magazine may have added pressure to guide clients to the summit despite the growing danger.[\[39\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._354-39) He proposed banning bottled oxygen except for emergency cases, arguing that this would decrease the growing litter on Everest—many discarded bottles have accumulated on its slopes—and keep marginally qualified climbers off the mountain. He does point out, however, that climbing Everest has always been a highly dangerous endeavor, even before guided tours, with one fatality for every four climbers who reach the summit. Furthermore, he notes that many poor decisions made on 10 May came after two or more days of inadequate oxygen, nourishment, and rest (due to the effects of entering the [death zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_zone "Death zone") above 8,000 m or 26,000 ft). In May 2004, Kent Moore, a physicist, and John L. Semple, a surgeon, both researchers from the [University of Toronto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Toronto "University of Toronto"), told [New Scientist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Scientist "New Scientist") magazine that an analysis of the weather conditions on 11 May suggested that atmospheric oxygen levels fell by an additional 6% as a result of the storm, resulting in a further 14% reduction in oxygen uptake.[\[40\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-NewScientist-40)[\[41\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-BioEd_Online-41) ### Supplementary oxygen \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=17 "Edit section: Supplementary oxygen")\] Following the disaster, the use and non-use of supplementary oxygen was the focus of much discussion and analysis, with a guide and a Sardar both criticized by Krakauer for not using supplementary oxygen while performing guide duties. Both men gave detailed written explanations as to why they preferred not to use oxygen; both men did in fact carry a bottle on the summit day that could be used if needed in an emergency or extraordinary situation. In his book The Climb, Boukreev shared this explanation with Mark Bryant, the editor of Outside magazine: > Also, Mr. Krakauer raised a question about my climbing without oxygen and suggested that perhaps my effectiveness was compromised by that decision. In the history of my career, as I have detailed above, it has been my practice to climb without supplementary oxygen. In my experience, it is safer for me, once acclimatized, to climb without oxygen in order to avoid the sudden loss of acclimatization that occurs when supplementary oxygen supplies are depleted. > > My particular physiology, my years of high-altitude climbing, my discipline, the commitment I make to proper acclimatization, and the knowledge I have of my own capacities have always made me comfortable with this choice. And, Scott Fischer was comfortable with that choice as well. He authorized me to climb without supplementary oxygen. > > To this I would add: As a precautionary measure, in the event that some extraordinary demand was placed upon me on summit day, I was carrying one (1) bottle of supplementary oxygen, a mask, and a regulator.[\[42\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-42) Beidleman said that Boukreev had brought oxygen to the Balcony but declined to use it, handing the bottle to Beidleman and stating he had “no need.” This contradicted the original plan and Fischer’s directive that guides use oxygen while supporting clients according to Beidleman. While acknowledging Boukreev’s strength and speed as a climber, Beidleman argued that going without oxygen impaired Boukreev’s ability to assist others down from the summit. He suggested that Boukreev didn’t fully recognize his responsibility as a commercial guide, noting the consequences of prioritizing personal style over team safety.[\[43\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-43) There were several issues and problems with radios and their use on summit day. Scott Fischer's Sardar did not have a company-issued radio, but did have a "small yellow" radio that was owned by Sandy Pittman. Rob Hall's team also had an issue with a radio during a discussion over oxygen bottles that caused confusion.[\[36\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer-36) ## The 1996 season after this disaster \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=19 "Edit section: The 1996 season after this disaster")\] 1996 is statistically curious as the fatality rates on Everest in the 1996 season were statistically lower than normal. The record number of 12 fatalities in the 1996 spring climbing season was 3% of the 398 climbers who had ascended above Base Camp—slightly below the historical average of 3.3% at that time. Additionally, a total of 84 climbers reached the summit that season, giving a fatality-to-summit ratio of 1 to 7—significantly less than the historical average of 1 to 4 prior to 1996. Accounting for the increased volume of climbers in 1996 compared with previous years, the fatality rates on Everest dropped considerably, meaning that 1996 was statistically a safer\-than-average year.[\[44\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._274-44) \| Name[\[45\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-list-45) \| Nationality \| Expedition \| Location of death \| Cause of death \| \|---\|---\|---\|---\|---\| \| [Andrew "Harold" Harris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Harris_\(mountain_guide\) "Andy Harris (mountain guide)") (Guide) \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/40px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png) [New Zealand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand "New Zealand") \| Adventure Consultants \| near [South Summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Summit_\(Everest\) "South Summit (Everest)"), 8,749 m \| Unknown; presumed as falling during descent near summit \| \| [Doug Hansen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Hansen_\(Everest\) "Doug Hansen (Everest)") (Client) \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/40px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) [United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States "United States") \| \| \| \| \| [Rob Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall") (Guide/Expedition leader) \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/40px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png) [New Zealand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand "New Zealand") \| Exposure \| \| \| \| [Yasuko Namba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuko_Namba "Yasuko