 Mt. Everest journal entry:
May 23, 2009
–4F with 60 mph wind
Summit Day Turns Dangerous
“Clear skies soon turn to clouds,
proceeded by snow flurries, followed by
whiteout conditions and high winds. We were
climbing into even more treacherous terrain
with every step, and soon we reached the
famed Hillary Step. The weather was
deteriorating quickly, and I asked Tshering
how much longer to the summit. He said
another hour and a half. Dear God, don’t
turn us around now, after such an effort!
We climbed over large boulders and crossed
narrow rock ledges, dropping off thousands
of feet on each side. Yes, we were roped for
safety, clipped to a line that would catch
us should we fall, but I think I would have died of a heart
attack anyway. My brain screamed, “Don’t
let fear in!”. |
