Character Analysis: Into Thin Air

In order to continue climbing Everest, many aspects of climbing need to be improved before more people endanger their lives to try and reach the roof of the world. The guides have some areas that need the most reform. During the ascension of Everest the guides made a plethora mistakes that seemed insignificant but only aided in disaster. The guides first mistake is allowing “any bloody idiot [with enough determination] up” Everest (Krakauer 153). By allowing “any bloody idiot” with no climbing experience to try and climb the most challenging mountain in the world, the guides are almost inviting trouble. Having inexperienced climbers decreases the trust a climbing team has in one another, causing an individual approach to climbing the mountain and more reliance on the guides. While this approach appears fine, this fault is seen in addition to another in Scott Fischer’s expedition Mountain Madness. Due to the carefree manner in which the expedition was run, “clients [moved] up and down the mountain independently during the acclimation period, [Fischer] had to make a number of hurried, unplanned excursions between Base Camp and the upper camps when several clients experienced problems and needed to be escorted down,” (154). Two problems present in the Mountain Madness expedition were seen before the summit push: the allowance of inexperienced climbers and an unplanned climbing regime. A third problem that aided disaster was the difference in opinion in regards to the responsibilities of a guide on Everest. One guide “went down alone many hours ahead of the clients” and went “without supplemental oxygen” (318). These three major issues: allowing anyone up the mountain, not having a plan to climb Everest and differences in opinion. All contributed to the disaster on Everest in

They were all very nervous because the whole world could know of the stupid mistakes that they

Many factors contributed to the bottlenecks between Camp Four and the summit, including: The fact that no Sherpas left ahead of the climbers to fix ropes to aid in climbing above the Balcony, which left the climbers waiting while Beidleman, a guide, fixed the ropes; the Taiwanese team, who were climbing very slowly and all together, making it impossible to pass them, therefore creating delays for the climbers behind them; and the fact that once the ascent had begun, Hall’s Sherpas were not eager to assist in fixing the ropes, presumably because they were angry that Fischer’s Sherpas were not sharing the workload as had been originally planned.

Jimmy knows too well the agonies of abandonment. First, when his mother, Cecilia, ran away with Richard to pursue a better lifestyle. Then, due to his father’s, Damacio Baca, alcoholisms and violent behavior; he also had to leave Jimmy behind. In spite of the drawbacks from abandonment to being a maximum security prisoner in Arizona State Prison, Jimmy preserver’s the darkness of prison by overcoming his illiteracy. However Cecilia and Damacio is not as fortunate as their child; Cecilia is shot by Richard after confronting him for a divorce and Damacio chokes to death after he is released from the detox center(Baca 263). Therefore the most significant event in this section of the memoir, A Place to Stand by Jimmy Santiago Baca is the death of Jimmy’s parents.

o Poor team building- A cohesive team unit wasn’t formed by Fischer Hall or the guides. The root cause of some of this decision may have been the selection of team members and the Fischer and Hall overlooking Booukreev’s advice. According to Roberto and Carioggia[1], “experience is overrated, it’s not the altitude, that’s important, it’s your attitude. Throughout the journey to the base camps, the team’s input wasn’t solicited. rs. Kraukaer[2] bonded with Hansen but, didn’t feel comfortable with the others. When embarking on any event, team building is essential, so that “strangers can become comrades.” Fisher and Hall should’ve engaged the team or collaborated to the guides regarding a spirit of inclusiveness and togetherness. One alternative could’ve been for Fischer and Hall to combine both teams and build on the strengths and weaknesses within. The expedition featured world-class guides however the lack of team building led to an inability for team members to feel valued.

Mt. Everest’s summit has always seemed an unattainable goal for most people. The idea that most people have is that if I can climb Mt Everest, I can accomplish anything. To have the money and desire to try to attempt it is one thing, but being able to endure the punishment is quite another. Beck Weathers, one of the climbers on this particular expedition, had such severe frostbite that he had to have his right arm, nose and the fingers on his left hand amputated. Everyone on the expedition suffered the rigors of Everest. The two expert guides, Rob Hall and Scott Fischer, lost their lives due to a violent storm that ripped through during their descent from the summit. Their impaired judgment also contributed to their demise. Everest is no respecter of persons. Mt Everest is the most respected mountain in the whole world and if

One of the worst decisions made was choosing poorly educated and experienced guides, George and Jacob Donner. In the book Great Misadventures: Bad Ideas That Led to Big Disasters, written Peggy Saari she talks about the Donner Party's and how it is one of the greatest failures in American history. Saari stated “neither brother had any mountaineering or