Namba") (Client) \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Flag_of_Japan_%281870%E2%80%931999%29.svg/40px-Flag_of_Japan_%281870%E2%80%931999%29.svg.png) [Japan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan "Japan") \| [South Col](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Col "South Col"), c. 7,900 m \| \| \| \| [Scott Fischer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fischer "Scott Fischer") (Guide/Expedition leader) \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/40px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) [United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States "United States") \| Mountain Madness \| Southeast Ridge, 8,300 m \| \| \| [Subedar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subedar "Subedar") [Tsewang Smanla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsewang_Smanla "Tsewang Smanla") \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India "India") \| Indo-Tibetan Border Police \| Northeast Ridge, 8,600 m \| \| \| [Lance Naik](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Naik "Lance Naik") [Dorje Morup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorje_Morup "Dorje Morup") \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India "India") \| \| \| \| \| [Head Constable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_Constable "Head Constable") [Tsewang Paljor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsewang_Paljor "Tsewang Paljor") \| ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/40px-Flag_of_India.svg.png) [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India "India") \| \| \| \| ### Other fatalities in 1996 \[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_Mount_Everest_disaster&action=edit&section=21 "Edit section: Other fatalities in 1996")\] The following is a list of the other fatalities during the spring 1996 climbing season on Everest. These deaths were not directly related to the storm or the events of 10–11 May 1996 Everest disaster. - 9 May – Chen Yu-Nan (陳玉男) – from the Taiwanese National Expedition, died after a fall down the [Lhotse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lhotse "Lhotse") Face[\[46\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._155-46) - 19 May – Reinhard Wlasich – Austrian climber, died from a combination of [HAPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema") and [HACE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_cerebral_edema "High-altitude cerebral edema") at 8,300 m (27,200 ft) on the Northeast Ridge[\[47\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._276-47) - 25 May – Bruce Herrod – photojournalist with a South African team, was on the South Col during the 10–11 May storm and reached the summit two weeks later, but died descending the Southeast Ridge[\[48\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_p._278-48) - 6 June – Ngawang Topche Sherpa – Nepali Sherpa for Mountain Madness, developed a severe case of [HAPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_pulmonary_edema "High-altitude pulmonary edema") on 22 April while working above Base Camp; died in June in a [Kathmandu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathmandu "Kathmandu") hospital[\[49\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Krakauer_pp._108-114-49) The following fatalities occurred on Everest during the fall 1996 climbing season.[\[50\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-50)[\[51\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-51) - 25 September – Yves Bouchon – French climber, died in an avalanche at 7,800 m (25,600 ft) on the southeast route below Camp IV, along with the two Sherpas listed below - 25 September – [Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lopsang_Jangbu_Sherpa "Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa") – Nepalese Sherpa, the same climbing [Sardar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardar_\(Sherpa\) "Sardar (Sherpa)") on the Mountain Madness expedition involved in the May 1996 Everest disaster; died in avalanche - 25 September – Dawa Sherpa – Nepalese Sherpa; died in avalanche In the epilogue to High Exposure, [David Breashears](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Breashears "David Breashears") describes encountering some of the bodies upon climbing Everest again in May 1997.[\[52\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-52) - [Into Thin Air: Death on Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_Thin_Air:_Death_on_Everest "Into Thin Air: Death on Everest") (released 9 November 1997) is a made-for-TV movie based on [Jon Krakauer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer "Jon Krakauer")'s book [Into Thin Air](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_Thin_Air "Into Thin Air"): A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster (1997). The film, directed by [Robert Markowitz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Markowitz "Robert Markowitz") and written by [Robert J. Avrech](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_J._Avrech "Robert J. Avrech"), tells the story of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.[\[53\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-53) - [The Climb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Climb_\(book\) "The Climb (book)") is [Anatoli Boukreev](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Boukreev "Anatoli Boukreev")'s account of the events that unfolded on the mountain. It is also in part a response to Krakauer's book. - The IMAX film [Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(1998_film\) "Everest (1998 film)") (1998) documents the disaster, and the involvement of that film's crew and climbing team in the rescue effort.[\[54\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-Baumgarten-54) - The Dark Side of Everest (2003), [National Geographic Channel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Geographic_\(American_TV_channel\) "National Geographic (American TV channel)"), discusses climbers' motivations, the ethics and challenges involved when climbers encounter trouble at high altitudes, and specific disasters, e.g. the 10–11 May 1996 Mount Everest disaster and Bruce Herrod's death on 25 May 1996. - Remnants of Everest: The 1996 Tragedy (2007; released in the US as Storm over Everest and broadcast on the US PBS-TV series [Frontline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontline_\(American_TV_program\) "Frontline (American TV program)")), is a documentary by director [David Breashears](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Breashears "David Breashears")[\[55\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-55)), with music composed by [Jocelyn Pook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jocelyn_Pook "Jocelyn Pook"). - [Seconds from Disaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seconds_from_Disaster "Seconds from Disaster") - [Into the Death Zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Seconds_From_Disaster_episodes#Season_6_\(2012\) "List of Seconds From Disaster episodes"), 2012 TV documentary.