Into Thin Air: Death on Everest

---

So this rule is hard and fast.

No matter where you are at 2:00 P.M.,

you turn around.

Unless you're 100 feet from the summit.

Then you can run up, tag it.

You know the answer

to that one, Dougie.

Even if you're 50 feet from the summit,

you go down.

You know that.

Jon Krakauer, right?

What was that all about?

I was in Rob's group last year. Turned

me around 300 feet from the summit.

You'll make it this year.

Have to.

That's something, isn't it?

Come on.

Bit of a letdown, isn't it?

Over 200 climbers

got permits this season.

There's only two weeks

when we can climb her.

We all have to go up

at the same time.

I was thrilled to finally be

at the foot of the great mountain.

But my excitement blinded me

to obvious signs...

signs that would have warned me...

of the tragedy to come.

There were teams from

many different nations on Everest...

some less experienced than others.

The Taiwanese, for example.

I'll help.

It's upside down.

See? This.

Upside down.

This one too. See?

Man, you don't belong

on this mountain.

Because there's so many people

on the mountain this year...

most of whom are incompetent...

Scott and I have decided to coordinate

our efforts for this climb.

In terms of safety,

it's the wisest course of action.

Lopsang, you and Ang Dorje

will head up the Sherpas.

And we are gonna aim

for a May 10 bid for the summit.

Let me emphasize this, though.

One in four climbers

who make the top...

get killed on the descent.

That's because they've used up

all their energy on the way down...

and they make mistakes.

At the risk of sounding unpopular,

I'll say it again.

My team have a turnaround time.

I don't care where you are

on the mountain, at 2:00 P.M...

you absolutely must turn around.

Even if you're 100 feet

Rate this script:(1.00 / 1 vote)