Into thin air [a personal account of the Mount Everest disaster]

Summary: When asked why he wanted to attempt Everest - the highest, most treacherous mountain in the world - the British mountaineer George Mallory explained, "Because it's there." Everest is still there for the climbing, and it's as deadly as ever. In 1996, Jon Krakauer was sent by Outside magazine to report on the Everest industry, the high-priced expeditions that take novices and experts alike into the most forbidding terrain on the planet. An experienced climber new to high altitudes, Krakauer got more than he bargained for. On May 10th, an unexpected blizzard hit the summit just as two teams of Americans were descending. Eight people, including the two professional leaders, were lost and another terribly injured. Into thin air is one man's reflection on risk and tragedy. It's a glimpse into the curious allure that makes people throw caution to the wind and go where angels fear to tread.

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