[\[56\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-56) - The events inspired the feature film [Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(2015_film\) "Everest (2015 film)") (2015). - [Joby Talbot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joby_Talbot "Joby Talbot")'s opera [Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_\(opera\) "Everest (opera)"), based on the events of the disaster, was produced by the [Dallas Opera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Opera "Dallas Opera") and premiered in 2015.[\[57\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_note-57) - [Beck Weathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Weathers "Beck Weathers")' book Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest (2000). - [Lene Gammelgaard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lene_Gammelgaard "Lene Gammelgaard")'s book Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy (first published June 9, 1999). - Lou Kasischke's book After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story (2014). - [List of 20th-century summiteers of Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_20th-century_summiteers_of_Mount_Everest "List of 20th-century summiteers of Mount Everest") - [List of deaths on eight-thousanders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deaths_on_eight-thousanders "List of deaths on eight-thousanders") - [List of media related to Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_media_related_to_Mount_Everest "List of media related to Mount Everest") - [List of people who died climbing Mount Everest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_died_climbing_Mount_Everest "List of people who died climbing Mount Everest") - [List of mountaineering disasters by death toll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountaineering_disasters_by_death_toll "List of mountaineering disasters by death toll") 1. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-1) ["Mount Everest Nepal Earthquake"](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/28/world/asia/mount-everest-nepal-earthquake.html). The New York Times. 28 April 2015. 2. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-2) Dahlburg, John-Thor (1996). ["Climbing Veterans Call Everest Deaths Inevitable"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-05-15-mn-4341-story.html). Los Angeles Times. 3. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-2) [d](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._302_3-3) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 296 4. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-4)* [Boukreev, Anatoli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Boukreev "Anatoli Boukreev"); G. Weston Dewalt (1997). [The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest](https://archive.org/details/climbtragicambit00bouk). New York: St. Martins. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-0-312-96533-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-312-96533-4 "Special:BookSources/978-0-312-96533-4") . 5. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-5) 6. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-6) Gammelgard, Lene (2000). Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy. New York: Perennial. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-0-330-39227-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-330-39227-3 "Special:BookSources/978-0-330-39227-3") . 7. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi_7-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._xv-xvi_7-1) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. xv–xvi 8. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-8)* ["Apa Sherpa Full Biography - Apa Sherpa Foundation"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161017032156/http://apasherpafoundation.org/apa-sherpa-full-biography/). apasherpafoundation.org. Archived from [the original](http://apasherpafoundation.org/apa-sherpa-full-biography/) on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016. 9. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-9) Boukreev; Dewalt p. 12 10. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-10) ["David A. Sowles Memorial Award – American Alpine Club"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150927000946/http://www.americanalpineclub.org/p/sowles-award). americanalpineclub.org. Archived from [the original](https://www.americanalpineclub.org/p/sowles-award) on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015. 11. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114_11-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997108%E2%80%93114_11-1) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 108–114. 12. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._140_12-0)* [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 140 13. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-13) Conant, Jennet (22 September 2015). ["The Real Story of Sandy Hill Pittman, Everest's Socialite Climber"](https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/09/sandy-hill-pittman-mount-everest). Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Retrieved 25 July 2021. 14. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-14) ["U.S. climber, thought dead, rescued from Mount Everest"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151119060557/http://edition.cnn.com/US/9605/13/everest/). CNN. 13 May 1996. Archived from [the original](http://edition.cnn.com/US/9605/13/everest/) on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015. 15. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Lopsang_15-2) ["Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa's response to Krakauer's article"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100919000319/http://outsideonline.com/outside/destinations/199609/199609_everest_clarification_4.html). Outsideonline.com. Archived from [the original](http://outsideonline.com/outside/destinations/199609/199609_everest_clarification_4.html) on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 5 December 2010. 16. ^ [a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev_16-2) ["Anatoli Boukreev's response to Krakauer's article"](http://outsideonline.com/outside/destinations/199609/199609_everest_clarification_2.html). Outsideonline.com. Retrieved 5 December 2010. \[[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot "Wikipedia:Link rot")\] 17. ^ [a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-2) [d](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Boukreev2_17-3) ["What Really Happened In The Thin Air"](https://www.mountainzone.com/climbing/fischer/letters.html). MountainZone.com. Retrieved 10 October 2025. 18. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997241%E2%80%93242_18-0)* [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 241–242. 19. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Storm_Over_Everest_19-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Storm_Over_Everest_19-1) Storm Over Everest. "Statement by Ang Dorje" 20. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-20)* ["Salon Wanderlust \\| Coming down"](https://web.archive.org/web/19990423153959/http://www2.salonmagazine.com/wlust/feature/1998/08/cov_03feature.html). Salon.com. 10 May 1996. Archived from [the original](http://www.salon.com/wlust/feature/1998/08/cov_03feature.html) on 23 April 1999. Retrieved 5 December 2010. 21. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-salongarner_21-2) [Coming Down page 3](http://www.salon.com/wlust/feature/1998/08/cov_03feature3.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20000303032319/http://www.salon.com/wlust/feature/1998/08/cov_03feature3.html) 3 March 2000 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") Dwight Garner, salon.com* 1998 August 22. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-22) ["Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Anatoli Boukreev response"](https://web.archive.org/web/20010530225855/http://www.outsideonline.com/peaks/fischer/anatoli.html). outsideonline.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.outsideonline.com/peaks/fischer/anatoli.html) on 30 May 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2015. 23. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Salon2_23-0) ["Everest controversy continues"](https://www.salon.com/1998/08/07/featurea_4/). Salon.com. 7 August 1998. Retrieved 10 October 2025. 24. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-24) ["Summit Journal '96: Scott Fischer Returns to Everest: Reply from Jon Krakauer"](https://web.archive.org/web/20010531151540/http://www.outsideonline.com/peaks/fischer/krakreply1.html). outsideonline.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.outsideonline.com/peaks/fischer/krakreply1.html) on 31 May 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2015. 25. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-25) [GlaxoSmithKline: On top of the world – Acclimatisation](http://www.gsk.com/people/mogens/acclimatisation.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090525150616/http://www.gsk.com/people/mogens/acclimatisation.htm) 25 May 2009 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine") 26. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Gau_26-0) ["Gau's account and pictures"](http://classic.mountainzone.com/climbing/misc/gau/index-ie3.html). Classic.mountainzone.com. Retrieved 5 December 2010. 27. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._193_27-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 193 28. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-28) Storm Over Everest. 1998. 29. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._214_29-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 214 30. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-30) ["Explorers' Last Words and Technology: From Robert Falcon Scott to Rob Hall"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210805173832/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/explorers-last-words-and-technology-from-robert-falcon-scott-to-rob-hall). Adventure. 29 March 2012. Archived from [the original](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/explorers-last-words-and-technology-from-robert-falcon-scott-to-rob-hall) on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021. 31. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-31) ["Bodies to come down in Everest clean-up"](https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/widow-of-climber-rob-hall-wants-his-body-left-on-mountain-during-sherpas-everest-clean-up/news-story/ba6352eda9e1dbaaf4a22bd9b9dcdb16). www.theaustralian.com.au. 22 April 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2021. 32. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKrakauer1997295_32-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 295. 33. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._322%E2%80%934_33-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 322–324 34. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._342%E2%80%934,_368_34-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 342–344, 368 35. ^ [*a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Ratcliffe_2011_35-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Ratcliffe_2011_35-1) Ratcliffe, Graham (2011). A Day to Die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : the untold true story. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 328. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [9781845966386](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781845966386 "Special:BookSources/9781845966386") . [OCLC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCLC_\(identifier\) "OCLC (identifier)") [671466084](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/671466084). 36. ^ [a](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-0) [b](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-1) [c](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-2) [d](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_36-3) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997) 37. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._355%E2%80%938_37-0)* [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 355–8 38. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krackauer_p._238_38-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 238 39. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._354_39-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 354 40. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-NewScientist_40-0) ["The Day the Sky Fell on Everest"](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18224492.200-the-day-the-sky-fell-on-everest.html). New Scientist (2449): 15. 29 May 2004. Retrieved 11 December 2006. 41. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-BioEd_Online_41-0) Peplow, Mark (25 May 2004). ["High Winds Suck Oxygen from Everest: Predicting Pressure Lows Could Protect Climbers"](http://www.bioedonline.org/news/news.cfm?art=986). BioEd Online. Retrieved 11 December 2006. "Moore explains that these jet streaks can drag a huge draught of air up the side of the mountain, lowering the air pressure. He calculates that this typically reduces the partial pressure of oxygen in the air by about 6%, which translates to a 14% reduction in oxygen uptake for the climbers. Air at that altitude already contains only one third as much oxygen as sea-level air." 42. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-42) Boukreev, Anatoli; DeWalt, G. Weston (2002). The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest. Pan Books. pp. 217, 218. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-0-330-48896-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-330-48896-9 "Special:BookSources/978-0-330-48896-9") . 43. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-43) [Beidleman, Neal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Beidleman "Neal Beidleman") (23 September 2020). ["Mill House Podcast – Episode 19"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL9UHk1zTeY&t=5254s) (video). youtube.com. 44. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._274_44-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 274 45. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-list_45-0) [List of Everest Fatalities](https://web.archive.org/web/20110613055601/http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml) AdventureStats.com 46. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._155_46-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 155 47. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._276_47-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 276 48. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_p._278_48-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), p. 278 49. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Krakauer_pp._108-114_49-0) [Krakauer 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#CITEREFKrakauer1997), pp. 108–114 50. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-50) ["Video"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110628224026/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1008873/2/index.htm). CNN. 14 October 1996. Archived from [the original](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1008873/2/index.htm) on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011. 51. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-51) ["Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa killed in Everest avalanche"](http://classic.mountainzone.com/climbing/fischer/lopsang.html). Mountain Zone. 52. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-52) Breashears, David. ["Epilogue"](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/everest/exposure/epilogue.html). High Exposure. "Except for Scott's body, still wrapped with a pack and rope the way Anatoli had left him, the summit slopes were mercifully free of the tragedy. When we reached the South Summit, [Rob](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall "Rob Hall") had disappeared from sight, shrouded by a tall drift formed around his body. Andy Harris and Doug Hansen may lie near him, though we'll probably never know. \[...\] Near the base of the Hillary Step we found the last vestige of the 1996 disasters, the body of Bruce Herrod, the photojournalist who'd been with the South African team." 53. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-53) Jonathan Crow (2008). [Into Thin Air: Death on Everest](https://web.archive.org/web/20081013084931/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/178032/Into-Thin-Air-Death-on-Everest/overview). Movies & TV Dept. Archived from [the original](https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/178032/Into-Thin-Air-Death-on-Everest/overview) on 13 October 2008. 54. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-Baumgarten_54-0) Baumgarten, Marjorie (14 October 2014). ["Everest"](http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/film/2002-10-14/141987/). [The Austin Chronicle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Austin_Chronicle "The Austin Chronicle"). Retrieved 19 November 2014. 55. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-55) [Frontline: Storm Over Everest](https://web.archive.org/web/20151210134829/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ5olbdXd10). PBS. 2007. Archived from [the original](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ5olbdXd10) on 10 December 2015. 56. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-56) ["Into the Death Zone"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2506656/). [IMDb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMDb "IMDb"). 57. [^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Mount_Everest_disaster#cite_ref-57) ["REVIEW: Dallas Opera's stunning world premiere of 'Everest'"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170202151406/http://www.dallasvoice.com/review-dallas-operas-world-premiere-everest-10189197.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.dallasvoice.com/review-dallas-operas-world-premiere-everest-10189197.html) on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017. - [Krakauer, Jon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Krakauer "Jon Krakauer") (1997). [Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster](https://archive.org/details/intothinairperso00krak). [Doubleday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubleday_\(publisher\) "Doubleday (publisher)"). [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-0-385-49208-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-385-49208-9 "Special:BookSources/978-0-385-49208-9") . - Ratcliffe, Graham (2013). A day to die for : 1996 : Everest's worst disaster : one survivor's personal journey to uncover the truth. Edinburgh. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_\(identifier\) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-1-78057-641-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-78057-641-1 "Special:BookSources/978-1-78057-641-1") . `{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher "Category:CS1 maint: location missing publisher")) - [The Website for the 2008 PBS Frontline television show titled Storm Over Everest.](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/everest/) - [PBS Frontline: 'Storm Over Everest' – washingtonpost.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/05/08/DI2008050802853.html) - [Climber Recounts Tragedy in 'Storm Over Everest'](https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90374592) - [Ken Kamler: Medical miracle on Everest – TEDMED](https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_kamler_medical_miracle_on_everest) - [PBS Storm over Everest : Roundtable : The Ethics of Climbing](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/everest/etc/roundtable.html) (with Peter Hackett, M.D.Lincoln Hall, James H. Moss, J.D., and Jim Williams)
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