Dark Summit: The True Story of Everest's Most Controversial Season

If you are into mountaineering books, Dark Summit is one to read. I have been intriqued by why climbers are so obsessed with climbing the higher peaks over 8000 meters. Iam an avid hiker and climb only moderate peaks. I became obsessed myself with the tragedy of 1996 with Scott Fischer and Rob Halls' group and why in the face of danger would a client or climber risk their lives to bag the ultimate summit. In So many unseem factors led to their demise. Dark Summit tragedy strikes again ten years after the first one in 1996. As in the first, there are remarkable similarities that occur though under different circumstances. As the story unfolds, author, Nick Heil does a wonderful job in portraying the events as they happen. I wanted to continue reading to find out what happened next and didn't want to put the book down. Like many of the other mountaineering books I read, I wanted to seek out answers to questions in my mind such as why do climbers put their body through so much torture and pain to what it must feel like being in the death zone. There are many complexies to solving the puzzle. This is one book that evokes interest in the quest of obtaining the ultimate dream of summiting mountains that seem to be like pillars that connect earth to the heavens. You will not be disappointed.

I am fascinated by some things that people do, such as climbing the highest mountain or going to depths of the oceans, and the risks they are willing to take for experiences most of us will never have. Of course I always assume that the people and situation are being done by experts, in situations where there is some control to the extent possible, but as this books sshows that is not always the case. Like any book where you read about times when it seems if things were done differently just a bit, another outcome could happpen, this one raises questions and shows potential failings in the system and people which could have avoided unfortunate outcomes. Hopefully people take heed of books like this for the future, but as pointed out many things have been known about for awhile, such as who and how people can climb Everest. Very well written book and I highly recommmend it to anyone who is interested in Everest and stories surrounding one the the goals people only usually dream about.

A stunning addition to the Everest bookshelf, Heil writes about the 2006 climbing season, the second-deadliest since the 1996 disaster. This time, there was no crippling storm and no stranded teams - but forty people walked past a dying man just below the summit without stopping. Heil presents a thorough and amazing look at what the circumstances were, and ponders the question - what ethics exist at the roof of the world?

I pre-ordered this book immediately after watching The Discovery Channel documentary: "Everest Beyond the Limit". It is an excellent companion to the documentary giving very insightful information on the tragedy of 1996. I really re-evaluated how I felt about Russell Brice and the sherpas through this book. It is always fascinating to read about this world on Everest that most of us cannot ever visit. I almost felt like I was reading about a story from another planet! If you love Everest but cannot ever climb it, buy this book to visit this amazing place...it is a wonderful read and a perfect addition to my ever growing mountaineering library.