One of the most common problems to face in a disaster is people panicking, and not taking actions which could have fixed the situation. While climbing to Camp Two, Ngawang Topche contracted HAPE (a High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema). He did not take care of it properly, and in the end he died due to the lack of concern from him and others around him. Despite “feeling weak, groggy, and short of breath for more than two days”, and having it interfere with his work, he continued to push through symptoms that may not have seemed life-threatening at the time, but easily could have been (112). When his condition became dangerous, the climbers nearby were unable to help him properly. They did take him down the mountain, but even that did not cure his condition. HAPE is usually cured by bringing people to lower altitudes with more oxygen. At this point, it was obvious that his condition was deadly, yet he and the others around him did not try to get him to a hospital immediately, possibly costing him his life. They still believed it was just HAPE, and he would get better with time. Even though he had been coughing up blood, Topche continued to insist “he didn’t have HAPE” (115). Topche came from Rolwaling, a village where the strongest sherpas were born, and HAPE usually only affects inexperienced climbers. To him, admitting he had HAPE was as good as ruining his career, but that would be better than losing his life. When faced with a high stakes situation, Topche and those around him panicked and made poor decisions. The other sherpas denial of the situation delayed crucial treatment Topche needed, but they believed he just had a “stomach ache” (115). The sherpas chose not give him extra oxygen, and while it may not have saved his life, it may have helped. Despite the amount of evidence that showed Topche’s life was in danger, the sherpas continued to think that HAPE was not a condition another sherpa could get. When confronted with a disaster, the human mind can break down, and people only rely on what they know. Decisions that seem easy to

Rob Hall, the Kiwi guide of the Everest expedition group of Adventure Consultants, was the head guide during the terrible accidents of 1996. He led his team through many obstacles, facing them head on and never faltering until his last moments. Even in his dying breath he didn’t succumb to fear and didn’t want anyone to worry about him. Rob Hall would not leave Doug Hansen alone, even though he knew Hansen would die eventually, and didn’t desert him until there was a 100 percent certainty that Hansen was dead. Even though Hall himself had told all of the Adventure

The first reason why Krakauer is responsible for the crew’s death is because he recruited them. Krakauer knew who he was recruiting, some experienced and some who relied heavily on the guide’s help. “I want you all to remember we have absolutely no chance of getting to the summit of Everest without their help.” (Krakauer 4:43). This shows how weak each member is without the help of a professional guide. While Krakauer knows the death rate on the trek to the top of Everest is high, he knew deep down it’d be a bad idea to bring inexperienced climbers onto this dangerous mountain.” Ever since 1922, when seven Sherpas were killed in an avalanche during the second British expedition, a disproportionate number of Sherpas have died on Everest—fifty-three all told.” ( Krakauer 4.17). This quote proves how dangerous Everest is even for experienced and

Hall maintained that his clients climbed as a cohesive group as well as enforcing the turn-around times with the notable exception of the summit climb. Showing genuine concern for his Sherpa help, Hall made sure his clients understood their importance and was cavillous of other expedition leaders’ indifference to their Sherpa help.

On the third day of the first Everest simulation, new information was given to each member. As the environmentalist, I was given the weather forecast chart which I have to analysis with the marathoner as to predict whether there was going to be a frost bite on the next day, deciding whether to proceed or remain at the camp. However, due to the lack of time and discussions, I did not tell others that I obtained such information. I did not notice until the second simulation that such information was critically important, without the weather chart our team could not decide whether to proceed or remain at camp. This demonstrates the lack of communication between team

Candidate Dalby did not seem confident while briefing his fire team on the mission at hand. SNC missed the Admin and Logistics portion as well. There did not seem to be a solid initial plan in place and upon execution there was some uncertainty of how to effectively begin the problem. SNC's lack of a well thought out plan resulted in taking advice from his fire team members. SNC was briefed prior to the start of the obstacle not to throw anything, but threw the ammo can over the wall which had the rope tied to it, this resulted in a 60 second penalty of the ammo can and rope. SNC did not have a solid secondary plan which resulted in mismanagement of time. There was no real sense of urgency throughout the negotiation of this obstacle which

First of all, Sherpas are very well knowledged about what they do and the land all around them. There is no doubt that they’re very traditional on their own beliefs. But some people don’t realize that the Sherpas are supposed to be there for guidance and much little help, yet they are treated as if they’re mules and needed to carry a ton. That’s a hazard for their own safety. “, a clear division remains between the Westerners who climb Everest and the Sherpas who guide them--lugging their gear and clearing

During the first climb on September 1st, 2014, the team is still scattered and the members are reluctant to share information and opinions. At the first stage of the Everest, our appointed leader, Rachel accidentally submitted the final decision, making the whole team