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Title details for Dark Summit by Nick Heil - Available

Dark Summit

The True Story of Everest's Most Controversial Season

by Nick Heil
David Drummond
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
2 of 2 copies available
In early May 2006, a young British climber named David Sharp lay dying near the top of Mount Everest while forty other climbers walked past him on their way to the summit. A week later, Lincoln Hall, a seasoned Australian climber, was left for dead near the same spot. Hall's death was reported around the world, but the next day he was found alive after spending the night on the upper mountain with no food and no shelter.


If David Sharp's death was shocking, it was not singular: despite unusually good weather, ten others died attempting to reach the summit that year. In this meticulous inquiry into what went wrong, Nick Heil tells the full story of the deadliest year on Everest since the infamous season of 1996. He introduces Russell Brice, the outfitter who has done more than anyone to provide access to the summit via the mountain's north side—and who some believe was partially responsible for Sharp's death. As more climbers attempt the summit each year, Heil shows how increasingly risky expeditions and unscrupulous outfitters threaten to turn Everest into a deadly circus.


Written by an experienced climber and outdoor writer, Dark Summit is both a riveting account of a notorious climbing season and a troubling investigation into whether the pursuit of the ultimate mountaineering prize has spiralled out of control.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    August 18, 2008

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781400127702
      • File size: 247481 KB
      • Duration: 08:35:35

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      As David Sharp lay dying on Mount Everest in the climbing season of 2006, he was passed by more than 40 people. Nick Heil looks into the events surrounding Sharp's death and the surprising rescue of another climber, Lincoln Hall. Narrator David Drummond stresses the ironies and dramatic moments in Heil's work, while remaining evenhanded as Heil considers whether Sharp could have been saved. Drummond's voice work humanizes the key figures--most notably Aussie Hall and New Zealander Russell Brice, a larger-than-life figure prominent among Everest expedition leaders. At times chilling, Heil's account of the tragic spring of 2006 is compelling as it delves into the issues of compassion and responsibility. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      March 31, 2008
      In this mountain-climbing narrative, Heil examines the 2006 climbing season on Mount Everest that resulted in 11 deaths. Heil focuses on the fate of two climbers: Lincoln Hall and David Sharp, whose attempt at a solo ascent was his third try at conquering Everest. Heil, a former editor at Outside, analyzes Sharp's climb and subsequent death as he tries to deduce if the young Brit could have survived given the fact he was still alive when 40 climbers passed him on the way to the summit. Lincoln Hall, meanwhile, was left for dead below the mountain's Second Step, but thanks to perseverance and good fortune he made it home alive. Heil seamlessly intertwines these amazing storylines with well-thought out reflections on the ethics of high-altitude climbing and the problems that come with the commercialization of climbing the world's largest peak. Furthermore, Heil, an experienced climber, proves adroit at explaining such climbing perils as freezing death and acclimatization. Enthralling from start to finish, Heil has created a timely, thought-provoking story that will thrill adrenaline junkies and armchair adventurers.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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